Bedmates Soulmates
CHAPTER 369

Darius had no time to wipe the blood away, preoccupied with fending off his ex-captain's relentless attacks,

He was well-trained by Austyn, but the student could not defeat the master.

In another ten moves, Darius was on the floor, panting hard, bleeding

Austyn put the second guard out of commission as well.

He rolled down his shirt sleeves and said to Darius. "You're getting rusty. If I'd used as much force as I did back in the army days, you'd be dead right now.' Darius didn't reply, having the wind knocked out of him.

He knew Austyn was right, though..

He might have won sparring contests in the army, but Captain McCarthy was forged in the crucible of Hell Weeks and actual combat.

"Kai, stay here."

'Yes, Boss.'

Without knocking, Austyn pushed open the mahogany door and walked in.

The study, like every other room in the mansion, was overdecorated and ostentatious.

Henry McCarthy did not believe in keeping a low profile.

He flaunted his wealth and power with a blatantness that would have made the robber barons blush.

Austyn stopped at the sight of the man lounging in a black leather recliner with his eyes closed.

A woman was kneeling in front of him with her back to Austyn.

When she heard footsteps, she hurriedly stood and zipped up Master McCarthy's pants before straightening out her own clothes. Her lipstick was smudged.

Henry McCarthy opened his eyes, ready to rebuke whoever had the impudence to disturb him.

A trace of surprise flashed across the fifty-year-old's face when he saw Austyn standing in his study.

His firstborn son had stayed away from Cedarwood for years.

'Holly, leave us.' Henry's voice was low and gravelly.

'Yes, Master McCarthy.

The woman bowed her head and left quickly

Austyn strolled over and stopped in front of the African blackwood table.

He sneered. 'Sebastian told me you're busy. I thought he was talking about work. Guess I was wrong

A look of annoyance flitted across Henry's face at the disrespectful remark.

But he just pointed to an armchair opposite his. "Sit down. I haven't seen you in a while. Let's catch up.

'I'm not here to catch up or bond with you."

Austyn leaned against the wall with his arms folded across his chest.

Henry picked up the teacup on a coffee table next to him and took a leisurely sip.

"Are you here to tell me about your brother?"

Liam's return to Stamford had not escaped his notice.

Austyn gave a short, mirthless laugh. "My last name's McCarthy. His is Cane. We're not brothers."

He scanned the capacious room stuffed with bookcases and precious antiques.

The aircon was running at full blast, but the room still felt stuffy and suffocating

'And I would not have been a McCarthy if not for Mom," Austyn said.

When he reached legal age, Austyn had wanted to take his mother's last name, but Charlotte got upset and strongly opposed the idea.

So he had to bear the McCarthy name and all the ignominy that came with it.

Henry McCarthy was a powerful man, revered in some circles and deeply loathed in others.

He also made powerful enemies.

Being a McCarthy opened doors for Austyn, but also subjected him to a prodigious amount of hostility.

Henry slammed the cup down on its saucer.

The McCarthy Patriarch

Dark amber liquid sloshed out.

'Is that any way to talk to your father? Where are your manners?"

Austyn shrugged. "Like father, like son."

'Austyn McCarthy!'

Henry took a deep breath

He set down the teacup. "How's your mother? I wanted to visit her the other day, but she wouldn't let me.'

"You're the one who put her in the hospital. Why would she want to see her torturer?"

Austyn gnashed his teeth.

The man had no right to mention Mom.

Henry narrowed his eyes.

No one dared talk to him like that.

No one who was still alive.

Go Ahead And Pull The Trigger, I Dare You

But Austyn was his son.

He would let it go, just this once.

Henry composed himself.

"What did Liam do this time?

Austyn wouldn't have come to Cedarwood just to talk to his old man.

'I give you two options, Austyn said coldly. 'One, send him abroad. You pick the country. I don't care where he ends up as long as he never sets foot in Stamford again Austyn drew himself up to his full height. "Two, kill him. Either do it yourself. Or if you don't have the guts, I'll do it for you."

Henry flung the teacup at his son.

Austyn sidestepped and dodged it.

The cup crashed into the wall behind him before falling to the ground, smashed to pieces.

