Inhaling a calming breath, I shut out the noise, drown out the distraction and turn to face the foyer.
When we know it’s clear we both head inside, silent, invisible.
And then I hear her voice, just a sweet murmur, a whisper of sound but I would recognize her in any room, at anytime, anywhere.
She is mine.
I see her on the floor in front of the fire.
“Kolten,” Torin growls. I spot our estranged brother standing close to where Malakai and Kenneth are speaking. He doesn’t say anything, but he watches my girl and her sister.
The betrayal rips open new wounds, but I had a task to handle before I dealt with my brother.
“Get up,” Malakai says.
Arryn stares up at him, “Please, if there’s a heart in your chest, don’t make her watch.”
“It appears I have another idea, Miss Lauder.” Malakai answers cryptically.
I use the fact that they’re distracted to my advantage.
With a nod at Torin, we raise our weapons and storm the room.
There are three people in this room that I need to stay alive, the other two I’m going to bury so far into the ground, no one will ever find them. They’ll be nothing more than the dirt under my shoes.
The door slams open and with an aim so accurate, I fire three times. Two of them were warning shots that shatter glass, the third hitting Kenneth between the eyes. His blood splatters up the wall above the fire but my shot on Malakai is blocked by Kolten stepping in front of him.
Silence falls and heavy breathing fills the space.
“Well, that was quite the entrance,” Malakai steps out from behind my brother and I level the gun, ready to take the shot.
“Kolten, be sure to remind your brother what happens if I die at his hand.”
Kolten pleads with his eyes, imploring so much emotion into his expression it catches me off guard for a moment. Kolten doesn’t show emotion.
“Death. To your murderer and his entire family.”
“Oh, of course,” Malakai, seemingly more confident now he knew I could do nothing here, steps towards me, “You don’t know who I am, Everett.”
My eyes latch onto Arryn as he continues speaking.
“My name is Malakai Farrow.”
“Fuck,” Torin growls. But I’m still staring at Arryn, his words taking a moment to register. Farrow.Farrow Industries.
“This is all rather messy, isn’t it,” Malakai tuts, staring down at Kenneth, “You went and ruined my cover.”
“Farrow?” Arryn repeats the name and I subtly nod at her. Farrow of Farrow industries and the man behind the organization. Each Farrow takes on from the last but they each become more brutal, more powerful. Malakai’s father was in charge when I first started working for them and after his death, his son. Never named but a presence always there. We only get the bare minimum in information about them, just news when someone new takes over from the last.
Powerful. Deadly. Undefeatable.
“Why don’t we all take a seat?” Malakai walks casually to the bar and plucks a bottle of Macallan from the shelf, “If we’re going to come to some sort of arrangement, it will require some drinks.”
He whistles a tune as he strolls to the high back chairs situated around an oak round table, the candle burning in the center.
“Put the guns away, gentlemen, no one else needs to die tonight. Not yet at least.”
My hand is holding my own weapon so tightly my muscles have cramped and my fingers ache with the tightness.