Page 129 of Keeping Kasey
“More time?You didn’t work for an entire week after the attack. That wasn’t enough time toprocess?” Though venom drips from Logan’s every word, it’s the hatred laced through them that stings the most.
But if he thinks he’s the only one with the right to feel betrayed, he’s dead wrong.
“When I asked what would happen to the traitors, do you remember what you told me?”
His gaze—still sharp with anger—doesn’t ease, and he doesn’t answer me.
He knows damn well why I didn’t tell him.
“It was the second time in twenty-four hours that I was told I’d be killed. I might not have known what Brandon was talking about, but I knew something wasn’t right, and I needed the chance to figure out what it was.”
“When did you?” James asks.
“My first day back at the base. As soon as I realized the program you were looking for was one I made, I put the pieces together.” I meet Logan’s eyes again. “You called me right after I figured it out. You made Damon take me back to the manor because of how out of it I was.”
His jaw ticks, but that’s his only response.
“Why not tell us then?” James asks.
“Because all of a sudden, I knewexactlywhat Brandon was talking about, and worse—I knew he was right. If I told you about the program, I would’ve had to come clean about the attack, too. I knew it didn’t look good,” I say, drawing in a deep breath as I fight off the lump trying to claw up my throat.
Now is not the time to let my emotions get the best of me. These men have taken too much from me as it is—they won’t take my dignity, too.
“I decided to give it a day. Justoneday. I knew how the program worked, so I knew I’d have the list after a few hours, and if I told you everythingafteryou had it, you’d know I never betrayed you. Which is more than you can say after having Kade dig up dirt from my past.”
Logan cocks his head to the side, ignoring the accusation. “And you justaccidentallydeleted everything instead?”
“I didn’t wipe the program,” I say, and brace myself for the worst. “Youdid.”
Logan laughs, lifting the phone to his ear again.
“I’m telling the truth,” I say, injecting as much resolve as I can muster into the words.
“I’ll admit you’ve been able to fool me in the past, but that’s a very bold attempt.”
I drop my hands on my thighs. “What’s the point of all of this if you’re not going to believe me anyway?”
“Good point. Maybe we should take this to the base and see how you fare in an interrogation there?” Logan’s smile is a threat in itself.
“I’d give you the same answer. The list is gone because of you, not me.”
“How could we have deleted the list?” James asks, voice far calmer than Logan’s and mine.
I tear my eyes from Logan to address James, who watches me with genuine curiosity rather than loathing.
“I wasinthe program. Ihadthe names. All I had to do was wait for the list to compile—which it almost had when Ford shut down the base.”
Logan cuts his eyes at me. “A security measure thatyouinstalled.”
“Well, it screwed everything up,” I snap, feeling more like myself than I have since he stormed back into my life. “The program had a failsafe that would erase everything if it was under attack—it’s why I didn’t answer your calls that day. It took all of my focus to keep it from self-destructing.” I shake my head. “But it didn’t matter. That lockdown registered as an attack, and everything was gone.”
Silence.
Thick, smothering silence fills the room as each one of them processes what I’ve told them.
James’s expression is purely analytic, but the hint of resolve in his gaze says it all. He believes me.
Damon’s face is blank—as it’s been the whole time—and while I have no idea what’s going on in his head, I know he sees the truth, too.
