Giddeon compressed his body into the bars with bruising force, willing them to fall away and allow him access he so desperately needed inside. Reaching his arms through the bars, he situated his elbows on them, readying for a fight at a moment’s notice. “Ah, yes, and I will be held accountable for my part, but you’re the boss. I only did as YOU instructed me to do. Joseph and the countless others unfortunate enough to be employed by a cowardice pussy like you, or anyone else who crossed your path in a way you disliked, were all dealt with under YOUR orders.”
Dalton’s eye twitched at the tone and insult thrown at him. No one who valued their life dared to speak to him like that. EVER. His superior God complex commanded his movements, willing him to take a few steps closer. Dalton’s transparent eyes exposed the everlasting wickedness that spread like an infectious disease deep inside his otherwise perfect outward appearance. He glared at the dirty, vile, disgraceful excuse of a man who dared to stand up to him. He wasn’t even close to existing on the same level that Dalton resided.
Giddeon knew he’d hit a nerve when he glimpsed the unmistakable self-righteous wrath seething under the surface of his practiced, cool composure. Giddeon knew which buttons to push with this arrogant prick. His confident patience was slowly melting away.
Dalton clenched his shaking hands into tight fists. “I never ordered you to mark her up, you worthless pile of human garbage. You were never to lay a hand on her. You were ordered to bring her to me… nothing more, nothing less. You’re just an expendable class act, grade A, fuck up. Always have been. I thought, once upon a time, that you’d be different than all the others. You had the potential for true greatness.”
Giddeon snarled, willing with all his might for Dalton to come closer to the bars. “Fuck ups, like the man who killed my parents, you mean? The men you hired to get everyone to vacate the property you wanted… right?”
Dalton had a brief moment of disbelief flash across his face. “How’d you find out about that… unfortunate mishap? I know it wasn’t you who figured it out. You’re not smart enough to solve even the smallest of problems on your own. Who told you?”
Giddeon pressed his face against the bars forcefully, wishing he could walk right through them and wrap his hands around his neck. “Everyone is rolling over on you, every single person you’ve kept under your controlling command. I’ve seen Dale. He held nothing back. I know everything.”
Dalton stepped forward, not quite close enough to touch. How dare this son of a bitch question him? Dalton knew that the only way they could get Dale’s name was through Susan. That disloyal, disobeying bitch would pay dearly for her traitorous backstabbing. Caught or not, Dalton would make them all pay the price with their lives. He knew all their weaknesses. They all had them, including this pathetic looser in front of him.
“I was told that your father cried like a pathetic little girl.” The suited man lunged forward, grabbing the arms that dangled through the bars and wrenching them off to the side. Now nose to nose with nothing but the bars to separate them, Dalton’s voice dropped to a raspy undertone. “I was informed that he hardly put up a fight as your mother’s insides spilled out all over the floor that now belongs to me. And you just hid, like the scared, pathetic little coward I know you to be. They are all dead because of your inaction. How does it feel, walking around in your cowardice, knowing that you could’ve done something to save them?” Dalton enjoyed toying with him, like a cat playing with his prey before devouring it.
Giddeon yanked his hands away from Dalton’s grip all too easily, shaking with barely contained fury. He wrapped one hand around the back of Dalton’s collared neck, forcing him to remain in place. The other gripped his throat and squeezed. Dalton sneered, showing no reaction to Giddeon’s punishing stronghold, loving that he could still manipulate and control his emotions. Dalton mimicked his assailants’ strike by wrapping both hands securely around the rough flesh of Giddeon’s throat. Their stand-off became a game of pain tolerance. The last man standing wins.
“No. They are dead because you ordered it done. Why’d you do it? You were rich enough to buy the land out from under all the tenants.” Darkness spread over the marked up man, engulfing him in a fury that could only be quenched by spilling blood. Feeling the painful reminder of his tragic past burning a hole in his side, Giddeon released Dalton’s throat and reached into his back pocket. He gripped his dagger with such brutal force, his fingernails dug harshly into his palms, anxiously readying for the right time to strike.
