“Let’s not beat him too much, Uncle. You’re acquainted with his father, after all.” I let my eyes fall on Killian, who’s been following the entire conversation with the same blank expression. “Tell you what, kid. If you break up with Glyndon, and she knows it’s all your doing, we’ll spare you the torture.”
“With all due respect, sir, those threats don’t work on me,” the little shit says with a small smile. “You should ask Landon here. He tried worse and failed.”
“I didn’t fail if I haven’t stopped trying,” Landon says. “And you should listen to Dad because he’s offering you the easy way out.”
“I most definitely am,” I say. “Uncle, under different circumstances, how do we deal with someone who thinks he can be with my daughter after he broke her heart?”
“Correction.” Killian raises a brow. “I didn’t break her heart. She thought I did after seeing a clip from a cut video in which I told a fake friend of hers that he could drop dead. What she didn’t see is the rest of the footage where he asked me what would I tell him if he wanted to die. And afterward, when he laughed and said maybe he’d take someone with him. That someone was Glyndon, by the way. He wanted to drive himself with her off the cliff, but she escaped at the last minute. Due to his actions, she felt horrible for months, thinking she failed him when he needed her the most and that was why he committed suicide. As I’m sure Landon and Brandon told you, he didn’t die, but he’s currently wishing for death.”
I raise an eyebrow at the sure, assertive way he speaks. It’s a startling, absolutely appalling reminder of how my cousin was when he was around this fucker’s age.
Uncle must’ve made the connection, too, because his lips tighten in a line. “Landon tells me you have a history of violence, boy.”
“And so does he, but you don’t see me airing his dirty laundry for everyone to see. If I must say, it doesn’t look good on you, Landon.”
I can feel the tension radiating from my eldest son, but Bran pats his shoulder—or maybe grabs it in an attempt to stop him from going off like a bullet.
Among the four of us, Bran is definitely the only one who’s on the little shit’s side.
“Glyndon already chose him, Dad, and he makes her happy, so maybe you shouldn’t intervene,” is what he told me earlier.
Like fuck I won’t intervene.
The more I talk to him, the less I like him.
I simply did not raise my only daughter all these years to eventually hand her over to this sod.
“Look, I understand your reservations about me,” he continues in a serious tone. “But my use of violence was in my teens when my impulse control needed more work. Now, the only violence I indulge in is when I have to protect Glyndon. It is never directed at her or her friends and family.”
“Those are some pretty words,” Uncle says.
“I mean every one of them and I promise that I’ll keep her safe with my life.”
“That’s if you don’taccidentallylose your life in the meantime,” Landon mutters.
“Now, Landon.” I try to sound stern. “No threatening in front of outsiders. It could be used against you later.”
Killian merely smiles as if he didn’t hear the last bits of dialogue. “Glyndon said it’d be difficult for you to accept me, but I’m willing to try to get your approval for her sake—minus you, Landon. I don’t give a fuck about your opinion. Mr. and Mr. King, I respect you for bringing Glyndon up all these years. In fact, I tip my hat to you for protecting her during the time I wasn’t in her life, but know this—you’ll never be able to take her away from me. You can break my legs and arms, but I can still crawl toward her.”
“So you’re telling us that you’re not backing away from my daughter?”
“Not even close, not even a little.”
“Very well.” Uncle stands. “I’ll keep an eye on you, boy. Make thateyes, plural, and if I find out that you’ve hurt my princess in any way, I’ll make sure you never breathe properly again.”
“Here’s a piece of advice, Killian—the only one I’ll offer you. If you do cause pain to my daughter, you might want to voluntarily disappear, because I’ll kill you when I find you.”
“Please do. You have permission to do whatever you wish if I do cross a line, but you are not permitted to intervene or sabotage our relationship.”
“Are you threatening us?” I ask.
“Of course not.” He smiles in that annoying way. “I’m just relaying a piece of information.”
Uncle stares at him, then walks out, and I follow after, leaving my sons with the vermin.
As we step out, I can hear Killian and Landon exchanging passive-aggressive remarks while Brandon tries to cool off the atmosphere.
“I need you to watch that boy closely, Levi,” Uncle says once we’re down the hall.