God of Pain (Legacy of Gods #2) by Rina Kent

“No.” I stroll inside and Bran freezes, then slowly faces me.

“Creigh.”

“Step back,” I order when he continues trying to cut the ropes.

“This isn’t right and you know it—”

“Step the fuck back, Bran. I won’t repeat myself another time.”

He complies, but he doesn’t put away his knife and lets it hang at his side. When I went to my room earlier, Lan and Eli filled him in about the situation, so he knows exactly why I’m doing this.

“Get out.”

“Listen…” He steps toward me. “I know you feel the need for revenge, but this whole thing is wrong.”

“No one asked for your opinion. Stay out of this.”

“I won’t allow you to throw your life away for parents you’ve never known and a past you’re better off without, Creighton.” His voice hardens. “I’m letting Nikolai go and then we’ll talk about this. Rationally.”

He turns around to our prisoner, but before he starts trying to free him again, I punch him on the back of his head.

A groan spills from his lips as his unconscious body falls on top of Nikolai. I pull him back, then lower him to the floor against the wall.

Sorry, Bran, but your morals have no place in this situation.

“That was unnecessary,” Nikolai says in a deadpan voice.

I face him, both hands in my pockets. “Attempting to save you is what’s unnecessary.”

He’s about to say something when the door opens again and Landon strolls inside dressed in new clothes and sporting a galaxy of bruises.

His gaze roams over the room and pauses at the sight of his brother, but he doesn’t appear surprised in the least. “And what is he doing here?”

“He was trying to rescue Nikolai,” I say.

“Should’ve known since the little fuck was acting suspicious.” Landon’s gaze is disapproving but he picks Bran up and half carries him, stops at the door, and says, “Oh, by the way, Jeremy’s here. I’ll let him in once I lock the king of morals up.” With one last glance at Nikolai, he leaves, taking Bran with him.

I lean against the wall and cross my arms, summoning the calm I don’t have.

Nikolai glares up at me from beneath strands of his wild hair. “What are you up to, King? What’s the revenge lotus flower was talking about?”

I say nothing, meeting his glare with my signature blank stare.

“Shouldn’t you be bribing Jer so he’ll let you be with his sister instead of encouraging him to rip your balls out?”

My jaw clenches, but I neutralize my expression.

“The fuck? Say something. Wait a fucking minute. I say, were you playing Anni? If that’s the case, I’ll help Jeremy tear your head off and throw your body in the ocean as food for the fish.”

When I continue my silence, he releases a long sigh. “You think Jeremy wasn’t aware of your relationship? He’s had an idea ever since that fire, but the reason he let you get away with it is because he knew his sister felt suffocated by all the security and guards, so he gave her some leeway. He kept watching you and knew you were treating her well and she was happy. The only fucking reason he started suspecting your intentions again is due to your intimate relations with that fucker Landon. He was leading you astray and Jeremy questioned whether or not he should’ve trusted you with his sister in the first place. Was he right?”

I walk toward him and pick up the knife Brandon dropped on Nikolai’s lap when he fell. The same knife that this fucker has been trying to hide between his thighs while distracting me with his word vomit.

No clue if Bran left him the knife on purpose or not, but the intent is obviously there.

The door opens again and I slip behind Nikolai, holding the knife to his throat.

Landon and Eli lead Jeremy inside. He looks ragged and probably came here right after he landed.

Does that mean Annika came with him? Or did he leave her in the States?

I mentally shake the thought of her out of my head.

This is the worst time to be distracted by Annika Volkov.

Jeremy is forced to a halt in the middle of the room by a squeeze from Landon’s hand. He slides his dark gaze from Nikolai’s face to the knife I hold to his throat. “Anyone care to explain the meaning of this?”

“Old-fashioned revenge?” Landon says with a grin.

“That’s right. Revenge.” Eli circles him. “See. Your mummy killed Creigh’s biological father and your daddy covered it up, ruined his reputation, and drove his wife to commit suicide. And the bitch attempted to drag Creigh with her to hell. He barely escaped the clutches of death when he was three years old. So…he kind of holds a grudge.”

“A big one,” Lan supplies.

“My mother did not kill anyone,” Jeremy says. Point-blank. Matter-of-factly.

“Even when she was crazy?” Lan whispers the last word with a mocking edge.

Jeremy swings around and punches him across the face. “Call her crazy again and it’ll be your funeral.”

“Ouch. It’s ‘we’re jealous of Landon’s face’ day.” He still smiles. “Hit a nerve, mafia prince?”

I can tell he wants to send Lan to oblivion, but he schools his expression and stares at me. “Mom said she saw your picture on Annika’s phone and recognized you because you have your father’s eyes. Eyes she’ll never forget.”