I step back, admiring my handiwork. The word “pervert” reads across his chest.
“We have to ask Da if we can kill him, Cal.” I barely make out Sean’s nervous whisper over the sound of Liam’s moans of pain. Sean stands close to our other brother, Declan, with his head down as he stares at his feet.
He’s right. We’re not supposed to kill someone without permission from the king. I don’t give a fuck, though. I turn to face my two brothers. Sean’s a shade of pink, eyes trained to the floor.
“If you’re too scared to be a part of it, then leave.” My order is simple, and I won’t subject any of my brothers to something that makes them uncomfortable. Unlike Da, I’ll give them their choices. Work for me, or don’t. I will still love my brothers.
I turn back to Liam, loving the way blood drains from the cuts on his chest. No amount of pain can make him pay for what he’s done to my sister, though.
When I found the stupid fucker, he was on the floor of Saoirse’s bathroom. She hit him pretty good, knocked him out cold, and when he came to, he was disoriented. A strong nudge of my foot brought him back. He opened his eyes and shit himself as I stood over him. Torture is Declan’s forte for a reason. I get carried away.
My monster is one I normally keep buried away. He only likes to play when my family is hurt. But when he is out, he can’t be chained.
“I’m not scared,” Sean says. “Forget I said anything.”
At eighteen, he still isn’t comfortable with the blood. That’s mostly my fault because I prevented Da from forcing him to participate in the gruesome shit we do. I don’t know exactly how I kept Sean hidden from Da’s grasp, but I did, and tonight will be the first time that he’ll ever see someone tortured and killed. Tonight, it’s time he becomes a man. He’s got to face the fact we protect our family, and this is how it’s done.
Doyle groans, his head falling forward. “Please, Cal. We grew up together. I didn’t mean her any harm. We were only flirting. That’s all it was.”
“Then why were you in her bathroom, fuckhead?” Declan takes my knife and slices his side.
I nod to Sean. “Get the salt.” Salt in open wounds burns like a fucking bitch.
“Oh, fuck. Please, Cal. Please. Just end it already.”
“Pussy,” Declan says. His hands are stuffed in his pockets as he watches, unphased by the entire situation. He’s cold, calculated. Probably better than me at keeping the emotions all bottled inside.
“Paddy will be home soon. Should we keep him alive until then?” I ask Dec.
Paddy’s the second oldest brother, and at basic training that ends next month. I won’t have a single fucking problem keeping the pervert alive for thirty days. Plus, that will cover the issue of getting permission from Da. If we wait, Sean doesn’t have to worry about getting into any trouble with him.
“Da will want to kill him, Callum,” Declan says.
I know that he’s right. If Saoirse were my daughter, I’d want to be the one to end his life. Nodding, I pull out my phone to call our father so that he can sentence the piece of shit. “Da. I’ve got some trash to be taken out.”
His grunt of disapproval comes across clear over the line. “What’ve ye din, lad?” His accent is thick like it always is when he’s angry with me. I can hear him grumbling to get out of bed, coughing as he does.
“I’ve done what any brother would do for his sister.”
“Tell me where you are.”
I give him our location and hang up.
Da takes thirty minutes to get to us. The entire time, Liam begs for mercy. Thirty fucking minutes of listening to this asshole cry and beg for his life. As if living is even an option for him at this point. The only topic for debate is how he dies.
When Da arrives, he looks at the writing on Liam’s chest and heaves a sigh. “Bloody Christ! He was your Ma’s favorite guard. What did he go and do?”
Liam grumbles from the pain. “I didn’t do anything, boss. I swear to God, I didn’t do anything.”
“He touched Saoirse,” Sean says.
“No, no, no! That’s not how it happened! Please. Please, Mr. Murphy.”
“Is my daughter ok?” Da asks
I sniffle, rub my nose, and turn to Da. “Aye.”
Da nods, his face red as he glares at Liam. “Kill him, son. Make him pay.”