Elemental Assassin 02 - Web of Lies

him.
    Donovan Caine know how much he’d hurt me that day—
    Donovan drew in a breath. “Do you know why I didn’t how much he was hurting me now. I’d thought we could come see about you at the mine?”
    have something together, a real relationship. That maybe
    “Not really.”
    Donovan was someone I could share my heart and life
    “After that night we were together on my car, I felt like with, dark though they were. But that hope had burned maybe there could be something between us,” he said in up and crumbled to ash, like so many other things in my a low voice. “But then you said you were going after Tolife. Hope. A wasted emotion, more often than not. bias Dawson. To kill him. And I let you. I let you. I just Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 388-389
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    stood by in the background while you went after another You don’t consider any other options, you don’t consider man—to murder him. I did the very thing I’d always anything. You decided you wanted Dawson dead, and sworn not to do—I looked the other way. Not because you made it happen.”
    Dawson was a bad guy, but because of you . I compro“I did what needed to be done,” I said in a cold voice. mised myself because of you, Gin, and what I feel for
    “Nothing more, nothing less. And there were no other you.”
    options, detective. Because the police in this town are a Guilt, grief, and disappointment flashed in his golden joke, and we both know it. The only law, the only justice, eyes. And I thought back to what Warren T. Fox had told in Ashland is what people make for themselves.”
    me. He’s not the one for you, the old man’s voice whispered Donovan flinched at my harsh words, but he didn’t in my head. Somehow I pushed my hurt aside, trying to dispute them. “I just—I can’t do this anymore. I’m sorry, be calm and rational about this. Trying to get Donovan Gin. But this thing with us, it’s over.”
    Caine to change his mind. To stay. To give us a fucking
    “So you’re leaving town to get away from me?” I chance .
    snapped.
    “You know as well as I do that Tobias Dawson was Donovan lifted his hands in a helpless gesture. “Yes. never going to leave the Foxes alone. That he was in deep No. I don’t know. It’s not all about you. Part of it is with Mab Monroe and both of them— both of them—the department. There’s so much corruption there. I’m would have done everything in their power to get their just . . . tired of it all. of getting up every single fucking hands on those diamonds. Dawson dying was the only morning and knowing that I’m fighting a losing battle. way to save Warren and Violet.”
    I’m on the edge here, Gin. Close to becoming just like Donovan shook his head. “I just can’t bring myself to all the other crooked cops in this city. Letting you go believe that, to accept it.”
    after Alexis James was one thing. She came after both of This was the same old argument we’d had so many us first. But Tobias Dawson, that was different. If it had times now. Too many to count. It wouldn’t go anywhere, been anyone but you, I would have cuffed your ass and so I decided to try another tactic. “Why is feeling somedragged you down to headquarters before you got anything for me so terrible? Why can’t you just accept the fact where near Dawson. But I didn’t. And I regret it. More I used to be an assassin and that I’m trying to change?”
    than you’ll ever know. I’m sorry, Gin. I want you to know
    “Because you’ll never change. Not really.”
    that. I really am sorry.”
    “oh no?”
    “No,” I said. “I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m sorry I
    “No,” he replied in a firm voice. “Think about it. We wasted my time on you. Face it, Donovan. You’re not find out what Tobias Dawson’s doing, and what’s the first leaving town because I killed Dawson. You’re leaving thing out of your mouth? You talking about killing him. town because you didn’t stop me from doing it. Because Estep_Web of Lies_1P EP.indd 390-391
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    you didn’t have the strength to. Because even now, de“Where are you going?”
    spite everything, you still want to fuck me. You’re runHe shook his head. “I think it’s better if you don’t ning away because your morals are more important to know that, Gin.”
    you than anything else, including what you could have I nodded. Maybe it was.
    with me.”
    “I also