Page 95 of Cruel Betrayal

I grip the shelf on either side of her. The need to feel her against me is almost overpowering, but I can’t act on it. Not until I know she’s okay with it. “It’s the only way I can . . .” My head dips down until my lips are so close to her skin that I can almost taste her. “Wren, I don’t know how else . . .”

She lets out the smallest breath before her hands curl into the fabric at my hips. When she tugs me closer, it’s all I can do to stop myself from falling into her. I wrap her up in my arms, crushing her to my chest even though I know my hold is probably too tight.

I don’t realize I’m crying until I feel Wren silently sobbing against me. My voice fails me when I try to console her, and that’s when I notice that my own cheeks are wet with tears.

“Rhett, I’m so sorry,” she whispers as she looks up at me with glassy eyes.

“Why areyousorry?” My voice is incredulous, the words uneven. I grab her face and thumb away her tears. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”

“Because you deserved so much better.” Her hands cover mine. “And he never deserved to have you. Not even for a split second. What he did to you . . .” She tries to continue, but her face scrunches up, and the only sound that leaves her is a heavy sob.

Hearing Wren cry for my younger self feels like my heart is ripping in two. And then that cold feeling of guilt seeps into my skin and eats at my insides.

I should be past all this by now.

She deserves so much better. They all do.

As she sniffles, Wren wipes at my tears. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I say gently.

“Hey, um . . .”

We both look up to find Elliot standing near the doorway. He’s fully dressed and ready to go. When he gets a better look at us, his brows knit together in a concerned frown.

“What’s wrong?”

“I just—” Wren lets out a tearful laugh as she wipes at her cheeks. “I just have really bad timing. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” I murmur. My heart may be aching, but if she needed to say it, then I’m happy she did. “We can finish this when we get home.”

Wren nods. “I’d like that.”

Leaving her is physically painful, but the sooner we leave, the sooner we get back home. So we keep our goodbye short, and I do my best to clear my mind as we head out.

Wren waves at us from the garage, and I lift my hand in return.

I love you too, sweetheart,I think to myself.And I’m sorry I can’t be what you need.

Chapter twenty-two

Oliver

Thefirstpartofour plan goes smoothly. All it took was slipping a little sedative into their coffees, and Huxley’s head of security and driver passed out in minutes. Now we’re in their car, nearing Huxley’s home, and I’m practically vibrating with nervous energy.

Leaving Wren behind felt like parting with a piece of my soul, but it’s not like we can take her with us. Still, I didn’t think we’d have to spend today apart. I just want to finish this and get back home.

“Ready?” Rhett asks lowly as he steers the vehicle into Huxley’s driveway. It circles around a large fountain in the front yard.

“Ready,” Elliot confirms from the backseat.

Even though the windows are darkened, I shrink down in my seat. I don’t want to spook Huxley if he sees me when he opens the door.

“There he is,” I whisper.

Peter’s wife has followed him to the front door. They share a sweet kiss before he moves toward the car with happy, confident strides.

If he was actually innocent, maybe I’d feel guilty about capturing him and bringing him to Ludo. But his hands aren’t entirely clean. He had nothing to do with Aubrey’s disappearance, but he did order to have her kidnapped in Florida.

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