Page 149 of Inside the Wicked

I make my way around to Allie and undo the gag tied at the back of her head.

“Rhett! They came out of nowhere. We were in this small town for months. Liam’s house is so remote, I-I don’t know how they found us?—”

“Shh. It doesn’t matter. Fuck, am I glad to see you’re all right.”

I untie her arms, and the moment I do, they’re clamped around my neck, and she sobs. I hold her tight, letting her release what she needs to before I get stern with her.

“Is Liam still alive?” she whispers.

“Yes. He’s with Ana.”

That breaks new sobs, and I peel her arms from around me.

“I need you to be brave, Allie. Can you do that for me?”

She sniffs and nods. Then she takes a deep breath of composure. “You know, I imagined being part of the action with you someday. I think I’ll stick to being intel in your ear though,” she says, pulling on a mask of calm.

I smile, smoothing down her hair. “You’re best at that.”

When I turn, I find Jacob on his feet, twisting awkwardly, trying to reach for the gun on the table with his hands bound behind his back. I snatch it up in a surge of rage.

Grabbing the fucking desk, I whirl around it and my fist flies across his jaw. Jacob hits the ground, coughing blood. I’m surprised he’s still conscious.

The soft sniffles of his brother are grating on me. He’s an innocent despite his vile brother, and I don’t wish him to see this violence. It will scar him.

“Kill me,” Jacob wheezes, withering in pain on his back.

I don’t expect him to give up so easily. Until I flick my sight up to the boy quivering in the corner, who looks so much like a young version of Jacob—blond hair and green eyes—and I understand why. Jacob has a corrupted mind and a thirst for power and violence, but he loves his brother like anyone else would.

Jacob says, “He said you get to choose where to aim. Aim for me, Kaiser. It seems to be over for me regardless. But I have one request. Make sure he gets home, please. Keep them all safe. They’re victims of it all, just like those you swear to protect.”

I don’t know how much longer I have left to choose, but his offering seems like the perfect solution.

So why am I hesitating?

“You tried to force Ana to marry you,” I hiss through my teeth.

“I did.”

His consciousness is only half-here. Jacob’s eyes flutter, pinned on the ceiling.

“You would have hurt her.”

“She would have kept resisting.”

My hand tightens on the gun to keep from shaking. “You would have raped her.”

“Probably.”

My hand rises to aim for his head.

“Don’t let him watch,” Jacob whispers. His eyes close.

I flick a look to see Allie has the kid, holding his head to muffle his ears between her chest and her hand. She meets my stare with desolate eyes. Then she gives a small nod, accepting what I’m about to do.

“You trafficked many women and children who are living the worst hell, and their families are suffering without them. You would have continued to put a price tag on flesh for many years if you weren’t stopped.”

With no regret in my chest, I pull the trigger once.Blank.Twice.Blank.The third ...

---