Page 61 of Wrecked for Love
But then a sharp clarity settled in. The last time I walked away from someone who’d helped me, he died. Now, whether I stayed or left, the fallout would land squarely on Elia. I’d seen how deep the friction ran between him and Armand Voss. Elia had defended me during that hike at Raven Bluff, but the fight was about more than just his protectiveness. The “old scores” Armand had hinted at? Today, I’d only added to the tally.
Maybe this was where my road ended. I needed to turn myself in, put the law on my side, and protect the man I loved. But before that, Elia deserved the truth. He had to know who I really was.
23
ELIA
I left Billings with my thoughts scattered. After a long day at the auction, I should’ve been relieved—my ranch was set for another season in the black. The familiar stretch of road should’ve brought calm, but Log’s words were eating at me.
Claire. What was I supposed to do with her?
My phone buzzed, her name flashing across the screen again. I’d been avoiding her, torn between giving her another chance or calling her out. But my emotions clung tight—anger, confusion, hurt. I knew better than to say something I’d regret.
I pulled over, parking on the side of the highway. One last attempt to make sense of it all. I needed the truth for myself.
And I found plenty of it when I searched for “Claire Magnussen.”
FromInnocent sister caught up in gangland bloodbath, missing, presumed deadtoClaire Magnussen: Victim or Perpetrator?
Unfortunately, not a word of it contradicted what Logan had told me. A hundred grand was missing, and it seemed Claire had shot one of the gang members.
Then came another headline:How A Girl-Next-Door Pet Groomer Turned Into A Murderer.
It was confirmed—she had killed that gang member. Revenge and money had been her motive. And now she was also wanted for the murder of a Long Island vet, Dr. Rick Ashbourne, allegedly to cover her track.
Dread slithered through me.
It was all there in black and white. I’d fallen for a murderer. A gang member…I could stomach that. The cold-blooded nature of it unsettled me, but I could deal. Killing an innocent vet, however?
How could I have let her in? Because I believed she could be a miracle. Those nightmares of hers? They were just guilt eating away at her.
Another call. It was her again.
I’d been terrified to answer, afraid her voice would pull me under and make me forget reality—she had that power over me.
And yet, above it all, something urged me to pick up.
I pressed the answer button and brought the phone to my ear. “Claire?”
“Elia…” Her voice trembled. “I killed him.”
Chaos surged through me. Was this her confession about New York? If yes, what a timing! Had Log gone behind my back and tipped her off?
But the way she spoke felt immediate, like it wasn’t a secret long kept but something that had just happened.
“I killed Armand Voss,” she added.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“He was at The Willow…he attacked me, but I…I managed to…I killed him, Elia!”
The storm of emotions that had been shaking me peaked, almost bursting out of me. Everything I felt about her secrets—it fucking hurt! But her safety still came first. Lies or not.
“Where are you?” I asked.
“I don’t know…um…I’ve been driving around…um…” She sounded disoriented and lost. “I’m actually close to the gas station.”
“Stay there. I’m on my way!”
