AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I kick out blindly, but it’s in vain when someone sucker punches me straight in the guts.
Winded, I take a step back, only to be punched in the kidneys. And then the back.
Falling to my knees, I scramble to take off the pillowcase, but someone grips my arm and twists it back behind me, threatening to break it.
But I don’t go out like this.
I stop struggling and study the sounds around me, and when I hear an intake of breath to the left, I strike out with my free hand and connect with something soft. The wheeze alerts me that the man will be singing soprano for a few minutes.
I ignore the pain in my arm, which is about to be broken, and twist, elbowing my attacker in the shin. He releases me, and just as I’m about to rip off the pillowcase, a pain in my thigh has me gasping for air.
“Stop fightin’, or I swear to God, the next thing I stab will be your fucking throat.”
I recognize that voice, and honestly, I’m surprised it’s taken him this long.
“Hello, Cormac.”
I knew Rory’s father would find out the truth one day, and it seems that day is today.
Raising my hands in surrender, I don’t remove the knife Cormac stabbed into my thigh. I’ll allow him to avenge his son because we all want revenge on those who’ve wronged us. We deserve it.
“Yer joking me,” he snarls, and I can imagine him shaking his head. “Y’ll pretend everythin’ is all right after what ye did?”
“Nothing’s been all right in a long time. What’s right about Rory betrayin’ us? Him using Cami like she meant nothin’ to him.”
“Shut yer lyin’ mouth!” he snarls, ripping the pillowcase from my head.
Gathering my bearings, I see Cormac has two men I don’t recognize as reinforcements. They are out for blood.
“It’s true,” I state, never breaking eye contact with Cormac. “He got what he deserved.”
I won’t disrespect Cormac by lying to him. I owe him more than that.
He paces back and forth, clearly trying to wrap his head around this. I don’t know who told him, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is what he plans on doing with the truth.
“Yer da would be disgusted with what we’ve become,” he says, deep in thought. “When he died, he took a piece of us with him. Nothing’s been the same since he’s been gone.”
“Aye, yer right. He was a bastard, but things were a lot simpler with him here.”
“And it’s ’cause of yer dad that I’m not going to kill ye…but I am goin’ to hurt ye…awful bad.”
Nodding, I remain on my knees. There’s no point fighting—he won’t stop until he gets his revenge.
“He didn’t deserve to die that way,” he cries, reaching into his back pocket for a flick knife. “He was yer best friend!”
“The man I killed was not the boy I knew ’cause the Rory I knew would never sell me out. He would never betray me the way he did.”
Cormac inhales sharply, peering upward as if needing a moment to compose himself.
“Hold him up,” he orders his two men as he rolls up the sleeves of his white shirt.
The men do as they’re told and grip my arms—one on either side of me. My arms are out wide, akin to a crucifixion. I don’t struggle. I dare Cormac to do his best because this is his only chance to get his revenge.
I won’t be so complacent next time.
Cormac peers at me, no longer seeing the boy he knew but the man who killed his son. With a roar, he punches me in the jaw. My head snaps back with a sharp crack.
Cormac doesn’t allow me to recover from his brutal blows. He punches me over and over again. Each hit is more frenzied than the one before it. His men ensure I stay upright, holding me tight.
