Page 74 of King of Ruin

He’s the one responsible for taking them away, stripping me of loving parents, and dousing me in rage. He robbed me of sunny days and replaced them with cloudy skies.

He stole my peace and filled me with screams.

I almost didn’t make it, and for that, his debt will be great. So much so, I’m not even sure his flesh, bones, and every drop of his blood will be enough to pay it.

Kane opens the door to three guards standing idly in the hall. All of them are without the gold chained brooch on their lapels, indicating they all side with Kane. The one with wild red curls turns and a burn flickers behind my ribcage.

I miss Maddy. Myfamily.

“Good evening Ms. Embros. Nice to meet ya.” He beams, displaying a full set of bright white teeth.

I give him a curt nod in return.

Kane smirks, holding his hand out to the redhead who gives him a pair of cuffs. My eyes narrow and my haunches rise, automatically triggering my fight reflex. A quick look at the men and I begin calculating how quick I could kill each one.

He isn’t going to hurt you.

I quell my doubt and hold out my wrists, allowing him to attach the cuffs. The cold metal is jarring against his warm hands, and I tense beneath him.

Kane lowers his head as he snaps the first one closed. “I’ve got you,mo bhanríon.”

Again, I nod, even though letting him restrain me makes my nerves vibrate with trepidation. After he closes the other cuff, he lowers my hands gently, brushing his thumb along my wrist.

The touch is soft and timid. It feels like a goodbye. Like it’s the last time we’ll ever touch one another. The way that thought makes my stomach churn is too unsettling to mull over.

Two of the men gather behind me while Kane and the red-haired man stand on either side of me. We walk in silence the opposite way I came upon my arrival, and at the very end of the hall, there’s a small elevator. Kane presses the button and it opens immediately, revealing an empty cabin.

It’s too small for all of us, and when I move to take a step inside, Kane tugs lightly on my elbow. “Only three at a time. We’ll let them go, then us.”

I nod and step back, watching as the guards who were behind me file inside and the doors slide shut. After the soft whoosh of the elevator indicates it’s begun its descent, the red-haired man speaks. “Everyone’s in place.”

“Thank you, Oliver.”

He beams. “It’s my pleasure. I’ve been waiting on this day for a long time.” He turns to me. “Guess I should thank you for changing his mind, lass.”

My brows pinch together for a moment and he must realize I’m unsure of what he means because his eyes shift nervously to Kane. “I’m sorry. Did I misspeak?”

Kane shakes his head. “No, it’s alright.”

“What does he mean?” I ask.

He presses the button on the wall again before looking at me. “My original plan was to leave. Get my sister and mom, and get the hell out of here.”

That much I already knew. “And now?”

“I didn’t want to leave you with the fallout of what we’re doing. And I didn’t want more people to die than needed to.” His gaze drops for a moment before flashing back up to me. There’s a profound sadness in them now, riddled with guilt. “I owe it to the women I couldn’t save to make it right. To those women at Hearts.”

He runs his thumb along my jaw. “To you.”

It’s almost too hard to ignore the simultaneous lightness in my chest and the heaviness in my stomach. This man has found a way to both wreak chaos on my nervous system while quelling my inner storm.

I used to think I wanted him for the peace he brought, but now, with my endgame so near, I wonder if I’ll just long forhim.

Clearing my throat, I rid myself of the emotion trying to clog it. “So you’ll take over the family?”

Again, it’s something I assumed but hadn’t asked outright. Perhaps because I still held out hope–for what, I’m not certain–but there was a piece of me that wanted to believe the impossible.

“Yes. I don’t want the wrong person to try and step up. It could put more people at risk.”

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