those articles, and stories are coming forward about the Savages and the sins of their pasts. People wronged by them are making statements. It’s all happening. Within mere hours of giving the green light. I now understand why the lawyers warned me about making the right decision because they weren’t kidding. When they said they were going full steam ahead, they meant it.
And for some strange reason, beneath all the righteous emotions on my sister’s behalf, I feel guilty. A part of me feels guilty that I’m hurting Baz in a way. This is going to ruin his career. I’m taking away everything he’s worked so hard for. I shake those thoughts and worries away. I’m only doing what he did to me—what they did to me. They took my entire world from me, and now I’m finally firing back, taking what means the most from them.
She did it.
She really fucking did it.
People have been flocking to her side after reading her words and hearing her story. Articles have been dropping left and right, tarnishing the reputation of the guys, showing their true colors. I’ve let it happen. None of it concerned me. Those were their problems, their issues they asked for help cleaning up. It is out of my hands now.
My lip quirks at the small embellishments Mackenzie has added to the piece since I’ve last read it. No doubt some other lawyer told her to add it. Her hate for all of us is a lot stronger than I imagined, but it was obvious, even as I read the newly printed piece, she was holding back quite a bit. Even with all that damage that has been done, I know, from a business standpoint, it’s still not enough.
That fiery pit in my chest grows the more I think about our last conversation. How she so easily believed I could hurt someone. That I could kill her sister. It made me angry. At her and our predicament. Because she really knew nothing about me at all if she thought that was the truth.
It’s odd, the way she makes me feel. On one hand, I want to protect her. I want to shield her from the pain she no doubt lives with every day of her life. But another part of me wants to hurt her for what she’s done. The way she so recklessly snuck her way into my life.
None of this would turn out pretty. It’s going to end in a disaster, and I’m not going down without a fight. I didn’t have a hand in her sister’s murder, and I sure in the hell am not going to let her act of vengeance take down everything I’ve worked so hard for.
Since her journalistic piece was released a week and a half ago, I’ve put out statements on my behalf. The rest of the guys are on their own. Especially Vincent. He’s been MIA. His parents haven’t seen him, Dan can’t find him, and he’s been out of touch with the rest of the guys. Or so they say.
There is something more going on between him and Zach. He was blindsided by the news that Zach was sneaking around at the mental institution, pretending to be him. I thought Vincent would confront him, or at the very least, kick his ass, but he’s done the exact opposite. Zach has no clue I know about his visits or that Vincent did either, and I plan to keep it that way.
The more I think about it, I realize they are probably working together. That is another issue I need to take care of. I’ve already expressed my worries to Dan about Mackenzie. I need eyes on her at all times because I don’t know what lengths they will go to hurt her. No matter how upset I am with her, I don’t want her hurt. Even though I shouldn’t, I care about Mackenzie far too much to let that ever happen.
“Someone’s here to see you, Mr. Kingston,” my new assistant says, peeking her head inside my office.
“Who is it?”
“Says she’s an old friend. She doesn’t have an appointment, and I’m sorry, but I’m not sure how she got up here either.”
I lean back in my chair and nod. “Let her in.”
The second my guest steps into my office, something strange happens. Like she’s an oxygen vacuum, all the air is extracted from my lungs. My heart is pounding and my dick, fuck my dick, is stirring at the sight of