Page 77 of Undying Resilience

She looks up, first making eye contact with me and then Elliot. “I want to kill Jordan today.”

I didn’t realize how tense I was until my whole body sags. I lean against the counter to disguise the movement, but I think Wren is the only one who falls for it.

I wanted to give her the time and space she needed, but I’ve hated having Jordan here. Every time I remember he’s locked up in that room, I have to stop myself from storming in there and beating him to within an inch of his life.

“We can get everything set up,” Elliot says. “There’s actually an old clawfoot tub in the basement. It’s chipped on one side. A little sharp, so we’ll have to avoid that spot. But we can fill it with water.”

She nods slowly. Her eyes flit to mine again. “You’re still...?”

“Absolutely, sweetheart.”

With a relieved sigh, she takes a sip of her coffee. “I want to talk to him beforehand. Alone.”

“No,” all three of us say at the same time.

“Jesus,” she mutters.

“That’s a horrible idea, princess.”

“Fine. With Rhett, then?” She gives me a questioning look.

I nod.

“When?” Elliot asks.

“After breakfast?”

“We can make that work.”

It doesn’t take us long to finish eating and clean up. Then Oliver and Elliot head to the basement. Wren takes my hand, and we walk toward Jordan’s room silently.

Once we reach the door, Wren stops. I’m not sure what she wants to say to him, but she seems determined to have this conversation. Just as I’m about to remind her she doesn’t have to do anything she doesn’t want to, she takes a deep breath and unlocks the door.

Inside, Jordan is awake and seething. “What, no breakfast today?” he spits out. When neither of us answer, the resentment on his face morphs into realization. “No.”

“You knew this was coming,” Wren says.

“I didn’t think you’d follow through!” Jordan shakes his head. “No, you don’t have to do this. I was just avenging my brother. You understand that.”

“If you wanted revenge, then you shouldn’t’ve gone after an innocent person,” I snap. Wren grabs my arm, and I realize I’m halfway to the bed, my fists clenched. I step back. “And you should’ve gone after the person who ordered the kill, not the people who fulfilled it.”

Jordan ignores me, looking Wren up and down. “This is what you want? You can’t wash this kind of blood off your hands. I hope you’ve thought long and hard about whether you really want to take my life.”

I’m about to spit out a retort when Wren holds up her hand. It’s hard to stay quiet, but this is for her, not me.

“How much thought did you put into killing me?” Wren asks, walking right up to him.

Jordan clamps his mouth shut.

“None, right?” Wren says, crossing her arms over her chest. “I was just a means to an end for you. A way to inflict pain on them.” She gestures to me. “You didn’t care that I didn’t deserve it.”

He refuses to look at her, staring straight ahead. Fucking coward.

God, I can’t wait to kill him.

“I want you to know,” Wren says, “that even though I won’t be the one to kill you, it was my decision. I say when you die, not them. I’m sorry you lost your brother. Truly, I am. But it doesn’t redeem what you did.”

For a second, I’m afraid Jordan will try to latch onto the scrap of compassion Wren offered him. But he glances at me, and my expression must make him think better of it. So instead, he accepts his fate.

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