Page 105 of Hunted By Valentine

“W-why didn’t you save him?” I ask, needing to know why John would let his brother die.

He just shrugs. “What was the point? I told him not to marry you, and I even told him to get rid of you years ago. But he never did listen. He liked playing with you more than he valued his own life. He deserved what he got.” John spits on the floor for good measure. “Good riddance.”

“But then—”

He cracks the whip in the air, silencing me. “There’s no point in asking what I know you were about to ask. He was my brother, so even if he was a fool, I’ll still avenge him.”

Before I can even fully register that he has moved, fire spreads across my back. This time, it splits my skin open, and I feel the warmth of my own blood, the cool rush of air on raw flesh.

I finally scream. The high pitched and guttural sound is so loud it hurts my ears. I keep screaming until my throat burns, until nothing more than pathetic and simpering sounds come out.

The whip sings, each strike a searing pain that blurs into a hazy fog in my mind. I lose track of how many times it bites. My mind floats, unmoored, drifting on a sea of hurt. I’m adrift, untethered from reality, lost in an ocean of agony.

In an instant, a rush of warmth spreads through my entire body, enveloping me in a cocoon of emotions. All I see, smell, and feel is Valentine. His presence is so vivid that it feels as if he is standing right in front of me, his tall frame towering over me. I can almost feel the heat radiating from his body and the softness of his lips against mine.

The deep timbre of his voice echoes through my mind, speaking his nickname for me. He tells me to be strong, that I’m not broken, and that this won’t be the end of me. A sob escapes me as warm tears trickle down my cheeks.

“You’re wrong,” I say, or at least I think I say it. Though I can’t be sure.

Andhe is because this is the end.

The curse has finally caught up with me.

Chapter 39

The Hunter

Blood pounds in my ears, drowning out everything but the toxic rage that fuels each vicious impact of flesh on flesh. Jack’s breath comes in ragged gasps, his green eyes blazing with fury and grief as he throws another punch at me.

“Ruby’s gone because of you!” he snarls, his voice cracking under the weight of his emotions. “You’re the reason she’s missing!”

The accusation slices through me like a razor, but I steel myself against the pain. Ruby’s life hangs in the balance and we’re wasting precious time trading blows instead of searching for her. With a quick dodge, I avoid Jack’s fist and retaliate with a swift strike to his gut, fueled by anger and desperation.

Next, I land a punch on Jack’s jaw; the impact reverberating through my hand. Desperation grips me, fueled by fear for Ruby’s safety. “Stop it!” I growl viciously. “You’re wasting my time. I need to find—”

“You’re the reason she’s gone!” Jack roars.

He comes at me again, and I duck, narrowly missing his next swing, and ram my shoulder into his chest. We crash onto the coffee table, glass and wood splintering around us. He wheezes, but I don’t move to hit him. Instead, I grip his shirt and pull him close.

My temper erupts like a volcano, a fiery inferno that consumes my thoughts and makes me want to rip Jack Knight limb from limb for daring to delay me. I seethe with rage, trapped in this cursed house when I should be out combing the streets for my pet, determined to bring her back home no matter the cost.

“You think I don’t care about her? You think this is what I want?” I roar, my voice cracking from the overwhelming rage. “The only thing stopping me from ending your pathetic existence right now is her forgiveness. But don’t push me, Jack. If you continue to stand in my way of finding Ruby, I will not hesitate to slice you into pieces.” My eyes burn with a deadly fire as I stare him down, daring him to make a move.

He lunges, and I’m not fast enough this time. His fist crashes into my cheekbone with brutal force, sending shocks of agony pulsing through my head. I stumble back, dazed and disoriented, as he grabs my collar and pulls me in close again.

“She trusted you,” he growls, spittle flying from his lips.

“Not enough,” I roar back, my own voice thick with fury and desperation.

I don’t know how long I was alone before Jack showed up, but it was enough time for me to get dressed and realize Ruby had to have known someone would come for her. She sent me out of the room on purpose, and I want to know why.

“None of this matters if we don’t find her, Jack,” I roar, my breath hot and ragged. “Blame me all you want, it doesn’t matter. Nothing does until she’s safe.”

Jack glares at me, his chest heaving as he catches his breath. The air around us feels heavy with unspoken threats and recriminations, but I can sense a flicker of agreement in his expression. He knows, just as I do, that our animosity won’t bring Ruby back any faster.

He shoves me off, and I take a step forward just as he takes one backward. Pieces of the broken table crunch under our shoes. “Shewasfucking safe, Valentine. Why the hell did you have to kill Michael? Now—”

“It wasn’t me who killed him,” I growl, not for the first time. “I didn’t plan for this, for any of it,” I say, my voice low, almost pleading. “I never wanted… she asked me to—”

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