Page 87 of Like a Hurricane

“I had orders.” Kolt replies casually.

“I’m your fucking brother!”

“So is Torin. I had no choice.”

“What do you mean you had no fucking choice!?” I growl, stepping up to my brother. He’d kill me easily but at this point I didn’t fucking care.

“I had a debt to pay.”

“What did you owe him.”

“A life.”

“Who’s life!?” I shove his shoulder, “Who did you choose over me!?”

“It wasn’t a choice I ever expected to have to make, Everett,” He yells at me, “You knew better!”

“And I would have done it again!” We’re nose to nose now, my chest heaving with my ire, blood boiling and fingers twitching to hit him, “We took you in. We are your brothers. You betrayed me!”

“I took Torin’s price,” Kolt says quietly, “When he left the organization, they planned to have him executed. I offered myself into Malakai’s inner circle as payment for Torin’s life. I had no choice, Everett. If I didn’t collect Arryn, everything I did would have been for nothing, and Torin’s life would have been forfeited.”

My heart sinks.

“I left everything behind. Everything I had, I left behind.”

Vanessa… everything clicks into place with his words.

I knew they had history and the pain I see in Kolt’s eyes is the same pain I felt when I woke to Arryn’s letter.

“He gave me my freedom and Torin’s life in exchange for Arryn. And it’s now my time to fix what I broke.”

“I forgive you,” Arryn speaks from behind me. “I don’t blame you.”

I turn to find her standing behind me, her face soft and understanding and behind her, Torin stares at Kolt, pale and devastated.

We never knew. Neither of us knew.

Kolt was free and Torin was safe, and Olivia had just given her life to save Arryn and me.

Malakai just kept taking. He just kept stealing lives and time.

“We’ll take Olivia back to Ravenpeak,” I sigh, “Until he calls, she can stay there with us.”

“I have a hotel to run,” She stands and lets out a breath, some color back in her cheeks. “Arryn deserves happiness, Everett. Don’t hurt her.”

Theor elsewas implied.

Chapter Forty-four

Iconvinced Olivia to come back with us, at least for a few weeks. The Lauder hotel had management more than capable of running the place while we spent some time together.

But before we all, including Kolten, get on that boat, Oli and I take a walk down to the cemetery.

It was cold this morning, the sky overcast with winds that whipped at our hair and nipped at whatever skin we had on show. I was able to go back to my place and grab some things which Rett took with him while they waited for us to return.

But this was the first time I was getting to say goodbye to my father.

Olivia hadn’t properly mourned either, not when she was also trying to find me.

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