Page 6 of Safe and Sound

I swallowed hard as two of my father’s men advanced on Shannon. When I started to cut them off, Da grabbed my arm. “If you don’t take care of her, my men have free reign to do whatever they want with her.”

To prove the validity of my father’s words, one of the men cupped Shannon’s breast before shooting me a lascivious grin.

“You sick bastard!” I shouted as Da held me back.

“So, the choice is before you, Darragh. Put a bullet in her brain, or stand by and watch my men fuck her before they slit her throat and let her bleed out.

Hate had been some of the earliest emotions that I’d connected to my father. But in that moment, the unadulterated loathing seething within me threatened to explode. As I eyed the gun in his hand, an image formed in my mind of me putting the bullet meant for Shannon in his head.

Grabbing my chin, Da jerked my head to glare at me. “I know exactly what’s in that head of yours. And let me assure you of this: you won’t make it out of this barn if you do that.”

As defeat overwhelmed me, I fought to breathe. There had to be some way to get out of this. I couldn’t kill Shannon, and I couldn’t allow her to be raped and tortured.

Although I despised myself for it, I sank to my knees. “Spare her life.Please. I’ll do whatever you ask of me.”

My father’s nose curled in disgust. “I would expect this type of behavior from Kellan. You truly are a disgrace.” Pointing the pistol at me, he said, “Get off your knees.”

After dragging myself to my feet, I turned to face Shannon. A sob choked off in my throat. “I can’t kill you, love.”

Wide-eyed fear shone in her eyes. “You have to. Don’t let them hurt me like that. Please.”

“But I love you.”

A sad, resigned smile curved on her lips. “Aye, and I love you.” Fresh tears spilled over her cheeks. “But you have to.”

Da pressed the gun into my hands. “Do it,” he commanded.

After he released me, I staggered forward. With each step I took, the roar in my head grew louder and louder. I fought the urge to place my hands over my ears to try and dull the noise and stop the pain. There was another part of me that just wanted my head to explode or a stroke to take me out of this moment.

Staring into her eyes, I shook my head. “I wish I was smart, so I’d never needed a tutor.” When Shannon hiccupped a cry, I pushed a strand of her hair out of her face. “I wished I’d never flirted with you or dared you to kiss me.”

Leaning my forehead into hers, I whispered, “I wish I’d never fucked you that first time in the poolhouse.”

“It was the best I’d ever had,” she whispered back.

“Flatterer,” I teased.

“I wish I’d never fallen in love with you.”

“Don’t ever say that.”

“Without me, you’d have a future.”

She gave me a sad smile. “It was worth it.”

Da growled behind me. “Jaysus, you disgust me.”

Before I could react, the crack of a gun roared in my ears, and Shannon’s body jerked in my arms. Something warm and sticky sprayed into my face. When I turned my head, Shannon’s wide, lifeless eyes stared back at me. “No! No, no, no!” I cried.

Bile rocketed into my throat at the sight of the blood and brain matter caked in Shannon’s beautiful blonde hair. “No!” I plaintively whispered.

Da painfully gripped my shoulder before he snatched me back. “I hope you’ve learned your lesson tonight, boyo.”

With tears streaking down my cheeks, I reared back and spit in my father’s face. He merely chuckled as he reached for the handkerchief in his suit pocket. “Cut her down and take her to her father. Tell him this is what happens when you fuck with your leader.”

And then he and his men were gone.

Shannon’s limp body sagged, twisting her arms at what would’ve been painful angles if she were still alive. Despite the blood and the gore, I wrapped my arms around her. Burying my face in Shannon’s neck, I continued to weep. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d cried. But the harder I tried to stop myself, the harder my sobs came.

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