Rock Redemption (Rock Revenge Trilogy 3)

“No.” Zoe leaned forward, her eyes narrowed and wet. “If you do that, they’re going to kill you. You were nothing but a tool to them. If they don’t have that use for you—”

“It’s what I deserve,” he said quietly, tipping back his head as Zoe let out a sob.

Lila reached out to grab Zoe’s arm, her fingers curling in as she stared hard at Ian. “You’re serious.”

Ian looked at Zoe one more time, his chin wobbling before he locked his jaw and nodded. “I’m serious.”

Lila rose. “I’ll tell Donovan and see if that changes our options.” She glanced at Simon for a second, her throat rippling, before she walked out of the room.

The closing of the door echoed through Simon’s head.

“What if it’s too late?” He didn’t expect an answer.

No one knew.

He wanted to believe that if Margo was critically hurt—if she was gone—that he would know. In his heart. His gut. They were so tightly linked that he couldn’t imagine not feeling it acutely if she—

No. He couldn’t go there.

Wouldn’t.

He pressed his fists into his eyes. But maybe that was what he was feeling now. How could he know? He couldn’t untangle what he felt anymore, or why.

Just that he couldn’t sit there a moment longer.

He jerked to his feet and Nicky stood too. As if he knew Simon wasn’t capable of walking on his own, Nicky grabbed his arm, steering him to the door and out into the colorless hall.

“Let’s go outside. Get some air.”

When Simon didn’t move, Nick gave him a little push. “We have our phones. They’ll tag us if they…hear.”

“But what if they don’t?” His eyes met Nicky’s and the reflection back at him was pure pain. “What if that call never comes?”

Another question without an answer.

Three

There should have been silence. There was no one in the room save for me and Ian. But it felt huge and oppressive. My heartbeat slammed in my chest and my head like one of those clacking balls sets on my father’s desk.

I used to annoy the hell out of him by ruining the steady rhythm. Steady drove me crazy.

Right now, a little steady just might save me.

Or Ian.

He slumped into the chair now that everyone was gone. He rubbed his throat and coughed more than once.

I ached to go and fix him.

Soothe him.

Shake him.

“What were you thinking?” My words were a shaky whisper. I hadn’t even known they were coming, but it was my simplest and most imperative question.

I wasn’t stupid. I knew he’d been hiding things from me, but I thought it had to do with the self-harm tattooed on his body. Not this.

Anything but this.