Page 77 of The Villain

“Was he there? Do you know why he wants me dead?”My heart thudded, as I was able to discern how he lowered his head. “What is it?”

“We found him,” he said slowly. “Brandon, too.”

My jaw slackened. The idea that my ex-husband had been so easily swayed to try and kill me was still a hard pill to swallow.

“They’re both dead, Athena.”

Dead.For as prone to earthquakes as California was, none of the numerous times the ground had shaken were felt by anyone but me—because the quake belonged inside my mind. A boom that rippled through the thick shadows.Brandon was dead.My heart leaped into my throat.

Dare’shands bracketed my arms, and that was when I knew I’d started to sway. “Athena.”

“He…I never…” A hot tear sped over my cheek. “I never…would’ve wanted this.”

Even after everything, I never would’ve wished him dead.

“I would,” Dare declared without missing a beat, his hand leaving my arm to brush off the droplet from my cheek. “For hurting you. For trying to kill you.” He exhaled forcefully, continuing to guard my cheeks from the second charge of tears.

It was hard to believe this was the same man who had the willpower to walk away last night when I’d asked him to stay.

I tipped my head, the shadow of his face so close. The dark dips and lighter swells.I could almost…

He moved away, taking his hold with him.

“What happened?”

“They were both at the house.”

“So, it was Rich—Ray—who helped Brandon escape, and then he killed him?” I shook my head, trying to unscramble my thoughts. “Why?”

“To tie up loose ends.”

My nod turned into a steady bob as thoughts tipped my head back and forth like a buoy caught on the tide.

“Athena…”

“They’re both gone…the men who wanted me dead,” I said weakly.

“Ivans was the root of all of this—the bomb, the money—” Dare huffed. “You’re safe.”

“Safe,” I repeated slowly. Funny how one four-letter word could change so many things.

I was safe from the men who wanted me dead…but ironically, I was also now safe from needing Dare’s protection. The one thing I no longer needed but wanted.

“So, what happens now?”

His shadow turned to stone, and we stood there, letting theseconds stretch into silence as though the weaver of time needed a head start before we could move forward again.

“You don’t need to stay a prisoner here any longer.”

Prisoner.What a word to use when the only thing he’d ever made me feel, truly, was precious.

“I see,” I muttered and winced, realizing too late how tongue-in-cheek my reply was.

“You’re safe. Free…”

Free from everything but wanting him.

“I know…”

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