Abigail

Finnegan strode into the living room, his broad shoulders filling the doorway, his face etched with exhaustion.

His emerald eyes swept the room, landing on me first. For a split second, relief flickered across his features. Then his gaze sharpened, taking in the bruises blooming across my cheek, the cut on my lip.

I had forgotten all about them while obsessively trying to treat Annette. Annette was in her room now with Angel, tending to her while River sat next to me.

She had been asking what happened over the past hour, but I couldn’t bring myself to say a word. Finnegan crossed the room in three long strides, hands reaching for me.

"Abigail," he breathed, voice rough with worry.

His fingers gently cupped my face, tilting it toward the light. "What the hell happened to you? Your face... your lip is split. And these bruises... who the fuck did this to you?"

I winced slightly as his thumb brushed a tender spot on my cheekbone. The pain stung, but it was nothing compared to the guilt still gnawing at me over Annette.

"I’m fine," I said quickly, trying to pull away.

"It’s Annette who needs help. She’s hurt worse. Gavin..."

His hands moved down my arms, checking for more injuries. His green eyes were dark with a mix of fury and pain, as if he were feeling every bruise on my body like it were his own.

"Gavin?" he echoed. "It’s that bastard again? Give me a minute, I’ll call-"

"It’s fine," I sniffed, shaking my head. "He’s... he’s not a threat anymore."

He drew me closer, one arm wrapping around my waist while the other gently tilted my chin up again, his thumb stroking my jaw tenderly.

"You’re shaking," he murmured, lowering his forehead to rest against mine. "Baby, talk to me. What happened? I need to know so I can fix it. I can’t stand seeing you like this."

I have no idea where the bloody tears came from. But the waterworks erupted, and before I knew it, I was sobbing into his chest, my shoulders trembling as heavy cries tore through my entire body.

"I... I fought him," I sniffled. "Gavin. He had Annette. I had to get her back and I... I think I killed him, Finn. Oh my god, I thought we were going to die. He was going to shoot, I didn’t think, and just grabbed the gun... He’s dead. I just know it, that he’s dead."

Finnegan said nothing for a while, and my heart pounded hard against my chest. Did he hate me? Maybe I shouldn’t have sprung all that on him, but I couldn’t hold back when he held me.

With a soft sigh, he pulled away slightly and whispered, "We’re going to the hospital. Where’s Annette? Nothing else matters until you’re both checked out."

"No, no," I grabbed his arm. "There is something important. More important than a few bruises. Please. Just look at this first."

His eyes narrowed. "What could be more important than you being safe? Than making sure you’re okay? Nothing, Abigail. Nothing is more important than you."

More tears burned the corners of my eyes. How could he be so— see, this was why I said it couldn’t be him in that video? Finnegan Wolfe was nothing like the man in that footage.

But I had to show him. I took his hand and led him to the couch, where Annette’s bag with the laptop sat.

I opened the laptop and played the video.

The footage started, showing my parents and the man who looked exactly like Finnegan.

Finnegan went completely still beside me. His shoulders dropped. A flicker of guilt crossed his face, and after what felt like forever, he finally spoke. "Where did you get that?"

The question hit me like a slap. Okay, I wasn’t expecting that. I was expecting a flash of shock and maybe some denial, not Where did you get that?

I drew back slightly, searching his face. "What do you mean, where did I get that? Who is that in the video, Finnegan? Because he looks exactly like you."

Before he could answer, River scooted closer and gasped. "Is that Devin?!"

The room went silent. I turned to her, confused. "Who the hell is Devin?"

Finnegan dragged a hand down his face, suddenly looking much older than I had ever seen him. "I... he’s my twin brother. Devin."

Twin brother?

I squinted, racking my brain to figure out if he had ever told me he had a twin brother. No.

No, he freaking didn’t.

"How on earth am I just now learning you had a twin brother?!" I didn’t mean to screech, but my nerves were shot as hell, and having a fucking twin brother had to be like top five things you tell your girlfriend!

"I thought he was dead. Everyone thought he was dead for fifteen years." Finnegan sighed.

"I’m sorry, Abigail. I didn’t think telling you would change anything. He was dead."

"And now he’s not?!" River demanded, dragging the laptop over to herself.

"So, you have a twin brother that’s supposedly dead, and he’s not?"

"I just found out tonight," he gritted. "Richard Saxon woke up. He told me about ’me’ signing a deal in Manhattan. I went to the auction house only to find out my brother is bloody alive and well."

Okay, this was crazy and a mess. I knew that person in the video wasn’t Finnegan, and his twin brother explained why he looked so much like Finnegan but it was insane.

"When... when did he die? So how was he at Lander fifteen years ago?!"

"Don’t you get it?" River frowned. "He died fifteen years ago. In a car accident."

My eyes widened like saucers. "My parents died fifteen years ago in a car accident."

The revelation hung in the air like smoke. I felt like the ground was shifting beneath me again.

"So, the person who killed my parents... the one who’s been covering it up... is Devin?" I whispered, suddenly feeling like my legs were too heavy, and I was already seated.

Finn took my hand, pain flashing in his green eyes. "I... I’m sorry, Abigail. It was likely Devin."

"Devin wouldn’t be doing this alone; he’s not that smart," River scoffed. "That means Aunt Gina is in on this, too."

Oh my god. Were the culprits my boyfriend’s mother and his brother?

The adrenaline from fighting Gavin drained out of my bones, and my vision went black as I slumped back on the couch.

"Abigail!"