With a smug smile, Dalton guffawed condescendingly at his question. “Because they refused me. Who were they to refuse me? They were nothing. Their lives were worth even less to me.” Dalton leaned forward, almost touching nose to nose, sneering in disgusted loathing. “The land was worth more to me than their meaningless lives. They were standing in the way of what I wanted. So, I had them removed… permanently.”
The enraged man’s strength wavered as he envisioned the twisted and horrified expressions of his parents through the eyes of a terrified boy. Seeing his moment of weakness, Dalton snarled out at him, “How’s that delicious blonde counsellor of yours? Eva, is it?” Giddeon froze at the mention of her name, bringing him out of his old nightmare and thrusting him into a nightmare of a new kind. Hissing into his ear, Dalton gave him a new reason to fear him. “I will enjoy having her delicate flesh torn from her bones, and revel in the sound of her screams as I have her exterminated… nice and slow. The memory of her anguish will satisfy my amusement for years to come.”
Giddeon, unable to hold himself together any longer, quaked violently as he tried so desperately to keep himself contained.
Dalton gripped his neck tighter, bringing him in closer. “I always win… one way or another. You can never beat me. I will destroy everyone around you that you care about. Not even prison can stop me. I will keep coming. I will never stop.”
He’d heard enough and had reached his breaking point. The beast within ripped through his fragile exterior and weak control.
Pulling the dagger out of his pocket, Giddeon lunged through the bars, grabbing Dalton around the neck. His hands tightened around his throat with punishing force. Before anyone could pull him off, the bloodthirsty man brought the hand clutching the dagger up and pushed it into the flesh just above his left eye.
Dalton fought against Giddeon’s hand, trying desperately to move away from the point of the blade. “Take a good look at this blade. It was the very same dagger used to murder my parents… and the very last thing you’ll ever see.” Giddeon pushed the blade deep into his brow and slashed viciously at Dalton’s face. The unprepared man’s screams echoed down the hall.
Giddeon distinguished the weight of the officers’ hands grasping him from behind, trying at no avail to pull him off the wounded prisoner. Wrapping his arm tighter around the back of Dalton’s neck, he brought him in closer to his body, binding them together around the bars.
Giddeon savagely slashed at Dalton’s eyes and face, digging out a deep x across the blood-stained expanse like a bullseye begging for his mark. Pressing with all his might, he watched with sick satisfaction as he split everything in its path like a hot blade through butter, reveling in the euphoric sound of Dalton’s hysterical howling, as frantic hands tried fruitlessly to pull him away. With each excruciating shriek, Giddeon laughed manically, slicing the blade deeper. He wanted to make damn sure that the damage he inflicted was irreversible.
Blood oozed out of the deep wounds, marring the man’s unrecognizable face. Giddeon’s smile widened as he brought his face close to Dalton’s ear. “Killing you wouldn’t be punishment enough for all you’ve done. Now, your suffering will be constant. Now, you’ll experience what it feels like to be imprisoned within your own body, forever blinded by darkness.”
Several more officers flew in, prying Giddeon off and dragging him away from the bloodied man that lay curled up on the blood soaked concrete floor, writhing in agony. He was unaware of the countless men tackling him to t
he ground. Wrenching his arms behind his back, they slapped the cuffs on, but that didn’t discourage the triumphant smile that snaked across his face. Closing his eyes, Giddeon enjoyed the agonizing, bellowing screams that ripped out of Dalton’s lungs, and he committed each one to memory. The sound was music to his ears, and he’d be reverting back to this place in time, knowing he’d be going away for a long time for this. But it was worth it.
Finally, he’d gotten his revenge.
Isle of Skye,
Quairaing Mountains
Two Months Later
“We’re almost there, love.” Behr had picked the perfect day for their hike up the Quairaing. Clear blue skies and hardly any wind made for a perfect day to conquer the Trotternish Mountains. From ground level, the hike looked pretty intimidating, but Adelle had assured her that it was a fairly easy task. Hey, if Adelle could manage it, Ellora was sure she could, too.
