Page 147 of Pink Ink

His throat bobs. “We thought it was for the best. I realized too late how wrong we were.”

We.

Mom didn’t want me to know either? I cover my mouth with my hand to contain my sob.

Far too much has happened in the past two days—in the past fewyears. Maddox, James, and even Mom pulled wool over my eyes.

That changes tonight.

The road to forgiveness is a long one. If he really means it—if everything he says is true, then he can show me.

“If you, or any person in the Order, harms a hair on Maddox’s or his brother’s head, youwillbe dead to me. There will be no second chances.” My safety means nothing if I’m the only one who survives. “And don’t think I won’t find out. I will, some way, somehow.”

He tips his chin. “Understood.”

“That means there will be no repercussions if Maddox calls off the engagement,” I clarify.

It’s hard to read his expression, but it’s obvious he’s going to disagree. “Roland and the Dorn—”

“None. No exceptions.” I’m proud that my voice doesn’t shake. “Mom might have turned a blind eye and forgiven you every time you hurt her, but I am not my mother.”

“No, you’re my daughter.”

“In flesh alone.”

“That will change in time.” There’s a challenge in his voice that I don’t miss. “Anything else?”

I narrow my eyes as my mind churns to come up with something else. “The…” I swallow. “The man that I stabbed?”

“The place was cleaned out before Maddox made his first call.” It’s the most confident I’ve seen him tonight.

Oh, thank God. I’m not going to jail.

I tip my head up, meeting his challenge. “I want an apology.”

“There are many things I regret. Leaving you and your mother behind is my greatest one of all. I apologize—”

“Not to me. I want you to apologize to Mom.”

“I have every day since I left.”

Out of everything he’s said, it’s the one thing I believe to be true without a shadow of a doubt, because somewhere deep down, I know he loved her too.

Maddox steps forward so that he’s plastered to my side. “While we’re on the topic of making demands, your daughter and I are together, and you won’t be doing anything about it.”

James becomes all hard edges, reaching for his gun again. “You aren’t in the position to be making any—”

“Nothing,” I emphasize. “No interference of any kind, or else your chance at redemption is over.” It’s up to me to decide whether our relationship is temporary or permanent. With both of them.

James doesn’t hesitate to swing his stare at Maddox. His face is devoid of his emotion, but there’s no mistaking the venom dripping from his voice. “You hurt her, and I have a bullet reserved for your skull.”

Maddox leans back against the kitchen counter before I can snap, looking as relaxed as if we were having a friendly conversation. “At this rate, I believe she’ll beat you to it if I so much as think about hurting her.”

Their stare-off sets me on edge because I know how fake Maddox’s casual demeanor is. I’m tempted to step between them to slice the tension in half. James must realize because he matches Maddox’s laid-back stance, and takes a step away.

“Breakfast on Wednesday,” James orders in the same voice he used on me when Mom told him I was slacking on the chores. “I’d like for us to catch up.”

I shake my head. “I’m not ready for that.”