King for a Day (The King Trilogy #2)(57)
Author: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

“It’s a long story, but I lost my cell phone and—”

“Oh, thank God, you’re all right. We were so worried…” My mother’s words faded into a heart-wrenching sob. “Justin is dead,” she hiccupped, sopping up her tears with a wrinkled tissue.

I sank down on my knees in front of my parents, crippled by their pain. Deep purple swirled around them like a giant tornado.

Oh Lord.

“He killed himself,” my mother cried. “The guilt over what happened to his team was too much.”

“What?” No. That wasn’t what happened. Not even close. “Who told you that?”

“The people from the embassy in Mexico called,” said Becca, who stood to the side of the room, her eyes red and puffy.

The embassy? It was probably one of Vaughn’s cronies.

“We tried to reach you, but—”

“Did you talk to him?” my father asked. “Did you see him before he…?”

I thought of how I’d been there, watching Justin’s final moments, but couldn’t help him. And the look of sadness on his face after he’d died and come to see me, begging to bring him back.

“I-I-I…” I bit my tongue and reached to hug my mother. I looked toward the ceiling and rocked her in my arms. This was too much to bear. Even for me.

Oh Lord. Please forgive me for what I’m about to do. It was selfish and cold. It was the wrong choice, and I knew it. But I was no longer the good, caring person I once was. Because if I was, I would let Justin lie in peace where his pain couldn’t hurt him anymore.

“There’s been a mistake,” I said. “I just talked to him. He’s not dead.”

Fine, King. You win. Deal.

I felt a wave of tingles spark over my “K” tattoo.

To be continued…