—Mabel—
I rushed past the bodyguards and sank next to the body.
Alec?
Tears fell from my eyes.
With trembling hands, I reached out, and my eyes widened as I saw his face—
Tom Marlow.
A wave of irritation coursed through me. I wanted to stand up, but he grabbed my hand.
His swollen eyes fluttered open. Blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth as he coughed, then looked at me.
“Mabel... he did this to me—Alec did this to me.”
“He asked that we meet up. He said he wanted to talk, but set me up.”
“He watched them beat me senseless, like it meant nothing. Like I was just a bug under his shoe.”
“He thinks you're slipping through his fingers... said if he can't have you, no one else could.”
He must have seen the disbelief in my face. “Don't you believe me?”
I yanked my hand free a
