Page 124 of Lilly

"Because you've turned her against me. And as for you, Pearce, I have no desire to be back with you. The very idea is ludicrous and egotistical on your part."

"And yet you're introducing yourself as a Kensington."

Her eyes wander to the side. "I was simply identifying myself for those who know me by my former name. It had nothing to do with me wanting to be your wife again."

"I'm not here to debate your reasoning for going after Rachel. I'm here to tell you that if you attempt something like that again, you will not live to see another day."

She rolls her eyes. "So you're here to threaten me, like you always do. Another one of your many attempts to get me to cower to your demands."

"This is more than a demand. It's an ultimatum. If you attempt to harm Rachel again, that's it. No more second chances. I will show you no mercy. It will be the end for you, Katherine."

She laughs. "You're so dramatic, Pearce."

I reach under my suit jacket and pull out my gun and point it at her. "I'm serious, Katherine."

She gasps and stumbles back on her heels. "Put it away!"

"Maybe I should just do this. End this before you try again."

"Pearce, stop it! This isn't funny."

"It wasn't funny to attempt to kill Rachel either and yet you found it to be rather humorous, didn't you?" I step up to her, the gun aimed at her chest.

Her gaze moves to the gun. "You wouldn't do it. I know you wouldn't."

"Why wouldn't I? You know what I've done. You know what I'm capable of."

"You'd be punished. They wouldn't let you get away with it."

"Who? The organization? They don't care what I do to you. You're no longer protected by them. But I am. They'd cover up whatever happens here today. Clean up the mess. The police would never know. We'd make up a story about you being bored with your Manhattan life, running off to Europe with your lover. No one would even question it, except maybe your sister, but I doubt she'd care what happened to you after she finds out you've been sleeping with her husband for years."

"You can't prove that, and without proof, Caroline would never believe you."

"Who says I don't have proof? Of that, and all the other secrets between you and Phillip?"

"What other secrets?"

"Your knowledge of Phillip's vasectomy, for one. Encouraging your sister to get fertility treatments, knowing they wouldn't help? If Caroline found out, she'd never forgive you."

"How did you...?" Her voice trails off.

"I know everything you did when we were married. None of it was a secret. So blackmailing Phillip is pointless. If he doesn't tell your secrets, I will, that is if you're still alive."

A smug grin appears on her face. "You wouldn't pull the trigger."

I cock the gun. "You want to test that theory?"

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Pearce

Katherine's breath catches and her eyes zero in on the gun.

"Now you know how Rachel felt," I say. "Having a gun pointed at her, knowing she might die at any second. Were you aware that Lilly was with her?"

Katherine's eyes shoot up to mine. "Lilly was there?"

"Yes. Our daughter was there when that man tried to kill Rachel. He was going to kill them both."

---