Page 104 of Forged in Peril

All she wanted to do was to go upstairs–no, to her own bed at home–and take a long nap.

Her eyes stung, her head was pounding, and she couldn’t stop the smoke-choked coughs that escaped from her throat every few seconds. Worst of all, her ears would not stop ringing.

She watched as Ben and Reilly filed into the office, appearing like benevolent ghosts from the dark haze of smoke.

She was safe now, and so was Cam, but the scene before her felt surreal, like she was watching a movie–

Her heart sank, the reality of the scene sinking into stark relief as Jaclyn Mercier pressed the barrel of the gun to the side of her own skull.

No.

She wanted to close her eyes, to hide against Cam’s warm back, to shield herself from yet more horror and evil, but she couldn’t look away.

Jaclyn was crying now, her chest heaving with sobs as tears poured from her eyes.

“You took my world from me, Reilly Forge,” she said. All of her coldness was gone, replaced by mad fury, her voice shaking with each syllable. “He was nothing but some scum criminal to you, but he was my son, and I loved him more than my own life.”

Bristol’s gut twisted at her choice of words.

She knew little about Chase, but she doubted he would have wanted his mother to kill herself to cope with her grief.

Cameron turned toward Bristol and pulled her against his chest, his free arm encircling her body in a tight embrace as he kissed the top of her head.

He still held his gun with his other hand, but he’d let it fall to his side.

“I’m truly sorry for your loss,” Reilly said, his face tight with pain. “It was an accident. I wish it hadn’t happened the way it did, but El Pez was about to kill our informant. I had no choice but to try and stop him. What happened next was an accident.”

“You always have a choice,” Jaclyn spat. Her finger was against the trigger now, and Bristol could see that her whole hand was shaking.

No. She couldn’t do this. This wasn’t how it should end.

“You’re right,” Bristol said, wriggling out of Cameron’s warm embrace and taking a few steps toward Jaclyn.

To her relief, Cameron didn’t try to stop her.

He didn’t need to, not with two other guns still trained on her abductor.

She wasn’t in danger anymore, and despite the terror that this woman had put them all through, she realized just how deeply she pitied her.

She would have to pay for all of her crimes, but this wasn’t the way.

“You’re right that we have always have a choice, Jaclyn,” she said, gaining confidence as she felt Cameron, Reilly, and Ben taking a few steps closer to her. “Right now, you have a chance to choose to live. The opportunity to serve your time, and to choose a better path going forward than Chase did.”

Jaclyn opened her mouth as though she might argue before closing it again.

Bristol watched her hand, noticing that she had loosened her grip on the gun. It was slight, but it was something. It was enough to give her hope.

She took a step closer, saying a silent prayer that the Forge brothers would stay back, just a little, and give the two women room.

She extended a hand toward Jaclyn, who was still crying, her eyes red and swollen as she stared back at Bristol.

“Killing yourself won’t bring him back, Jaclyn,” she said. “Please. Put the gun down, and let’s end this peacefully.”

There was a long pause.

No one moved.

“I’m so tired,” Jaclyn said at last. Bristol could only just barely hear her, thanks to the damage the flashbang had done to her ears.

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