He looked at the floor, his hands fisting at his sides. “If I could make it fall off, I would have done so already. You’re the one who made that foolish promise.”
Anger exploded inside of her and she got right in his face, going up on tiptoe to lessen the distance between him. “That promise saved your life, you ungrateful ass.”
“You should have let me die.” There was no heat in his words, only the even tone of acceptance.
That made no sense, so she instinctively reached through their link to see what was going on inside his head. There was anger, but none of it showed in his features. It was as if it wasn’t even enough for him to notice. Beneath the anger was regret, guilt, and a sense of loss, as if he’d made some irrevocable mistake.
“What is it?” she asked. “What have you done?”
“So many things.” He cupped her cheek, and she couldn’t help but lean into his touch. Her traitorous body didn’t care if she was mad at him, or that her feelings were clawed to pieces. It craved the feel of his skin on hers, and the bubbling tingles that sank into her, warming her. “I have to leave you. I’m sorry. I wanted you to hear from my own lips how much I wish things were different.”
Jackie knew this was coming, but there was no way to brace herself for the blow. She rocked back, trying to keep the tears pooling in her eyes from falling. “It’s fine. I understand. You love her. Of course you have to go be with her.”
His eyelids lowered in regret. “Go see Cain. Please. I hate leaving you unprotected.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“You will be as long as you have access to Cain’s power. Promise me you’ll go to him.”
“No. I’m not making any promises to you.”
“Please, Jackie. Just speak to him. Spend some time with him. He will keep you safe. He would never allow you to be taken by Synestryn again.”
She was tired of this argument. What harm could there be in doing as he asked? Especially now, while she was already bound to Iain and unable to make any bad decisions. The one she’d already made circled her throat, preventing her from making another. “Okay. I’ll go see him if it will make you feel better about doing what you need to do.”
Jackie wanted him to be happy. She really did. Even as jealous as she was, as hurt as she was, she’d grown to care for him. He deserved a chance to be happy, even if she had nothing to do with making him that way.
He nodded, letting out a sigh of relief. His black gaze roamed her face as if memorizing it, and then he leaned down and placed a soft, quick kiss on her mouth. “Good-bye,” he whispered, then turned and left her standing alone.
It was what she wanted, wasn’t it? What she’d been asking for all along?
Jackie refused to cry, but she was going to end up doing just that if she didn’t distract herself. She’d told Iain she’d go see Cain, so it was best to get that over with so she was free of her obligation. The sooner she stopped thinking about Iain, the easier it would be to get her shit together and move on.
Iain almost left without saying anything to Serena. He’d already caused her so much pain, and he couldn’t think of a single thing he could say now that would ease any of it. Still, out of respect for what they’d once shared, he felt honor-bound to at least tell her good-bye.
He went to the interrogation room where she was being held. Joseph had had it built since finding out there was a traitor in their midst, and yet building it hadn’t done anything to help root out the culprit. Not even Nicholas, with his electronic eyes and ears planted everywhere, had had any luck finding the traitor.
Iain wasn’t going to have to worry about such things much longer. He’d caused enough damage, clinging to what he thought was honor, when it had really been hubris. He’d stayed alive thinking that he alone could save his brothers.
It was utter and complete bullshit. He realized that now.
Or maybe he’d just realized what he was doing to Jackie, tying her to a man with no soul. He’d nearly raped her. If she’d resisted, he would have. His monster had gone out of control, and he knew it was only a matter of time before it happened again.
He didn’t just have a monster lurking within him—he was the monster, wearing a mask of civility, hoping no one would notice his claws and fangs.
The door was locked. Iain looked up at the camera and dialed Joseph. “I want to see Serena,” he said.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea. Tynan is going to take some blood and check it against family records. I want to be absolutely sure about her before we let her out.”
“I’m not going to let her out. I just want to talk to her.”
“Iain, I—”
“Damn it, Joseph! Just let me talk to her, explain about Jackie. I owe her that much.”
Joseph sighed. “Fine. Give me a minute and I’ll have Nicholas open the lock.”
Iain paced until he heard the click and then went inside. There, on the other side of the glass, Serena sat, her head resting on her folded arms. As soon as he stepped close, she lifted her head. “Iain?”
So. She could still feel him the way she once had.
Iain went through the adjoining door, propping it open with a chair so he didn’t get locked in.
She drew herself up, straightening her shoulders. Her regal beauty was still there, but its power over him had faded. Or perhaps it was his lack of a soul that had diminished his appreciation for her looks. Intellectually, he could see that her features were perfectly symmetrical and delicate, but when he reached inside to see how he felt about her, all he got was air and dust. There was nothing left there but the memory of what he’d once felt.
“How are you?” he asked. “Do you need anything?”
“I’d like some decent clothing. I don’t like showing my limbs to any who walk in.”
He nodded and sent a text to Joseph to see if she could get a change of clothes.
“What is that device?”