Page 86 of Deviant

“Antonio,” she murmurs the name so quietly and it’s the last one I expected to hear.

“Excuse me?”

“He was one of them, one of us. Only he turned tail, switched sides. He made sure you were protected. He’s the reason Guthrie kept his mouth shut, even though it was his brother who was murdered.”

“Who else knows this?” I ask. Antonio can be dealt with, but if too many people are aware of this, then everything will fall apart.

She smiles, shrugging, like she’s got all the cards now. “I won’t say anything. I promise. I can keep a secret. I kept Issac’s secrets for years and years.”

Sure, she did. She was married to the man. She had a vested interest in ensuring that his success continued because it was lining both their pockets.

I wave my hand again and the guards once more begin to drag her away. She can go to Oblivion, she can be kept there, on the lower levels, where no one will know she exists. And slowly, I’ll carve out all those secrets she’s so proud of knowing. We’ll see then if it was worth her loyalty.

She starts protesting more, crying out, demanding to be treated with the respect she’s due. Oh, she’s going to have a fine time in Oblivion. She’s going to learn exactly what her life is worth, how little all her grand titles and power mean now that she’s at my mercy.

And just as she’s dragged away, our unexpected guests appear. I raise my gun, but instantly drop it as the great mass of the man walks towards me as if he’s parting the very sea like Moses.

And then everything goes silent. I swear the entire house is filled with just the sound of people holding their breath.

His eyes narrow on me, there’s a flash of something in them that tells me that this brother of mine is still that dangerous, psychopath we had to lock away.

Did he hear? Does he know what was said about Paitlyn? I can’t see any hint on his face, but it wasn’t like the damned woman was being quiet as she screamed it.

“Brother,” he says.

“What are you doing here?” I ask. Neither Issac nor his wife were targets all those months ago, maybe he did know, maybe that’s why he came here, to get his own vengeance.

He shrugs, glancing about. “The list is almost done. Conrad said you were here.”

I let out a small silent sigh of relief at those words. He doesn’t know. He has no idea. He’d never be so calm if he had an inkling about what really went down. No, he’d be demanding her instant release, demanding retribution. Instead, he’s stood like a mad man who’s just finished a spree and is unsure of what next steps to take, like he didn’t think he’d still be alive to consider them.

It’s like we stare one another down, neither of us speaks.

“Where is she?” he asks after minutes of just silence.

“Safe.” I reply.

“I want to see her.”

“Have you done as I’ve asked?”

He shakes his head. “Ten down.” he states. Meaning there are still two to go. We’re running out of time, particularly with Turner dead.

“Then you’d better get on with it.” I say. “The sooner your task is complete, the sooner you can have your whore back.”

He grunts, stalking off without a backwards look. We haven’t laid eyes on one another for two years. Have spoken only enough to be necessary and yet, even now, his whole focus is that woman. Is Paitlyn.

I shake my head, feeling more pissed than ever. Does family mean nothing to him? Do my sacrifices mean nothing? What I did for him, what I still continue to do would have me stripped and excommunicated, and yet, I did it gladly, I did it willingly. It’s clear that he wouldn’t do the same for me in return. No, the loyalty is not reciprocated.

But I don’t have time to dwell on that. I don’t have time to rue that fact.

No, there are others that must be dealt with. Other Lords, other families. I need to rip out the very soul of the Esau faction, to purge it, and by doing so, I will leave behind a far easier beast to vanquish.

I won’t tell him what I know. I won’t tell him that his precious damned whore is actually innocent. Besides, it won’t do them any good, will it? What’s done is done. Better he believe she is a murderer, better he believe she betrayed him and once she’s been dealt with, he’ll be none the wiser anyway.

Night after night,we hunt.

We attack.

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