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RI

TRUST MY GUT.

The words vibrate through my body as I stand in front of a row of men. I want to destroy them all for their roles in my life. For thinking they can control me, just because they’re men. For thinking I’m a piece of property, only good for sticking their cocks in and producing male heirs.

But there are also kind men. Men who are just doing their best to lead a group they inherited. Those men simply want to keep their men alive and out of jail.

This group is comprised of men I hate, men I have to kill, and a man I love.

Vincent wants me to show strength. Now that my mind is my own again, I realize why. I remember my purpose, my goal in life. Why I am the way I am—I remember it all.

I also remember why I had to forget for so long and why now is the time to remember. It’s a lot to process, a lot to feel, but I know what I have to do.

The gun feels heavier in my hand, heavier than it’s ever felt before. I’ve been trained how to use a gun my entire life for as long as I can remember. Vincent did a lot of the training, but it was nothing compared to what Kek did.

He trained me to not feel emotions, to just do the job. Kill relentlessly to protect, and always protect.

These kills may look like an attack from an outsider’s perspective, but they are all about protecting those I love. It doesn’t make it any easier for me to pull the trigger, though.

Ryker is my friend. He’s protected me even when he didn’t have to, but his allegiance is ultimately to his men. He’ll throw me under the bus every time if it means protecting his own. But he’s a good man, too good of a man—a man who needs to find a way out before an inevitable war starts.

Beckett is the man I love, but he’ll never be mine. He’s Odette’s. Even if he came here to prove he can win me too, it doesn’t matter. He’s chosen her time and time again, and he’ll always choose her over me. But he doesn’t deserve to die for loving another woman. I’m not sure I could shoot him even if he did deserve death—I’m too infatuated with him. He’ll always feel like my other half, so I need him alive for me to survive what’s coming.

The next two men remaining aren’t contenders in my head. I skip down the line to my greatest enemy here, and yet the greatest saint.

I turn the gun to him, my eyes welling. He has been kind, way too kind toward me. He’s saved me, and I’ve protected him. He’s pushed his limits with me, making it clear he wants me. If I chose him, he’d do everything to make me happy. I thought he was a lovesick, charming man who wanted me while mourning his sister.

I was wrong.

Tortured Hero

He has betrayed me more than anyone here.

He knew the phrase to fuck with my memories and mind.

I almost died during one of the games because he used the phrase to control me. I couldn’t move, couldn’t fight back because of him.

He helped Odette escape. He knew from the start she was never dead. He knew exactly where she was and what had happened to her.

He used Odette’s death and Beckett’s family to start a war.

He pretended to want me when it was so obvious that what he really wants is to kill Vincent and me. The only thing he cares about is putting an end to the Corsi name once and for all.

The Retribution Kings are the enemy. They are the ones wanting to start a war. They’re greedy assholes who just want more power.

Caius is my enemy.

But it’s harder than it should be to pull the trigger. I’ve been wrong before, and I could be wrong here. I could be killing an innocent man.

Trust your gut; Kek’s words push through me.

I know what my gut is telling me.

Caius is responsible for Lucy’s injuries. He’s responsible for all of this drama.

I take one deep breath and pull the trigger.

Caius drops, but I don’t let my eyes follow him down— part of my training to stay unemotional.

I don’t meet anyone else’s gaze. I don’t want to see the judgment. I don’t want to see their fear that I could turn the gun on them next. I could shoot them dead before they could even attempt an attack.

This is what they signed up for when they entered the game, though. Vincent and I are strong. Between the two of us, we could continue the Corsi line. We could control all of these motherfuckers and all of their armies. We are that strong. We are Corsis.

But I’m going to need the strength of all my ancestors to make the next kill. This next one is going to hurt. Not just him, but for me.

He knows it too. He’s been begging me to do it for a while. It’s his job. It’s always been his destiny to protect just like me.

He’s not standing in the line against the wall but next to me.

He’s a saint.

My saint.

He protected me even when I thought he was trying to kill me. He protected me by training me for the worst situations possible. My nightmares told me he was the enemy, but he was saving me. He was making me stronger, ensuring that when I faced down a dozen men, I would win. He made me strong enough to do the task I was assigned.

And I am because of him.

He’s been warning me this entire time, trying to prepare me for the inevitable end. Our destiny was written when I was five years old.

Kek is my saint.

I turn to face him, not sure if I’m doing the right thing.

I don’t lift my gun right away, and I look Kek in the eyes.

It’s a mistake, I know.

Don’t get emotional. If you feel threatened, follow your gut. It won’t fail.

Tortured Hero

He’s a threat to my goal. He knows too much, a loose end that has outlived his purpose.

But god, why does it have to be me? Why do I have to be the one to kill him?

Why couldn’t Vincent do it?

Why couldn’t any man here kill him?

I look into Kek’s eyes and see him smiling down at me. I know the words he would say if he chose to speak.

This makes you stronger. And these men need to see your absolute strength.

I look at Kek one more time. I remember the darkness of his eyes. I remember the life we had before we had to deal with the real world when we were just training. Before things got messy and complicated, and I needed to forget everything we shared.

I’ll never forget you, Kek, never.

He doesn’t stop smiling as he gives me the tiniest of nods.

He’s ready even if I’m not.

I pull the trigger and turn before the bullet even hits his body. I can’t watch. I can’t, or I’ll no longer show strength. I’ll reveal how incredibly weak I actually am. They’ll see how much that devastated me, how I’ll do anything Vincent wants.

But they can also see how I protect but at the cost of everything.

Everything I love.

Everything I want.

Everything I am.

Anyone in my life who doesn’t serve my life’s purpose will pay the cost as well.

I walk out the back door of the restaurant’s private room. I hear Vincent’s voice boom at the remaining four men behind me.

“If you betray us, you die. If you hurt Rialta’s friends, you die. If you start a war, you die—at her hand or mine.”

I keep walking. I don’t know where I’m going, just far enough away so my show won’t be undone a minute later.

I walk out of the building, pausing in an empty alleyway.

Then I fall to my knees and sob.

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