AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’ll be kind of hard to be a hired gun when you no longer have a hand,” I muse, a sense of vindication filling me as I watch him scrunch his face up in pain.
“I can still fight,” Kane roars, charging toward me.But he only manages a few steps before I pull the trigger again.This time, I hit him in the knee, sending him tumbling to the floor, blood soaking the area rug.
I cluck my tongue mockingly.“For someone who’s supposed to be a good shot and have all this incredible talent, you’re not very good,” I remark sarcastically.
Part of me feels guilty for taking pleasure in his suffering.
The other part knows how much he deserves it.
Hell, he deserves worse than I could ever do to him in good conscience.
“I was good enough to kill your brother,” he strains to say.“I didn’t even have to shoot him.Just had to run him off the road.”He flicks out his tongue, his dark eyes shining with a crazed glint.“I hear he was burned to a crisp when they put out the flames.I would have loved to see that.But I get queasy from the smell of burning flesh.”
Blood boils in my veins, and it takes everything I have not to end him for once and for all.But I want this man to suffer a little longer for everything he did to my brother.To Esme.To all the people he’s harmed during his pathetic life.
So instead of aiming at his chest, I point my gun at his groin, finding delight in the terror flashing across his features.He attempts to roll away from me, but I press my foot against his shattered knee, preventing him from escaping his fate.
An agonizing howl echoes in the room, jarring the crystal chandelier above.
But that’s nothing compared to the scream that rips from him when I shoot him in the crotch.
“Whoops.Sorry.I was aiming for your hip.”
With a sadistic grin, I shift my gun a little to the left, shooting him in the hip, as well.
“Please…,” he begs, face contorted.“Please stop.”
“Now you want compassion when you’ve never offered anyone else the same luxury?”
“I’m not the one to blame here.I was just following orders.”His Adam’s apple bobs up and down.“I didn’t have a choice.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.There’s always a choice.Like right now, I choose to show you compassion.”
His expression lights up with hope.“You do?”
“This is me showing you compassion.”I stand back, pointing my gun at his forehead.“This is for my brother, you fucking bastard.”
I squeeze the trigger once more, my bullet hitting him square between his eyes.Blood pools behind his head, all the life draining from his face.
I push out a slow, shaky breath, taking a moment to collect myself.Then I turn around, about to continue my search when the door opens fully, Esme standing in front of me.
But she’s not alone.
Silas Archer stands behind her.
And he’s holding a knife to her throat.
ChapterThirty-Seven
Creed
“If I were you,I’d drop your weapon.Unless you want the princess’ next breath to be her last.”
I don’t immediately comply, still too stunned by this turn of events.I didn’t know who I expected to be behind all of this, but it wasn’t Silas Archer.Seeing him here only increases my confusion.Makes me wonder what the hell is going on.Sure, his name briefly came up in my brother’s investigation into Callie Sloane’s disappearance after Jameson Gates suggested he may be involved, since he viewed Jameson’s relationship with Callie as a threat to a potential marriage between Esme and Jameson.
But I tossed out that theory once I learned about the recording Jack Sloane found.
The recording he wanted to discuss with Gianna Vale.
