Page 52 of They Will Fall

“What is he talking about, Ridge?” I stand there, stunned in disbelief. “Did you kill those men?” I can’t believe the words coming out of my mouth. “Did you frame me?”

Ridge’s eyes snap away from Maddox and soften as they land on me. “No! God no, Angel.” He crosses the room and attempts to take my hand, but I jerk it away. “I would never frame you for anything. That was Lev. You have to believe that.”

My head draws back quickly and I can’t control the rapid blinking of my eyes. “I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

I take a step back as this reality begins to set in. Ridge has always been my constant in this group. He’s always been there, even when I didn’t want him to be. He told me the truth even when it hurt. So what the fuck is happening? “You lied to me,” I say as my bottom lip trembles, but I refuse to give him any more of a reaction.

Ridge jabs a finger in the air in Maddox’s direction as he seethes. “So you can forgive him for taking the life of a guy who did nothing to hurt you, but you punish me for taking three to protect you?”

My voice rises to a near shout and I can feel my cheeks burning with anger. “How was that protecting me?”

“Those men knew!” he spits. “They knew you killed Governor Saint, and eventually they would have told someone. They had to go.”

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I try to process everything I’m hearing. “You killed three men!”

His voice echoes off the walls as he shouts, “I killed three men for you!”

“I…” I backstep, stumbling over my words. “I need some air.”

Ridge begins toward me, but I hold up a hand. “Don’t. Please,” I beg as I nearly trip trying to put some distance between us.

I storm from the room, feeling like everything these past couple months has been a lie. My feet don’t stop moving until I’m settling on an old board swing hanging from a towering oak tree in Maddox's backyard. The weathered rope of the swing creaks as I sit down. I don't bother swinging. I just sit there, alone with my thoughts.

Maddox killed Cade.He thought he was protecting me, but in the end, he was actually protecting Lev. I can’t fault him for that.

Ridge killed those other men. He, too, was protecting me. How many people have to die for me? Tears spill down my cheeks at the thought of all these lives being taken because of me.

Lev killed Zeke for reasons still unknown. Then he framed me for the other murders, because what, he wasn’t in his right mind? Am I so forgiving that I can let that go too?

Minutes pass as I'm lost in thought. I’m not sure how many, but it feels like an eternity because the sun is already beginning to set. Suddenly, my gaze shifts to a shadowy figure moving slowly toward me.

My eyes lift to meet his. “Lev?” That one single word is laced with so much emotion, my heart can barely contain it. It’s a mixture of indignation, rage, and pain. “You’re here.”

With his hands stuffed in the pockets of his black jeans, he strolls toward me. His head hangs low, but his eyes are dead set on mine. I jump up, anxious to see him, but I’m not sure why.

He stops walking, one foot set in front of the other. “You gonna run away from me, Trouble?”

I shake my head no and sit back down on the swing.

He takes a couple more steps until he’s pressing his palm to the tree. “The guys are gonna be pissed. But I had to see you.”

“I’m glad you came.”

His eyes perk up in surprise at my declaration. “You are?”

“Seems I owe you an apology.”

The corner of his mouth tugs up. “And I owe you one, too.”

“You definitely do. But I’d like to go first, if you don’t mind.” Lev waves his hand in the air before returning it to the tree, so I begin. “I’m sorry I didn’t take the time to listen to you at the cabin. I just…saw your pill bottle and knew it was a match to the one in my room. I’m not saying I’m not mad at you for what you did, but I’m willing to hear you out now.”

“I fucked up, Trouble.” His hands run through his white-blond hair with his gaze downcast at his feet. “Let me rephrase that. Iwasfucked up.”

“I know,” I cut in. “I know all about that horrible doctor and your uncle. I’m so sorry they did that to you.”

His shoulders shrug. “It is what it is.”

“No,” I stammer. “That doesn’t have to be your response. Be mad, Lev. Be fucking furious. You’re allowed to be. It doesn’t make you crazy.”

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