It was a thirty-minute drive from Portree using the A855 Staffin Road. Surprisingly, they were able to drive a good distance up. They passed the Old Man of Storr and continued to the Quairaing gravel road-side car park. Behr pulled the truck over, and they all poured out, one by one. The gang took a moment to stretch their limbs and enjoy their surroundings.
Ellora took in the majestic beauty that surrounded her in complete awe. The rich jade green color of the impressively sized Trotternish Mountains wrapped around them on all sides. The mossy color of the steep grassy slopes climbed up the imposing rock formations that took on their unnaturally bazaar shapes. The weathered away landslide gave the ridges awe-inspiring, unbelievable silhouettes that had her imagination running wild with possible stories.
Gavin, Adelle, and Behr gathered their gear out of the back of the truck, while Ellora gazed off into the distance to where they’d be heading. Raising her hand to shield her eyes from the brilliance of the sun, she could see what looked to be an ancient looking castle. It appeared to be made of jagged volcanic rock, with high fortress walls wrapped around it, sitting atop a high cliff face.
“That is beautiful. Are we going up there?”
Behr came up behind the captivated girl, weaving his arms around her tiny waist. “Aye, that we are, love. Shouldnae take more than an hour’s walk to get there.” Ellora’s eyes widened, shocked at the amount of time it’d take to get there. It looked to be closer than it really was.
“What is that?” She pointed at the immense nature-made structure.
Behr bent down, nuzzling into her neck, whispering low against her ear. “That there we call The Prison, and if you’re a good girl an’ make it up to the top, I’ll have a surprise waitin’ for ya.”
Ellora turned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck with a challenging grin growing on her face. “Oh, is that so? Well, you’ve got yourself a deal.”
Adelle and Gavin sidled up next to the adorable couple, handing over Ellora’s pack. “We best be off. We don’t want to lose the daylight.” Gavin flashed Adelle a brilliant smile as he helped her with her pack, and in turn, she nodded, winking back at him. Oh, they definitely knew something Ellora didn’t.
The suspicious girl snatched her pack out of his outstretched hand and began marching down the gravel path as she shouldered the heavy bag. The guys snickered at her persistence, trotting up behind her marching form.
Behr was spot on about the time it took to hike up the ridges. It took a little over an hour and a half because the girls needed to take a few short breaks to catch their breath. The elevation really sucked the oxygen out of your lungs, making even the most athletic person short winded. The trek up was steep and pretty hard to climb… but they had made it.
The views were absolutely magical. The breeze was stronger at this height, causing Ellora’s midnight locks to whip around her shoulders. A faint whistling from the breeze filtered through the rocky pinnacles. “C’mon, love. Let’s take a walk inside The Prison.” Behr wiggled his eyebrows, with mischief dancing in his eyes. Ellora reached out and laced her fingers with his outstretched hand, following his lead.
“You can actually go inside there?”
The large man nodded at his girl. “It’ll be a tight fit, but aye, we can fit through the rock faced caverns.” A wave of excited adventure rippled through her as the steep fortress walls blocked out the sun, casting dark shadows on their path. Once Behr was satisfied by how far inside he’d taken her, he halted.
Turning toward Ellora, Behr came to stand right in front of her. Without a word, he shook off his pack, dropping it to the ground. His deep blue eyes scalded hers with the heat that poured out. Cupping her delicate face with his strong hands, Behr bent down, capturing her waiting lips with his. Grasping hold of her shoulder straps, the confident man eased her heavy pack off her back and tossed it aside.
Once freed, Ellora wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing into him, needing to mold herself to his body… to bring him closer. She sighed contentedly as his hot mouth stimulated a path down the delicate flesh of her neck. Behr skimmed the roughened pads of his large hands down the delicate curve of her body, gripping her hips with mind numbing pressure. He drew her impossibly closer, into the protective warmth of his body. “I love you… so much,” Behr promised in between wet kisses. “Never doubt that.”
