Ruthless

Chapter 19

Colin let out a guttural scream as he slammed his fist into the wall. He stared at the hole as the rage snaked through him. The same kind of hole he used to make as a teen, before he'd had outlets for his anger. Before he'd learned to control it.

But there was no control now. No one he could blame or take the rage out on. The only one at fault was him. And now he and Jean had to suffer. But he wouldn't let her die because of this. Even as he still shook with the need to do some sort of damage, he forced his holster on and loaded his Glock and backup ammunition. He made it down the stairs and to the street right as Jean got into a cab. He snagged a cab of his own and made sure to follow her. The cabbie, who had probably seen it all at this point, didn't hesitate to become a tail. Just like she said, Jean got off at the airport. She probably didn't have a ticket, so he could assume she was going to get on the first flight back to Arkansas, connecting or not.

He couldn't follow her as long as he was packing, though. If he wanted to hop a plane to Arkansas, he'd need to load up his gun and check it. As long as she was in the air, she should be safe enough.

He gave the cab driver another address and drove away from the airport...from Jean. His foot tapped out an unrelenting rhythm on the plastic floor of the cab as he looked outside. Except he wasn't seeing the city. A blur of memories passed by. Meeting with Katherine for the first time to tell her that Walter wasn't giving her a single penny. Warning her that if she ever approached him again or threatened to file a suit, he'd make sure she'd regret it.

The memory of Jean smiling up at him in bed. Pressing herself firmly against him even in her deepest moments of sleep.

Colin ran his hands over his face and through his hair. Half of him wanted to run after Jean and make her listen. Not that he had anything to say. There was no reason for the lies he'd told except to get what he thought was owed to him by the Farrell family, and she knew that. So what was he supposed to say? That she wasn't just a quick lay to him? That she'd meant more? She'd laugh right in his face and he couldn't blame her.

Or worse. She could cry. He didn't think he could ever forgive himself for making her cry. But there was one person he could pin this on.

He handed the driver a pile of bills and got out of the car at Farrell Tower. Security was used to seeing him, so they didn't question him as he walked past to the elevator. Of course, the Colin Carter badge had been taken down just hours after Walter'd been murdered. But the backup he'd swiped years ago was still good.

Colin knew exactly where the offices were. He strode straight to where Nathan's office was and found Robert there too. Great. The more the fucking merrier.

Robert stood in front of his younger brother as Nathan stood up behind his desk. "Call security," ordered Robert.

Colin smirked at them. "Oh, you're afraid of me now? You sure as hell weren't afraid of me when you warned your sister away from me, were you?"

Nathan narrowed his eyes. "She deserved to know that you were the reason she's been living like shit her entire life."

"What the fuck makes you think I had any control over what your old man did? If it wasn't me, he would've had someone else! I was just the one who found your sister when no one else could!" Even as he spoke the lie burned through him.

"And we appreciate what you've done," said Robert, his words careful and controlled. Nathan looked as though he was half ready to launch across the desk, but Robert was a whole different type of animal. The kind who wouldn't bat an eyelash as he signed an order to have you killed. "Nathan mentioned that you'd discussed a finder's fee. Why don't you tell us what that fee was and we'll cut you a check."