Page 63 of Cruel God

No.

No.

“Take your hands off her!”

“Fuck you, you son of a bitch. All this time, she was right here?”

“Colton, I swear to fucking God.”

“Stop!” My voice cracked through the noise of their hatred. “Stop, please.” With a jerk, I freed my arm from Colton’s firm grip and put distance between us as I darted a few feet away.

“Hope. Jesus Christ,” I heard Colton’s voice move closer, and it suffocated me. The closer he came, the less air reached my lungs.

Steeling myself, I finally turned to look at him. To look my brother in the eye for the first time in twelve years. But, as I looked into his eyes, staring at his familiar face, I inhaled sharply, feeling…nothing.

Nothing.

“Hope.” He slowly approached me. “You’re safe now.”

My eyes found Rex standing a few steps behind Colton. I could see the storm in his eyes, how he struggled to keep the monster contained. I knew his mind. I knew his thoughts. I knew him better than he knew himself. Colton was a threat to him because he was my brother. But he was fighting his instinct to protect mebecauseColton was my brother.

“Hope, come on.”

Lily slipped in next to him, and I pointed at her. “You recognize her?”

Colton stiffened and glanced at Lily. Something passed between them, a flurry of secrets, and I frowned. “You know her.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yeah,” Colton replied without looking away. “I know her.”

“What’s her name?” I asked, wiping a lost tear from my cheek. “What’s her name?”

Colton straightened. He was taller than I remembered. Older. Different.

Weren’t we all?

“Lily,” he replied, still holding her gaze. “Her name is…Lily?”

“How did you know?” I narrowed my eyes.

I watched his throat move as he swallowed hard. “She told me.”

From the corner of my eyes, I saw Rex launch in my direction, putting himself between Colton and me, pointing a gun at my brother’s face. “If you think you’re going to take her from me, you are sorely mistaken.”

“And if you think I’m going to let you keep her, you’re fucking delusional,” Colton shot back, and I could feel the insects crawl back. Only this time, no one was touching me. It was the mere thought of Colton taking me away from here. It squeezed my lungs, and I could feel the insects crawl down my throat, wanting to eat me alive from the inside out.

“Rex,” I whispered, feeling dizzy, my vision framed with black. “Rex.”

“I’m here.” His arm snaked around me as he pulled me closer, and I managed to take a breath.

“Get away from her, you fucking psychopath!” Colton pulled his gun and pointed it at Rex, two giants wanting nothing more than to kill each other.

“Stop…please,” I begged breathlessly.

“The only way I’m leaving here without her is if you fucking shoot me,” Colton spat out.

“You do not have to fucking tell me twice. I’ve been looking for a reason to fucking bury you.”

“I’m taking my sister as far away from here as possible, right after I—”

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