“I’m sorry,” the words hitting like a cold wave against the burning heat inside me. “I’m sorry I couldn’t keep Bryn alive. I’m sorry they took Dante. It should’ve been me, pet.”
The confession hits me harder than the punches. The grip loosens, but I don’t turn around. I can’t.
He releases me and strides toward the back door, his movements stiff, controlled, but I see the cracks, the pain bleeding through in every step.
“Oh no,” I murmur, panic bubbling in my chest. Did he think I blamed him? Did he really think my anger was for him?
“Knox!” I scream after him, my legs giving out beneath me. Ryker’s there in an instant, steadying me.
“He’s fine, love,” Ryker says softly, but I see the worry in his eyes. “Just give him time.”
I shake my head; tears I hadn’t realized were there falling freely.
“It’s not his fault!” I say desperate. I can’t stop them. The tears, the pain, the guilt—it all rises up and spills over.
“It was never his fault!”
Knox
Istorm into the woods behind the house, each breath ragged, like I’m trying to breathe through broken glass. The trees blur around me, the cold air burning in my lungs. I can’t fucking breathe.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
I’ve held it together for her, for the others, but I’m cracking now, splintering under the weight of it all. Rage floods my chest, and I swing hard, my fist slamming into the nearest tree. Bark ripsthrough skin, blood smearing into dirt, pain flaring up my arm, but I welcome it.I fucking need it.
Dante’s gone. Bryn’s dead. Aspen’s breaking. And I wasn’t enough to stop any of it.
I rest my head against the tree, jaw clenched tight.
Fuck!
For Dante, I have to stay sharp. Focused. He’s everything now, my brother, my fight, my fucking priority.
But Aspen… She’s going to try something reckless; I know it. That fire in her eyes? That rage? She’ll throw herself into the flames if it means getting him back.
No.That’s not her place. This war belongs to us.To me.
Roman’s a dead man walking. I’ll have his head on a spike, on a plate—I don’t give a fuck—before the week’s over. Even if it costs me everything. Even if it costs me my life.
She’ll have Dante back. Because that’s who she wants. Not me. Not Max or Ryker. It’s always been him.
Fuck!
The thought guts me worse than any blade ever could.
“Knox,” her voice shatters the silence like a gunshot.
I spin around, and there she is, limping toward me, face streaked with tears, fury in every line of her body.Fuck, no.My chest caves in.
“Aspen,” I reach for her, but she lifts her hand and slaps me so hard my head jerks sideways, the sting blooming across my cheek.
“Fucking hell!” I grunt, standing tall, hand rubbing my jaw, but I don’t move toward her. I watch. Wait.
She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t back down, and her eyes are blazing.
“Never. Ever.” She stalks closer, grabs the collar of my shirt, and fists it tight. “Fucking say it should’ve been you.”
She sobs, breaking through her chest. “It shouldn’t be any of you! I’d die if it was you,do you hear me?!”
