Page 86 of Bleed with Me

“You’ll ruin our fun,” Malin reminded me in a sing-song voice, admiring the mess I created. Julien was barely conscious. His breathing came out in shallow bursts, his hands clutching his thigh desperately.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, standing to my full height. “I got carried away.”

“Understandable.”

Malin circled Julien like a predator ready to pounce, clearly deciding what to do with him. The hunt was over. Even if we left him to his destiny in the forest and he somehow survived, he wouldn’t be able to walk ever again. I made sure of that.

But Malin wasn’t someone who would leave things unfinished. Julien was brought here to pay, and looking at my brother’s expression, I knew he wasn’t done yet.

“Help me move him,” Malin said, grabbing Julien’s arm. I did the same, and we dragged him beneath the tree.

Two minutes later, Julien was hanging upside down from a thick branch, his ankles locked in a heavy chain. He swayed slightly, blood rushing to his head, reddening his skin.

“Let’s remove these.” Malin pulled my knives from his knees, grinning viciously as Julien wailed in pain. Bluff shifted beside me, restless and ready to chew his head off, but Malin’s orders were clear. He would live as long as possible, floating on a painful cloud of his actions that led him into this hell.

“What’s the plan?” I asked my brother, watching him sit against the tree. He lit a cigarette, his gaze glued to the blood dripping from Julien’s head and shoulders.

“We can leave him to bleed out.” Malin shrugged, releasing a cloud of heavy smoke through his nose.

“Considering the injuries,” I looked at my masterpiece, realizing a bone was visible on his right leg, “it could take three to four hours.”

“Beautiful,” Malin smirked.

“Okay.” I sat on the ground beside him and stretched my legs.

The forest sounds and darkness enveloped us, only Julien’s cries and pleas disturbing the scene. My mind went blank for a long moment. The adrenaline evaporated from my bloodstream, and my heart rate slowed. I started to plan the following day, the procedures, and visiting Aryna, when I realized this was an excellent opportunity to talk with Malin. I needed help with my wife.

My PI failed to find her. Every clue I provided led to a dead end. She was great at covering her identity and her tracks. If I wanted to catch her—not just know who she fucking was—I needed the best out of the best. And that, unsurprisingly, was Malin.

“Can I tell you something without triggering your killer instinct?” I asked carefully. He would be pissed as hell. I’d lied to him the entire time.

“Speak,” he grumbled, lighting another cigarette.

“I met her again,” I whispered, glancing at the branches moving above our heads.

“Her?” Malin echoed, blowing smoke my way.

“My kidnapper.” I looked at him, ignoring the cloud. His face was blank, stripped of emotion, but his eyes told a different story.

Anyone else would’ve mistaken his expression for indifference. I knew better. It looked dangerously close to betrayal.

“And?” He lifted a brow when I just stared at him.

“It’s complicated,” I sighed, nervously running my hand through my hair.

“Then explain,” he suggested, rising to his feet. I gaped at him as he pressed the almost finished cigarette against Julien’s back, pulling a shriek from him. Malin ignored him, returning to his spot as if the desperate cries were just background noise.

“I think I care about her,” I said after a tiny pause. “Truly care.” I cast him a pointed look. “And I need your help to find her, but I don’t want anything bad to happen to her.”

“Do you now, huh?” He played with a silver lighter, his arrogant tone slowly killing any hope. But I continued anyway.

“Yes, I do. You’re the best.” I shrugged, realizing Julien’s cries had quieted. “My PI couldn’t find anything. Her hacker accomplice is amazing.”

“One of the best I’ve encountered,” Malin confirmed, a frown forming on his face. “Weird that we didn’t cross paths sooner.”

I stared at him for a second, my mind quickly connecting the dots.

“You know who he is!” I burst out, my entire body tensing. “Do you know who she is?”