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“Yes.” You twisted sonofabitch.

Nate hunched forward. His voice dropped as he revealed, “She hated the other girls. Thought they were always judging her. Whatever.” His fingers drummed on the table. “Maybe you’re wrong. Maybe Kimber being dead will help me. I’ll say I was the poor, manipulated sap who had to follow her orders. People will feel sorry for me.” His eyes widened. “Maybe I’m not even mentally competent! Maybe I should get put in a psych ward. Maybe⁠—”

“I’m marrying Shelby.”

Nate tensed.

“I’d invite you to the wedding but…” Hunter stood up. “But you’re a murdering psychopath so just rot in your cell, will you?”

“You damn asshole—” Nate lunged up.

But, this time, the guards were ready. They jumped on Nate. Shoved him down. His face hit the table.

“Goodbye, Nate.” Hunter would not be returning to the prison. “Shelby has officially moved on. Oh, wait, she did have a final message for you…”

Nate glanced up.

“Burn in hell,” Hunter told him.

“Take me to the freaking med ward!” Nate shouted. “I think you dick guards broke my cheekbone! Take me to the med ward!”

Shelby is getting married. Shelby is never coming back. She’s staying with that jerk. Kimber is dead. It’s over. Over. Over.

He twisted and heaved in his restraints. The guards were ignoring him, dragging him down the hallway, and, hey, wait, that was the prick who was his cellmate! Out of his cell. Up ahead, about five feet away. Walking down the hallway. Zero shackles.

He was…smiling.

“Hi, Nate,” the guy said. “Guess what? Turns out, I wasn’t guilty.”

What?

His hands were at his sides. Toby. Tobias? Hadn’t that been his name?

“You’re guilty, though,” the man added. He closed in. “Because you like hurting pretty girls. Girls who you think are weaker than you because you’re just a limp dick bastard who⁠—”

With a roar, Nate broke free of the guards. Toby was right there—right there so he lunged at him. He slammed his cuffed hands into him and…

Something cut into Nate’s stomach. Wrenched to the right. To the left.

Drove hard into him.

It felt hot. Then cold.

Or maybe he felt cold.

Nate glanced down. Why were his blue pants suddenly turning red?

“That’s for Kim, you fucking prick,” Toby told him. “Kim Shih. Remember her now?”

The guards were screaming. An alarm was blasting.

“I’m JT!” Toby yelled as someone pulled him back. “Jonathan Tobias Shih, and you killed my sister, you piece of shit! You killed her, and she was the only one who loved me. Who thought I was worth something—you killed her!” He dropped…what in the hell? A shank? It clattered to the floor. “Death found you!” Toby yelled as guards grabbed even harder to him.

None of the guards helped Nate. He was on the floor. He was bleeding everywhere and…

Kim? The shy one. The quiet friend of Shelby’s. She’d been at the house that night and…

It was so cold. So cold.