Page 95 of Captured Heart

“Uh...for me...fifteen...at least.”

The courtroom murmurs again, the tension thick in the air. I glance at Victor, his jaw tight, his eyes filled with venom. But I keep going, because I have to. Because this is the only way to keep Katelyn safe and make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone else.

The prosecutor straightens, his tone shifting slightly. “Mr. Kazlauskas, is there any doubt in your mind that Victor Salazar was the one giving the orders for these crimes?”

“None. Victor controlled everything. Nothing happened without his approval.”

There’s a pause, the lawyer letting my words sink in before moving on to the next question. But in that moment, I feel the weight of every word I’ve said. Every crime I’ve confessed to. Every secret I’ve exposed. It’s like peeling back layers of rot, one by one, exposing the ugly truth underneath.

And Katie’s there, listening to every despicable thing I’ve done.

My gaze flickers to her, but I can’t hold it. She’s keeping her face neutral, but I know better. She’s hearing it all—the thefts, the robberies, the murders I helped cover up. The kind of darkness no one like her should ever have to confront.

This is why I lost my shit when she came to see me, why I told her to leave. Because she had the audacity to suggest there was a chance for us. That we could have a future.

That angered me more than anything because I know that chance doesn’t exist. Not for me. Not for us. Just the possibility of us being together scared me more than Victor did because I know I’ll never be the type of man she needs. She’s pure, untainted by the filth I’ve waded through. She’s light, and I’m the shadow that would snuff it out.

I hate that she’s here, hearing this. Hate that she’s getting a front-row seat to the monster I’ve spent my life becoming. I told her to forget me for a reason. She deserves so much more than I could ever offer her.

I force myself to look at her again, and the sight nearly breaks me. Her hands are clasped tightly in her lap. Her lips are pressed into a thin line, and her eyes stay fixed on the prosecutor. She’s doing everything she can to look unaffected, but I see the cracks.

I start to wonder if she hates me now, if she regrets fighting for me.

She should.

I grip the edge of the stand, my fingers digging into the wood. This testimony is the last piece of the deal. The last thing I owe before I disappear forever. And if it means she gets to move on, free from the weight of my mistakes, then I’ll keep going. I’ll bare it all.

The prosecutor clears his throat, ready to continue. I drag my focus back to him, but Katie’s face lingers in my mind, etched there like a ghost I can’t exorcise.

The questions continue, drilling down into specifics. Names, dates, locations. I answer every single one, my voice steady, my words deliberate. Detective Collins prepared me for this, but actually doing it is fucking me up inside. Each answer feels like peeling back a layer of my skin, exposing parts of myself I’ve tried to bury.

The prosecution steps back, and the defense takes over. Victor’s new lawyer is sharp, as calculated and manipulative ashe is. His questions are designed to dismantle everything I’ve just said. He paints me as a criminal, trying to save myself. He suggests that I’m a man willing to say anything for a deal. As it progresses, he questions my credibility, my motives, my sudden change of heart.

He digs into my past, bringing up every crime I’ve committed, every order I carried out under Victor’s command. A long list of rapid-fire questions come flying at me. He asks why I never went to the police, why I waited until I had something to gain before speaking out. This asshole even tries to twist my words and make it seem like I’m embellishing details to make Victor look worse than he is.

I expected all of it. Forcing myself to stay calm, I answer every question with the same assertive resolve. I don’t sugarcoat the past or try to make myself look better than I am. The facts speak for themselves. The evidence backs up everything I’ve said. And no matter how hard he tries to shake me, I don’t waver.

By the time it all wraps up, hours have passed. My throat is dry, my head pounding. I’m drained, physically and mentally. But it’s done. I’ve said everything I needed to say.

The guard steps forward, gripping my arm. I know the plan. Detective Collins explained it all. No lingering, no goodbyes. As soon as my testimony is over, I’m to be taken back to the safe house.

But knowing the plan and actually executing it are entirely different things. Katie’s right there, just a few feet away, but it might as well be miles. I can’t say anything to her, can’t even acknowledge her. Any sign that we’re connected could blow everything apart and put her in danger.

As the guard leads me out of the courtroom, I steal one last glance at her. Our eyes lock, and for a moment, time seems to freeze. She’s trying so hard to hold it together. I see the sheen of tears that are on the brink of falling, and it absolutely guts me.

I want to tell her so much. Thank you. I’ll miss you. Even a simple goodbye would suffice at this point. But I can’t say any of it.

The courtroom doors close behind me with a heavy thud, and I know that’s it. That’s the end of this chapter,ourchapter.

“Bye, Rebel,” I mouth to myself, a bittersweet smile tugging at my lips.

21. Aleksandras

Adjusting to my new life hasn’t been easy, but I’ve managed. Sixteen months since I walked out of that courtroom, and things are...different. When I signed that plea deal, I left Aleksandras Kazlauskas behind.

After a three-week stay at the safe house, they moved me to a small town in North Carolina. Quiet. Peaceful. Surrounded by trees that burst into a riot of colors in the fall and sticky humidity in the summer. It’s the kind of place where everyone waves at you on the street, and the air smells like cut grass and fresh rain.

It’s got its upsides: no one knows me, no one asks probing questions, and the pace is slow enough that I can breathe. But on the downside, it’s lonely. Even though everyone’s in everyone else’s business, I still can’t seem to let down my guard long enough to make a friend. It’s hard to blend in when the guy at the hardware store knows you’re new and asks why you picked this town, of all places.

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