Page 134 of Piece You Saved

What if we didn’t send you out?

I shake my head because I know Kade well enough to guess what he would think to do. “I know you want to save me… Don’t. You’ll hate yourself if you finish that sentence, so please don’t.”

Desperation skitters in his gray eyes, but he doesn’t deny it.

What if we choose you over Sam?

It can’t be the first time he’s thought it, and it’s okay that he has. I’ve thought it too.

I can’t let him do that for me. So I pull my arm free from Dariel’s grip and cross over to the front door. They all fall in behind me.

Dariel is speaking in a barely audible hum. I could try to listen, but my heart is pounding so hard in my head, it’s impossible to do anything except take one step at a time.

Just one foot in front of the other,I tell myself.You can do this.

I’m reaching for the handle when a familiar hand beats mine.

Kade.

Turning, I peer over my shoulder. “Kade,” I say, fighting to contain the burn in the back of my eyes. “Open the door.”

He moves toward me.

I pull away. “Don’t.”

If he kisses me, I’m done. If he holds me, I won’t want to walk out of that door. And I need to. Sam needs me to. I shake my head and turn to face the door, waiting for him to open it.

He does it slowly.

And then I see him.

Rylan is standing under a bruised blue and black sky in front of a black Mercedes, gripping Sam’s arm so tight he must be leaving marks.

CHAPTER 36

SAIGE

Rylan grips Sam’s arm in what looks to be an unbreakable hold.

Once, a lifetime ago, I thought him the most beautiful man in the world. I struggled to believe this man with perfectly styled wavy brown-black hair, crystal clear blue eyes, and millions of dollars could ever want me.

But I missed the monster lurking beneath. I don’t mean the wolf in him. That’s not the monstrous part of him that made me want to die to escape him. I see him for what he is and what he’s always been: pure fucking evil.

I turn from him because he’s nothing to me now. Hasn’t been for years. Only Sam matters in this moment, so I focus on her.

Sam is dressed in a pair of skinny blue jeans and a white t-shirt. She has a cut lip and a tear on the front of her shirt. Bruises peek at me from beneath.

Rage sweeps over me, stiffening my spine and reminding me of my need to put a bullet right between this man’s—my monster’s—eyes. “You hurt her.”

“Just a couple of taps from before our conversation.” He smiles, shrugging casually.

Taps?

I glance at Sam.

Her eyes are wide with terror as she nods once. With the tight hold Rylan has on her, of course she’s going to agree.

I take a step out of the front door. A hand grips my arm, halting me. Kade.

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