Page 52 of Twisted Devotion

Shaking my head, I whisper, “I don’t understand.”

Seth opens his mouth to respond, but Jackson steps between us, facing me. “You need to leave. Now.”

“The hell I do,” I snap. “I’m not going anywhere until someone explains to me why my best friend is sitting in this room as if he’s a client.”

“I am,” Seth says.

Jackson closes his eyes momentarily, as if he’s trying to keep his cool. “You don’t have to explain yourself, Seth.” He opens his eyes and glowers at me. “Out.Now.” He grabs my arm and pushes me toward the open door.

I stumble back, my voice catching in my throat when I see Seth’s watery gaze over Jackson’s shoulder. My brief lapse in control allows Jackson to guide me into the hall, pulling the door closed behind him.

“Go wait in my office.” His voice is low, gravelly, as if he’s barely keeping himself in check. His heart is beating fast and sweat dots his brow. He’s working very hard to rein in his emotions.

“Jackson, I—”

“Go,” he repeats, harsher this time, and I flinch, pulling my arm free from his grasp.

Bethany shows up again, with Dex, Leigh, and Eva flanking her. My stomach twists at the sight. They’re here to detainme. My own team. I’ve crossed a line, but I can’t find the will to feel anything about it, not knowing what’s going to happen once I walk away from this.

I feel the exact moment my heart cleaves in two.

The hard expression chiseled into Jackson’s features slips, and I almost think he’s going to wrap his arms around me. But then, he flicks his gaze to the security team behind me and nods before turning away and walking back into the room, shutting the door behind him. The lock echoes through the hall, and it takes everything in me not to collapse on the floor.

“Kelsey . . .” Bethany’s voice is soft, and I clench my jaw so tight my gums ache.

I swallow hard. “Call off the dogs,” I mutter, turning and walking away, stopping in front of Jackson’s office and letting myself in. I close the door and fall back against it, squeezing my eyes shut against the tears. A sob claws its way up my throat, and I struggle to stifle it with my fist pressed against my mouth. It does little to quiet the sound of heartbreak that fills the room as I cry out in the worst pain I’ve ever experienced.

My shoulders shake as I pace back and forth in front of the desk, desperately trying to pull back, to get my emotions under control. I’ve snapped. Through years of foster families—both decent and awful—battles with fae and humans alike, and working with the most infuriating man on this earth, I’ve kept a level head. But this . . . this sends me over the edge.

I push my fingers through my hair, messing up the curls I didn’t bother styling today.

Seth can’t do this to me.

Fear wraps its tendrils around my throat, squeezing tight enough to make it impossible to take a deep breath. He wants the procedure—wants to be human. He could die. Hewilldie if he becomes human, but he could also die trying tobecomehuman. The thought of losing him makes my knees weak. I stumble over to the couch and my legs give out as I sink onto the cushions.

Until this moment, I have been completely neutral when it comes to this whole business. If fae want to become human, that’s their choice. But the moment I saw Seth sitting there, I wanted to burn this place down. Fear is a dangerous thing.

So is betrayal, and Jackson betrayed me in the worst possible way. He knows I’ve been alone so many times in my life, knows how much I’ve lost, and still, he sat in that room with Seth to discuss removing his immortality.

It can’t be more than fifteen minutes before Jackson slips into the room, closing the door behind him.

My gaze flies to him. So many things are on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t form words to string a coherent sentence together. I rush toward him, my eyes narrowed and my heart pounding in my chest.

“Kelsey—”

“How could you?” I slam my palms into his shoulders, pushing him back until he hits the wall beside the door. “How could you?” I yell, holding him there as tears fill my eyes.

“He came to me,” he says in a level voice.

“He . . .” I shake my head as a tear slips free and rolls down my cheek. “He’s my best friend, Jackson.” The words taste like venom on my lips as I talk through gritted teeth.

He nods, not trying to free himself from my grip. “I don’t need to remind you of client confidentiality.”

“You can’t do this.Hecan’t do this.”

Jackson sighs. “It’s his choice.”

“No! This isn’t . . . he can’t . . .no.”

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