Page 175 of Lust & Lies

“If you don’t want your grandfather to die, you can just say it,” I told him.

For a second, he didn’t say anything. That moment of silence told me everything I needed to know.

“I won’t lie,” he finally spoke up. “Hating my grandfather the way I do now, it doesn’t feel right. Even after everything he’s done, I still feel guilty for hating him and wanting him dead. No matter how hard I try, I can’t shake this feeling.”

I sighed, pushing my anger aside for a moment to focus on Aiden’s feelings. I could understand what he was saying. I used to feel guilty for hating Ellie, too. Not anymore. But I could understand Aiden’s position.

No matter how badly our family treated us, it was always hard to treat them the same way in return. Look at how long it took me to finally get fed up with Mr. Park’s and Ellie’s bullshit.

Had they been strangers to me, I wouldn’t have endured for that long. I wouldn’t have endured that treatment at all. Butthey were supposed to be family, so I’d given them chance after chance to treat me better. They never did.

And I felt guilty for hating them. But that guilt, that wariness, that desire not to hurt the people we’re supposed to love, it proved we weren’t like them. It proved we understood love, respect, and loyalty.

And because we understood those concepts, it felt wrong when it came time to treat others the way they’d always treated us. Therefore, I was able to sympathize with Aiden’s position on this.

Yeah, I wanted Mr. Park dead. But I didn’t want Aiden or his brothers to regret it later, after they’d calmed down. For them, I could let go of my thirst for blood. But I couldn’t let go of my thirst for vengeance.

“Aiden,” I began, trying to find the right words. “If you don’t want me to kill Mr. Park, I won’t. However, we need to make sure he’s no longer a threat to us and the Hatfields. And who knows how many other Watchdogs he’s threatened and manipulated? Seo-Jin can’t be the only one.”

I wondered if now was the time to tell him about Viper and Scope. I now remembered the name of the betrayer I’d killed in the SUV. He was Scope, someone who’d fought by my side for years.

I never would’ve suspected him of betraying me. But he had. As for Viper, she was someone Mr. Park brought in a few years ago. She was a great fighter. She was usually quiet and performed well on her missions.

During group missions, she always listened and followed the rules. However, I’d noticed the way she looked at the Leader a few times. It was clear she had a crush on him. Was that her motive for betraying me?

Did she want me dead over a man? Or had Mr. Park offered her and Scope something to betray me? The other driver hadn’tbeen a member of my team. How many other Watchdogs had Mr. Park convinced to go against one of their own?

“What are you thinking about?” Aiden asked.

I was just about to tell him about Viper and Scope when a knock sounded at our bedroom door. I tensed, sitting up, wincing at the pain in my side.

“It’s probably just Gertrude,” Aiden told me, sitting up, stretching. “What’s up?” Aiden called out.

The door slowly eased open.

“I swear this woman doesn’t respect my boundaries,” Aiden mumbled.

“Why is the door unlocked?” I whispered.

“She wouldn’t let me lock it. I’m glad I already took the handcuffs off you. If she’d seen that, she would’ve tried to kill me,” he whispered just as the door opened fully.

Gertrude stepped into the room, carrying her first aid kit. Her gaze swept over us. I smiled up at her.

“Don’t smile at me,” Gertrude told me. “I told you to come straight to the orchard. But you took your precious time, and look what happened. You almost died again. Do you think you’re a cat with nine lives or something?”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, trying to look innocent.

“I’m not Sam or Aiden. That look doesn’t work on me,” Gertrude scolded, coming to sit on my side of the bed. As she slipped on some gloves, she told me, “Lie down so I can check your wound.”

I obeyed, smiling at her as she tended to me.

“Be careful with her,” Aiden spoke up, watching Gertrude like a hawk.

“I know how to take care of her,” Gertrude insisted. “She’s never been hurt on my watch.”

Her words clearly offended Aiden.

“She wouldn’t have been hurt on my watch if you hadn’t lured her away from me,” he snapped.