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Justin’s face reddened with anger.

“I’m in love with you!” he shouted. “There’s nothing wrong with being in love! You’re not a child anymore. So what does it matter how old you were when I first fell for you?”

Allison recoiled from him, disgust written across her face.

“Is that all you can think about?” Justin snapped, his voice growing harsher. “All I want is for you to be my woman, but you keep treating me like this. Do you have any idea how much I’ve done to get to you? I told you I wanted you years ago, and look at everything I’ve gone through since then. How can you be so ungrateful? After everything I’ve done for you, you still look at me as though I’m some kind of monster!”

He shook his head angrily before turning and marching toward the other side of the warehouse. Allison watched him warily, her heart pounding as she tried to anticipate what he was going to do next.

Justin picked up a gas can and returned to her. Before Allison could make sense of what he was holding, he began pouring gasoline over the floor around her chair and across her lap. The liquid soaked through her clothes and pooled beneath her feet, its sharp, pungent smell filling the air.

Gasoline.

Her stomach lurched at the overpowering smell. She twisted desperately against her restraints, panic rising in her chest, but Justin continued pouring the fuel around her, splashing it over himself as well.

When he finally stopped, he picked up a lighter and turned back toward her. He flicked it in his hand, studying her with a chilling expression.

“Enough of these games. You’ve made your choice, Allison. Now I’ve made mine.”

Chapter 17 Secrets

Justin stared at her with an almost crazed expression, his face contorted with anger and desperation. For a moment, he seemed determined to go through with his threat.

Then the warehouse doors suddenly burst open, and several men dressed in black marched inside.

Justin immediately snapped his lighter open, frantically trying to ignite it. When the flame refused to catch, frustration flashed across his face. He tried again, his hands growing increasingly unsteady, but before he could succeed, one of the men lunged at him and knocked him to the ground. Within seconds, Justin was pinned beneath the man, completely overpowered as the others surrounded him.

And then Silas was there.

Everything happened so quickly that Allison could barely process it. Within minutes, Silas was beside her, dropping down to untie the ropes binding her wrists. The moment she was free, he gathered her into his arms and held her tightly against his chest, as though he needed to feel her there to believe she was safe.

His men immediately moved to secure the warehouse and deal with Justin, but Allison barely noticed them. Her entire world had narrowed to Silas.

He helped her out of the warehouse, keeping one arm firmly around her as he led her to safety. Once they were away from the chaos, he turned toward her and cupped her face in his hands, searching her eyes with raw concern.

“Are you hurt?” he asked urgently. “Allison, look at me. Are you alright?”

She nodded, though her voice trembled slightly when she answered. “I'm okay, Silas. I'm all right. Don't worry.”

He released a shaky breath, but the tension in his body remained. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes were still filled with fear as he drew her into another tight embrace.

“I was so fucking frightened,” he admitted against her hair.

Allison wrapped her arms around him and held on tightly, pressing her face against his chest. She could still feel the terror of what had happened clawing at her, but the steady beat of his heart beneath her cheek gave her something to hold on to.

Silas rubbed her back carefully, trying to soothe her trembling body. After a moment, he spoke again, his voice turning grave.

“Frank found something today. Remember the car Jackson told us about, the one he saw around the time your parents died? Frank tracked it down and found evidence linking Justin to the accident.” Silas tightened his arms around her, his jaw hardening. “Justin was involved in your parents’ deaths, Allison. He planned the whole thing to have them killed.”

Allison couldn't bring herself to speak. Her fingers curled into Silas's clothes as she clung to him, unable to imagine how she was supposed to breathe through the crushing weight of it all.

Silas didn't press her for a response. He simply held her close, continuing to rub her back in slow, careful strokes. He could feel her trembling against him, and he kept his arms around her until the shaking gradually subsided.

When they finally returned home, the first thing Allison wanted was a shower. She needed to wash away every trace of Justin's touch, the memory of his hands on her face making her feel sick with disgust.

But Silas refused to let her go into the bathroom alone. He followed her inside, quietly insisting on staying with her.

His presence didn't feel intrusive. Instead, it offered her a kind of comfort she hadn't realized she needed. She leaned back against him beneath the warm stream of water, resting her head against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.