Page 114 of The Billionaire Who Saved My Cat From The Mafia

“So,” Cal says, leveling his gaze at me.“It looks like she took off.”

“What?”My entire body goes ice cold.I can’t move.

“That truly sucks,” Declan says.

And that about sums it up.It sucks.But it’s the truth.She left.

Frankie saw me beating half-a-dozen men half to death, and she took off.She thinks I’m a monster, and she’s right.It’s happening again.The whole fucking nightmare is happening again.

I’m losing the woman I love because I can’t stop beating the shit out of people.Because I’m an animal.Because something’s wrong with me.

The doctor excuses himself as the deputy lets him out and locks me inside again.Evander walks up to stand next to Cal.

“Dad’s at home, guarding the roost,” Evander says.“Finn’s there, too.Unfortunately, turns out the plates were stolen.”

“Of course they were,” I mumble.

“But they’re letting you out free and clear, little brother.”

I’m shocked.“Wait.What about the bail hearing?”

“No bail needed if you’re not being charged, and you’re not.”

I shake my head.“What?”

“The would-be kidnappers are nowhere to be found.Given the circumstances—that the assault and battery was to prevent a Class A felony kidnapping, the prosecutor has declined to file charges.”

I stand up.“Get me out.”

“Not so fast,” Evander says.He adjusts his suit and locks eyes with me.“Kevin, we need to have a chat.While preparing for your hearing and planning your defense, I… uh… you know, when I was creating the picture of a dedicated Navy SEAL with longstanding family ties to the area, you know, shit like that...”

“Let’s talk about this later,” Cal says.

Declan looks at Evander, then at Cal, and then at me.“What’s going on here?”he asks.“Oh,come on!Why am I the last to be toldanything?It’s almost like everyone thinks I’m an idiot or something.What did you find, Evander?”

“You don’t have to say anything,” Cal tells me.

“Heneversays anything,” Declan points out.“But Evander does.So spill, bro.What did you find out?”

Another voice says, “He found probably ten percent of what I just found.”

Finn appears around the corner, iPad in hand.He walks up to stand next to Evander.Cal stares up at the ceiling.

“Your file was expunged, Special K,” Finn says.“But that barely even slowed me down.Attempted murder of a Senator’s son?A month in the Jacksonville pretrial center before you’re suddenly out on honorable discharge?And while all this was going on, Cal’s covering for you, telling us you were deployed in country?”

“What the fuck?”Declan’s bottom jaw unhinges.

Evander shakes his head.“This is why we all left the Navy at the same time, isn’t it?StellaR Tech was just a convenient coincidence.”

“What thefuck, man?Declan’s eyes are huge.

I don’t say anything.What’s the point?I’ll just dig the hole even deeper before I throw myself in.

Cal tells Evander, Declan, and Finn to return to the ranch in Finn’s SUV.Cal drives me home in his Jeep.We’re silent nearly the whole twenty-minute ride, and only when we turn under the ranch gate does Cal ask the question.

“How do you want me to handle it?”

“I don’t,” I tell him.“I’llhandle it.I’ll tell everyone everything—the whole truth.It’s long past time that I did so.”