Page 65 of The Engagement Party

Will inched closer. “Ruthie, stop. He won’t—”

“Shut up.” The demand came out rougher than she planned. All those weeks of pretending to care about Will had worn her down. She was tired of cooing and calming. “I don’t need you to help me.”

Will jerked back. “Hey, I’m trying to support you.”

Ruthie ignored his whining. Ignored him. Tried to wipe outthe unwanted memory of every time he’d touched her and focus on the danger in front of her. “You want the truth. Right, Dylan? You want the person who hurt Brendan to—”

“KilledBrendan,” Dylan shot back.

“Okay, who killed Brendan to face justice.”

Up until then he’d been leaning and lounging on the barstool, acting mostly unaffected by the fear pulsing through the room. Now, he stood up, fully in control and clear in his intentions. “I am justice.”

Air rushed out of her, but she tried again. “No, you’re a man.”

He aimed the gun at her without blinking. “I could kill you. Prove I’m serious and feel nothing.”

Everyone shifted in their seats. Alex told him to lower the weapon. Sierra’s left arm slipped behind Mitch.

Ruthie didn’t move. She needed all of Dylan’s focus on her. “Killing me won’t get you what you want.”

“Maybe it will make your weasel of a fiancé finally talk about what he did.” Dylan continued to look at her, but the barrel of the gun moved toward Will, who started to stand up. “Try it. I fucking dare you.”

“Will, don’t. Sit down.” Ruthie’s voice vibrated now. She couldn’t keep the thread of panic out of it. “He will kill you.”

Dylan nodded. “Yes, I will.”

The confusion hadn’t cleared Will’s eyes. “How do you know so much about him?”

“Because they know each other.” Cassie words came out slowly, as if she realized the truth as she spoke it.

Dylan’s head tilted to the side. “Do we?”

That amused voice had come back. Ruthie tried to block themocking tone as she performed a mental countdown in her head. If she shot first maybe they’d have a chance. At least some of them.

Will’s mouth dropped open. “Wait... what?”

“Poor clueless Will.” Dylan walked around to the other side of the kitchen island. He now had a shield of sorts between him and the rest of the room. He could shoot and duck.

The move made Ruthie wonder if he knew about her gun.

“What are you saying?” The strain in Will’s voice suggested he might have a clue after all.

Dylan shook his head. “Ruthie, honey. Don’t you think it’s time you tell these people who you really are?”

Chapter Forty-Nine

Alex

Alex blamed Will. His pathetic need to be loved and taken care of had caused this. He’d been desperate in his search to findnormaland opened the door to a person who blew up the patchwork past they’d created.

Cassie shook her head. “I knew it.”

She did. Alex had to give his wife credit. She’d been skeptical of Ruthie from the start. Alex had chalked up Cassie’s spiraling mood to a mix of mistrust and misplaced worry, but he’d been too quick to jump on a stereotype and write off her warnings as part of astrongwomen can’t get alongvibe when he’d known better. Cassie could read people.

The rushed engagement. The party in the middle of nowhere. Ruthie had been luring Will in... luring them all into Dylan’s waiting and deadly hands.

“They’re working together,” Cassie added.

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