“How long have you been fucking Mel?” Magnus bit out, his cold eyes on his friend.
I was so stunned by the question, I nearly released my hold on him. I glanced over my shoulder and saw that Colton had gone pale and his mouth was half-open. He began shaking his head and looked like he wanted to say something, but no words came out.
“You were the only one who knew what I said to Jenna the day she ran away, you fucking piece of shit!”
Things began clicking into place for me at that. I’d assumed that the defense attorney had been the one to reach out to Mel to try and discredit Magnus, but it was entirely possible she’d gone to them on her own after learning about the trial. Which only would have happened if someone had told her about it since the judge had put a gag order on the case and ordered Magnus’s identity kept secret. According to Magnus, the only ones who’d known about the trial were his fellow Rangers. And Colton…who he’d told about the trial the day we’d arrived in Blakely.
Magnus stopped struggling against me and I slowly released him, but stayed close in case he went after Colton again. His rage was enough that I had no doubt he’d seriously injure the man.
“I…I…”
“How long?” Magnus asked. “Were you fucking her while we were still married?”
Shame crossed over Colton’s features and he dropped his eyes.
“You son of a bitch…”
“I didn’t mean for it to happen,” Colton began feebly.
“So, you stuck your dick in my wife by accident?”
Colton shook his head. “She was just so…and Bess and I’d been having problems…”
“All the shit that woman put me through! The way she walked out on Jenna and never looked back…”
“Magnus, I’m sorry. There was just something about her…I couldn’t say no to her.”
The fury seemed to seep out of Magnus as he said, “I trusted you, Colton. I told you things…” Magnus shook his head and turned away.
“Magnus!” Colton called, but Magnus ignored him and returned to the car, only this time he went to the passenger side. I glanced at Colton who looked utterly devastated, but I had no pity for the man. I went to the car and got in the driver’s side and shot Magnus a worried look.
How many more hits could this man take?
He must have sensed me watching him because he murmured, “Let’s go home, Dante.”
I didn’t say anything as I got the car turned around. I just did what he needed me to do and got us back on the road for the short drive home.
Chapter Twelve
Magnus
I couldn’t even put a label on what I was feeling. The emotions were swirling around inside of me like a tornado, picking up more and more shit as it churned deep in my belly. But it was the shame that made me feel like I was burning up from the inside.
I’m not a kid anymore! You can’t tell me what to do!
Jenna, if you leave this house, don’t bother coming back. Because I’m done! I’m fucking done, do you hear me?
They were words I’d wanted to call back the second I’d said them and a million times ever since.
“Magnus, talk to me,” I heard Dante say and I finally became aware of our surroundings. We were in my living room and I was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. The one we’d always hung our stockings from at Christmas time and whose mantel had been covered with pictures of me, Jenna and Matty.
There was nothing there now…there hadn’t been in years.
“Magnus-”
“Just give me some fucking space, Dante!” I snapped as the humiliation consumed me. Between all the shit that had happened the day of the wake and this, I was so fucking messed up around Dante that I could barely tell what was what anymore.
“Magnus, I just want to help.”
“You can’t help with this!” I yelled as I ripped my suit jacket off and tore at my tie. I knew it wasn’t fair to take my anger out on him, but I was beyond controlling anything anymore.
“I know what it’s like-” Dante began.
“How?” I bit out. “How can you possibly know what it’s like to know you got your kid killed?”
“You didn’t-”
“Jesus,” I muttered, the last of my control snapping. I just wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out and Dante’s presence was making everything a thousand times worse. I needed him gone. “How are you not getting this? I can’t deal with you right now, okay?”
Fuck, what the hell was wrong with me? I hadn’t meant that…
“Dante,” I began as I turned to face him, but he was gone. Regret tore through me as I glanced out the front window to see if he’d left the house. Since I didn’t see him there, I went check the den. He was standing by the bed jamming clothes into his bag.