God of Malice (Legacy of Gods #1) by Rina Kent

“If you’re going to torture me, do it properly and draw some blood. This isn’t some kid’s game.”

Creighton—who was the one grabbing my shoulders all this time—releases me and stalks to the door without a word.

“Where are you going, punk?” Eli asks.

“Out. I’m bored.” And then he leaves as if he was never there.

“Fucker needs his head checked,” Eli says with fake sympathy.

“Shouldn’t you set an example and do it first, E?” I taunt with a grin.

He merely stares at me blankly.

“Here’s how it will go.” Landon drags his club on the ground, creating a screeching, annoying sensory sound, and keeps the rhythm as he speaks. “Once we’re done with our little get-together here, you’re going to nurse your wounds, then text my baby sis that you no longer want her, and you’ll be brutal about it. I want you to make her hate you so it’ll be easier for her to forget you.”

“Question.” I interrupt in a super-serious tone. “I would’ve raised my hand, but they’re bound. Unless you want to change that?” When he keeps dragging his golf club on the ground, I continue. “Doesn’t hurt to ask. So my question is, would that plan work if she already hates me?”

“That’s a damn good question,” Eli agrees.

“Thanks, man.”

“Doesn’t matter what she feels for you now. I’ll make sure she leaves you behind. And I will personally choose the next man in her life.”

For the first time since this whole charade started, I want to bash Landon’s skull with his golf club and watch his brains splatter on the walls.

This motherfucker can hurt me all he wants, but giving Glyndon to someone else is where his life starts to be in jeopardy.

“You mean someone you can manipulate?” I smirk. “Let me guess, you personally approved of all her previous boring boyfriends, probably threatened them not to touch her either. Hmm, I don’t think she’ll react well to that information.”

“Not sure she’d care about that when she learns what you did at your old school.”

My smirk remains in place, but it falters for a bit and it’s Landon’s turn to smirk. “That’s right, I did my research and even fucked the skeletons in your closet. A bit dry, but they’d do. Not sure our little princess would like them that much. Isn’t that right, Eli?”

“I’m inclined to agree. Our Glyn was always a scaredy-cat, never liked skeletons.”

“Or hypocrites.”

“Or you.” I grin.

“The fuck did you just say?”

“Your own brother and sister don’t even like you, so you fill that emptiness with sculptures and this whole bullshit. Very sad.”

He swings his club and hits me across the face. Eli opens the water, and this time, I swing and fall backward.

The loud thud echoes in the air as my body hits the ground.

My vision blackens from the lack of air as cold water drenches me whole.

Ah, fuck.

I’m going to lose consciousness. Or worse, maybe die.

People say their life flashes before their eyes in the last moments, but that’s not what happens.

My life isn’t what I see.

It’s Glyndon smiling. I always liked her sweet little smile, probably because it was rarely ever directed at me.

She’s smiling at me now, calling my name, but I can’t hear her.

A commotion snaps me from the image that I was enjoying.

The water stops and I twist onto my side, coughing and inhaling air as if through small straws.

“What is wrong with you?” Brandon pushes at Eli’s chest. “How can you help him with this?”

“He asked nicely?” Eli says casually.

“Stop it!”

My blood roars in my ears at the sound of her voice. Glyndon.

From my blurry vision, I can make out her silhouette getting in Landon’s face.

“I told him to stay away, he didn’t listen, so I’m just teaching him a valuable lesson here, little princess.”

“And who the hell are you to teach people lessons? Do you really consider yourself a god? News flash, you’re not.”

“He’s manipulating you and will eventually hurt you.”

“That’s still nothing for you to concern yourself with.”

“You don’t know what’s good for you, Glyn.”

“I’m old enough to make my own life choices and I’m choosing this, Lan. I’m finally choosing someone myself, without them having to go through your approval process. Can’t you let me have that?”

Can I kiss her and not die? Actually, I’m fine with dying for this kiss.

“No,” Landon says dismissively. “Now, take Bran and leave.”

“No.”

“What the fuck did you just say?”

“I said no, Lan. Fucking no. I’m sick and tired of your controlling ways and tiptoeing around you and avoiding you. I’m so damn tired. Just stop. Stop being so out of line, stop making us scared of you. We aren’t supposed to be scared of our own brother.”

“Glyn…” Bran comes to her side, trying to pull her back, but my fucking girl slips away from his hold.

“No, we’re doing this, Bran.”