Page 28 of Ruthless Redemption

The bitter taste of jealousy assails me again.

I’ve never felt this before. Never come close to wanting to poke out the eyes of my closest confidant just for seeing my obsession naked.

“The correct response is no,” he answers for me. “And while we’re on the topic of your unhinged mating rituals, can you please clarify why you’re fucking baiting her into homicide? Why can’t you just give her space?”

“I’ve decided I prefer carnage to apathy.” The former is where I’m at home. In my element. It’s a fucking default. “I’m not wasting any more time. I won’t let her go.”

“And Torian is aware of your barbarian mindset?”

I clench the railing tighter, the brightening sunlight making me squint.

“Langston?” His scowl stalks my periphery. “What did you say to convince him to cut ties?”

“He hasn’t cut them.” I keep my voice low, ensuring Layla doesn’t overhear.

“Are you sure about that? She’s under the impression her brother disowned her.”

“That’s not the case. He’s given me thirty days.”

There’s a beat of silence. A pause of building anger where the call of birds echo from the trees.

“Thirty days for what?”

I stand tall, anticipating his reaction before I voice the admission. “To win her back.”

There’s more silence. More increasing aggression.

“And if you don’t?” he grates.

“Failing isn’t an option.”

“Well, winning won’t be either if you continue baiting her, you stupid fuck. What happens after the goddamn thirty days?”

“Lower your voice,” I warn. “He didn’t say and I didn’t ask.”

He steps closer, getting in my face, the cigarette smoke hovering between us. “He didn’t say? You didn’t fucking ask? Am I just meant to—”

“It’s an open-ended deal. If I fail, he gets whatever he wants fromme. I’ll be his to own. Not you. Not her. Justme.”

He glares. Tight-lipped. Nostrils flared. Then he shoves his free hand into his hair and steps away, turning his back. “You’ve lost your goddamn mind.”

“My life is with her,” I state simply.

“She doesn’t want you.” He swings around to face me, livid, muscles tense. “You burned that bridge and pissed on the ashes. How can you not see that?”

“She’ll forgive me.” She fucking has to.

He shakes his head, incredulous.

He doesn’t understand her value. How priceless it is to have someone who can quieten my demons. Without her, the darkness is clawing its way back in. My restraint toward the outside world is nonexistent.

“You can walk,” I offer. “I’ve said it before, and nothing has changed—leave if you need to. I won’t hold it against you. You’ll always be my brother.”

“Walk?” He grows inches taller with the straightening of his posture. “I can fucking walk, can I? With half your fucking gene pool on the attack and assholes already watching us from the shadows, I can just fucking walk?”

I tense. “Someone’s watching us?”

“Yeah.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a business card. It’s pure black. Expensive stock. With one word embossed in the middle in rich font—Hunter. “You’re lucky I didn’t kill them.”

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