Page 213 of Red Marked

“It’s your fault it happened in the first place.” He straightens up. His lip curls. “It was my love for you that caused all of it. I was so caught up in the mating ceremony, in you, that I sent you that damned email by mistake. You had to go and send it to your boss.”

“You’re saying it like it was my fault.”

“I made a stupid mistake. I’ve had to live with that.”

Wait a minute.

“The email came from Veridian Bridge.” I’m frowning at him. “You were in finance. What am I missing?”

“I was in finance. I also had another role.” He scratches his chin. “I oversaw Bridge. I was the eyes on the outside, the one making sure they did what the Mainland paid them to do. All of my dealings with the Mainland went through the Bridge server, on that address. Everywhere else, I was Veridian, plain and simple. I messed up when I sent you that email. I was so damned obsessed with you. I love you so much and with everything in me. I had you on my mind.”

“You don’t love me.” I take another step back. “Obsessed, maybe. People don’t hurt the people they love, Jett.”

If he hadn’t slipped up, I would never have guessed.

I don’t know him. Not really. I never did.

How did I not see it? I was going to mate this male.

“You knew about the vaccinations,” I say, more to myself.

He nods.

“People were being hurt. Our people. So the Mainland could keep us on a leash.”

He snorts. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

“Can you hear yourself? You’re a shifter.”

“Do you have any idea how much money I’ve made?” He spreads his arms, looking around us. “I’m rich, Star. I could retire tomorrow.”

“You sold your soul.”

He laughs. “Listen to yourself. You’re being naïve.”

“People died.” I’m shaking now. “Torr and the rest of them. That wasn’t suicide. They were killed. They had to be.”

“The Mainland wanted them⁠—”

“Did you do it?” I can’t stop. “Did they have you⁠—?”

He laughs again, and this time he looks offended. “No. Of course not. I would never do anything like that. I’m a businessman, not an animal. I had nothing to do with any of that.” He rolls his shoulders. “I still work for them. I have to. If I didn’t, I’d be dead too.”

“Doing what?”

“I’m one of their many sets of eyes and ears on the island. They send me on assignments now and then.” He lifts his chin. “I’m loyal. I’m trustworthy.”

I laugh. It comes out like a bark, and it doesn’t sound like me at all.

“I am, Star.” He reaches for my hand. I fold my arms so he can’t take it. “I’m sorry, okay? I hope you can forgive me, and that we can move forward.”

“Move forward?” My mouth falls open. “Are you kidding me right now? I don’t love you, and I can’t move forward with you. People died. Lives were ruined. You did that.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“You didn’t stop it.”

“I couldn’t.” He looks shocked that I don’t understand. “They would have killed me.”