Cruz cleared his throat. “Saint wanted Georgie protecting. I failed my brother and your sister. I told him I would keep her safe,” Cruz said, his head dipped as he looked at the floor. “Saint wanted to be involved, but I had to kill a member of their gang and pretend to be that person. Luckily we all wore fully protective clothing, so they didn’t realise until it was too late.”
“You killed someone... to protect me.” My eyes were wide as I grasped what he did for me. He nodded, and the room was quiet for a moment. “Did you kill my father?” I whispered, staring at Cruz. He shook his head. My gaze wandered over his face, waiting for a hint of a lie.
Mum cleared her throat.
“He didn’t kill your father,” Mum whispered, her voice penetrating my brain. “Because I did.”
I spun to her with wide-open eyes, slamming my hand on my chest. “You?” I gasped.
“I had no choice.” Mum slowly shook her head, staring at me, staring at her. Her shakes got faster and faster as she tried to make me believe her.
“What do you mean, you had no choice?” I yelled as anger took over.
“I planned it. Planned for the kidnappers to tie him up and scare him, for them to leave with Georgie before I turned the gun on your father.” She raised her voice, which told me she was not concerned about what she did to him. She sighed. “Then I disappeared, knowing you were safe behind the panel. You had to believe they took me that night.”
“You let them take Georgie, so you could kill my father.” I stared at her with disgust written on my face. Swallowing the bile that reached my throat. Shaking my head before I dropped my face into my hands.
My mother was a monster.
“It was you or your father,” Mum said.
“It turns out it was Georgie and my father.” My voice cracked. “I could have found his body.”
Jackson pulled me against him, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. He kissed my head, purring, and I leaned closer to him.
“Tilly, I’m truly sorry you saw that. I should have destroyed that camera, too. You weren’t supposed to be exposed to it and you wouldn’t have found him because I made sure the neighbours heard the commotion and the police were called promptly to prevent that.” Mum hesitated. “I’m sorry Tilly, but I had no choice. Your father was a man with no morals but lots of power. Your life had to change, and it was the only way to do it.”
“Why didn’t you come back for me?” I sobbed.
“Because I’m on the run Tilly.” Mum sagged against the chair.
“From the police?” I asked.
She shook her head, biting her lip for a moment. “From the gang. I set them up to take the blame for your father’s death, and now they’re looking for me.”
“And they probably killed Georgie because of you, and that’s why they’re trying to find me? To get to you.” Tears filled my eyes, thinking that Georgie could actually be dead, and I could see the pain in my mother’s eyes the moment I said the words.
“Tilly, I made a mistake, but you wouldn’t have the life you have if I didn’t do what I did. The freedom you’ve had, the choices you’ve had. You’re an omega. We don’t have choices when we have an alpha and your father always pulled rank. But yes, they are looking for me, but I truly believe Georgie is alive.”