Ruin (Rhodes #1) by Rina Kent

                             “Why are you taking Silver out lately? I thought you didn’t get along.”

                             My left hook misses at his question. He smiles wider, jumping in place. I’ve lost count of how long we’ve been boxing. His shirt, like mine, is soaked with sweat.

                             “We’re working on that,” I rant.

                             His reverse hook almost penetrates my side muscles. I grit my teeth at the pulsating pain. Before I can recover, an uppercut slams into my jaw nearly breaking it and spilling my teeth on the ground.

                             Fucker.

                             He distracted me with Mae’s bloody mare. I came here to forget about my attempt to kill her.

                             I jab my bandaged fist at his head. He pushes me back with his arms and raises his palms.

                             “That’s enough,” he heaves, throwing his weight on the floor. “We’re both exhausted.”

                             With a towel on my shoulder, I sit across from him. “You called it quits, it’s my win, old man.”

                             After taking large gulps from the bottle, his mouth glistens with sweat and water. “We both know I was about to knock you out, little brother.”

                             I snatch the bottle from him. “I’m faster than you. You could’ve never knocked me out.”

                             “Normally that is.” He leans back on his elbows. “Today you’re distracted.”

                             Silence falls between us. The shouts of the guards in other rings take over. Kane is kicking Xan’s arse in karate. Good.

                             “So?” There’s no mockery in Tristan’s voice. He looks at me the way Uncle Alexander used to. It doesn’t help that he inherited all his physical traits. “There’s something changed about you that I can’t pinpoint. You seem... different.”

                             “I’m not different.” I throw the bottle away and wipe at my neck.

                             “You frequently visit my wing. You work from home a lot.” He tilts his head to the side. “It’s been more than three weeks since Crow and you still haven’t asked for a target. That’s different.”

                             ‘We want the girl, Tristan. Your dull targets can wait.’

                             Shut the fuck up.

                             The demons’ screeching is proving harder to bear.

                             “I learnt self-control.” I wipe at my forehead.

                             “Why do I find that hard to believe?” Tristan’s fingers tap on the ground, a gleam of suspicion on his face.

                             I’m screwed both ways. If Tristan finds out about Mae, I’ll be sent to my hell on earth. If he doesn’t, and I continue fighting the impulse to kill her, I’ll go irrevocably mad— without the help of the asylum.

                             ‘All your problems will disappear if you kill her,’ Aunt Ariel whispers, her voice is so disgusting I wish I was the one who shot her.