Objective (Bloodlines #2)(71)

“Magnolia!” he shouts but he sounds far away.

“I’m here!” I shout, but I don’t know if I’m shouting at all. The ringing in my ears is so loud it drowns my own voice out. An arm clamps around my waist and hoists me up. I wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face in his chest as he holds me close to him. “Magnolia.”

I tilt my head back to look at up him. His blue gray stormy eyes bore into mine just before our mouths crash together. The kiss lingers momentarily before I snap out of it and pull back. “You’re okay...” I breathe.

“Come on, let’s get in the car so I can check you over, make sure you’re alright.”

He scoops me up under my knees and walks us away from the burning debris pile.

“I’m fine, just bumps and bruises and a couple splinters,” I say, swatting his roaming hands away. “I’m sure I look worse than I am.”

“You look like you’ve been beaten and tortured.” His expression is grim and tense.

“Where’s Cane? Brock? Oh God, did someone go back for Brock?!” I shriek. I need to get myself under control but I can't stop shivering. Bentley hands me a bottle of water with a look that says if I don’t drink it he’ll force it down my throat, so I gulp the water down in four long chugs.

“I sent Cane to extract Brock. I couldn’t risk Ezra being here with you and having the opportunity to take you both out at once,” he explains.

“What?” I crow.

“Ezra will go after Cane. I was only able to track him here through his cell phone. It stopped moving here, he must have dumped it when he left. You, Magnolia, have something very important to him.”

“It’s just a ratty backpack full of money, I barely tapped into it at all!” I wail.

“We’re missing something then,” he states firmly.

“It’s personal. I’m a loose end. If I pressed charges...it would put him in the public eye. That’s got to be it,” I deduce.

“No. The rape alone isn’t what’s driving him. We’re missing something.” Rape. What a dirty word. The shame that rolls through me when the word leaves his mouth is all-consuming. He puts an arm around me and pulls me to his firm chest. “It wasn’t your fault. He’s a sick, twisted monster. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Let it go,” he coos. I rear back, tearing myself from his embrace.

“Let it go?” I spit. “Let. It. Go? Do you understand that Cane was all I knew? There was no one else, Bentley. Never anyone else. I trusted him with every last piece of my f*cking soul, and Ezra waltzed in and took the one thing that I had to give away. You...you were the only other one. The second I got close to you, everything crumbled. I don’t know how to let it go. He violated me. He raped me of a normal life with the man I loved, he stole his nephew's life as well and he’s still walking around out there like nothing can touch him!” I shriek. “I don’t know how to let it go. I don’t want to know how to let it go. I want to kill him. I want justice for all the lives he’s ruined,” I growl.

“Magnolia, justice isn’t served if you kill him. Justice is served by following the law and putting him away. Why do you think Cane was working with me? Huh? To gather enough evidence to put him away for life so that he would be out for good, done with that life, for you. Cane and I only know each other because of you. You are the common denominator here - and it seems that you are the driving reason for Ezra too. Whatever you have, he wants.” I don’t want to listen to another word Bentley has to speak. I don’t want to imagine that one simple change in my day could have resulted in my innocence being saved, Cane getting out free and clean and Ezra being put away for life. If I had just gone out to dinner, or shopping or stayed at Aster’s longer that night everything would be different. It’s done though. It’s done and now I am the only one who will be able to make it right.

“Take me to Brock. I need to see him and I need a drink.” Bentley drags his hand down his face and mutters something about me being pig-headed but starts the car and drives us away from that Godforsaken cabin.





Chapter 23





“Fear cuts deeper than swords.”- George R.R. Martin


Roanoke Hospital is huge. The cabin was about an hour's drive from the hospital and it was a tense and quiet ride. It sets my mind at ease that Brock is somewhere that isn't Podunk though. Bentley informed me that he hasn't come to yet but that there is a good chance he will.

“Brock!” I run into the room intending on squeezing him tight, but stop short at the sight of him. He’s banged up. His head is wrapped and his normally huge frame looks small and weak. His skin is ashy and machines and tubes seem to be entering and exiting him everywhere. I grab his hand and let the tears fall freely. “I’m so sorry I distracted you with that stupid game. I’m so sorry,” I whisper brokenly into his ear. I turn to face Bentley. “Where’s Cane?” His lips form a thin tight line and his shoulders tense. “Where. Is. Cane?” I repeat slowly.

“We don’t know,” he admits.

“Who’s we?”

“Me. The ATF. We lost him. Last sighting was here, when they brought Brock in, but he’s disappeared.”

“Why? Why would he do that?” I ask, feeling light-headed. He can’t be gone. The last words we shared were in anger and frustration. It can’t end like this. He needs to know I love him.