I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of begging.
“You’ve heard the tales. You’ve seen the proof of why we live such strict lives. You know I can’t do that, Jethro. It’s better for everyone this way. You’re firstborn. I cannot legally grant my estate to Kestrel while you’re still alive.”
“I’ll sign whatever you want renouncing my claim.”
“Jet—” Cut growled, stepping closer, calm and resigned. “What’s done is done. Time to suffer the consequences.”
He discussed taking my life as if I were the household trash and not his flesh and blood.
I turned my back on him and looked out the window again, reliving the procession of cars that’d stolen Nila from my world.
She’d given me so much, yet taken more than I could bear.
It wasn’t fair.
Life is never fair.
I snorted.
My life is over.
“Jethro—” His temper snapped my name in half. “Unless you want a bullet in your brain, I suggest you come with me. As terrible as you think of me, I don’t want to hurt you.”
I spun around. “What?”
My heart raced in false hope.
Moving closer, he waved the gun. “Come without a fuss. You don’t want your sister to see a mess in here…do you?”
Whatever hope had gathered in my heart ruptured. I flinched at the thought of Jaz witnessing a gruesome dispatching.
“I’ll come with you.” Crossing the distance between us, I wrapped my hand around the muzzle of his gun. “Put it away. It’s not needed.”
Silence webbed around us.
Cut sighed and holstered the weapon in the back of his trousers. “Good boy.” The compassion in his eyes was so wrong. He did care for me—more than he would admit.
Normally, my condition meant I had no choice but to listen. To feel. To understand.
Not this time.
My body shut down, already killing off sensitivity and accepting fate. Thoughts of beating him up and running filled my mind. It didn’t have to end this way. But if I left Hawksridge, I would still have to live with the nightmare I’d been born with. And after falling for Nila, my reserves were empty. I wanted a rest.
I was fucking tired of everything.
Cut stood aside, waving at the door. “After you.”
“No, after you. I’ll follow. I gave you my word.”
Cut scowled but finally nodded. Wordlessly, he made his way to the door and looked over his shoulder to ensure I obeyed.
This was it, then.
On the cusp of winning, I’d lost everything.
So be it.
I followed.