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And then he pressed the phone to his ear.

"Jordan, please," I cried, dropping to my knees. "I will do anything –anything, dammit…" Reaching up, I snatched the phone out of his hands and pressed end before quickly tossing it away. "Justdon’tdo this…please!"

The fear of the unknown, the fear of Hunter's future, of him being taken away from me, it was crushing me.Ruining me.

The lies we were drowning under were a shared burden.

The blood on his hands was on my hands, too.

I couldn’t let this happen.

I wouldnotwatch him be taken away in handcuffs and serve time for this.

I refused to.

I would protect him atanycost.

"Anything," I repeated, staring up at the man I had spent most of my life loving. "Whatever you want." That love had dwindled over time, but I never stopped. "Jordan, I am begging you." It just wasn’t the same love anymore. It wasn’tromanticlove. "Please," I breathed. "Please."

His green eyes burned holes straight through me as he said, "Leave him," in the coldest tone of voice I'd ever heard him use.

The ground fell out from beneath me.

Stunned, I could do nothing but press my fingers to my temples and try to make sense of this. But I couldn’t. "What?" I croaked out hoarsely.

"You said you'd do anything to keep him out of prison," he shot back flatly with a tight shrug. "I want you to cut all ties with him."

"Jordan –"

"I mean it, Hope," he snarled. "He's bad for you. Jesus Christ, messing around with a man like him could get you killed!"

"He would never let that…I can't just…" Shaking my head, I sagged back on my knees and whimpered, "Ilovehim."

"And I loveyou," Jordan deadpanned. "Which is why I'm giving you this –giving him an out."

I watched Jordan walk over to the bed we shared and sink down on the edge.

Meanwhile I remained exactly where I was; on my knees on the floor.

Breathing hard and fast, I placed my hands down in front of me and forced myself to inhale deep, slow breaths.

For twenty-seven years I had given this man my unconditional love and support. I knew I screwed up. Falling in love with another man was the worst possible thing I could have done to him, but this? What he was doing to me now? The position he was putting me in? It was so much worse. Years of lies, secrets and abandonment; I had forgiven them all. Brushed his mistakes under the rug and plowed on because I knew he was a good person. Because I loved him. But right now, the only emotion I felt for Jordan Porter was hatred. He was dangling Hunter's future over my head like a carrot and forcing me into a 'damned if I do and damned if I don’t' situation.

If I said no, Jordan would call the police.

If I told Hunter about Jordan's ultimatum, he would eliminate the threat.He would kill him.And as much as I hated Jordan in this moment, Istillloved him. He was the boy I'd grown up loving. I couldn’t allow anything to happen to him either.

I hadnochoice here.

"And what happens then?" I croaked out. "What happens if I send him away?"

"Then we'll figure it out." I watched him clench his jaw, back stiff, expression set in a hard line. "We'll try and find a way to move forward from it."

"Move forward?" I shook my head, refuting his words. "Jordan, I'm in love with another man… there's no moving forward for us –"

"Try," he snapped, interrupting me, tone hoarse. "You lovedmeonce and we were happy." He reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose before releasing a weary sigh. "We can find that place again, Hope."

"Happy?" Tears poured down my face as I gaped at him. "Jordan, I haven't beenhappywith you since high school."

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