Page 3 of Absolution (Favorite Malady Trilogy #3)

“I’ve seen the crime scene photos. It could best be described as a crime of passion, not defense.”

I suppress a shudder. I’m glad that I don’t remember anything about the murder. Knowing Dane and his protective rage, I can imagine that Stephen’s death was brutal.

A spark of vindictive satisfaction flickers in my chest, a feeling that I’m reluctant to acknowledge.

Men have touched me without my consent so many times, but it will never happen again. Dane won’t allow it.

I settle into my decision to protect my white knight, my dark god. I’ll do everything in my power to save him.

“The police will find the mug Stephen gave me,” I say quickly. “It’ll probably have traces of the drug, won’t it?”

If they find that piece of evidence, it won’t be too difficult for them to paint a picture of what happened to Stephen.

Mr. Wells nods grimly. “I’m sure it’s already been collected as evidence, but they won’t have had time to test anything yet. I’ll inform Lord Graham, and he will make it disappear before that happens.”

I’m not shocked that Dane’s father has the connections necessary to destroy evidence. Especially not now that I know he can muster a team of lawyers in less than an hour once he learns of a threat to his family.

“Dane won’t like it,” I inform Mr. Wells. “He won’t want to accept anything from his father.”

“Not even if it costs him his freedom?”

“Not even if it costs his life.”

I know it deep in my bones. Dane loathes his family, and he truly would rather die than accept anything from them. Especially when they’re only helping him to save their own reputation.

Some cruel part of him will probably be satisfied at ruining them with the scandal of his arrest and incarceration.

I can’t allow that to happen.

I straighten my shoulders. “I need to talk to Dane’s brother, James.”

Half an hour later, James is sitting in the chair formerly occupied by Mr. Wells; the lawyer is waiting outside to give us privacy.

James’ eyes—so like Dane’s incisive green stare—skewer me. “So, my brother has already confessed to murdering Stephen Lansing.”

I nod. “He did it to save me.”

James’ auburn brows draw together. “I understand that Lansing drugged you, but my brother didn’t have to kill the man to save you.”

“No,” I agree. “But Dane is very protective. And that’s not what I meant. He confessed because the police came to arrest me. They knew I was with Stephen at his time of death, so they thought I might be guilty.”

James scoffs. “I saw the crime scene photos. Considering your stature, it’s highly unlikely that you could be capable of inflicting that kind of damage.”

I suppress a shudder. I hope no one ever shows me the photos. Knowing that Dane killed to save me is difficult enough, even if I’m not upset that Stephen is dead. I’d rather not see the evidence of his gory demise.

“Dane would do anything to protect me,” I assert. “And I love him for it.”

In this moment, I accept that I’m not responsible for Stephen’s death by proxy; the blame lies with him for drugging and assaulting me. If he hadn’t been a sexual predator, he’d still be alive.

James sighs. “I’m not sure if my brother deserves such loyalty if he’s a murderer.”

“He does,” I declare.

Dane deserves to be loved. Especially because his family has never loved him. He needs someone in his corner, and I resolve that from now on, that person will be me.

I belong to Dane, but he’s mine too.

“Well, you’ll be relieved to know that everything will be fine,” James says. “My father will make sure that Daniel—Dane—is released without any record of his arrest.”

The fact that he’s actively choosing to use Dane’s preferred name makes me soften toward him. After their conflicts at the family manor, it’s clear that Dane feels nothing but contempt for his younger brother.

But maybe James doesn’t deserve his resentment.

I shake my head. “Dane won’t accept anything from your father. It’s far more likely that he’ll double down on his confession in order to destroy your family’s reputation.”

James curses softly and rakes a hand through his hair. “You really think he’s willing to face prison just to spite us?”

I fix him with a level stare. “You were there when he confronted your parents at the estate. What lengths do you think Dane would go to in order to punish them?”

He curses again. “This will destroy my mother.”

“Maybe she deserves a bit of suffering,” I say coldly.

Dane will strike where it hurts most: her reputation.

James narrows his eyes at me. “I know Dane had the luxury of leaving the family, but I don’t.

He made sure of that when he gave up the title and fucked off to America.

I’m the heir now, and that means I have to deal with my parents, whether I want to or not.

The family name will be my responsibility one day.

That’s all I have, Abigail. It’s what I was raised for: to be the Earl of Ripley.

Now, my brother is making sure I’ll be Lord of the Ashes.

All because he thinks it’s my fault that our parents replaced his twin sister with me. ”

The last is bitter with decades of resentment.

Dane might be in too much pain to see that his brother isn’t at fault, but I’m not blinded by years of cruelty at the hands of his parents.

“It’s not your fault that they did that,” I say quietly. “Your parents chose to forget Katie. It’s not right that Dane blames you for their actions. You were just a child yourself. I think he’ll see that one day.”

“ One day will be too late,” James counters. “I’ll be ruined by morning when the news breaks that my brother is a murderer.”

I press my lips together, searching for the right thing to say. Dane’s parents deserve ruin, but James doesn’t. In his own way, he’s suffered as much as Dane, but he was never able to escape. If Dane goes away for Stephen’s murder, James will have to deal with the fallout for the rest of his life.

And I will have to live my life without Dane by my side.

That’s not an option.

An idea sparks.

“What are you thinking?” James asks.

“I think I know how to save Dane, but I’ll need your help.”