“Were you just angry or were you serious when you implied that all you’re good at is … ‘fucking.’”
A slow breath escaped his lips, warming her skin. “Both. I wanted you to show me I’m more than that guy. He’s all I’ve ever known. But then you went off about foot rubs, porch swings, and paint swatches. I knew I would never be that guy. I felt like the guy who helped you see what you want, but it wasn’t me.”
“Jackson …” Ryn’s chest ached beneath the weight of his words. “I fear you more than I’ve ever feared any man.”
He turned, resting his chin on her stomach. Confusion lined his brow.
“Preston hurt me. He broke my skin and even a few bones, and I survived. But you … you could do something Preston could never do. You could break my heart, and I don’t know if I would survive that.”
“I’m going to hurt you,” he murmured over her skin, inching up her body. “I’m going to do everything wrong nine times out of ten.” He rested his lips between her breasts for a long second then looked up at her. “But I will never cross that line. I’ll never break your heart.”
Ryn nodded once. Her dreams clung to his words … to his promise.
“What happened?” She traced the outline of the large adhesive patch on his shoulder.
“Jillian.”
“Sibling feud gone wrong?” She smiled. He did not.
“Were you serious?” he asked.
Ryn continued tracing the patch on his shoulder. “About?”
“About there being nothing about me that you can’t love?”
Her heart raced just from the tone of his voice, as if she somehow knew what he was about to say would forever change her life. But if given a thousand lifetimes to contemplate the possibilities, she never would have imagined his next confession.
“Yes,” she whispered past the asphyxiating fear in her throat.
“The glass on the floor at AJ’s?”
Ryn nodded slowly.
“She stabbed me with a long shard of it.”
“What?” She shook her head. “Why?”
“I took AJ’s …” Jackson laced his fingers with hers, holding them next to her shoulders as if his words required her to be restrained.
Her body tensed beneath his, preparing for impact. Of what? She didn’t know. “You took AJ’s … what?”
“Life.”
He didn’t say that. She knew that’s not what he said, and if he did there was no way it’s what he meant. It had to be metaphorical.
“W-what do you mean?”
“He was in a lot of pain. Jillian was in denial.”
Ryn shook her head, trying to wriggle from his grasp, but the more she tried, the harder he held her down.
“What are you saying? You … you killed him?”
“Yes.” The firm resolution in his answer held no regret.
Jackson killed AJ. Jackson. Killed. AJ.
“It was his decision, not mine.”
“What?” She tugged against his grip. “Let me go!”
He released her. She flailed to sitting then scrambled to collect her clothes, tripping on to her face.
“Are you okay—”
“I’m fine.” She yanked away from his hold, skidding back onto her butt with her clothes hugged to her chest.
“Whoa … what the hell?”
“You killed AJ! You took someone’s life. How can you stand there like it was nothing? That’s … that’s … something. Like illegal and immoral and … and wrong on so many levels. It doesn’t matter that he asked you to do it. He wasn’t in his right mind. I mean … for God’s sake, if I get embarrassed and mumble the words ‘kill me now’ are you going to put a gun to my head and pull the trigger?”
“What?” He jerked his head back.
She wasn’t crazy. Okay, she had a little crazy going on, but nothing to warrant the shocked look on his face.
“Ryn, stop. Just stop. I didn’t put a gun to his head. He. Was. Dying.” Jackson moved toward her.
She retreated until her back pressed against Jillian’s armoire. “What if his family finds out? You could be charged with murder.”
“They won’t find out. I know what I’m doing.”
“You know what you’re doing? H-how? Did you Google euthanasia?”
He chuckled. That fueled her fire.
“Oh my God. You’re laughing about this?”
Jackson shook his head, lips twitching as he tried and failed to hide his smirk. “No. I just didn’t expect this reaction from you.”
“Oh …” She shoved him out of her way, dropping the wad of clothes onto the bed. She sorted through them to find her bra and panties. “Do share. What reaction did you expect from me?”
“Stop!” He grabbed her arms and forced her to sit on the edge of the bed as he knelt on the floor in front of her. “I know you don’t know what to do with this information right now. You’re in shock. I get it. AJ had terminal cancer. He couldn’t control his personality and he began to get violent with Jillian. He was going blind and losing his ability to even form words. He couldn’t eat. He was having seizures. He was suffering, Ryn. Can’t you see that?”