A Thorn Scorned

Chapter 9

"Killian..." My heart is torn in two at the look of pure anguish on his face. Seline clapped her hands and there was a shuffle and my eyes flick away from Killian as Guardians began revealing themselves. "He requested to reveal himself before the others." Claire filled in and my gaze shifts to the golden god at my feet, his gaze pleading with me to accept, understand... forgive.

"Why?" Is all I whispered and I could see the tremors in his large, muscular shoulders. "You tried to kill me and now I'm supposed to trust you?" Killian's head lowers, but his gaze turned to my cousin, who sighed dramatically, "If Killian attempted to aid you, he would be in deep shit, so he tipped me off and I was waiting at the beach. Good thing I have some medical training, well enough to keep you alive until help comes."

I whipped my head towards her so fast, I probably gave myself a stiff neck. "You pulled me from the water?" She wraps her arm around my shoulders and kissed my temple. "I've never been more terrified than I was that night. I got a message out to Grandpa and he sent a team out to get you. It was risky with Collective members keeping an eye on Thorn business, but no one's dumb enough to go out on the water with that storm rolling in."

My gaze flicks back to Killian, whose icy gaze is fixed on my face. "I hated myself the moment those orders came through. I knew I couldn't do anything to help you without putting both of us at risk and Claire kept track of you from the moment you went over that cliff..." He clenched his jaw so hard I'm surprised he didn't break a tooth. I'm still angry at him, but I do understand how the chain of command works. I also know it's instinctive for Killian to protect me so going against his nature must have been torture.

"We've been made aware on several threats against your life and this has made Killian's task as your guardian difficult with his standing in the Collective." Seline said as she stands from her chair, her hands clasped in front of her. "Don't be too hard on him, Alex. He's most hard on himself because of his feelings for you..."

"If you don't mind I'd like to speak with Alex alone, please?" He addressed Seline, but his gaze never left my face. I flashed back to those final moments before everything went to hell and fear trickled through my body. I shot a pleading look to Seline and Claire, begging them to stay. "I promise we'll just talk, Alex." Killian mumbled, like he could smell my fear, my distrust of him.

"We'll be just outside, Lexi." Claire pulled me into her arms. "You don't need to decide anything right now, but please give him a little chance to explain." I swallowed the lump iny throat and nodded when she pulled away. The clicking of heels grew distant and suddenly I was alone with one of the men who haunted my dreams.

"You wanna talk, then talk." I growled stepping behind the couch and putting some much needed distance between him and I. Killian's large shoulders slumped under his robe and he sighed sitting on the wooden coffee table. "That night Tyler showed up at HQ with information about your dealings with Devlin. He'd been watching you ever since you came back to town." He raked his fingers through his blonde hair before resting his forearms on his knees.

I frowned and thought back to every meeting I'd had with Dev. That night as his place, I'd felt eyes watching me. "So how'd that ended up with me being fish food?" Killian growls and clenched his fists. "Donovan was looking for any excuse to get rid of you and proof of treason is a sure fire way to do it and tie up your grandfather's hands. He didn't count on Tyler forcing Nate to take care of it himself, which we would've faked your death anyway, but Tyler had guys with him, watching Nate specifically."

"Why?" I folded my arms around my stomach. I seriously doubted Nathaniel Richards would allow himself to be manipulated by his former best friend. Killian's icy blue eyes gazed at me and I saw grief in them, but also underlying rage. "Nate believes Tyler is responsible for the bombing." I started at him as chaos reigned in my head. My mother was dead. She died in that explosion. My father is most likely brain dead and paralyzed because of that explosion. Tears filled my eyes at the loss and my fists clenched so tightly I'm sure my nails drew blood in my palms.