Henry's face turned livid.

The veins stood out on his neck

'You're insane!'

'It's a limited-time offer.' Austyn was unfazed. 'If you can't make up

mind before I leave this room, I'm going to choose for you.

'He's your brother!' Henry pointed a finger at Austyn. 'How can you turn against your own family?

'Yeah, my dear brother, how can you?"

Liam's languid voice came from the doorway.

Henry glared at him. "What are you doing here? Get out!

Liam leaned against the door jamb. 'I heard shouting, so I came to have a look. Didn't expect to run into my big brother, who hasn't set foot inside the house for, what, five, six years?" Liam flashed an insouciant smile at Austyn. "Welcome home, Brother.

He strode into the study

Henry slammed a palm on the desk. 'Get out!'

Liam ignored his father.

His attention was on Austyn. "Brother, you've come here by yourself? That means your lovely young wife must be at home, feeling quite lonely. I could-'

Austyn grabbed Liam's shirt, pulled him in and delivered a vicious punch to his nose.

Liam's face was instantly bloodied,

in the gut

He clenched his fist and was about to jab Austyn in

Click

The sound of a hammer snicking into position was unmistakable.

Austyn held a gun to Liam's head, its muzzle less than an inch from his right temple.

Liam stopped moving

Austyn's gun hand was steady as a rock

His face was blank. "If you have a death wish, I can help you."

Liam recovered quickly and resumed his nonchalant attitude. "If you're willing to go to prison for fratricide, go ahead."

Murderous rage burned in Austyn's eyes.

Henry bellowed, 'Austyn, put down the gun!

Austyn didn't listen

His eyes were fixed on Liam. 'It won't be fratricide. I'll just be ridding society of the scum of the earth. Taking out the

'If I'm trash, what does that make you, my dear brother?"

The two of them carried on trading insults as if Henry didn't exist.

The mahogany door was ajar.

In the hallway outside, Kai stood and listened, with his hands clenched by his side and his palms sweating

The two bodyguards, with bloodied faces and bruised egos, lung back, unsure if they should intervene.

Austyn looked at Liam with an impassive face, his eyes glacial

His finger was on the trigger.

It would just take one tiny crook of his finger to fire the gun.

Palpable tension hung heavy in the air.

Bang!

A deafeningly loud shot rang out in the study.

Kai jumped.

Both guards bolted into the room.

The Sig Sauer P365XL lay on the carpeted floor.

Henry had struck out with a walking stick, hitting Austyn on the forearm.

Austyn dropped the gun.

It discharged on its way down, blasting a hole in the wainscoting behind Liam

The handmade brass walking stick was plated in 24K gold and encrusted with thousands of crystals.

Some of those crystals had cut through the fabric of Austyn's shirtsleeve, drawing blood.

Henry whacked Austyn's arm again, glaring at his sons.

"Stop it, both of you!!

Austyn flicked his gaze to his father.

He was half a head taller than Henry.

His dark eyes, smouldering with wrath, impaled the family patriarch.

Henry took an involuntary step backwards.

The savage look from his eldest son sent a chill down his spine.

Austyn was no longer the young boy under his thumb.

He had spread his wings and taken flight..

Henry gripped the handle of the walking stick

'He has three days, 'Austyn spat out the words, facing his father. 'If I see his face in Stamford on day four. option two for him."

in they say.

I'll as

assume you have chosen

Austyn brushed past the two guards, who looked away.

"Three days, I mean it.'

He left the study.

Henry raised the stick.

This time, the blows were directed at his second son.

The fifty-year-old, though past his prime, still retained some of the strength from his younger, head-bashing days.

Go Ahead And Pat The Trader i Dr You?

At the fifth strike, the brass stick snapped.

Liam just stood there and bore the blows with a stony face.

Henry hurled the broken stick aside and pointed a shaking finger at his second son.

Why did you have to go and provoke your brother? You mentioned his wife on purpose, didn't you?"

Liam's forehead was covered with beads of sweat

His nose was bloodied.

He ignored the pain from his arm and flashed his father a lopsided grin.

'Kira and I are on friendly terms. What's wrong with asking after my friend?"

Henry's chest heaved.