Page 5 of Rhys

“What?”

Vanessa met his fed-up gaze as he faced her once again. “They killed her.” She swallowed the heartache that knowledge created. “Just like they tried to kill me.”

Rather than respond, Rhys stood there, staring back at her as if he were trying to decide if she was one of the good guys…or the bad.

He’s never going to trust you. Not fully. Not after what you did.

Knowing the voice in her head was right, Vanessa took the decision out of his hands.

“You know what?” She shook her head. “Never mind. Just forget what I said. I never should have called you. Just…forget this conversation ever happened.”

She turned to leave. Keeping her back to him, she walked slowly in her car’s direction.

You should’ve known better. Of course, he doesn’t trust you. Why the hell would he? The mere thought that this man would even consider—

“Hold up! I’ll listen to what you have to say. If I think there’s grounds for an investigation, I’ll pitch it to my team.”

Vanessa spun around, hope filling her veins as she made her way back to him. “Really? You’ll really look into it?”

“I saidifI think there are grounds to justify it.”

At least he’s willing to listen.

“Thank you.” She stepped toward him. “I promise you won’t regret it.”

With a look that said he most definitely would regret it, Rhys motioned toward his car. “Come on. It’s getting too damn cold to stand out here. We’ll sit in my car and talk.”

“Thank you,” she repeated as she rushed to catch up. “Seriously. I-I had no one else to turn to.”

Not bothering to respond, he opened his door while she rounded the hood and headed for the other side. Opening the passenger door, she started to climb in but then…

“Wait.”

“What?” Standing with one arm rested on the roof of the car, Rhys shot her a look of frustration from across the car’s roof.

Vanessa stared back at him, the ever-present guilt she carried with her on a daily basis felt heavier than usual. “I just wanted to say I’m sorry. About before.” She swallowed. “With us. I know it doesn’t make up for what I did, but—”

“You’re right.” Rhys seethed. “It doesn’t. But it also doesn’t matter. I got over that shit a long time ago, so let’s just get in the car, you can tell me what you know, and then we can go our separate ways.”

His words were like a giant fist around her heart, and it was everything she could do not to react. For someone claiming to be ‘over that shit’, he sure didn’t act it, but that discussion was best saved for another day.

With the same cool, collected gaze she’d mastered years before, Vanessa didn’t bother with a response. Dipping her head to climb into the awaiting vehicle, she’d just started to bend her upper body to fold herself into the passenger seat when a shot rang out from somewhere in the distance.

Almost simultaneously, a blinding, burning pain erupted in her left shoulder and chest.

Vanessa’s entire upper body jerked from the bullet’s impact as her legs gave way beneath her.

“Nessa!”

Alarm filled Rhys’s voice when he screamed out her name. No, not her name. Hernickname.

If she wasn’t precariously close to losing consciousness while bleeding out on the ground, that tiny, insignificant act would’ve made her smile.

Focus, Vanessa! You need to open your eyes and freaking move!

Except shewasmoving. Just not of her own accord.

Though she couldn’t seem to speak, Vanessa understood what was happening. Rhys was pulling her into the car to avoid a second bullet.

---