Not the one she arranged, or the one Monti bailed on, but the ending meant to be mine with the person made for me.

Nothing else mattered anymore, not what my mom had to offer or the money she held over my head. It meant nothing without Ransom, so I made my choice, and it was an easy, clear one.

There was no hesitation and I aimed for the head.

I turned my mother in without a second thought, using information she provided me with. Anonymously.

I have to admit, I didn’t anticipate such a quick response, but I guess it’s considered high priority when accusations claiming the woman who represents the largest crime ring in the Florida area is as dirty as her client list begins to surface.

So what the hell happened?

I took control.

I reclaimed my life.

I let love in.

I let love win.

I look to Monti. “Her choices determined her consequences.”

Monti blinks, and blinks again. “I don’t understand.”

“The box, Monti. You’re the one who gave me the key, told me there was a gift inside. You knew what she had to hide.”

“Yeah.” She nods, incredulously. “The deed to this house, Dad’s will, checks and bonds dated with our eighteenth birthdays.”

I push off Ransom. “Wait, what?”

“I had to wait for your birthday to tell you in case she tried to pull something crazy while you were still a minor. I was trying to be cautious.”

“Monti, what are you talking about?”

She nods, spinning around, and slowly, we follow her into the house.

Spotting her keys, she darts toward them, but Arsen slips in first, snagging them off the table.

She tugs her head back. “Excuse you?”

“Where you trying to go?” Beretta joins him.

She scoffs, crosses her arms and turns to me.

When I don’t speak, her mouth gapes. “J...”

I’m on edge, more so than ever considering, and trust isn’t exactly a thing right now, so we have to ask.

“Where are you going, Monti?”

“My car.” She laughs. “What, you think I have a reason to run? Please.” She rolls her eyes, laughing again when none of us move. “Okay, wow. Talk about an alpha and her pack.”

“Monti.”

She sighs. “I stole everything that was inside the box when Mom walked you to the car at the memorial park, Jameson. Stuffed it down my pants, in fact, and hid it under the hood of my car when we got home. I left it empty.”

All at once, we move toward the door.

“Wait, seriously? Hello!” she snaps, but eventually falls in line.

Arsen unlocks the doors, and Beretta pops the hood.

I grab the Ziplock bag full of folded papers.

“We should go in, the neighbors are probably watching,” Monti says.

“She’s right.” Ransom grabs my hand, and we all slip back into the house.