Page 17 of Outlawed

I remember how pale he went. How shocked he was by my words.

“If you really thought that motherfucker raped Calliope, why the hell was he still working with you?”

“When news came out that Martin was dead, and Calliope did it, something in Andy changed. At first, he was pissed at me. And rightfully so. I drugged you, so it was indirectly my fault. But then the days and weeks went by, and Andy slowly became someone else. There were times he looked guilty or remorseful, but I didn’t know why. I thought maybe I was projecting because the guilt of what I put into motion was killing me.”

“You hired Jen.”

“I had to do something. But then she fired me and went rogue.” His lips twitch at that before his face turns serious. “When you told me it was Andy, the guilt and remorse suddenly made sense. I wanted to kill him, but that was too easy. Fifteen years you lost because of him. No, I couldn’t let that slide. So I started working behind the scenes, switching things up, ready to retire from the business I built.”

“Fuck. You set him up,” Riggs guesses.

I frown, confused. “Set him up for what?”

“I made a few bad calls on purpose, got into bed with some bad folk, and painted a target on my brother’s back. I sabotaged the empire I built, making sure everything would point to Andy when it all inevitably came falling down. But then Riggs turned up, and Andy proved what a piece of shit he really is.”

“He gave me those papers because he knew all along it was you. He didn’t say anything to the police, or even to me. Not to protect you, but so he could use the truth as leverage.”

“If you remember, the second your focus was on me once more, he was gone. He told me afterward how it all went down that night. How he spiked my drink with a combo that would make me horny and my memory spotty at best. As I said, he had no interest in you. He thought if you reported me for raping you, I’d go to jail, and he could take over the business.”

“But then I killed my dad, and suddenly the nobody girl you raped became a notorious murderer in the spotlight. And he freaked out enough to keep him quiet all these years.”

“At least until he needed a get out of jail free card,” Shepard grunts.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Even as I say it, I know I didn’t exactly give him a chance to explain.

“At first, I was recovering from getting shot. But then as time ticked by, I wondered what the point was. It doesn’t change anything, Cece. I still raped you.”

I flinch, but when he tries to move away, I grab his hand. I squeeze my eyes shut. The truth is, I’m not sure this is something either of us will get over. “I think it’s safe to say Andy raped us both.”

I never thought I would ever see Austin cry. When he collapses into me, burying his face against my neck as his hot tears fall against my skin, I realize how much this man has been carrying.

Riggs moves closer, offering his silent support, while Shepard supports the extra weight now threatening to throw me off balance. Nobody pushes him to continue. We all wait, feeling helpless as he purges the agony inside him.

Eventually, he gets his shit together, looking embarrassed when he raises his head to find Riggs watching him. But Riggs, being the man he is, leans over and squeezes Austin’s shoulder.

“It was you,” Shepard murmurs, making me frown.

“What?”

“Today, before the meeting. One of my officers mentioned having a family member come down to the hospital morgue to identify a body. That’s why you were in town. You killed your brother.”

“I wish. I dream about snapping his fucking neck before shoving his severed head on a spike.”

“I could get on board with that,” Riggs agrees.

“I’m in a relationship with a bunch of fucking psychos,” Shepard mutters, making Riggs smirk.

“We’re dating now, Sheriff?”

“Fuck you,” Shepard snaps back, but there is no heat in his statement.

“Not until you grow a pussy. For a while there, I was worried that might happen.”

Shepard throws a pillow at him, making him laugh.

“Austin?”

He looks at me, and the others quiet down. “You don’t mess with the Russians. They’re crazy motherfuckers, and the Bratva are crazier than most.”