Page 103 of Scandalous Kingpin

I gripped his shoulder and dug my fingers into the pressure points until he squeaked with pain. I slammed my fist into his face, fury darkening the edges of my vision. The air crackled with unleashed violence, and soon, the snap of bone gave way to the wet sound of ripping flesh.

Soon, my heart thundered with adrenaline and tension seeped out of my body.

This was the outlet I needed.

A hand came to my back and I whirled around, ready to punch whoever dared to enter my sanctuary when my hand froze mid-air.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

“I came to visit your grandpa Brennan and your uncle Liam,” she said. “It was a short walk from their property to yours, so I wanted to pop in when I spotted you from the distance.” She tilted her chin at the body behind me. “With him.” I narrowed my eyes on her and she let out an exasperated sigh. “Christian, I grew up around here. I know every corner of this place. It wasn’t hard to figure out where you’re dragging a body to.”

“That doesn’t answer my question, Aisling.”

“Your grandpa Brennan and uncle Liam?—”

“Please stop calling them that.”

“Okay.” She sighed again. “Anyhow, they may or may not have been keeping an eye on you and are worried.”

I scoffed. “A bit late for them to be worried, don’t you think?”

“That’s not fair since neither one of them knew I gave birth and didn’t know of your existence.” She waved her hand, dismissing the topic. “But I’m here for you now and I just want to make you see reason,” Aisling said, taking my bloodied hand in hers. “Christian, you have to stop playing the role of judge, jury, and executioner. Instead, talk to your wife. Talk to me. Juststop.”

I stared at her, then at the bloodied, unconscious body on the ground. Dark liquid pooled around him, and if it weren’t for the faint rise and fall of his chest, I would’ve thought he was already dead.

“I can’t,” I said. “You should go.”

She definitely didn’t belong down here. My ragged breaths echoed in the empty space. This stone cellar contained no furniture aside from the chair and a table full of torture tools.

She refused to let go and yanked me with more strength than I’d thought possible.

“Yes, you can. Now listen to me.” My heart rate slowed the longer I stared at her. “This… this guy deserves to be tortured and killed. But you don’t. Stop staining your soul and live. Move on.”

The soft drip, drip, drip of the moisture on the walls pushed away the fog clouding my brain and I was suddenly aware of the blood coating my hands and staining Aisling.

I wrenched myself away from her and stumbled backward, my breathing heavy and my throat raw.

“Please, Christian,” she pleaded with a soft voice at my back. “Please let the past go andlive. For you and your wife. Forme.” Tears burned my eyes. “I don’t deserve any reprieve for leaving you, but you do.”

I slowly turned around and met my mother’s somber expression, nothing but love in it. No disgust for what she’d just witnessed me do. Just acceptance.

My stomach lurched and I glanced at the unconscious body.

“Let me take care of this,” she offered. “Liam can help and we’ll be out of here before Ivy even notices us.”

I would have laughed if the circumstances weren’t so fucked up.

“No. You shouldn’t?—”

She cut off my protest.

“That’s what family’s for.” To tell the truth, she’d surprised me. It wasn’t what I’d expect from someone like her, but maybe she was stronger than she appeared. As if she read my thoughts, she said, “Being with Frank… your father… I’ve found a strength I never thought I possessed.”

She smiled dreamily, the expression out of place here in the darkness of the cellar filled with a coppery scent.

“I guess that’s good,” I muttered.

“He chases my demons away.” My brow furrowed. Aisling’s sigh contained multitudes of exasperation. “We all have our crosses to bear, yours heavier than mine.”