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“Jareth, after all I’ve done for you. I’m the only family you have left,” he begged, a little too late.
“You’re not family,” I spat, disgusted I hadn’t figured out that it was him before now.
Hazel stumbled toward me, almost falling, until I scooped her up in my arm. I held her tight against me, my grip never loosening on the gun in my other hand.
My stomach clenched. I didn’t want her to see this. “Alden, take her outside.”
I had no remorse for what I was about to do, but Hazel needed to be protected.
Her fingers dug into my side so hard I grunted. “No. I won’t let you do this.”
“Alden.” I gritted my teeth.
His steely gaze flicked between me and Hazel. He touched her arm lightly. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”
“Back off, Alden. I said no.” My little Sunshine was showing her stubborn side.
I jerked my head toward my godfather, who was trying to drag himself out of my line of sight with his one good arm. “Alden, keep an eye on him.” I had to convince Hazel to leave.
“Jareth, you can’t do this,” Hazel pleaded.
“He killed my father.” I swiped my fingers across her cheek and gently threaded my fingers into the back of her hair.
“And he should be punished for it, but not by you.”
“It’s his word against mine and my father’s old journal. The police won’t have enough evidence.” I admitted to her. There was no way I’d let him roam free because we didn’t have enough to take him down.
Alden cleared his throat. “Not true.” He tapped his pocket. “I recorded what he said.”
“See.” Tears filled Hazel’s eyes. “You don’t need to do this.”
Was she right? Could I walk away now, or would the ugly craving of vengeance swirling in my chest not be appeased? Would it demand the type of justice he doled out to my father? Death.
“I don’t have a choice,” I rasped.
“You always have a choice.” She cupped my cheeks in her hands. Her words eerily similar to what I’d said to Terri. “Even if I leave the room, I’ll know what you did. I love you, but I can’t be with you if you do this.”
I shuddered under her touch.
“I know you’ve done things in your past I might disagree with, but here today is a fresh slate. I can’t let you make me an accomplice to murder and be forced to lie for you.”
And I didn’t want that for her.
She was the bright light that this world needed. Could I live with myself if I was the cause to dim that in the slightest, to purposely mar her with the gray I’d wanted to shield her from?
Her green eyes beseeched me. “Be the man I know you are.”
Hazel’s belief in my goodness had always been unwavering.
I drew in a deep breath and released it. I’d do this for her. “Okay.”
“I’ve got him handled,” Alden said.
When I shifted my gaze to him, I had to smile. Alden had taken the ropes used on Hazel, tied up Terri, and stuffed the gag in his mouth.
I hoped he bled out on the way to the hospital.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Amelia. “I have Terri. Reach out to my contacts in the police department and let them know we’re here. Terri tried to hurt Hazel and threatened us. He has three bullet wounds.” She knew without me saying it that she needed to be careful about how she relayed tonight’s story.
