Page 117 of Exile and Embrace

Dad laughs and shakes his head. “You always did have a flair for the dramatics, didn’t you, Finnigan?”

I keep my gun level with his forehead as I glance at Declan. “Get the fuck away from her right now.”

Declan raises his hands, his smirk only growing. “Or what, baby brother? Cormac isn’t here to protect you anymore. Not like he was all those years ago. Who is going to save you now?”

Red tints my vision as I turn on my brother.

Out of the two men, he’s the bigger threat right now.

Dad is predictable, but Declan is unstable at best.

“Don’t bring Cormac into this. He’s dead and has nothing to do with it.” I tuck the gun away, my hands balling into fists. “You’re going to let Ava go, and then I’m going to kill you.”

Dad chuckles and leans against the wall near Ava.

He pulls out his gun and flicks off the safety.

Ava’s eyes narrow as she turns and presses her forehead against the metal barrel.

Despite the brave show she is putting on, tears still stream down her blood-stained cheeks.

I promised to protect her, and I failed her.

Declan clicks his tongue. “I think Cormac should be brought into this, don’t you, Dad? I mean, he did come up with the ridiculous plan to escape and take Finnigan with him.”

I look between the two of them, my jaw clenching.

Dad chuckles, pulling his gun away from Ava and tucking it into his waistband. “Oh, I believe he should be. In fact, I think it is the perfect way to kick off our little family reunion. Why don’t the two of you settle what’s between you before the real show begins?”

He watches Ava like a hawk, even as he takes a couple steps away from her.

My gaze cuts toward Ava. “We’re going to get out of here, Aves, and then everything is going to be alright. You just need to hold on for a little while longer.”

Declan barks out a mocking laugh, taking measured steps toward me. “You’re not getting out of this betrayal, just like I didn’t allow you to get out of the first one. It’s finally time that you were punished for turning on the family.”

My heart screeches to a halt.

The final pieces of the puzzle that I’ve been trying to solve for years are finally clicking into place.

When I look over at my father, he grins and nods, confirming my fear.

I see red as I step toward Declan. “You were the one who told Dad that we were escaping?”

“Loyalty to the family, Finnigan.” Declan cracks his knuckles and rolls his shoulders. “It comes above all else. You and Cormac were traitors. Cormac had to die for that. When I told Dad what you were planning, I asked if I could be the one to kill Cormac. It’s such a shame that he wanted to do it himself.”

Ava gasps, struggling harder against the ropes that bind her. “You fucking bastard!”

I lunge for my brother, my fist swinging.

His nose crunches beneath the hit, blood pouring down his face.

Declan grins, his fist already slamming into my gut.

It’s been years since I fought with him last, and he moves quicker than I remembered.

He grabs the back of my head, trying to pull me down low enough to slam his knee into my face.

I lean into the hold, slamming my shoulder into his stomach and driving him back.

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