The Galilee Falls Trilogy (Book 3): Fall of Heroes by Jennifer Harlow Page B

all people…you saw. You were there from the beginning. You had a front row seat to my agony. My misery. My guilt. And you could have stopped it all with a few words. But you didn’t. And I understand loyalty, and that he asked you to keep his secret. Again. But sometimes plain human kindness trumps loyalty. I always knew you were a cold bitch, but I never had you pegged as a cruel one.” She opens her mouth, but I don’t give her the chance. “I know, you had your reasons. I just don’t care. I’m not gonna waste a second of my time listening to them because I’ve heard them all before. From you, from Justin, even from…Jem.” My lip twitches when I say his name. “I’m done listening. I’m done . With all of you. Never speak, never contact me again. These are the last words I ever intend to speak to you, so you listen. Tell your nephew I wish I’d never met him. I wish he’d stayed dead. And if he ever comes near me, not only will I tell the world his secret, I’ll put the bastard in the ground myself. Go to hell, Lucy, and take him with you.”
    If possible my scowl deepens, and I turn on my heel, stalking past my gawking colleagues outside into the sunny fucking day without looking back. Get me the fuck out of this town. Get me—
    Halfway to the car I can’t help but notice a tall man with a beard and the hood of his jacket up staring at me. I stop walking to stare right back at the coward for a second, the hope quickly draining from his gorgeous face in time to his slumping shoulders. My eyes, my scowl, hell my every pore radiates atomic fury at that man. He must sense it—how could he not—because he takes a step back. For a moment, just a moment, he’s scared of me. The big damn hero afraid of little old me.
    He should be.
    I can’t stand to gaze at him a second longer. I turn my back on the bastard and don’t dare look back. For both our sakes. My rage could consume the city. My soul is being held together by glue and string. Perhaps I should let the bindings burn. Allow the pieces to shatter. Something that doesn’t exist can’t hurt, right? And right now mine’s in agony. Having a soul’s overrated. Hasn’t done me one bit of good. It’d be a mercy, really.
    But the world seems fresh out of that.
     
     
     

 
     
    CHAPTER FOUR
     
    Faith For Fools
     
     
    Home.
    A place. A word. A feeling. A person. It’s different for everyone. I’ve lived in many dwellings, had many roofs over my head, but only have had three true homes, all ripped from me by the evil men do. A thief’s bullet. A supervillain’s pride. The lies of a lover. I don’t waste a moment disassembling what remains of the last one. The always efficient Shannon worked her phone and when we landed in Galilee, my temporary digs were aired out and stocked with food while boxes and a reservation for a van tomorrow were waiting at the old. I call up to the penthouse, but there’s no answer. He’d pick up if he was there.
    When the car pulls up to my building, and I get out with a sigh. Let’s get this over with. Barry, the doorman, opens the entrance. “We, uh, put your boxes in the apartment, ma’am. Are you and Dr. Ambrose going—”
    “Just me. And tomorrow I’ll be back with the movers. Should only take an hour or so.”
    “Okay, ma’am.”
    I know he’s dying to ask what happened, but I hustle to the elevator before he can say another word. Only one person gets the whole story. He deserves it.
    “I’m sorry?” Dobbs asks.
    “I said Justin’s alive,” I say as I step into his apartment.
    Shaking his head, the old man shuts the door. “No. Miss Joanna, he—”
    “I saw him. I talked to him. He faked his death. He’s been living in Independence with Lucy this whole time.”
    “No,” he chuckles. “No. He…” Dobbs stares at my stony face, his smile slowly dropping along with the rest of his wrinkled face. But after the disbelief fades, he does something odd. A giant, brilliant grin overtakes his