As much as I wanted to believe that, I couldn’t. “I’ve already done what I’ve done. If there’s a heaven and hell, you know which one I’m going to. I’m damned, and nothing I do now will change that.” I had been raised in a religious family, but my connection to God died that night. If He existed, He wouldn’t have allowed my father to take the lives of the people I loved. He wouldn’t have let us starve on the street and sleep in the rain. He wouldn’t have driven us to this savage existence. It was the devil that did all of that. It was the devil that turned me evil.

Magnus’s breathing deepened as the silence passed, like my words actually pained him, just the way they pained Melanie. For whatever reason, I had two people who loved me, when I didn’t deserve either one. “I believe all people can be redeemed. All people can earn redemption. You just have to try.”

I considered his words but didn’t believe them. “You can be redeemed, Magnus. Your soul is still whole.” He didn’t have to witness what I did. If he had, he would be just like me, and I was grateful he wasn’t just like me. “You’re still innocent. Me…it’s too late for me, and we both know it. May as well make as much money as I can and enjoy spending it all while I’m still here.” I set down the wineglass in dismissal, because this conversation was over as far as I was concerned. I rose to my feet.

He did the same. “Fender.”

With a clenched jaw, I wished this conversation would just end. My brother’s optimistic belief only made my damnation worse. It was times like these when I wished I were dead, that someone would just pull the trigger and put me where I belonged—in the ground.

He shook his head as he looked at me. “We need to free those girls. Period.” His look was full of pity, like he actually felt bad for me.

He shouldn’t.

“We can’t do this anymore.”

I remained hostile. Conversation was over.

“You need to stop this. Now.” He kept prodding and prodding. Pushing and pushing. Believing when there was no reason to believe.

I stared him down, furious. “Or what?”

His eyes narrowed at my choice of words.

“You going to kill me?” I took a step closer to him, unleashing the silent challenge. He needed to stay the fuck out of my way and shut his goddamn mouth.

His gaze immediately smoldered in rage at the insinuation. For whatever reason, my brother loved me. Loved me despite what I did. Loved me despite the fact that I didn’t deserve it. “No. I’m not our father.”

My anger sheathed, touched by what he said.