Page 17 of Cole: Bloodlines
“Does he know why I’m here?”
“He thinks you’re here to learn to track and hunt. He’ll teach you that. He’ll be gone during the afternoons, so use that time to practice. And make sure you get rid of the evidence.”
“What if he finds out what I’m doing?”
His dad looked at him dully.
The boy smiled. “Do I get to kill him then?”
“Don’t let him find out.”
The boy’s smile held; was that a yes?
When the caretaker arrived, the boy took an instant dislike to him. His bearded face and shaggy eyebrows concealed most of his face, except for his beady eyes that kept looking at the boy like he wanted to devour him. The boy wasn’t afraid of him; he could defend himself. But why would his dad leave him with someone like that?
After a brief conversation with the caretaker, his dad reached into his truck, grabbed the boy’s bag, and tossed it to him. “Be good,” he stressed. “And listen to Bill, do what he says.” That was it, then he was gone. No typical dad shit; no hugs, no I love you and no I’ll miss you. The boy didn’t care about that, but when his dad left, it felt like this was goodbye. Like maybe he wasn’t coming back.
But why wouldn’t he come back? His dad needed him, needed his help. Sometimes it seemed like his dad hated him—especially the times he whipped him raw. It seemed to make him mad that the boy liked the whippings, so he whipped him harder, trying to make him cry. The boy never cried. Once, he tied him to the pole in the barn and beat him with his fists until the boy’s face was a bloody mess and his body just one big bruise.
He still didn’t cry.
After the fist beating, he thought maybe his dad was proud of him for taking it so well, because he never beat him like that again. But his dad wasn’t proud.
“Why don’t we get on inside and get you settled in, boy?” caretaker Bill said, his voice rough on the ears like he had gravel in his throat.
The boy looked away from the dirt road where his dad’s truck had driven away, and turned cool eyes on the caretaker. “My name isn’t boy.”
The man—it was hard to tell how old he was, but at least as old as the boy’s dad—grunted a short laugh. “What name should I call you?”
Fuck off, that’s what. “Byrne.”
“Burn? Like how a fire burns?”
The boy’s face twitched. “No. B-y-r-n-e. Byrne.”
“All right then, Byrne,” the man drawled callously. “Let’s get you settled in.”
Byrne followed him back to the cabin, eyes scorching the man’s back.
That night, when the dirty bastard tried to fuck him, Byrne cut off his cock, shoved it down his throat, and proceeded to gut him. It was messy. His dad didn’t like his messes, but Byrne liked the mess. It made him feel warm inside… warm and excited.
Early the next morning, before the sun rose, Byrne hiked off the mountain, following the dirt road. It took him over a week to find his dad, and when he did, the man was living with the whore he’d said he killed. Not just living with her—married to her.
And expecting a child of their own.
CHAPTER 7: OFFICER FRIENDLY
Cole sat on the bench beside Devlin.He had no reason to stay at the hospital now that Gabe was gone.Gone. The word felt so fucking final. For now, it simply meant Gabe was no longer physically here at the hospital. But how soon until it meant something… more? Cole ducked his head and gripped the back of his neck. He flinched slightly when Devlin touched his back. Cole felt the tension in the man as they waited for word on Abel and the kids—waiting to see if the madman would keep his word and return them safe and sound.
Up and down the corridor, Angel paced, unable to sit still. His hands continuously flexed, his jaw was set, and his eyes widened with a glimmer of panic as his mind filled with horrific images of what the madman had done to his little brother. Cole didn’t need to look inside his head to know what he was imagining—the same imaginations tormented Cole’s mind.
Ezra’s face suddenly appeared behind his eyes. His father had taken his first love from him… would he also take his last? Tears welled up and fell from his face onto the cold tiled floor. Sniffing and wiping his eyes, Cole numbly pulled out his wallet and dug inside for the one thing he had left of his best friend and first love. He set the wallet on the bench beside him and slowly wrapped the braided leather bracelet around his fingers. Somehow, it felt like it connected him to Gabe as well.
Because it was fashioned in love… formed from your heart of hearts.
The elevator doors swooshed open down the hall, and Dane stepped out. Cole looked up, almost hopeful to see Gabe still with him. He was alone. Angel hugged him tightly, clinging tohim. Dane held the young man close and kissed his head, then led him back to the bench.
“It shouldn’t be long,” Dane said. “We’ll have them back soon.”
