Page 155 of Chandelier Enthralled
I pulled the barstool away from the island and sat with a trembling hand covering my face. A wave of grief hit me hard, like it had a suffocating grip on my throat.
How could I have let this happen? I cared for her, more than I could ever express—and now Amelia was gone. The clawing guilt was tearing me apart. I should have done something, should have realized that Jewel was going to use Amelia against me in such a way—setting me up as her murderer.
No doubt the postmortem would show signs of the struggle.
Amelia was vulnerable and not getting her away from Pendulum sooner had been a mistake. How scared and desperate she must have felt, knowing I was so close and yet so far away.
I shook as a sob wracked my body, my face buried in my hands, the tears pouring down my face.
I’d failed her.
She’d been so alone.
Willa wrapped her arms around me and held me, her quiet fortitude something I could cling to, something I drew strength from—even though I couldn’t look at her, couldn’t make eye contact.
My shame over the outburst weighed me down. I’d always felt I shouldn’t allow myself to cry in front of anyone.
But in her embrace, I found comfort and I drew on her compassion. Willa’s calm resilience brought a profound sense of steadiness that anchored me, even as I was drowning in sorrow.
“This…it honors her life,” she whispered. “It shows how important she was.”
Willa’s presence was unyielding, her strength unwavering in the way she held me without hesitation.
There was a depth to her that I could barely comprehend. A quiet bravery that didn’t demand attention but commanded respect.
She broke away, but only to bring me tissues. I thanked her with a nod, unable to talk with this lump in my throat.
I couldn’t recall the last time I’d lost control of my emotions, but it hurt too much to keep all this agony inside.
What they had done to her…
Within minutes, Willa had made tea and we both returned to the flower garden, sitting at the corner table trying to digest what we had seen.
“I don’t usually express myself like this…” I wrapped my hands around the mug.
Willa reached out and squeezed my arm. “You lost a close friend. This is perfectly normal.”
I flinched at the thought of me being asleep upstairs. “When she needed me the most, I failed her.”
“You didn’t know what was happening—how could you?”
“That first night you saw me, I had returned to Pendulum to get Amelia out. But I didn’t listen to my gut, didn’t fly her out of town. I should have gotten her as far away from that woman as possible.” I paused, feeling a fresh bout of rage at the needless cruelty. “Jewel won’t get away with this.”
Amelia, I am so fucking sorry.
I rallied, trying to think of what came next. “I need to get the footage over to the lawyer.”
“I emailed it to Cameron,” she said. “He’s on it.”
“When?”
She peered up at the house above us. “Before I left their place—in case I was intercepted.”
I’d put Willa in danger, too.
“Not sure you should be connected to this.”
“Well, I am.”
