Page 82 of Steel Rain

“She’s notjustyour wife,” I snarled. “She’s a person. A woman who was terrified, and terrorized. Not just by my father, or Alastair’s old guards. Byyou.”

His eyes grew wide, as realization dawned on him. I was signing my own death certificate, but I no longer cared. Dairo had promised that Siobhann would be safe. Hisword, I could believe. But I wasn’t dumb enough to trust the demon spawn, Eoghan.

He had buried his heart along with his mother years ago.

“You spoke to her, then,” he said, slowly, his words so soft and slow that warning bells should have sounded in my brain, but I was too righteously angry.

“Of course, I did.” My scoff made him even madder. “I know how you lied to her. I know that you locked her up and told her she could never leave. I know what the Green men do to their women.”

He nodded, his canine teeth showing in his light, unreadable smile.

“And I’m sure you compared notes with Aoibheann too, huh?” he leaned over me, staring me down.

I refused to give an inch.

“Of course,” I shook my head. “You think that women keep these stories to themselves? No, we talk. We warn each other.”

“Women looking out for women,” he nodded in approval, though I knew it was all an act. “So, you had to help her get away.”

There it was. The confession. He was pulling it out from me, but I didn’t need to utter a word. He had gotten what he needed.

Denying it wouldn’t work. And fuck it, I didn’t want to deny it. He should know that women could fight back. He should know that he wasn’t in control. Not then, and not now.

But I clamped my mouth shut.

He took the iron blade from his pocket. I knew it wasn’t his normal one. His had his initials stylized where a grip should have been. This one was different and new. He brought it out and tapped the point of it against my nose.

“You took an oath to me, Shiny,” he said, his voice dripping with hatred. It was so acidic I could almost feel it burn my skin. “You vowed your loyalty. You pledged your service to me. A blood oath that only blood can redeem.”

I knew what he was threatening. But I didn’t care anymore.

I stepped up to him until our noses practically touched.

“Bleed me like a pig, and use it for one of your canvases,” I said with far more bravado than I truly felt. “I won’t tell you where she is.”

“That can be arranged.”

Chapter 38

Ajax

Thehardpoundingonthe door echoed in the large, empty dojo. It was late in the evening – actually, it was practically morning - and Sin still wasn’t back. But that was understandable with all that had transpired. I had started the meditation of mopping the floors, getting lost in the repetitive movements.

I took the time to put the mop in the bucket. Before I could lean the whole thing against the wall, the insistent pounding went again. It kept going until I finally pulled the latch and yelled, “Jesus, calm the fuck down.”

I opened the door, and a distressed Kieran looked back at me.

“Coach, it’s Flanagan,” he said. “You gotta come. He’s about to whip her.”

“What?” Was that some weird, Irish metaphoric speech? “Talk like … a person. All these idioms are just …”

“I’m being serious!” he rushed out. He was panting and breathless. “Under the willow tree, he is going to tie her up, and whip her. Like … a literal whip to make her bleed.”

“Why?”

“Disloyalty,” he shook his head. “They don’t tell us more than that. But you have to come.”

With that, he turned and started bolting down the road.

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