Even die for her.
I pull the picture out of my pocket and stare at us together as I make the last calls I need to seal my fate.
15
Kane
Ididn’t know words could hurt worse than being shot until Temperance looked into my eyes this afternoon in the car and said, “Please don’t be noble, Kane. I can’t give you up. I won’t. Don’t ask me to.”
I’ve never been accused of being noble before. It’s not part of my job description.
But for Temperance, I will be anything she needs.
When I pull the gun, I see the confusion and then horror on her face as the shots explode in the airport.
Ransom goes down, just like we planned.
Temperance’s scream is infinitely more painful than the bullet that hits my vest. The squib pack bursts, and my shirt and suit jacket are soaked in blood.
I go through the motions, needing to make it convincing as I destroy everything Temperance feels for me.
Her eyes are on mine as I hit the carpet and mouth two words.I’m sorry.
I watch as she loses consciousness. She probably didn’t even feel the prick of the needle when that bastard tackled her too fucking hard. He’ll pay for that.
I’m so fucking sorry, princess.
Again, I didn’t have a choice. She has to stay unconscious for this part. She can’t see anything that will put her in danger. She needs to wake up thinking she saw me murder her brother and then die.
It’s the only way.
16
Temperance
Present day
“I’m sorry.”
I can still see the words on Kane’s lips, just like I can see them on the paper he left in my Bronco.
Because he planned all of this.
Betrayal slices through me again, along with gut-wrenching guilt.I helped him kill my brother.
What kind of sister does that?A stupid one.
I look down at the crumpled paper in my seat.
I’m sorry. It had to be this way.
“Fuck you,Kane! You don’t get to be sorry!” I scream like a woman with nothing to lose as I jump out of my truck and spin around to face the tools. I came here to get the Bronco, but now I have a completely different objective in mind.
I stomp toward the workbench and look for a lighter and gasoline.
I’m going to burn this motherfucker down.
I spot the torch I used to weld the sculpture I was making for him that day my world ended with three gunshots.Perfect. Fucking poetic.I scan the expansive space for anything I can use as an accelerant. A red gas can on a shelf on the opposite side of the warehouse stands out like a homing beacon.