Page 82 of The Verdict

“What?”

“No.”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

It was hard to tell who said what until Rhys echoed his sentiment in the following silence.“Absolutely not.”

“If we send you?—”

“Harm—” Dare’s dark growl was silenced with one swift look.

“Ifwe send you, what would be your plan?”

“Mercury knows I have what Jupiter wants. He’ll take me to him. If you go, he’ll never trust you. He’ll never lead you toJupiter, and he’ll most likely find the most expedient way to try and kill you.”

“Even if we have the flash drive?”

“And as soon as you give it to him, he’ll see it’s corrupted and realize you have nothing,” I insisted. “Honestly, for shooting him, he may just try to kill you regardless of what you say. I think the phrase you have here for these kinds of men are that they kill first, ask questions later.”

I got no arguments there.

“But if you give them the flash drive, he’ll do the same to you,” Rhys said in a low, tight voice.

My mouth opened and then shut.No, he wouldn’t.My heart thudded faster like a train picking up speed. Each chug echoing:Truth. Truth. Truth.I banded my arms over me, trying to hold it back.

“What is it?” he asked, stepping in front of me so he was all I could see. His thumb pressed into his wrist like he was going to punch a hole through his pulse. “There’s something else…”

For five years, I’d hidden the truth. Five years, I’d buried it so deep inside my chest it had become one and the same with my heart. But then I met Rhys. Even though I hid from him, lied to him, did everything I could to keep myself protected from losing him, it hadn’t stopped him from becoming a part of my heart, too.

“Trust me,”Rhys had begged. On his knees. Freeing me from the ankle monitor.

Until that moment, I knew what the pain of losing him would be like, but I never considered that the pain of leaving him would be worse.

“He won’t kill me,” I said slowly, my tongue thick and heavy, trying to find the words I’d never said out loud. “It’s not the flash drive that Jupiter really wants.”

“Then what is it?” Rhys hadn’t spoken the words, but I could see the same question in his gaze.

Two words.Two little words, and I’d be trusting him with my safety. My security. My life. And for the first time, I wasn’t afraid.

“The diamond.”

The collective breaths of four massive men crashed into the room like the landfall of a hurricane, but it was only Rhys that mattered.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured softly like he was the only one who could hear.

And then I was against him, his arms banding around me like a shield no one could break. I didn’t even realize I was trembling until his strong arms held me steady—like all the strength I’d used over the last five years to keep myself safe could finally rest. Because of him. Because I had him.

No one said anything—no one dared intrude until Rhys spoke first.

“You’ve had the diamond,” he said low, cupping the sides of my face so my answers were only for him. “That’s why they’re after you.”

I swallowed and nodded. “I grabbed it in Barcelona, but when I saw Jupiter kill Neptune… After killing Saturn, I ran.” I twisted my hands together. “I was going to bring it to Saba. It was evidence along with my testimony.”

“But they killed him.”

I nodded again. “I took the diamond and fled. I couldn’t bring it to the police. Didn’t know who to trust. I hoped they would be caught. I kept it safe for when the day came… but they never were.” I took a deep breath. “But now, the diamond is the only way to get to Jupiter. The only bargaining chip I have.”

“No.” He shook his head. “You’re not going to bargain forsome half-assed version of your freedom. Absolutely fucking not. I’m going with you. We’re going to get them to confess.To everything.And that’s the end of it?—”

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