Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
"What's that?" I hiss.
"He took Xander's... life," he mutters.
"Xander's still alive and well, from what I know."
"You don't get it," Dad growls. "You don't get it at all."
"Then fucking explain," I snap.
"I can't. You wouldn't understand. All I can tell you is... Xander won't stop tormenting any of us until his brother is dead. Xavier is his target. That's a fact. Nothing can change his mind."
"Well," I whisper. "We'll have to try."
"Why?" he asks bitterly.
"For our family."
Dad laughs, a sad little sound. "What family?"
I take his hand and fight the urge to dig my nails into his skin. "You. Mom. Mathilda. Me."
"Tallulah, stop. It's too late." He shakes his head. "I'm sorry, mija, but it really is too late."
"Not until I'm dead," I say. "Even if it means I have to kill Xander myself."
Chapter Twelve
XAVIER
I'm lying in a pool of my own blood, but that's not the worst part. The worst part is, it's not even the first time.
This isn't the first time I've been this beaten up. I'm not the first person Xander has tried to kill. But it is the first time my own brother has done something so heinous. My hands are bound, my feet are tied together, and they're dragging me across the sand. They're not even trying to be careful.
And I haven't even seen my brother yet.
My brother, the man who used to be the one person in the world who understood me, who I could always rely on. Until now.
The wound on my face is bad, and it's still bleeding. But I can't feel anything, and when I reach up and touch it, there's no pain. The knife that pierced the soft skin under my eye was sharp and clean. Heath pumped me full of drugs before I left to up my adrenaline levels, stop me from feeling the pain of my lost eye. I think he gave me enough morphine to take out a horse.
But I didn't want to be numb. Not then, and not now. I need my wits about me to take down Xander.
When they finally drop me on the floor, I groan. The blood has started to flow from my face again, and the pain is starting to creep in, even through the layers and layers of opiates.
"Fuck," I groan. "Fuck, fuck."
"Brother," comes a voice, a sickeningly familiar voice.
"Xander," I growl. "Show your fucking face."
"No," he says. "I don't think so. Not yet."
His voice booms through the room, so much like mine. I haven't seen my brother in decades, and despite the hatred bubbling under my skin, I can't help but miss him.
"Come out," I demand. "Prove you're not a pussy, hermano."
"You're the pussy, brother," Xander laughs. "How is Tallulah, by the way?"
"Don't mention her," I growl. "Keep her name out of your filthy mouth, you piece of shit."
"That's no way to talk to your younger brother," he laughs.
"You're not my brother. Not anymore."
"No, you're right. I'm not. Now, we're equals."
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"Look at the two of us," Xander laughs from somewhere above me. "Two brothers, equally damaged."
"I'm nothing like you," I hiss.
"But you are, hermano," Xander laughs. "We're exactly the same."
"We're nothing alike," I hiss.
"We have the same face, brother. The same voice. The same soul. You and me, we're the same. But you just couldn't let me have what was mine, could you? You had to take it from me."
"It wasn't yours," I snap. "It was never yours. They should have picked me. They would have."
"Maybe," his voice says, echoing in the room. "Or maybe not. It doesn't matter, because you fucking tricked them all, didn't you, hermano? You took my place in that family. You were their prodigal son. Tell me, Xavier... did the Gunns even know what you did? Heath's father, his grandfather... Did they know you took my place?"
"Shut up," I hiss. "Just fucking shut up and stop hiding, you goddamn coward."
"You want to see me?"
"If you dare show your face," I snarl.
"Oh, no, I won't," Xander laughs.
"What, are you afraid of your big brother now?"
"No," he says. "I'm just not done torturing you yet."
"I've had enough of this shit," I hiss, trying to free myself from the ropes.
"Oh, don't leave just yet, hermano. I haven't told you the best part yet."
"Go to hell."
"I will. You'll wait for me, won't you?" His cruel laughter rings through the room. "I bet you thought they were all dead, didn't you?"
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
"Oh, the Gunns," Xander chuckles. "Your family, the ones who took you in. One of them is still alive, hermano."
"Bullshit."
"No," Xander laughs. "I'm not lying. It's a lie you told yourself to sleep better at night, brother. You're the only monster left."
"Lies," I hiss.
"They're not," Xander snaps. "But now, thanks to you, they're all going to die. The Gunn family will be extinct soon enough. And that's all because of you."