Ellora raised up on tiptoes and cupped his perfectly stubbled face. She brought him down to her and placed a soft kiss on his waiting lips, telling him without words how much she loved him back. Their mouths surged together with flawless rhythm.
Behr made sure to take his time to properly worship her. With every stroke of the tongue or nip of her swollen bottom lip, he gave her everything. Breathless with need, he delved in deeper with the overpowering need only a man can possess, driven to consume all of her. The unmistakable desire to carry her away and finally unite their bodies into one was overwhelming. To make her his… forever.
But, the damp, narrow cavern was tight, sharp, and awkward, too awkward to take things any farther, which was exactly what they both wanted as their heated desire escalated to maddening heights.
Breaking the kiss, Behr’s hands roved back up her body and cupped her face. Resting his forehead on hers, their hot breath mingled together as they panted, trying to steady their racing hearts. “C’mon, love. Let’s get outta ‘ere. It’s time I take you to your surprise.”
Ellora, dazed and lightheaded, brought her forehead against Behr’s solid chest and groaned in frustration. “You mean my surprise wasn’t for you to lure me into a prison and ravish me? What a bummer.”
Her body moved against the vibrations of Behr’s deep voice as it rumbled from laughter. “Nae, love, that was just a pleasant bonus… for me.” Scooping up both their packs, Behr led the object of his affection out of the fortress walls. She reluctantly followed close behind, dragging her feet the whole way, not ready to be out of his arms so soon.
Stepping out into the bright sun from the darkness of the ancient cliff formation left her blinking rapidly in an attempt to let her eyes adjust. When the splotches faded away and her sight was back, she smiled over at her friends. Gavin definitely took full advantage of their moment alone. He had Adelle pinned against the jagged prison walls, trapping her in the cage of his arms, murmuring softly in her ear.
“What is with this place… make-out point?” Ellora muttered to herself, amused at how this spot seemed to be lust central for these Scottish boys.
Adelle was snickering as Gavin whispered something seductively into her ear. The wind whirled her strawberry locks all around them, curtaining their private moment as he tried his best to work his game on her. Adelle was a tough cookie to crack. She definitely tried her best to stay clear of his affections, but it seemed like the more she ran, the more exciting the chase was for Gavin. Ellora knew that, someday soon, Gavin would finally capture her.
Smiling at the thought, Ellora knew they’d make a fiery couple.
Grasping hold of Behr’s hand, she led him away. “C’mon, let’s leave them to it. They can catch up to u
s when they’re… done.” The matchmaking friend couldn’t help but laugh at the last word.
Catching a sideways glimpse of his friend, Behr smiled and nodded his agreement. “Aye, love. They need some time alone.”
The hiking path got really tricky after leaving The Prison. They took the well-worn trail to the right, entering the highest point of the Quiraing. Behr led them off the beaten trail and turned left, climbing the steep earthy slope onto another narrow path. It arched its way up and to the right of the cliff side.
Ellora looked up ahead of them and spotted a narrow gap in between two towering rocky cliffs. Behr led them right through the narrow gully, climbing higher still. Once at the end, Behr hopped out of the damp gully and helped Ellora down and out of its tight path.
When she emerged from the gully, Ellora gasped in surprise at the series of well-hidden, secret paths behind the towering cliffs. “Oh, Behr, this is… this is beautiful. I have no words.” The large smiling giant looked down on her with a twinkle in his eyes and an impressive smile. His masculine beauty took her breath away. The enthusiastic disposition that shown from him was a red flag to anyone who knew him. His excitement gave Behr away; they must have been close to the surprise… whatever it was.
The new path beyond the gully dropped quite dramatically. Her brute of a guide took his time climbing down, helping Ellora as she navigated her way down the slippery embankment. Behr never let her go, making sure his raven-haired beauty never stumbled. Once at the bottom, the path zigzagged around the steeper rock formations, unchanged by time. They looked as ancient as the history that surrounded them.
Beyond Redemption (Marked Series Book 2) Page 22
