Page 150 of Brutal Savage

“Shut up about it. Stupid fucking bet,” I mutter.

“I know how much you hate to lose. But this time you’re done for, brother.”

“I don’t know,” I tell her honestly, and her face grows serious. “I can’t explain it.”

“Explain what?”

“The things I’m feeling.”

“What sort of things?”

“Like the fact that I hate not knowing if she’s okay when I’m at work. If she’s upset or crying thinking about that piece-of-shit ex. I want to be near her all the damn time, to a maddening level. And I like her laugh. I even like it when she’s pissed at me. But all I really want is to take care of her and make her happy. Every damn time.”

“Aww.” Her face drops to the side, her lips tightening. “Time to face the facts. You’re stupid in love.” She slaps me on the back. “Mazal tov.”

“Nah, I don’t think so.”

She rolls her eyes. “Denial doesn’t look good on you, brother.”

I let her words sink in, marinating in my head. But I can’t think about that. Of falling in love with her. Of losing her…

Images of my mother burning to death come barreling in. If she hadn’t married my father, she would still be alive. I know I can’t rationalize it all this way, but it’s all I’ve got. I don’t want what happened to my mother to happen to Elara. It’d kill me.

“Well, this is as much emotion as I can handle.” My sister starts to walk away. “I’ll wait for her in my car.”

“Thanks, Iseult. She really needed a normal day. As much as I want to, I know I can’t keep her prisoner in the house until we find Jerry and his father. We need to find them, though, because I can’t handle knowing they’re still alive.”

“We’ll find them, and we’ll kill them. And everyone who works for them. But for now, you’re right. You can’t keep her prisoner here. She needs to live her life.”

“Have fun today. Please make sure she spends money. I constantly have to remind her that it’s not just mine, but ours.”

She winks, flinging her red hair behind her shoulder. “Don’t you worry, I’ll make sure she spends the shit out of it. Oh, and we’re taking your jet. Have your pilot on standby.”

“Just make sure she comes back to me in one piece.”

Her face softens, and that’s something for Iseult. She feels everything, but hates showing it.

Her younger years weren’t easy. Losing our mother at fourteen, having to take care of our baby sister, who was five at the time. My father was too busy enacting revenge for my mother’s death to worry about how much the loss hurt Iseult. Then throw in everything else she endured because of Konstantin’s father, and I’m surprised she’s even here at all.

I admire her.

She’s made herself into a weapon, and no one can fuck with her now.

“I promise, Tynan. She’ll be okay.”

And I believe her.

ELARA

My eyes grow as soon as we step foot inside Dolce & Gabbana. I can’t get over the fact that we took a jet here. This is all wild. People actually live like this.

It’s your life now too.

I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.

Iseult made sure the store was only open to us. That way I won’t worry about looking over my shoulder every second.

I’ve been keeping a good front for Tynan and Brody and my grandma, but I’m petrified. Because if Tynan and his people still can’t find him, that’s not good. I thought by now Jerry would be found.

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