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Author: M.J Mackenzie
last update publish date: 2026-05-07 23:17:53

The words hit me like a strike to the skull. For a second, everything goes white.

“What the fuck?” It tears out of me before I can stop it.

His grin widens—pleased, entertained—and he points at me like I’ve just confirmed something for him. “You’re going to marry me, Doc. I gave my father my word—I can control you.” His tone is almost light. “This way, you get to stay alive.”

Alive. Like it’s a gift. Like it’s something he’s offering out of generosity.

My legs feel stiff, foreign, like
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  • Two Brothers. One Ruin.   94

    Looks like I’ve got rats crawling around closer than I thought. Because somebody tipped Chelsea off. And now she’s on the run. Which means at some point, I’m going to need to tear this family apart piece by piece and figure out exactly who the fuck’s been talking. Ian and Caleb picked up her trail last night and went ahead after her. Now the rest of us have been chasing their route down the highway for what feels like forever. The road stretches endlessly beneath us, blistered by heat and drowned in harsh sunlight. Dry land flashes past on both sides in violent blurs while the engine screams beneath my feet. At this speed, everything outside the windows looks less like scenery and more like bullets tearing past us. Every minute that passes drives something sharper into my chest. Like the slow twist of a knife. Because every second it takes us to catch her means a longer drive back. And a longer drive back means less time left for Liana. Less time before Kyle decides he’s done wa

  • Two Brothers. One Ruin.   93

    “Are you sure about this?” I ask Julian from inside the car. Rain lashes violently against the windshield while the estate looms ahead through the darkness like something waiting for us. “If I were sure,” he says flatly, “I would’ve demanded Liana’s freedom from you a hell of a lot sooner than this.” He slides the magazine into his gun with a sharp click before looking over at me. “So no. But right now this is the only lead we’ve got.” I don’t waste another second thinking about it. “Xavier, exterminate the flies.” “Yes, boss.” He’s out of the vehicle before the command even stops echoing. From the shadows of the other cars, the rest of the men spill out in a silent, lethal wave. Five minutes later, Julian and I step out too. Weapons already drawn as we move through the estate gates side by side. A handful of guards and security men are already down across the courtyard. Bodies scattered over wet stone. Blood disappears beneath the relentless rain almost as quickly as it spills

  • Two Brothers. One Ruin.   92

    “Let her go, Shaun.” Father commands. I tighten my grip instead. Everything in front of me feels red. “Shaun.” This time it comes out as a warning. I still don’t move. “When I let go,” I growl, dragging her closer to me, “you don’t say another fucking word. About Liana. About anything. You understand me?” Tears gather in her reddened eyes while she struggles to nod. I shove her away hard enough that she collapses onto the wet ground coughing violently. Then I turn toward the rest of them. Toward the entire family now gathered in the rain-soaked courtyard.“Everybody listen carefully.” My voice cuts through the thunder loud enough to silence every whisper instantly. “Until Liana’s found, nobody thinks about anything else. Nobody sleeps. Nobody steps out of line."My gaze moves slowly across each face, pinning them in place."And most importantly—keep your fucking mouths shut. If I hear a single thing I don’t like, I’ll break your teeth myself.” I storm back inside and yank my

  • Two Brothers. One Ruin.   91

    A minute later, I’m behind the wheel. The engine roars to life beneath me as I drive straight toward her apartment. The lobby manager swears he hasn’t seen Dr. Carlson since the wedding weeks ago. Still, he unlocks the apartment for me. I search the entire place anyway. Nothing. No sign of her. No trace that she’s even been here recently. I check the bedroom last. Empty. I stare at the untouched space for a few long seconds. The air is stale, the silence loud enough to ring in my ears. She isn't here. I walk back out. It’s only been a couple of hours. She’ll come back. She has to. I return to my father’s estate and wait for news. None. Outside, the rain starts hammering hard enough to sound violent against the windows. Every strike of it feels like a whip cracking straight through my skull. Because now, hours have passed. And there’s still no sign of her. She knows exactly what happens if she disappears on me. She knows what I’ll do if she decides not to come back. And that’s

  • Two Brothers. One Ruin.   90

    Shaun “Everything go smoothly last night?” My father asks. 
“Yeah.” I lean back slightly in the chair. “Everything got delivered. Half the shipment went to the hospital. Hardware’s already in our warehouse.” 
“Good.” He studies me for a moment before continuing. “You took only people you trust?” 
“Yeah.” 
“These days we can’t afford mistakes,” he says calmly. “Not until we figure out who the second rat is.” 
A smirk pulls faintly at one corner of my mouth. “Don’t worry, Father. Everything’s under control.” 
He nods once and walks behind his desk. The office falls quiet for a few seconds except for the soft sound of rain hitting the windows. Then—
“Your wife’s been staying here for days. You’re not taking her back yet?” My gaze lifts toward him. “No.” 
He watches me carefully. “And then what? Is she going to stay here forever?” 
“If necessary.” I push myself to my feet and head toward the door. 
“That wasn’t our agreement.” My hand pauses briefly on the handle. “You said it

  • Two Brothers. One Ruin.   89

    “Time of death, fourteen twenty-four.” Dr. Hunt’s voice is steady when he says it. Mine wouldn’t have been. I’m barely holding myself upright at this point. It honestly feels like my legs might give out beneath me at any second. My first patient that didn’t survive under my hands. The first person I ever lost in surgery—was a ten-year-old boy. Everything after that blurs. The operating room. The voices. The movement around me. I don’t even wait for Dr. Hunt to go speak to Sylvia. I know he does—I see him moving toward the hallway through the haze—but I can’t stay long enough to watch it happen. I walk away too fast. Almost stumble, honestly. But even from down the corridor, I still hear her scream. God. That sound. It tears straight through me. “Liana.” Jenny’s voice reaches me somewhere in the middle of all the noise. And the second she touches me, I break. I practically collapse into her arms. “He’s dead, Jenny.” The words come out fractured, barely recognizable. “He’s f

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