Page 10 of Riot

Since Mace splattered his brain matter all over their old kitchen.

But Toby’s not the most observant when it comes to his sisters. His entire life revolves around computer games, school, and his pals—as it should. He has no idea the mental load his sisters carry to give him that carefree life, so him talking about Ivy like that pisses me off. Both girls are doing their best in difficult circumstances.

“Dude…” The disappointment in my voice hangs heavy between us.

Toby’s cheeks heat at my tone, and he focuses on his controller like it holds the secrets to the universe.

“Your sister’s goin’ through shit,” I explain. He needs to understand this. “She ain’t slept a full night since Seren was born, and you know how shit it is when you’re tired. You’re a fuckin’ gremlin if you don’t get a full eight hours. Cut her some slack, bud. Bein’ a parent is hard as fuck.”

And the way she became a mother left a stain on her soul that will never heal. Ivy loves Seren—anyone with eyes can see that—but it wasn’t her choice. Link stole that from her when he forced that pregnancy to happen.

And I wasn’t there to protect her.

Knowing that breaks something inside me. It ain’t a clean wound, but a jagged, splintering kind of agony, one that screams I failed in the worst way.

But she survived. Fuck knows how, but she did. Ivy clawed her way out of that nightmare and found the strength to raise that baby like she wasn’t conceived in hell.

But me? I ain’t that strong.

I wanna tear the whole fucking world apart with my bare hands for what was done to her.

If her ex wasn’t already fucking dead, I’d play with him like a cat torments a mouse.

Days taking him to the brink of death only to let my boot off his neck long enough to take a breath. I’d fucking cut him to pieces and watch the blood drain out of him.

No fuckin’ mercy.

But Ivy doesn’t know he’s dead, or that he died trying to rape her sister on the table they ate breakfast at every damn day.

She also doesn’t know that me and Nicky carved that fucker into pieces, put him in suitcases, and wheeled him out the building like he was luggage.

Or that we had him burnt to ashes at the crematorium across the city.

Even Maylie doesn’t know that part.

There was no grave. Link’s remains were swept away like he was nothing. A fitting end for a worthless piece of shit. He’ll fade away, lost and forgotten, while Ivy will thrive and his daughter will live, never knowing him.

For a narcissistic piece of shit like him, it’s the worst way to end his life. He’s not even a footnote in history.

Like he never existed.

“I guess so,” Toby mumbles, bringing me out of my blood-fuelled fantasising. “You wanna play again?”

“I’m gonna sit this one out, kid.” I place the controller on the table and stand. “And you’ve got one more round and then bed. Maylie’ll kill me if she knows I let you stay up this late.”

He waves this off. “How’s she gonna know?”

Give me fuckin’ strength.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Kid…”

“All right, fine. One more, then bed.”

I shake my head before stepping out the room. The sound of the game loading up again fades into the background as I make my way through the apartment.

This place is fuckin’ huge. It spans the entire corner of the building, with five bedrooms and two baths.

And no murders in the kitchen…as far as I know.

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