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A few feet away, Bron groans. It’s a weak sound, barely audible, but I hear it. I step closer and peer down at my biggest mistake.

Pathetic. Weak. A sad excuse for a human being. He’ll live and go on to hurt more people.

I may have ruined any chance he may have had to stay in Jefferson, but that’s not going to stop him from returning. From darkening Lachlan’s life again. Or reminding Lauren what he did to her. He will always be a reminder of their pain.

Murder, comes to mind.

It’s the easiest solution. The quickest. To protect Lachlan and Lauren. But Lachlan would not see it as justice to kill his son. He would never forgive me.

But I did what I could.

I dismantled every important key element in Bron’s life. Did I destroy him? Probably not. He can set off and start life over somewhere else. I was fine with that as long as I no longer saw him in my hometown.

But knowing now what I know, knowing what he did to Lauren, I didn’t do enough. Why does he get to move on and hurt more women?

Returning footsteps have me glancing back to watch Lauren hurry over, my phone in her hands.

“I called the sheriff while I was driving after you,” she pants. “But the signal dropped at some point so I don’t think he knows where we are.”

“I think I want to kill him,” I tell my friend.

Lauren doesn’t even bat an eye. Her hand lowers. She looks at me.

“Can’t.” She holds up my phone. “They can track the last place it was pinged or some shit. Also,” she gestures to the truck, “That is hard to cover.”

I turn my attention down to the man lying unconscious at our feet. “He’s going to hurt other women like he hurt you and tried to do to me.”

“I told you, I—”

I turn to her. “He hurt you, Lauren. He told me what he did. You can think you consented but he knew what he was doing when you told him to stop and he kept going ... for hours,” I add softly, repeating her own words. “I know what that did to you.” I bite back my bubbling fury. “I’m pissed that you did what you did. I feel betrayed and hurt, but I know why youdid it. I’m not saying that justifies what you did, but I’m not okay with what he did even more.”

I face our problem, take in his smashed face, his definitely broken nose and knee.

“I’m not letting him hurt another woman again.” I glance at her. “Are you with me?”

Lauren meets my eye without a shred of hesitation. “Always.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

EVERLY

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Funny thing about committing a crime, it doesn’t make you feel better.

I don’t know if I expected to feel good about what we did, but I guess I’d hoped for some kind of closure. Maybe a sense of accomplishment for doing something good in the world.

But I feel nothing.

I sit on Dr. Hammell’s examination table with a vacuum in my gut syphoning everything out of me. I feel exhausted, worn, and oddly vacant, like the body waiting for the eighty-year-old medical professional to announce his verdict isn’t even mine.

Leaning against the wall, next to the open doorway, Lauren watches me. Watches the doctor. Her features give nothing of her thoughts, not a single flicker that we did something wrong. And maybe we didn’t.

“You’re lucky.” Dr. Hammell lifts his face, warm complexion a road map of age. “Everything should heal nicely, including that hairline fracture. Nothing’s displaced. I’m going to wrap it and get you a sling. No lifting or added pressure. Let it rest for a few weeks. If the pain persists, we’ll get you in at thehospital in Mayfield for a scan. Otherwise, it should heal on its own.”

I say nothing, though I know I should thank him. My jaw muscles have fused themselves together, creating a disconnect from my brain.

Thankfully, I’m saved by the hulking figure that stalks into the room like it’s perfectly fine to do so.