Page 79 of The Forgotten

“My compassion for others is not the weakness you believe it to be,” I growl.

Nancy is a beta, and utterly useless as a companion, which is what she was supposed to be. I didn’t want to be responsible for sexually satisfying someone through a heat, which is why I knew I needed to marry a beta. Bea is the only one that I’ve ever enjoyed entertaining every whine, whimper, and scream. She brought out the best in me.

I could very easily lose my humanity and never look back, and it would be entirely this woman on the ground’s fault.

“I have extended the privilege of my compassion to you for far too long. That is all coming to an end,” I grunt, taking the sharp end of the shovel and swinging it down onto her leg, hoping to snap the bone.

Who the fuck gardens in a pencil skirt and tank top in April? I have a feeling that she’s been stepping out on me because her clothing choices have changed. They’ve gotten tighter, sexier, and more low cut. I will be pulling the name of the person she’susing to make a fool of me from her, even if it’s with her dying breath.

I am no one’s cuckold.

“You’ll never find her,” Nancy gasps. “Not with the way that the auction bounty hunters are spilling into the city. You don’t know that girl. What the fuck kind of name is Aisling anyway? Cian, you’ve never wanted children.”

The scales of justice are tilting, and not in Nancy’s favor. She read the letter, and still hid it, knowing how important its contents was to me.

“I didn’t want children with you!” I roar, my gaze narrowing on her. “Aisling had better fucking be at that apartment, or I will make you pay.”

“I thought this was your paltry attempt to do that,” she laughs cruelly.

“Oh, I plan to draw this out,” I decide. Why make this quick when my daughter has been out there suffering alone? “I’ll make you scream until you can’t anymore, and then I’ll continue to punish you.”

“It’s been a while since you’ve participated in some good old fashioned torture,” Hayes offers. “What do you need?”

“I need to go to an apartment building to find my daughter,” I say.

Hayes nods, pulling out some zip ties from his pocket and a gag. God I love him, he’s always prepared.

“Give me a second to get her squared away,” Hayes says. The shed is fully decked out with hanging metal chains to ensure she’ll remain very comfortable and it’s sound proofed. “Any requests while I do that?”

“She’s afraid of insects,” I mutter, watching as Hayes gags her roughly before he ties her up. She doesn’t have a chance to fight or scream, not that it would do her any good. “I think theyshould have some time with her before I return. I’ll hose her off if I find Aisling.”

“And if you don’t?” he asks, tossing Nancy’s body over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“Then I drag this out until I find her. We can keep a body alive for a long fucking time, Hayes.”

“Aye, sir, we can. She’ll make lovely fertilizer for the garden once we’re done. Get some people together, and I’ll meet you at the front door, sir,” he says, breaking into a sprint as he crosses the yard.

My men have never cared for Nancy, which means they won’t ask or think twice that she’s disappeared. Picking up my phone, I begin texting people to meet me to search the apartment. If we don’t find her, I’ll have them begin to scour the streets for my daughter.

The weight of disappointment in myself will never lessen, but I’ll do my damnedest to be the best goddamn father I can possibly be.

Hayes appears at my side, pulling me from my musings as I pocket my phone.

“I’ll drive, sir,” he says, opening the door to the house. “Nancy will be waiting when we return. I have a feeling the fire ants I found will leave gorgeous welts.”

“Good,” I grunt. “The fun is just beginning.”

Chapter

One

Three and a half years later

CIAN

Today isthe anniversary of the day that I killed my wife. I tortured her for six goddamned months, and put her out of her misery the same day I found my daughter.

I took my time, didn’t rush, and got creative. Burning, starving, sensory deprivation, and in-depth knowledge of Nancy’s fears made it a very enjoyable experience for me.