Page 76 of Jessica's Hero
Disbelief courses through me, even though, rationally, I knew it was possible. “I knew she didn’t like me. Butslashing my tires? Vandalizing my house? The package? And did she break in and move my stuff around?”
“She hasn’t confessed yet,” Kane says. “Right now, she’s in custody, awaiting her attorney. But we’ll get it out of her. And even if she doesn’t confess, we have enough evidence to make a strong case against her. She won’t get a chance to pull this shit on you again.”
Pain and hope come at me in waves.
Pain at the confirmation that yes, someone reallydoeshate me that much.
Hope that it might finally be over.
Tears burn behind my eyes. “All because I wrote her up at work? And a grudge she’s been holding since high school?”
Anger shadows Kane’s gaze. His jaw could cut glass. “We found photos of Liam at her apartment. A lot of them. It looks like she may have been fixated on him for years. So that could be another motive.”
“I didn’t kill him!” My voice catches. “Everyone knows. He was drunk. I didn’t make him drive that night. I screwed up after, letting Thea take the fall. But I didn’t make him drive. I didn’t. Why does everyone keep blaming me for his death?”
“Oh, sweetheart.” Pain sweeps across his features. Hugging me close, he kisses my forehead gently. “I know. Of course it wasn’t your fault. Some people, they cling to falsehoods because it’s easier than accepting the truth. Or they’re so unhappy with their own life, they need to put all that dissatisfaction on someone else. Eliza has issues. Serious ones. But in no way does that make Liam’s death your fault. And it damn well doesn’t mean you deserved anything she did.”
I know I should be happy. Relieved. And I will be. Once I have time to let reality settle in.
But right now, I still have a gnawing ache in my chest. A hollow emptiness that comes with the realization of just how far Eliza would go to hurt me.
“Jess, baby.” Kane turns me so I’m straddling him. His eyes turn a deep midnight blue. “I know it hurts to think about someone you know doing that. I know. But I want you to remember some important things. Okay?”
I take a deep breath and meet his gaze. “Okay.”
“You have a lot of people who care about you. Everyone who was there on Saturday night, to start. There might be some small-minded people in town who hold some stupid grudge, but they’ll have to get past it. Theywillget past it.”
With a tiny nod, I repeat, “Okay.”
“And.” He frames my face with the gentlest of touches. “You have me. I’m not going anywhere. And anyone who doubts you, who says anything inappropriate or unkind, I’m not going to let it stand. I’ve got your back, Jess. That’s what people in love do for each other.”
Swallowing hard to keep my tears from escaping, I nod again. “I love you, Kane. So much.”
“Sweetheart.” His voice is so kind, so loving. “I love you. And I promise, it’s going to be okay. Even if it hurts sometimes while you’re working your way through it.”
As I look into his eyes, I think about everything Kane has done for me. Believed in me when no one would. Stood up for me. Protected me. Made me feel special in a way I never have before.
And he loves me.
With all of that, I can get past anything.
So I focus on that. On the love I see in his eyes. And trusting myself to follow my heart no matter how scary it is.
Then I smile at him. “Okay. So now I know. How about that pot pie? And it’s probably too late for the movie, but we could snuggle for a bit and then…” My eyebrows lift hopefully. “Maybe the scarves?”
His whole body relaxes as a sigh of relief gusts out. Then he kisses me before meeting my gaze again. “I know I keep saying this, Jess. But you really are incredible.”
CHAPTER 16
KANE
“Let me guess, you’re texting Jess again?”
Oliver looks over from his desk with a little smirk, busting me red-fingered, so to speak, as I finish typing my message. I hit send—yes, to Jess, of course—before putting the phone down and meeting his amused gaze.
My eyebrow arches up as I retort, “I seem to recallyoutexting Shea pretty often when you first got back together.”
“Maybe,” he admits. His smirk shifts to an outright smile. “I’m just giving you shit. I don’t blame you for wanting to make sure she’s doing okay.”
