Page 133 of Brutal King

“Yes!”

Something inside him gives and he nods. “Fine. Go to him. Find him and live.”

Tossing the knives to the floor, I throw myself onto my brother. His arms come around me tight as we hug. I wipe my tears on his shoulder, and say, “Thank you, Luca.”

“When you’re ready, come home. Please.”

“Kingsbrookismy home,” I tell him. “But you will always be my big brother.”

It’s still raining when I arrive at Kingston Manor. Everything is dark. The bodies of the men that fought are still here, waiting for someone to come claim them.

“Gideon!” I call out, but all I hear is the echoing of my own voice. “Gideon, where are you?”

I run through the house, past the goriness in the grotto and up the stairs. When the alliance forced their way into the house,I finally opened the door of my dark room. Both blades in my hands, I was ready to kill whoever I encountered. When I saw it was Luca, I flew into his arms.

“Sofe, you’re alive.”

“You have no idea how happy I am to see you.” We embraced tightly, both of us refusing to let the other go.

Luca wrapped his arm around my shoulders as he guided me past the carnage, shielding me from it. He’s not here to do that now.

It’s terrible that anyone had to lose their life like this. The worst part, most of these men will go to an anonymous grave, with no one there to mourn them. No one who even knows they’re dead.

I understand better than ever why Scarlet was adamant about having a plot next to Gideon. She doesn’t want to end up like them.

Hurriedly, I go up the stairs, searching the entire first floor for Gideon. When I don’t find him, I go up to his suite. Still nothing.

Then, it occurs to me where he might be.

“Gideon!” I burst into my old room.

There, in the alcove, is Gideon. He’s sitting in the freezing darkness, staring out the stained-glass window. I move closer and spy the firearm in his hand.

“Gideon, no!” I fall beside him, grabbing the thing and tossing it far from us. “What were you about to do?” I cry. “Oh my, God!”

“I don’t know.” He turns to me slowly, and blinks. “Sofia?”

“I’m here. I’m here.” I cup his face and kiss him on his lips, his cheeks. “Everything is going to be okay.”

“You came back?” He looks at me as if he can’t believe I’m truly here.

“Of course I did, you stupid man.” I kiss him again and again, my tears covering every inch of his face. “Why did you let me go in the first place?”

He takes hold of my wrists and holds my hands to him. “Because… I love you.”

My heart swells at his declaration. “Don’t ever do that again.”

“You can’t stay.” He shakes his head vehemently. “You must go back to Luca. We made an agreement.”

“That I wholly disagree with! What right did you have to make that decision?”

“It’s for the best,” Gideon insists. “I’m a monster, Sofia. I’m like my father and you’re everything that is good and worth fighting for.”

“I’m not. I’m a little bit bad too, remember?”

“No.” He shoves me away and stands. “I had to make you believe you were like me so that you’d stay. But you’re not. You gave up your freedom for your brother. I forced you to love me. You said so yourself. It’s Stockholm. My father did it to me. I did it to you. You should hate me.”

Stockholm. The day I mentioned it, he recoiled. He must have already been considering the possibility. I didn’t mean it, because I don’t believe it was my case. But it might be his.

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