Page 3 of Sacrifice

“Wait. Wait!” he screams as my finger finds the trigger.

His hands come up and I watch as his entire body shivers and he pisses himself.

He’ll get no fucking sympathy from me. Pushing the tip to his temple, I growl.

“This is your one chance, Carlos. It better be good. What can you possibly have to offer?”

He gulps looking guilty. What the fuck? Is he going to be this pathetic and give his sister to me? I wait with an agonizing feeling in my stomach.

“My sister. I will trade my sister for my life and debts.”

The other casino owners said he’d do it. He would selfishly give his sister’s life in exchange for his own. Sick bastard. My anger boils over to the point where I can’t stop my itching finger. The bullet comes out the other side of his head, spraying blood and brains everywhere.

“I hate being wrong,” I snarl into the silent room. Looking at Mossimo, I wave my gun in a dismissive gesture.

“Get rid of this piece of shit.” I smile to myself as Mossimo and Leo move Carlos’ body.

Chapter Two

Beep. Beep.

“Ugh,” I murmur as I look at the clock. Five in the morning. It feels like I just went to bed. Where’s Carlos? Usually, he’s just getting home around this time.

Yawning and stretching, I roll my eyes before I get out of bed. A shiver runs through me as my toes meet the icy wooden floor. I reach for my hair tie and throw it up in a quick messy bun. Looking in the mirror, I notice the ever-growing circles under my eyes.

Working the graveyard shift at the diner four nights a week, going to college, and trying to take care of this farm is taking its toll.

“Carlos?” I call out as I stand in front of his door. In a way, I resent him for not working as much as I do. Maybe, hopefully, that will change today.

“Big brother, you have an interview at eight. We need to get the hay in for the cows before it rains again.” My head hangs as he doesn’t answer.

Shrugging, I shuffle downstairs. He’ll be ready soon enough. A shiver takes me and I wonder why it’s so cold in here. I hear the unit running. Looking at the thermostat next to the kitchen entryway, I notice it’s ten degrees colder than what I have it set on.

“Darn it! Another thing to fix around here.”

Closing my eyes, I count to ten. It’s too early to be this weary and upset already. Even with my pep talk, I’m irritated. Going into the kitchen, I press the start button on the coffee pot. It’s going to be a two-pot day.

Grumbling, I fiddle with the stove and it’s no surprise that it won’t turn on. Why did my brother insist on moving us to this farm? It’s been one problem after another to fix. I’m grateful to be with him and I love the animals; however, it’s been a tough year, and we’ve sunk everything we can into this place. Our father left us a large sum of money when he passed, but it’s gone now.

The more problems that pop up, the clearer it is that I should have told my brother no. But the way his eyes lit up with the ability to give us a home, melted me.

As I finally get the stove to turn on, I hear the gravel along the driveway crunching. Is Carlos just now getting home?

A terrible thought that it might be Brayden coming up the drive crosses my mind. He keeps trying to get my brother to partner with him in some kind of land deal. It would be a mistake. There are rumors about Brayden having killed his former business partners.

Another set of tires crunching along the gravel makes me side with caution. Before going to the door, I pick up the shotgun sitting to the right and check the chamber to see that it’s loaded. Just like I left it.

Sneaking out the back door, I walk around the east side of the house and see two large SUVs with blacked-out windows and two trucks lifted with oversized tires parked in a row. “Crap,” I whisper to myself, wishing Carlos was here.

Straightening my shoulders, I raise the shotgun. With a confidence I certainly don’t feel, I bellow toward the vehicles. “I don’t know who you are, but you have five seconds before I shoot.”

My nerves are going haywire. The front passenger door of the middle vehicle opens, and I aim the barrel toward it. Either I’ll hit the person or make the windshield my new practice target. I almost laugh at the idea of shooting someone. Then again, I’ve never shot at anything. But now’s as good of a time as any. Right? My hands shake as I stare at the car. Reeling in my anxiety, I feel nervous laughter bubbling in my chest. I focus on the man nearest me, and take a deep breath to steady myself.

I watch as he stands there and shuts his door. The man is gorgeous. He has spiked black hair that’s coiffed. Not a single errant strand. His nose is straight as he smiles threateningly at me. I can see his pearly white teeth and they are a stark contrast to his dark skin.

“Are you Aribella Tremaine?” He buttons his suit jacket as he takes a step toward me. My heart rate spikes as he smiles, more genuinely this time. It’s as if my gun doesn’t even phase him. If I wasn’t aware of how dangerous this man actually was, I might find him charming. However, I do know exactly who he is.

“Why are you asking?” I snarl. The man standing before me isn’t Brayden. No. He’s much worse. He’s well known in town, but I didn’t think I’d ever see him here at the farm. My brotherwarned me to never step foot in any casino around here because of him.The Beasthe had called him.

---