Page 66 of King of Ruin

Hot bile burns my esophagus. “Any of your so-called friends?”

Oliver has befriended plenty of other guards, and claims that, like him, they’re here because they have no other options. Still, I have my reservations about trusting anyone who ended up with my father.

Again, he shakes his head. “Not a one. Are you ready to meet them?”

“Can they protect Fiona?”

“Ay.”

Premature hope blooms in my chest. “Then yes. I’m ready.”

By the time I come to, my head is throbbing. The spot where the soon-to-be-dead guard hit me, is sore, and the metal taste of blood lingers in my mouth. I press a hand to my temple and grimace when I find a cut slicing open my eyebrow.

I wipe my hand on my jeans and note I’m inside a heavily tinted jeep, surrounded by the smell of copper and burnt wood. Through slitted eyes, I find Phineas on the opposite side of me, lounged across the leather seats with a wide grin etched on his face. He’s staring down at his phone, typing a message out as his shoulders bounce in silent laughter.

Bastard. Got what he wanted after all, and I haven’t the slightest fucking idea how.

My eyes open wider as I follow a soft, lemon scent to my right and find an unconscious Onyx.

A deep ache radiates across my chest as I rake over her frame for injuries. Her dark locks are loosely held in place, remnants of debris sticking out in various places. Besides what appear to be superficial cuts and a small bruise forming on her jaw, she seems to be fine.

Still, the visual of her like this boils my insides. My veins physically hurt with every pulse of my racing heart.

How I’ve let every woman in my life down, despite how hard I try to protect them, is a rip in my soul. A visceral wound so profound, I know I won’t survive it if I don’t find a way to make it right.

“Tell me, son, how was she in bed?” Phineas’ voice doesn’t jar me, nor deter my eyes from Onyx, but it does spark new anger in my chest.

He speaks in his Gaelic tongue, which tells me he doesn’t want the driver, nor the guard in the passenger seat, to overhear our conversation.

I don’t answer him immediately. My rage is too thick to hide, and I don’t need to give him any more leverage over me than he already has. Instead, I let my gaze drift from her and to the guard occupying the passenger seat.

“Is that who hit me?” I say in English, and watch as the man stiffens, making the mistake of peering over his shoulder.

“Don’t take your anger out on the boy. He was just doing his job. Somethingyouwere supposed to be doing before you let a piece of ass get in the way.” Phineas tucks his phone in his pocket and rests his ankle on the opposite knee. “I’m not surprised you fucked her, hell, I thought it would be a good idea. But I didn’t think you’d prolong your poor sister’s stay with me.”

Fiona.

Fuck. Before I went downstairs, I had made arrangements with Sam. I told him to return Fiona to our house, and I’d give him what he wanted. He only agreed to my terms on the condition that a guard would go with her.

Oliver sent one that wasn’t a friend but also not a complete fucking scumbag who would rape her if given the chance.

But with everything that’s happened, I don’t know if she’s still there.

“She’s still at your house. I have no use for her currently and constantly having to watch my men drool over a chance to fuck her was becoming a nuisance.”

The sharp bite of my nails in my palms is a fairly good indicator of how little his words calm me.

My eyes flash to Onyx and I entertain the need to speak in Gaelic. “Where are we going?”

Phineas guffaws. “Why should I trust you? You’ve done nothing for months to indicate as such.”

“Blueprints, guard numbers, locations. That—–”

“Breadcrumbs, boy. You gave me just enough to satiate me. To make me think you were doing your job. But I’m not stupid. You were stalling. Biding your time until you figured a way to save them all. That’s your MO, after all. Saving pathetic, weak women.”

“Onyx doesn’t need to be saved. Nor was I giving you breadcrumbs.” Anger swells in my chest and though I attempt to keep my voice level, the deep drop in my timbre betrays me. “I was going to give Sam the access codes to the estate gates, as well as the security system, once I knew Fiona was out of your reach.”

This makes Phineas grin, and my stomach curdles. “She, nor you, will ever be out of my reach. You’ll do well to remember that. Especially after obtaining this freedom you begged to have.”

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