Conviction: Devine by D H Sidebottom Page B

filling my heart and soul with her and hoping it was enough to last me the rest of my existence. “This.” I gestured around the room and to us with a sweep of my hand. “This is exactly what I didn’t want.”
    She shook her head. “You’re taking the blame for murder yet you didn’t want to be locked up?”
    “No, that’s not what I meant.” Unable to keep my hands off her, I ran my finger along the edge of her jaw. “You, Isla. I didn’t want this for you. I need you to move on, live life. I need you to marry a good man and allow him to cherish you. I need you to be happy and above all . . .” My voice broke as I begged her with my eyes. “ . . . Above all, I need you to hate me.”
    “Why?” she whispered.
    “Because this is what I can’t stand. I can’t stand having you close and being unable to feel you. I can’t stand not seeing your beautiful smile. I never want to take that away from you.”
    “But you did.” She ran her fingers over my face. “You took away everything good when you made me believe that you slept with Gen, and killed Seb and my mother. Who did it, Jake?”
    “I did.”
    She glared at me, pulling away. “Stop with all the lies, please. Just tell me who you’re willing to ruin us for?”
    Lowering my eyes, the pain behind them private, I refused to answer her. She remained quiet for a moment and the sound of her knocking on the door broke me yet again. I looked up, craving her, needing to engrain her to memory for the last time.
    The door opened but she turned back to me. Her expression was hard and full of determination. “I won’t let you do this.” She spoke with an edge that made my heart tremble. “You plead guilty tomorrow and I will bring everyone down in your circle.”
    I frowned, cocking my head as my eyes narrowed. “What?”
    She laughed bitterly, a cold smile crossing her face. “You forget I had access to all your paperwork. And I swear, you lie for whoever killed my family, I will make sure every single one of your friends and all the men and women in your disgusting little ring go down with you.”
    I shot upright, grabbing at her arms. “You can’t do that. You wouldn’t!”
    She smirked cruelly and pulled free. “My brother and my mum deserve justice. If you won’t give it to them then I will.” She swallowed, her eyes glistening for a brief second before she pushed her sorrow back. “You want a fight then I’ll give you the hardest, toughest fight of your life, Jake Devine.” Leaning forward, she spat in my face, “I’m bringing you down. Prepare to go to war with the monster you created.”
    I watched, stunned when she turned and walked away without looking back. Graham winced when I picked up the plate of toast and threw it at the wall, the sound of its shatter matching the splinter in my soul as the woman I loved destroyed me.

I LITERALLY FELL INTO Adam’s arms as the cell door slammed shut behind me. Carrie gave me a sympathetic smile. “Did he take the bait?”
    I nodded, hating myself for what I had just said to someone I would never betray. It had all been a lie, but I figured Jake had told me enough to warrant my own.
    Covering my mouth with the back of my hand, I balked. Carrie’s eyes widened before she quickly directed me to the nearest female bathroom, her knowledge of Scotland Yard coming in handy as I just made it to the toilet before my breakfast came back up.
    “Don’t worry,” she soothed while she rubbed her hand up and down my back, her other hand pulling my long hair back into a bunch. “The presiding judge is Ivan. He’s one of Jake’s. It’s all covered.”
    I nodded, unable to speak as I heaved again.
    “Isla, you shouldn’t upset yourself like this.”
    I shook my head, blowing out a calming breath. “It’s my headaches, that’s all.”
    Carrie looked at me sternly. “You should look after yourself more. You’re very pale.”
    I waved her off, splashing my face with cool water from the sink. “I’m