Dawn of Forever (Jack & Jill #3) by Jewel E. Ann Read Free Book Online Page B

no way it’s what he meant. It had to be metaphorical.
    “W-what do you mean?”
    “He was in a lot of pain. Jillian was in denial.”
    Ryn shook her head, trying to wriggle from his grasp, but the more she tried, the harder he held her down.
    “What are you saying? You … you killed him?”
    “Yes.” The firm resolution in his answer held no regret.
    Jackson killed AJ. Jackson. Killed. AJ.
    “It was his decision, not mine.”
    “What?” She tugged against his grip. “Let me go!”
    He released her. She flailed to sitting then scrambled to collect her clothes, tripping on to her face.
    “Are you okay—”
    “I’m fine.” She yanked away from his hold, skidding back onto her butt with her clothes hugged to her chest.
    “Whoa … what the hell?”
    “You killed AJ! You took someone’s life. How can you stand there like it was nothing? That’s … that’s … something . Like illegal and immoral and … and wrong on so many levels. It doesn’t matter that he asked you to do it. He wasn’t in his right mind. I mean … for God’s sake, if I get embarrassed and mumble the words ‘kill me now’ are you going to put a gun to my head and pull the trigger?”
    “What?” He jerked his head back.
    She wasn’t crazy. Okay, she had a little crazy going on, but nothing to warrant the shocked look on his face.
    “Ryn, stop. Just stop. I didn’t put a gun to his head. He. Was. Dying.” Jackson moved toward her.
    She retreated until her back pressed against Jillian’s armoire. “What if his family finds out? You could be charged with murder.”
    “They won’t find out. I know what I’m doing.”
    “You know what you’re doing? H-how? Did you Google euthanasia?”
    He chuckled. That fueled her fire.
    “Oh my God. You’re laughing about this?”
    Jackson shook his head, lips twitching as he tried and failed to hide his smirk. “No. I just didn’t expect this reaction from you.”
    “Oh …” She shoved him out of her way, dropping the wad of clothes onto the bed. She sorted through them to find her bra and panties. “Do share. What reaction did you expect from me?”
    “Stop!” He grabbed her arms and forced her to sit on the edge of the bed as he knelt on the floor in front of her. “I know you don’t know what to do with this information right now. You’re in shock. I get it. AJ had terminal cancer. He couldn’t control his personality and he began to get violent with Jillian. He was going blind and losing his ability to even form words. He couldn’t eat. He was having seizures. He was suffering, Ryn. Can’t you see that?”
    She couldn’t see anything. There was a reason behind the term blindsided .
    Blink. Blink. Blink. She stared, searching for reason.
    “How?” she whispered.
    He sighed. “How what?”
    “How did you kill him?’
    Jackson flinched. A barely noticeable flinch, but she saw it.
    “Does it matter?”
    “Yes.”
    “Why?”
    “It just does.”
    His hands slid from her arms to her legs as he sat back on his heels and stared at the floor. “I did what I did to Preston in the restaurant. After AJ passed out, I broke his neck.”
    Who was this man?
    “How did it make you feel?”
    “Confused.”
    “Why?”
    Jackson’s response came without hesitation. “Because he didn’t deserve to die.”
    Jackson was right. Ryn didn’t know what to do with his confession. She stared at his hands and tried to imagine him using them to kill another human being. Her hands rested on his, squeezing them. He looked up and she gave him a sad smile.
    “I still love you … all of you.”
    His whole body deflated with relief.
    “Ryn?”
    “Hmm?” She rested her hands on the back of his neck and leaned forward, kissing his forehead.
    “It’s … nothing”
    *
    Jackson plotted a four-step, fool-proof process.
    Step One: Confess the mercy killing first.
    Step Two: Wait for Ryn to acclimate to Jackson’s ability to take another’s life.
    Step Three: Make her fall so deep