Richard was just staring at me with that goddamn cocky smirk, kneeling on the floor with my blood smeared on his knuckles, so sure I wouldn’t do it. That I wouldn’t put an end to his pathetic excuse of a life. Right now, there was nothing I wanted more in this life than to end his. Murder hadn’t been part of my original plan, but Dad always said that you had to be ready to improvise.
If I didn’t kill him now, what would stop him from coming back in a year, or five, or ten, to finish what he’d started? No. Never again.
I tightened my finger on the trigger.
“No!” Jeremy shouted out, holding a hand in front of him as he approached slowly. “DEA is here, right downstairs. If you pull that trigger, you’ll go to jail, Chels. Your immunity agreement won’t save you. Your hands are clean right now. You didn’t kill him before, and you don’t have to kill him now.”
I didn’t ease up, and my eyes burned with the force of the tears I held back. Angry tears that screamed to be released. Tears I’d been holding back for longer than I could remember. “I don’t care. He’ll be dead. That’s all that matters.”
“That’s not all that matters. There’s the inn. And there’s…” He tucked his gun away, waving off the men standing behind me. Clearly they were standing there ready to take Richard away—or take me down. “There’s me. I love you, Chels.”
I swallowed hard. “Don’t lie to me again, Agent Holland.”
“I’m not,” he said slowly. “I’m telling the truth. Yes, I lied to you about my occupation. Yes, you have every right to be angry at me and to hate me, but damn it, Chels, give me a chance to earn your forgiveness. I’ll never stop trying, and I’ll never stop knocking on your door, asking you to let me in. But if you’re in jail…we don’t stand a chance in hell in making this thing we have between us work.
“He wants you to kill him because it keeps him from retribution from the cartel, and it ruins your life. It’s a win-win for him,” Jeremy said in a rush. He stepped closer, putting himself between me and Richard but not moving to take the gun from me. Blood soaked his shirt at the shoulder. I stared at the spot, watching the red spread across his blue shirt. “Don’t give him that satisfaction. Don’t give him what he wants.”
My grip on the gun wavered, and I sensed men creeping closer behind me, waiting to take me down if I didn’t give up the gun soon. I had a feeling the only reason they hadn’t yet was because of Jeremy. “But he’ll come back if I don’t kill him. Just like he did this time.”
“No, he won’t. He’s going to jail.”
I heard the words he said, but I didn’t have much faith in the criminal justice system to keep him there. I’d seen too much to believe that it would all be okay.
“He’s still alive, Chels. If you keep him that way, you’re free.” Jeremy held his hands up, locking eyes with me, looking a little ashen. “You can rebuild the inn. You can be here, like you wanted, with a new life. And I’ll be here with you, helping. I swear to God, I will be here.”
I bit my lip, swaying slightly. “Don’t think you’re off the hook. You lied to me. I’m still pissed at you.”
“I know. I swear, I’ll make it up to you. Every second of every day, I’ll make it up to you.” He shot a nervous look behind me. “Just put the gun down.”