Seventeen

RULE BARELY MANAGED to keep himself from overspeeding as he drove straight to the hospital. Seeing all the missed calls from Vixen had been bad enough, but it was when he received Detective Sterne's call that self-loathing filled his heart.

He should've been there for her, but he hadn't been.

He had failed her instead, and that was why...

Please, please, please just let no harm come to her, God.

If he were to lose her over this, he would accept it.

As long as she was safe.

It's all I ask, God.

It's all that matters.

And the only thing I have the right to pray for.

Vixen was inside what looked like a consultation room when Rule finally made it to the clinic, and he braced himself for whatever accusation she would hurl his way.

But the moment she saw him—-

Ah.

Vixen flew straight into his arms, and Rule could only close his eyes as he held her shaking body tightly against his.

I never asked you to be perfect, child.

And you need to remember that you are no longer alone.

She has Me. You have Me. There is no longer a reason for you to be afraid.

Vixen was crying in his arms, and his own eyes had also started to sting.

I'm sorry, Father. I trust You. Thank You for keeping her safe.

DETECTIVE STERNE ASKED to speak to them afterward, and Rule was surprised to find out that Vixen had insisted on waiting for him before talking to the detective.

"I need you to hear this, too."

It hurt to hear the tremor in Vixen's voice, but what pained him even more was how she was looking at him.

It was the same way he had often looked her when he believed it was only a matter of time before she realized he didn't deserve someone like her.

But what he could not understand was why Vixen would now think the tables had turned between them.

He tried to reach for her hand, but she turned away instead, and her rejection caught him off guard.

"Vixen?"

"You need to hear what I have to say first," she repeated.

"What's this about?"

"Detective Sterne asked me yesterday if I could think of anyone who might have a motive for harming me."

"You said no," Detective Sterne recalled.

"I meant it that time, too," Vixen answered unsteadily. "But I realized now it was a lie."

Rule's jaw clenched at the unexpected admission. He knew he should hold his silence, but what if Vixen ended up accusing the wrong person? It had taken him longer than expected to track down Beatriz, but her alibi for last night had checked out.

"I didn't mean to lie, but...I was just so ashamed that I ended up subconsciously convincing myself it couldn't be her."

Detective Sterne frowned. "Are we talking about the woman in the video?"

"What video?" Rule asked.

The detective gave him a tablet. "This one."

Rule hit the Play button and watched a woman sneak inside the clinic with the sole intention of spooking Light off his perch until he was forced to fly out through the front door.

And that woman...was wearing the same hoodie as the attacker from last night.

"It can't be Beatriz," Rule said reluctantly, "since I was just with her—-"

"I know it's not her, Rule."

Detective Sterne's gaze narrowed at Vixen. "Who do you think it is then?"

"It might be...Norah Fink."

Vixen looked as if she wanted to throw up after saying the name.

"And you know this person how?"

"She used to be my best friend...until I...I became selfish, and she ended up losing everything because of me."