Page 5 of Kings of Cruelty

And I hadn’t wanted that.

I try to remember what had happened—why I’m in so much fucking pain—and I wonder if they branded me again. I try to look down, where I can sort of see that there’s a bandage, but I don’t know what’s beneath it.

Before I can figure it out, Kyran speaks. “Sierra,” he breathes. “Sierra, you’re awake.”

“Get out,” I try to say, but pain blossoms through me at the effort. Fuck. Fuck, it hurts so badly, but my heart hurts even worse.

Konstantin gets up and moves to my side, placing his hand on mine. “Sierrochka. I…” His voice sounds heavy with grief.

Kyran walks up to him. “I’ll get rid of him,” he says. “You won’t ever have to see this fucker ever again.”

I wheeze out something like a laugh that somehow makes everything hurt worse. “I meant you, Kyran.” I can’t say more than that. I can’t. I stop trying to look down at the bandage, at my chest, and close my eyes.

There’s a moment of stunned silence, though, then Kyran says roughly, “You don’t mean that. You’re just in pain.”

But Idomean it.

I am so full of anger and misery, and maybe I’m finally realizing just how much it fucking hurts that he’s been with Silvano fucking Cresci while Ma and I were left by ourselves. Maybe I’m realizing, too, how much it hurts that they didn’t even try to rescue me from Konstantin, Yuri, and Nikolai.

That doesn’t even count my shock and grief at learning his fucking lover killed our father.

“You heard her,” Konstantin says calmly. “Your sister doesn’t want you here.” He squeezes my hand. “I am glad you’re feeling yourself all right, Sierrochka.”

“You don’t understand,” Kyran says, as ferocious as Konstantin is steady. “You don’t know what these bastards did to you.”

I’m pretty sure I do, seeing as how I experienced it, but I can’t get the retort out. I open my eyes so I can look at him again, hoping I can convey the depths of my need to have himgone.

“Leave,” Konstantin says, glaring at Kyran. “You are unwanted.”

I nod slightly, wishing I could lift my hand to flip him off.

No, I actually want to punch him in the fucking face or kick him in the balls, but at this moment, I’d settle for anything.

Kyran seems about to say something, but a sharp look from Konstantin has him cutting himself off. “All right,” he says raggedly. “I’ll be right outside.”

He can fuck right off, for all I care. “Wait. Ma?” I croak out before he can turn around. Now that my mind is clearing some, I don’t understand why she’s not here instead of him.

And god, I want my mother more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my whole life.

Tears burn in the corners of my eyes, and while I try to blink them shut, I can’t.

Kyran hesitates, then replies, “She’s… safe.” He glances at the door. “I can’t tell you more right now. But we’ll take you to her as soon as we can.”

What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Why wouldn’t she be safe? I have a million questions, but at the same time, I don’t even want to breathe the same air as my brother. I look to Konstantin instead. “Ma?” I ask again.

“Your mamasha is being protected,” Konstantin says. He must see my confusion, because he explains, “From Don Marino’s men. He is dead.”

I shudder, and fuck, there’s so much pain I can barely even focus on Konstantin and Kyran even now.

Before I can ask any more questions, the door opens and a woman in a white coat walks in. Silvano and Nikolai follow her inside, and she glares at them in annoyance.

“You’re awake. Good.” She smiles at me, but she makes a shooing gesture at all the men. “I need to speak to Ms. Winters alone.”

Konstantin purses his lips and squeezes my hand again. “I am staying.”

I can’t decide if I want him and the others to or not—whether I want to be alone or not.

“You are not,” she says bluntly. “None of you are.”

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