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“That asshole threatened to have me killed more times than I could count. I did what needed to be done. I organized my own death before his slimy hands had the chance, then got my own sweet comeback just at the right moment, once everything was finally in place.”
“Only now, you haven’t got your pathetic dog to control anymore, so the ruse is up Giana. You kill Fox and it all ends. You’ll never so much as sniff a single scrap of the Noire House legacy.”
We’re locked in a standoff that I know can only end with bodies littering this warehouse floor.
“You know, I’ve hunted you for a long time, Giana.” Raven’s face is death incarnate. Retribution and reckoning. “Although, it wasn’t until recently that I discovered it was you I was hunting.”
This is the version of him who is nothing more than a soul collector, and I cannot fault him for losing his humanity in all of this. How could I, when he has been tortured by the Anguis for so long?
“Get that gun out of my face, or I’ll shoot her.” The metal digs harder against my ribs, and another crack sounds as more shattered bone gives way. I can’t help but wince and let out a cry of pain.
Raven circles closer, which causes my mother to shift to keep the distance between us. Continuing to hold me in front of her.
“My sister was who you originally wanted to replace Fox with as heir, wasn’t she? Before you came up with your plan to use Thorne.”
The woman at my back lets out a cold laugh.
“Ah, of course. How poetic. Cara Flannaghty’s brother comes to avenge his dead whore of a sister.”
Raven lets out a violent curse. But his hands remain steady, the gun trained on both of us.
I’m floating out of my body. It’s like I’m no longer here, and this is a hellscape I’m drifting over, watching it all unfold from somewhere near the ceiling. Thorne is bleeding out and probably already dead on the floor. My mother is inching us backward toward the only door in this dank room inside some empty warehouse.
All the while, I’m losing my grasp on reality.
Perhaps I’ve already lost it, and this entire situation is just a twisted conjuring of my imagination.
But then the gun up against my busted ribs is shoved into me again, and I clench up with agony. The pain sucks me down into my body while tears continue to track a silent funeral procession down my cheeks.
“She suffered because of you. And I’ve been waiting a long time to look the person responsible in the eyes.” Raven is coiled tight and ready to strike.
“It was such a waste. She would have been the perfect fit to take over Noire House. Better than my own pathetic scum.” Her voice slithers at my ear. “Sorry, sweetie, but Cara was a promising and ambitious thing I had collected. Such a shame she didn’t turn out to see things the same way, so I had to get rid of her somehow.”
Even though he’s the picture of deathly calm on the surface, I see it. There’s so much pain in my wolf’s eyes. He’s suffered through years of not knowing what happened to his sister. And the woman whose blood I carry in my veins was not only her abuser, but her murderer.
He deserves his vengeance.
“Just end it,” I whisper.
“He won’t dare hurt you.” She sounds so certain, but I know Raven.
He’s already shot Thorne. This man should reap the satisfaction of avenging his dead sister. He’s waited years for this.
“It’s ok.” I swallow. “If this is the only thing I can give you, Raven, let me make up for what they did to you and your sister.”
His upper lip curls, tattooed fingers readjust their grip on the gun.
There’s no way to shoot my mother without putting a bullet in me.
“Please. End this for all of us.” Please. Take away all this pain. I’m willing him with my eyes to do the thing he promised he would always do for me if I asked.
I know he sees it.
There’s a tick in his jaw as he draws the gun level with his line of sight.
“She’s dead, Flannaghty. I’ll put a bullet in this bitch. I’ll—”
A blinding flash and intense pain explodes past my ear. There’s nothing but heat and immobilizing agony that takes over one whole side of my body. My knees collide against the concrete with the force from behind. There’s a dead weight taking me down as my mother’s body slumps over mine.
