“Don’t do it,” Sunshine said softly, the only voice that could cut through the visions of murder dancing before my eyes. “Don’t kill him. Kick him out, stop speaking to him, lock him up, but don’t kill him.”

“What?” we both said at the same time.

Her lips were swollen, and she licked them before continuing. “He’s your brother.”

“I don’t care. He knew that you were special to me, and he was going to take that from me. Does that sound like a real brother to you?”

My hand flexed and relaxed on the blade as my mind screamed to kill him. But Kirby lifted her hand and laid it on my knee, and it was just enough to calm my mind to listen to her.

“No, he’s a fucking prick, but you can’t kill him because of me. Maybe not today or a month from now, but at some point, you’ll miss him and resent that you killed him for me.” My hands worked at the bindings that held her hands as she spoke while my eyes stayed trained on Abel. I shook my head. “Cain, don’t let him become the thing that comes between us.”

I stared down at her beaten face with her eye swollen closed. My Sunshine’s beautiful face that my brother tried to destroy. I screamed bloody murder as I pushed the killer down, that was begging to be set free. It felt wrong to let Abel go. I knew he’d continue to be a threat, but Sunshine was right about one thing—I’d miss him at some point. I stared into his eyes as he continued to hold perfectly still. It was the only smart thing he’d ever done. If he’d run, I would’ve gone after him.

“Well, you heard her. You’re going to get a free pass against my better judgment. Now get out of my home,” I ordered, my voice rough with the anger still burning throughout my body.

I could still picture slitting his throat, and I needed him to get away from me before I changed my mind. When he didn’t move fast enough, I hopped off the table and advanced on my brother. He jerked to his feet but limped as quickly as he could for the door.

“Abel,” I called out as he stopped to look at me. “You’re dead to me. Whether this knife pierces your heart is inconsequential, your actions have had the same effect. Stay on your half of the property, and if you cross the line to my side, or hunt down Kirby again, I will end you as swiftly as you’ve ended our relationship as brothers.” My voice dropped to a raspy growl. “I never want to see you again.”