“I didn’t think you’d come back to the prison, I didn’t think I’d see you again. But you did, and told me how you’ve got no one, you’re on your own, and it’s not true. I was going to tell you everything that night, but then you asked for a kiss, and I couldn’t resist.”

“You—You played me?”

“No more games. I won’t mess with your head, or your heart again, and if you never want to see me again, or hear from me, I’ll understand, I will vanish.”

Rory scrunched up his face. “I thought I’d be begging for your forgiveness today. Telling you that I loved you, but I understood why you had to kill me.”

“Kill you?” Morris mumbled.

“He thought I was gonna strangle him.”

“That’s messed up.”

“I know,” Sebastian snapped. “It’s a fucking huge mess, and it was me that caused it.”

“But Pauly … you denied what he said in the prison?”

“He was outing you in front of everyone. I knew you’d hate for Ollie and Captain to find out like that, so I provoked him.”

Rory stopped fighting and relaxed in Sebastian’s arms. “I don’t even know who I am anymore. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, it was easier when I thought you were gonna kill me.”

“I’ll never kill you, and I’ll never hurt you again.”

“The farm … the barrels?”

“I’ll explain later.” Sebastian murmured, “for now, let’s just sit.”

Rory nodded. He was incapable of doing anything else, and it was only due to Sebastian’s arms he hadn’t fallen forward and landed in the pebbles.

“I’ll see you later, Morris,” Sebastian mumbled.

She went to walk away, but stopped and turned back to Rory. “There’s something else…”

“I don’t think I can handle any more.”

“You didn’t fail.”

“I can confidently say I failed at being an undercover officer.”

Morris shook her head. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what?”

“Those entrance exams, you didn’t fail any of them.”

Rory snorted. “Yeah, I did, three times, Hamish—

“Marked you down repeatedly, he failed you. You’re not the first person he’s done it to. He likes people to feel they owe him.”

“What?”

“That bastard.” Sebastian growled.

“I passed?”

Morris shot him a small smile. “Yeah…”

They watched her walk back up the beach, then Rory shook his head.

“It doesn’t even matter, I dunno who I am. All I know is I’m broken.”

“Then let me help put you back together again. I’ll help you work this out. I’ll help you make bridges with Captain and Ollie. I’ll be a support for you.”