The Revenge (The Insiders Trilogy #3)(60)

She should blanch.

“Are you kidding me?”

That was my greeting to her, with my nostrils flared, and she gulped. She’d been pale already. Some of that was from the state we found her in, the detox, but she was here, and I was regretting my moment of trying to be the good fucking guy.

“I’m sorry.”

I cocked my head to the side. “That’s all you have to say?” I took a step closer, growling, “What the fuck are you doing here? I told them to cut you loose and send you to a rehab. Funny,” I clipped out, “my club doesn’t look like the insides of a drug treatment center.”

“I know. I know.” She held up her hands, backing away a step.

Fuck that.

I wasn’t in her space.

I wasn’t pushing to be in her space.

I had taken one step toward her, then locked up, because right now the woman I loved was crying in my office and I was down here, dealing with this one.

“Start talking, Victoria. You’re taking time away from me being with Bailey right now and I’m not happy about it.”

“Okay.” She edged back another step.

“If you take one more goddamn step backward as if I’m the aggressor here, I will kick you the fuck out of Naveah so quick, your head will spin.”

She stopped edging.

My nostrils flared again. “Out with it. Now.”

“I’m sorry!” she cried out, her arms flinging outward. The dam broke. All the fearful crap vanished and she was dissolving again. Her chest was heaving. “Okay? That’s what I came to say. I’m sorry for everything. Everything!”

I opened my mouth.

She kept going, “I’m sorry for being with you, knowing that if you fell in love with me that I would actually try to control you for your grandfather. I’m sorry that I never told you. I’m sorry that I was so scared of him and what he would do that I put my family and him first. I’m sorry about all the insanely bitchy moments I’ve had. I’m even sorry about little cutting comments I made to Seraphina. I’m sorry that I knew Quinn was a monster and I never said anything. I’m sorry that I cosigned with Quinn, using her and not even thinking about who she could hurt. I’m sorry Bailey was hurt by your grandfather. I’m sorry for what I said to her. But, I’m not sorry that I fell in love with you and I’m not sorry that I still love you, but I know that you’ll never love me back.” She stopped, breathing hard. The tears had left black makeup streaks over her face.

I closed my mouth.

Her head hung, but not before I saw the agony flash in her eyes.

She was sniffling, dabbing at her nose with a napkin. “You saved my life, and you didn’t need to do that. I would’ve died.” She looked up; that agony was there. It was right on the surface, and it was enough to dissipate some of my anger. “Calhoun told me to go to that house and hide there. I did. But he also sent me the drugs. He sent enough for me to overdose on, and a part of me knew it. I had it lined up. I was going to take it, and I knew I was going to die. You got there in time.” More sniffling. Her voice grew hoarse, to a faint whisper. “You saved my life, and then you further saved my life by helping me detox.”

“Go to a treatment center.”

“I am.” A tear slid from her eye, but she let it go. She didn’t wipe it away, and resolve flared at me from her gaze. Her chin firmed. Her shoulders straightened. “I came back to pack my things and I have a car waiting for me. I didn’t come in here to upset anyone. I truly didn’t, but when Fleur said you were here, I came to say thank you. And…” her chin wobbled now. She blinked rapidly. Her throat moved up and down as she swallowed. “And … and I know what your grandfather intends to do with you.”

I grew still.

“I know that you have a twin brother. I know that you know about your twin brother, and I know that he’s supposed to watch you because he’s supposed to replace you.”

What …

I blinked. Once. “Say again?”

Her mouth pressed together, but that chin was firm again. She lifted it. “Your twin brother is supposed to take over your life. He’s been studying you this whole time, observing you, and when he’s perfected you, he will kill you.”

She paused another beat before she finished.

“He’ll take over your life as if you never existed.”





THIRTY-SEVEN

Bailey


“Bailey.”

I’d fallen asleep. Crap. How had I fallen asleep?

A hand smoothed up my arm and he leaned over me. “Bailey. Wake up.”

My heart spiked.

It was Kash, but it wasn’t Kash.

That hand wasn’t Kash.

The lights in the office were off, but there’d been a lamp on. I knew Kash left it on.

What was he doing? No.

“Bailey.” A bit more insistent. His hand shook my shoulder harder. “Come on.”

“What are you doing?”

I winced, hearing my voice. It was raspy and barely there.

“We have to go.” Now his voice was more clear, louder.

He sounded like Kash.

His head moved closer, and my eyes were adjusting. He looked like Kash.

But he wasn’t Kash. I knew it. I felt it .