Page 82 of Like a Hurricane

“And just what way was it supposed to end, Miss Lauder?” Malakai speaks, his cruel mouth tipping up slightly as if he knows how I will answer.

He’s a beautiful man just like the devil once was. And the way he smiles at me, with such cruelty, I wonder if he’s been sent straight from hell.

“With you dead,” I growl honestly.

He chuckles, “Not a great end for me.”

“A fitting end,” I snap.

Malakai casts his eyes behind me, and I feel Kolten step up, his presence like a looming shadow. “Your debt is paid, Kolten. You are free to leave.”

“Sir,” Kolten responds gruffly and takes a step back, “I will stay to see this through.”

“Very well,” Malakai nods and stands, bringing with him my sister who snatches out of his grip.

“I see both the Lauder girls like to put up a bit of a fight,” he snatches a long strand of Olivia’s hair, “I suppose you understand how this will end.”

“She goes free?” I ask.

“That was the deal. You for her.”

“She knows too much, Malakai, kill them both. End the Lauder line once and for all.” Kenneth spits, stepping towards my sister.

I lunge between them. Now that Kolten wasn’t as close, I was able to and Kenneth stumbles back, eyes widening. I go straight for the fire tools, grabbing the fire poker and hold it out in front of me, my back to Olivia and Malakai.

The latter man laughs again, as if this is the funniest thing in the world.

“Arryn, stop,” Olivia pleads, “You have to go. Let them have me.”

“I don’t think so,” Malakai says, “Olivia darling, your sister belongs to me.”

“Take me instead!” Olivia begs.

“No!” My shock at Olivia’s words leaves me exposed and Kenneth grabs the poker, ripping it from my grip.

I hear it as he whips it up and brace for a hit.

“Stop!” Malakai orders abruptly and before the poker can hit me, Kolten snatches out an arm and grabs it.

I use the distraction to grab Olivia, pulling her to me and stepping out of the way. She latches her arms around me, burying her face into my neck.

“I can’t do this,” She cries, “I can’t do this again.”

“Shh,” I stroke her hair, feeling how thin she’s become in the past few weeks.

“I can’t watch you die, Arryn, I can’t do it again.”

“It’s going to be okay,” I whisper, staring over her shoulder at Malakai who is speaking with Kenneth. They were so confident we weren’t going to fight that none of them were looking at us. Kenneth is arguing quietly with his son, and I cast my eyes to Kolten. He is watching.

Keen eyes analyze us. Kolten is very different to both his brothers, and then I remember Rett telling me he was adopted.

Tall, broad, and so fucking big he towers over every man in this room, with long dark hair he has pulled up and out of his face. Tan with dark eyes framed by thick lashes and thick scruff that surrounds his mouth. He’s handsome but stern, a hardness to him that neither brother has. I could not read him, not even a little.

Olivia cries against me, completely broken and I knew whatever happened to me next, she wouldn’t survive it.

Slowly, I take us both to the floor and I bring her into my lap, just like I used to do when we were children, and she had a nightmare. Before all the death and the blood and terror. I hold her like she was the same little girl. I stroke her hair and rock her back and forth, as if I wasn’t about to die, as if the men in the room with us weren’t ruthless killers.

“Don’t leave me again,” she begs.

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