Chapter 122

Aroar unlike anything I’d ever heard filled the night air—full of pain and rage. I felt the horrible pain of it in my very bones. The roof of the building shuddered, and the chains rattled. My heart kicked up as I gasped with surprise. There were wolves in Cedar Harbor, but that? That wasn’t a wolf. I didn’t know what that was.

“Well, well.” The hunter clicked her tongue. “That’s fucking new. What are you wolves hiding here in Cedar Harbor?”

Twirling her bloodied knife, she walked outside without a word.

“Nolan?” I called out, desperate to hear his voice. The silence was daunting. He’d gone quiet after what felt like hours of screaming. “Nolan, please. Please… say something. Say something.”

His lack of response was terrifying. Was he…? I didn’t even want to think the words in my head. He couldn’t be. I needed him.

“Nolan!” I shouted. “Nolan! You answer me right now! Nolan!”

“I’m here…” His voice was raw and distant. But he was alive. That was a good thing. I clung to that. “I’m here…”

“Keep talking, Nolan,” I pleaded. “Please, keep talking to me.”

“It hurts…” he whispered. I didn’t miss the tremble in his words. “I can’t… Ginny… I just…”

“Oh, look who’s talking,” the hunter taunted as she came back in. “If you’re fucking talking, Baby Byrne, it means I haven’t done a good enough job with you.”

“No, no!” I exclaimed. “Please! Please, leave him alone! He can’t take any more!”

“Oh, he can take more,” she scoffed. But she did stop. That deadly gaze turned on me, and I swore my heart stopped in my chest. Just for a moment. “You should see him. I’ve done a fucking number on him. Baby Byrne doesn’t get the fucking credit he deserves. His brothers think he’s weak. Honestly, I thought he’d be dead by now.”

I bit back a sob. I didn’t want to know. As horrible as it was, I didn’t want to know.

“Please, stop,” I begged, choking on the words. “Leave him alone. Do… whatever you want to me, just please… please, leave him alone. He doesn’t deserve this.”

“Ginny…” Nolan coughed, and something wet hit the floor. “Don’t… I can take it…”

“I think it’s you.” She pointed her knife at me, grinning. “I think he’s holding out because of you. As much as I’d like to tear into you, I won’t touch you until I see just how far I can push him. How much pain do you think he’ll endure for you?”

“Please, don’t.” But my words were ignored as she whistled loudly, striding back to Nolan. Minutes later, his screams filled the warehouse all over again while hot tears burned my cheeks.