Final Debt (Indebted #6)(42)

He coughed again, convulsing with heavy chokes.

My body begged to go to him, to help him breathe. At the very least, to brush aside his dripping hair and dry his face.

Cut didn’t do a thing, letting his son fight through the pressure of pain.

Jethro’s chin landed on his sternum as he did his best to calm his wheezing and gather a nourishing breath. Finally, he swallowed and glared at Cut beneath his brow. His eyes sparkled with tears from suffocating, but his temper snarled with peril. “Le—let her g—go.”

Cut clasped his hands in front of him, letting the pail fall to his feet. “Suddenly, you’re in the position to give me orders?”

Jethro groaned and spat on the floor, clearing his mouth from filth and water. “I’ll do what—whatever you…want.” His voice resembled sandpaper on a skill saw. “Just le—leave her out…of this.”

The irony. I’d said exactly the same thing.

Wasn’t that true love? The conviction of self-sacrifice in the face of your loved one’s agony? It was the greatest selfless act anyone could do.

“I have a better idea.” Cut snatched my face, imprisoning it in nasty fingers. Looking at Jethro, he squeezed me until I flinched with pain. “Instead of letting her go, I’m going to have some fun.”

Jethro groaned, still breathless and gasping. “Please…do whatever you want t—to me but forget the de—debts. Forget whatever it is you th—think she’s done. Just let her go…Father.” His voice slowly smoothed, pronouncing words more clearly.

Cut paused at the term of endearment. “Do you hear that, Nila? He wants me to be a better man and hurt him instead of you. What do you think?”

I swallowed, wincing in his hold. “I think you should let him go. He’s suffered enough. Let him leave and I’ll stay in his place.”

Jethro spasmed in his ropes. “No!”

Cut let me go. “You’re both as stupid as the other. Seeing as you refuse to save your own skin and prefer to be f*cking martyrs, the only course of action is for me to oblige you.”

Stalking around my chair, he sawed through the rope holding me against the wooden seat and hoisted me to my feet. I swayed with wobbliness but blinked it back. The incurable illness had been my gaolers, my prison guards for too long. I refused to be weak while Cut destroyed me piece by piece.

“Let her leave.” Jethro’s gaze bounced between Cut and me. He smothered a cough, his face blazing. “Nila, run.”

My wrists remained bound but being free from the hard wood granted a false sense of freedom.

Cut clucked his tongue. “She’s not running anywhere. Are you, Nila?” Capturing my elbow, he dragged me to the centre of the cave. “Stand there.”

“For f*ck’s sake—” Jethro’s words tore short in a vicious cough. “Le—let her go!” He fought the rope around him. The chair legs wobbled, creaking with pressure. “Stop. Nila…don’t be an idiot.”

It hurt so much watching him struggle to protect me when he hurt himself so much.

“Leave, Nila. He doesn’t care about you and the debts. Not now I’m here to take his anger out on.” His eyes glowed golden and sad. “Please, you ha—have to let me save you.”

Tears tracked silently down my cheeks. I wanted to give him what he wanted. I wished I was able to turn my back on him and value my life above his.

But I’d done that with my hated enemy, and I’d almost buckled under the right and wrong of taking his life.

I wouldn’t survive if I sentenced Jethro to death when I had a small chance of preventing it.

“I’m sorry, Kite.” I dropped my eyes, unable to look at him. “While you’re here, so am I. I’m not leaving you.”

Cut slung his arm over my hunched shoulders. “It’s too depressing in here. It’s time for some fun.”

I shuddered.

“Let. Her. Go!” Jethro’s voice vibrated against the cave walls, threatening an avalanche of dirt. A cascade of soil kissed the top of our heads, a verbal earthquake.

Cut growled, letting me go to prowl behind Jethro’s chair. “She’s been a part of this since the day she was born, Jet. The sooner you understand that she will pay the Final Debt and there’s nothing you can do about it, the easier your life will be.”

Jethro stiffened, his nostrils flaring with the urge to fight. “What do you mean, my life? I thought I was dead.”

Cut bowed over his son, wrapping his arms around his shoulders in a sinister hug. “I mean, I’ve re-evaluated my decision to kill you. Haven’t you found it strange you’re alive and not currently being gnawed on by hyenas?”

I bit my lip.

His hypothesis was eerily close to what’d happened to his third-born son.

Three boys.

Three heirs.

All gone in different ways.

Only one actually killed.

It was the perfect murder.

And I got away with it.

Jethro shivered with disgust. “Stop with your games. Spit it out.”

“Fine.” Cut pulled out a dirty rag and duct tape from his pocket. “I mean I’m not going to kill you.”

I sucked in a gasp. Thank God! Had he decided to reinstate Jethro as his heir, after all? Had I got through to him in some small way?