Page 47 of Painter's Obsession: Volume II

He laughs, shaking his head. “How about we all go?”

He kisses Gabriela on the shoulder, causing her to sob into the cloth around her mouth. Her whole body trembles as Kevin kisses her shoulder again, her eyes wide and pleading, searching Byron’s face for comfort, for promise, for something. But we’re both too broken to offer it.

Byron goes to move, and a shot rings out. The sound is deafening, but not surprising. It echoes off the walls like thunder. He drops to his knees, and for a flicker of a second, I feel nothing. Just silence. Then instinct takes over.

“I’m not Ren. I don’t give a fuck about you or about burying my cock in your ass,” Kevin snaps, as Gabriela screams for her brother through the gag.

I clench my jaw, not bothering with Byron and focusing on my prey. Reminding myself what needs to be done for me to win. What I need to do to survive.

“Help your boyfriend. Let’s go,” Kevin says, and I bite back the urge to slit his throat and make him choke on his own blood.

Crouching beside Byron, I look at him, and we lock eyes—a silent interchange of words. Letting me know he’s okay while also pleading for my help. And I hated that I couldn’t resist his demand.

Throwing his arm over my shoulder, I lift him onto me—carrying him... carrying his burden much like he carries mine. After all, we are one in the same. His body is limp with pain, his breath shaky against my neck. His blood smears across my chest like ink.

“Can we put clothes on?” I ask, looking down at our naked bodies before we walk out of the room.

Pointing the gun at us, with a smile. “Make it quick.” Kevin’s smile twitches—he’s bluffing and we both know it. He needs us alive. For now.

Begrudgingly, I dip my chin, bringing us to my room as Kevin watches from the doorframe. “Where I can see you, Sato.”

I walk Byron to the edge of the bed, helping him sit before walking toward the dresser that holds my daily wear—shirts, sweats, pajamas. I pull out a grey pair of sweats for Byron and a black pair for me. Grabbing a white V-neck shirt, I throw it over me before pulling on my pants. No time for underwear, but whatever.

I need to be quick. This place is no longer safe. I need to burn it, along all with the evidence. Ren Sato needs to die today. But so does my Thorn. We need to die in order to survive. But right now, we need to live.

I grab another white shirt, and walk over to Byron. Quickly, I inspect his wound. The bullet exited through the back, but the bleeding is too much. Ripping off a piece of the sheet from the bed, I wrap it around him,causing him to wince. We exchange another silent look. Another conversation.

He hisses through his teeth, eyes squeezing shut. I want to tell him to shut up. I want to tell him it’s okay. But I say nothing.

Instead, I smile. Don’t worry, Thorn. I won’t be leaving you to die. Not today. But after today, there’s no going back. Only fire.

Once we are both dressed and have shoes on our feet, I walk us out of the room... the cabin... and into the woods. The air is colder out here, and the sky is dark with whatever storm is brewing above us. Kevin follows behind me with a crying Gabriela. Man, was I tired of her sobbing. I’m actually thankful that he gagged her. If not, I would have done it myself. The sound of her whimpering grates against my skull like static.

When we get to a small cliffside space, I let go of Byron. The earth here is soft and damp, the wind biting. The drop behind us hums like a silent threat.

“The money is buried around here, now let her go.”

Kevin doesn’t smile this time. “Dig it up.”

“I don’t have a shovel.”

“I don’t know, Ren. Use your hands.”

My nose flares. My chest rises with each deep breath I take, adrenaline spiraling within me, coiling tighter with every second. My palms twitch. My fingers curl. I was going to enjoy killing him. Looking over at Byron, I hoped he could understand my look—a silent command buried in a plea. I needed him with me. For us to survive, he needs to be with me, not with her.

But—his eyes aren’t on me. They are with her. Not even once does he look my way, and that’s when I feel it. A sharp, hollow snap inside my chest. It was always going to end this way. Blood. Bones. And Byron choosing his light.

Chapter Twenty Five

Byron

My eyes focus on Gabriela as Ren continues to dig up the soil. “You know, Sato, you should have taken my advice and left when you had the chance. Jail won’t suit you,” Kevin teases as he continues to torment my sister, gripping her waist, feeling her up all while I’m hopeless because he has a gun to the head of the only person worth saving. The kicker...,. the bullet too the heart is that, no matter what, she looks at me as if I can fix it. Big brother will come to her rescue. “You know, Byron, I was looking forward to this moment,” he says looking at me.

“Why? Just that desperate for me to gut you like a pig?” I ask, leaning on a nearby tree, using it to support my weight. “No, so I can watch you fail to protect her for a second time.” The words are like a knife piercing straight into my heart. My leg is bleeding causing me to feel weaker than I already do; it’s not like I was getting five star level treatment from my friendly psychopath. The dirt turns with every scrape of Ren’s hands, the sound of it too loud, too calm. The wind cuts through my shirt like teeth, and Kevin’s laughter makes it colder. I let out a breath, and look over at Ren who must have found the bag of money considering the look on his face. “Kevin, let her go,.” he says with finality and a coldness in his voice, that sends shivers down my spine. I should be afraid of him. I should hate him. But right now, I’m praying he doesn’t stop. My leg is throbbing. Every heartbeat pushes fire through the wound. It’s getting harder to stay upright, but I can’t go down. Not now.

I couldn’t fail her again, even if I bleed out... even if I die here, it will be for everything. “I hate repeating myself Kevin,” Ren says, causing me to look at him, tofocus on the determination in his coldness, and to see Ren for who he truly is and be able to determine what he will do next. He was no hero, Ren was a villain through and through, but he will offer me an opening. But this wouldn’t come for free, this was a bargain—her life for mine. Giving me a silent deal, one he knew I wouldn’t refuse. In order to save my sister, I need to surrender myself to death. Pushing away from the tree, I say, “Hey, asshole, did you hear him?Let her go.”

And just like that, Kevin focuses on me—so quick to take the bait. A small man with an ego too big. The wind hisses between us, sharp and biting. The air feels tight, like it knows what’s coming. That’s the second that Ren needed—the moment the scales flipped.

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