The Marriage Debt (Underworld Kings)

He roars in pain and stops, then turns to look at me, the pain in his eyes indescribable.

Pure misery.

Thunder strikes through the sky, the flash distracting us all.

Because in a single second, Liam’s gotten up, snatched the gun off the ground, and grabbed my arm, knocking both the knife from my hand and the wind out of my lungs.

And as he clutches my body close to his, he moves backward fast, toward the edge of the cliff.

Chills run down my spine, the cold rain hitting hard.

Liam isn’t trying to save me.

The gun isn’t pointed at Luca.

It’s pointed at my head.

Chapter 32

Luca

* * *

Days ago

* * *

I stare at the pictures in my hand while the car drives across an idyllic road through the mountains. The view outside doesn’t amaze me as much as seeing these images in front of me. It’s still hard to believe they’re real.

That Liam is alive.

And not just that, but he’s thriving.

Surviving on his own without any help from any of his family members or friends.

They don’t even know he still exists.

A knot forms in my stomach.

I’m going to have to tell all of them soon. Especially Jill.

I rub my forehead.

It’s going to be tough. Tougher than anything I’ve ever done before.

But I’m here with a purpose, and I refuse to give up. If there’s even a chance, I have to try.

When the car finally stops, the detective looks at me and says, “Be prepared for anything and everything.”

I nod, looking out at the cabin down in the woods. “He really lives off-grid.”

After taking a deep breath, I get out of the car and walk into the forest until there’s a strange sound.

THWACK!

THWACK!

Rhythmic strokes. Someone’s chopping wood.

My feet rustle the leaves on the ground. A sweaty, half-naked buff man with long hair looks up. His eyes connect with mine, and at that moment, I know for sure …

I have finally found my brother.

“Liam,” I say.

His eyes narrow. Violently.

With the axe in his hands, he approaches me. Not down low. High up. Threatening.

“Who the fuck are you, and why do I feel like I know you?”

Jill

* * *

Present

* * *

“I didn’t recognize my own damn brother when I first saw him … but I’d recognize the one girl who tried to murder me in a heartbeat,” Liam growls.

“What?” I mutter, unable to believe what’s happening.

Why is Liam pointing a gun at my head?

“JILL!” Luca’s ear-piercing scream catches everyone off guard as he crawls up from the ground, clutching his side.

“Liam! No!” Jasmine shrieks, her eyes homing in on the gun. “Why are you doing this!?”

Luca groans in agony. “Tell her what happened, Liam. Tell her what you’re really doing here. She deserves to know why you’re going to kill her.”

Kill me? Liam?

He could never.

Right?

My whole body begins to shake, and I suddenly feel sick to my stomach.

“But I swear on her fucking grave I will chase you into your own,” Luca growls, standing up straight, despite the pain.

The pain I caused him.

“Like that’ll change a thing,” Liam says. “She’s still going to die.”

Die?

Now?

Here?

At his hands?

Thunder strikes, hitting the water behind us, and I suddenly become intensely aware of exactly where we are. The same place where I drove off the cliff three years ago. The same place I once thought I’d lost Liam forever. The same place he’s now threatening to … end my life.

“I don’t understand,” I mutter. “Finally, we have you back, and now—”

“I was never gone to begin with,” Liam interrupts. “But my memory was, for three fucking years. I died that day you drove me off that cliff, Jill,” he growls at me. “Do you know what happens to a man when he’s starved of oxygen for as long as I was?”

Tears run freely down my cheeks. “Please …”

He ignores my pleas. “I couldn’t fucking remember a thing. Three years filled with anxiety. I couldn’t sleep without nightmares, couldn’t live without headaches and constant rage. Ever since that one fucking night.”

His fingers almost dig into my skin, as does the gun, and I don’t know what to do except ask questions, hoping it’ll keep him going. My lips part. “How did you survive?”

“A bunch of fishermen were fishing in the area and saw me floating to the surface, so they jumped in to get me out.”

Oh, my God.

When we were both drowning, I was only able to save myself, but I still lost consciousness. All I know is that some random car stopped, and a guy came to drag me out of the water.

But by the time the emergency people came to help, they could no longer find Liam’s body. And everyone assumed he’d drowned and sank to the bottom.

I’m so confused right now. It’s too much to take in at once. “But you weren’t at the hospit—”

“I told them not to take me there,” he interrupts. “I didn’t have any fucking memories, but I did know this city was fucking dangerous and that I wanted nothing to do with it. All this time, I’ve lived far away from the danger. Even though I had no fucking memories, I was content living a normal life and working hard to survive.”