Page 50 of Cruel Master

My heart is ripping a hole in my chest. I should look at Quinn, but I’m trying to get myself together. It’s not working. I close my eyes, fists clenched, and breathe deeply. I had to do it. For everyone’s safety, I had to.

“Hadrian? Candice just dropped out. Is everything okay?”

I force my eyes open to see Quinn, who has pulled her headset off and is looking at me. She’s not worried yet, just curious. Safe in the knowledge that nothing could happen to her best friend.

Jacob takes her arm. “Come with me, love. We need to have a chat.”

“What?” Her gaze shifts between us, and her face slowly changes as the silence draws out. I see the moment it hits, the moment she guesses something is really wrong. Her face falls, and high spots of color appear in her pale cheeks. Her jaw sets. “What the hell is going on?”

“I’ll explain, love. Just—”

“No! I don’t want you to explain, I want him to. What’s happened?” Her voice is rising, and I recognize the shrill note of panic. It rasps along my nerves, sharpening my guilt.

Jacob takes her arm again, more forcefully this time. “Quinn, don’t—”

I need to man the fuck up and face what I’ve done. I get to my feet and hold a hand up. “It’s okay, Jacob.”

He doesn’t let go of Quinn but shifts his bulky form to the side so I can face her. Her eyes shoot cold fire at me, but her lip wobbles. “Where’s Candice? What did you do?”

I try to speak but stumble over the lump in my throat. I take a deep breath and try again. “I’m sorry. I had to shut her down. She was behaving dangerously. It put the Compoundat—”

“What the fuck?” Quinn’s voice shakes, and I can’t tell if it’s anger or fear. “You can get her back, though, right?”

I swallow. “I hope so. There’s a possibility that—”

“What?” Tears well in Quinn’s eyes, but she balls her fists and stares me down. “She might not be okay?”

“It’s something I’ve never had to do before. With someone as complex as Candice, it’s a risk.”

“A fucking risk?” Her breath comes in rough gasps, and Jacob frowns as she presses her hand to her chest.

His voice is gentler than I’ve ever heard it. “Take deep breaths, love. Your heart.”

She whirls on him, jabbing a finger into his chest. “You knew about this? You just stood back and let him kill her?”

It’s a gunshot to my chest. “I haven’t killed her. She’s still there. She just—”

“But she might not be okay. That’s what you said.”

I wish I could lie and comfort her. But she deserves the truth. “I know. I’m sorry. We had no choice.”

“That’s bullshit!” She slips from Jacob’s grasp. He doesn’t move to grab her again. “Just what the fuck do you think she did?”

Jacob gives a tiny shake of his head. He must want to keep the details quiet, for now at least.

“I’m sorry. I can’t—”

“Did she not deserve a chance to defend herself? You shut her down without even asking her about it?” Quinn’s voice is a high-pitched shriek, but tears are pouring down her face. She spins back to Jacob. “Would I get the same treatment? If I mess up, will you just fucking shut me down?”

Jacob flinches, but his voice is a warning. “Quinn. Come here, love. I know it hurts, but—”

“No. Leave me the fuck alone. You can both go to hell.”

Her face crumples as a sob forces its way out, and she runs from the room.

“Fuck,” Jacob mutters. “I’ll catch her. Go and update Kendrick.”

He races from the room, leaving me alone. I collapse into my chair, the silence a pressure in my head. When I first set up here in the Compound, I loved the peace in this room. No interruption, no ringing phones or colleagues dropping in unexpectedly. Space and quiet to focus on what really mattered.