Page 3 of Ruthless Savage

“It’s all your brother’s fault. If he’d been loyal, we wouldn’t be here. Isn’t that right?” He glares squarely at me.

“I didn’t have a choice.” I know I won’t convince him of that, yet still I try.

“We all have a choice, and you made yours. Now you get to live with it.”

“Please, Palmer. Just kill me. This isn’t his fault!”

“I know.” He holds the edge of the knife to the side of my brother’s throat. “It’s yours.”

It’s over in a second. One slice to Keegan’s carotid, and I’m watching my brother die.

I let out a guttural scream while his life slowly and painfully slips away.

“No!” I headbutt one of the men and kick the other, then rush to my brother’s limp body, his blood seeping like a slow-moving river. “You feckin’ son of a bitch!”

Keegan drops to the ground, grabbing his throat, fingers covered in crimson, his eyes wide and filled with equal parts shock, fear, and goodbye.

That part hurts the worst. I’ll never see him again.

“I’m so feckin’ sorry.” I grip the back of my head.

He struggles to say something back, but all that comes out is a grumbling strangle as the blood chokes him.

“It’s okay,” I whisper, trying to keep it together.

He’s dying right in front of me and there’s nothing I can do about it. Nothing to stop this except hold him in his last few moments.

“I’ve got you. I’m not letting go.” My voice breaks. “It’s okay. Don’t fight it.”

I blink back my own anguish. And then his body sags, and in seconds, he’s dead.

Gone.

Forever.

“Feck!” Heaving, my gaze filled with rage, I stare up at a grinning Francis, who points his weapon at my head.

“Before I kill you, there’s one other thing I want you to do for me.” He wipes the blade over his shirt, my brother’s blood penetrating the white cotton.

“Go to hell! I’m done doing anything for you,” I spit through clenched teeth, my pulse slamming in my ears.

“Fine. The men will cut your brother’s body into a thousand tiny pieces for the fish. Or…we can bury him.”

“You son of a bitch!”

He chuckles. “The only condition is we bury him here, on my land.”

“No way!” I clutch my brother tighter. “I’m taking his body with me.”

Francis laughs, the crinkling around his dark eyes deepening before his face grows enraged. “This is where he will be buried, so you’ll know that I have him forever.”

More men surround us, cocking their weapons at me. A good ten of them.

“Get up.” He hands the knife to one of his men. “Better start digging before it gets dark. Maybe if you’re lucky, I’ll even bury you together.”

With a roar, I slam a fist against the wall, but I barely feel the pain. I hate remembering that day, hate seeing him die right before my eyes.

My association with the Palmers destroyed my brother, and if I’m not careful, it’ll destroy Eriu too.

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