Page 125 of Brutal Knight

"What?" Her face grew pale and she took two steps backward, away from both of us, shaking her head.

"It's time," I said, pushing the issue. This revelation would only hurt Tatiana. "Say your goodbyes."

"Give me the key code," Rook demanded.

"I want you out of here, first." Grabbing the gun that he'd dropped, I emptied it of the bullets, then tossed it to the side. "I'll text it to you as soon as I receive a notification that you've left."

"How the hell will you know?"

"Because I own this building."

"What?" For the first time in a long time, Rook looked surprised.

"It's been in my family for generations."

"Fuck me," Rook ran a hand through his hair, his shoulders slumping.

"I know it doesn't mean much," I said. "But I really do regret what I did that day." I paused, for the first time in my life, admitting this out loud. "My father. He knew what was important to me, and he used that against me."

Both our eyes fell to Tatiana, silence fell over the room.

"What?" she said. Her cheeks were blotched red, her face still pale.

"So," Rook said, answering her, "he used her to manipulate you."

"He told me that if I didn't take you out that day, he would sell her to Raul. And I couldn't let that happen." I shook my head. "She was only thirteen. It would've killed her."

"You could've tried to warn me. I trusted you with my life, Knight."

"And I trusted you. You were the only person I ever talked to about Tatiana. You knew how much I cared about her, and that's why you went for her. Because you wanted to get back at me."

"Yes," A shoulder came up, "I never hid that from you. Or her."

"And you're both dicks," Tatiana growled out.

"I tried to make it up to you," I continued. "I paid for your education."

"You did not. Dougl––"

"I arranged for it through Douglass." Douglass was the man who took Rook under his arm after nana died. He helped guide him into the man he was today.

"You know him?" Once again, Rook was surprised.

"He was friends with my mother."

Silence filled the room, realization dawning on him. "So all this was you? You told Douglass about me?"

"Like I said, I regretted what happened."

We stared each other down, a sort-of peace filling the space between us. I held out my hand. "Truce?"

Rook didn't immediately react but I was patient. He needed to process all the information I'd just dumped on him. And so, I waited, knowing that this was only the first step of peace between us.

Finally, after a long moment, he shook my hand. "Truce."

"Now say goodbye," I turned away from him and Tatiana, letting them have a moment. I collected as many pieces of the red ribbon I could find, tucking them into my pocket. When I heard their murmuring stop, I called over my shoulder. "I've already sent Douglass the key code. He's waiting for you."

The room was silent, and I turned to him. He was staring at me in shock. "You already gave it to him?"

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