“And you believe a fucking word that bastard says? He killed both of our fucking dads and had the nerve to stand in front of us as though he didn’t do a goddamn thing. He came into my home, he stood by your side for months, every day lying to you, betraying your trust. I’m fucking sorry, Jade, but I won’t let him get away with this. Dominic Fucking Garcia is going down and I don’t care if I have to stand against every fucking Black Widow to make it happen.”
“Colton,” I breathe. “You can’t. You don’t know what you’re getting into. These guys … they’re not just kids who grew up in a bad neighborhood, they’re killers. They love it and they won’t stop until you’re gone. You can’t declare war against them. It won’t end pretty.”
“I won’t be declaring shit,” he tells me, clearly pissed off with me but the fact that he hasn’t thrown me out speaks volumes. Maybe he really is serious about making this work. Maybe he is prepared to look over my shortcomings and take me as I am—flaws and all. “I’m going to hit him where it fucking hurts and he’ll never see me coming.”
My hand flinches in his, the thought of Nic getting hurt still tearing at my soul but it’s a feeling that I’m going to have to get used to because I won’t try to stop him. I trust Colton and if this is how he wants to deal with this, then I’m standing by his side through thick and thin. Nic has wronged me one too many times.
“What about the others?” he asks. “Were they in on this?”
I shake my head. “No. They found out only after the fact and handled Nic themselves.”
“I don’t give a shit if they handled Nic. No one takes my revenge from me.”
I nod, understanding his pain as clear as day. There’s something a person just has to do themselves, something that a stand-in just won’t cut it for. “You haven’t thrown me out of your car yet,” I note, biting down on my bottom lip as I look up and meet his eyes.
“Don’t get me wrong, Jade. I’m fucking furious with you. You should have told me the second you found out, but I understand why you didn’t and I can’t fault you for that, but if you ever keep something like that from me again, you and I are going to have problems.”
“I won’t,” I whisper. “You have my word.”
Colton nods, reaching across the car and taking my hand. He pulls it up to his lips and brushes a gentle kiss over my hand. “I only just got you back, Jade, and watching you walk away isn’t something I’m willing to see again. I wasn’t kidding before, I fucking love you and I’m all in. You and me until the end, even if it means we have to tear each other to shreds just to get there.”
My lips pull into a twisted grin, watching as the change of topic has the anger slowly fading out of him. “Just for the record,” I tell him. “If it came to tearing each other to shreds, I’d definitely win.”
“Are you really sure about that?” he questions, checking his mirrors and pulling back out onto the road to take us home. “I’m pretty fucking certain that I’d let you win just so I could see that proud grin on your face when you think you’ve finally outdone me.”
“No one ever lets me win.”
“Really?” he laughs. “All those times I would walk away at the beginning, do you really think that was because I couldn’t handle you or because I wanted you to fall in love with the idea of being able to beat me.”
My brows pinch. “And why the hell would you do that?”
“Because when you think you already have a win in the bag, you let your guard down, and then taking it out from under you is so much more satisfying.”
My mouth drops as a shocked gasp sails out of me. “No, you wouldn't do that.”
He looks across at me, his eyes sparkling with laughter. “Wouldn’t I?”
My mouth drops, realizing that he one hundred percent would. “You little bitch. Fuck you. I was so proud of myself for being able to take down the egotistical bastard making my life a living hell.”
He laughs. “I know. Watching the little house kitten thinking she could take on a fucking lion was pretty entertaining so thank you for that.”
I roll my eyes and glare out my side window. “Word of warning, Carrington. Those who underestimate the little house kitten usually end up with scars.”
“In that case,” he murmurs, keeping his eyes on the road. “Let’s hope that Dominic Garcia underestimates you.”
We return to the Carrington mansion and I can’t help but feel happy to be here. I feel a million times lighter despite the hell that’s going on in my life. Milo is having a shit time but I know he’s going to be alright. I still have absolutely no idea how this bullshit is going to go down with Nic and the Widows, but I know it’s going to be bad.
Despite all of that, I’m happy. I feel as though I’ve removed all the toxicity from my life. Questions finally have answers and while there’s still so much to work through, I can finally start to discover who I really am.
Jude is gone and no longer someone that I have to fear. Nic is on his way out and the fuckers who burned their mark on the back of my neck will be handled when the time comes. As for now, I have Colton, a shitload of new friends—who wouldn’t dream of stabbing
