An entire week passed before I stepped another foot into the gym. I was way past grumpy when Chase cornered me.
“You okay?”
His wide blue eyes were thoughtful, and his smile sweet. Chase had seen the entire thing and hadn’t said a word to anyone. “Better.”
He gave my dad a sideways glance before touching my cheek. “Want to spar for a bit? You can take out that built-up frustration on me.”
“That actually sounds like a really good idea.”
Chase handed me a pair of gloves. “Well then, follow me.” We made our way to the punching bag in the corner of the gym. The same punching bag Rage had used the day we were almost caught.
We fell into a rhythm. Jab, jab, hook. Jab, jab, hook.
“So, are you really okay? You talked to your dad about what happened yet?”
I sighed. “No, he’s been avoiding me.” I swung my arm, meeting Chase’s gaze fro
Oh no. Please, God. I wiped my cheeks of the waterfall of tears that coated them. Denver snapped his fingers and two armed men from outside, grabbed Rage underneath his arms, and pulled him over to the corner of the room. “Leave him alone!” I screamed.Denver’s chuckle sent chills down my spine. He watched them chain Rage to the wall with a smile on his face before turning to acknowledge me. His piercing blue eyes twinkled, his swim trunks hung low on his hips and the lack of compassion on his face hit me like a brick. “Sweet Angel,” he said. “I’ve got plans for you as soon as your buddy over there wakes up.”He walked toward me, grabbing my foot and yanked me toward him. Fear rushed through me when his finger trailed up the inside of my thigh. I slapped it away, thankful for the use of my hands. My feet had fallen asleep two hours before due to the heavy chains that tied me down.“Oh, don&rs
We spent the majority of the day at the hospital. Dante was in critical condition. When I found him in the basement I thought he was dead. But he opened his eyes when I bent down beside him. “I’m not dead yet, brother.”I smiled. “Well, we gotta keep you alive for a little while longer. You haven’t fallen in love yet.”“You’re definitely pussy whipped.”I chuckled. Carefully, I picked him up underneath his knees and back. “You’re gonna make it.”He nodded. I didn’t realize what happened to him until I got him up the stairs. Someone had hacked his shin in half. The white bone showed through the meat of his leg. The wound was fresh which meant he hadn’t bled out yet. We got him to the hospital in ten minutes. The police were waiting for us. We spent hours answering questions before they let us go check on Dante. They went into emergency surgery to amputate hi
Four months later …“He’s up next!” Aunt Shelly screamed in my ear. I didn’t need her to tell me because I’d been waiting for it. I’d counted down each fight waiting to see Rage. The New Orleans arena was huge compared to the one at home. We’d been waiting for this match since Rage started fighting at the gym. I glanced down at my blank cell phone and frowned. Dante hadn’t texted me back. I had hardly talked to him in the last three weeks, and he lived with us. After his surgery, Rage stepped up to the plate and started talking care of him. He’d been closed off and hadn’t showed any interest in anything. I’d never been in a wheelchair, but I knew he was upset about it. Who wouldn’t be?I slid my phone back into my pocket. The last I’d heard of Denver, he was awaiting trial. Knowing that the scumbag would never see daylight again made the kidnapping wort
Oh hell to the no.Something burned its way up the back of my throat and threatened to strangle the breath from me. Everything darkened but the opened square foil package in my grip. Anger clogged my throat and deafened my ears.This d-bag is going down.The flat-screen TV cast a glow over the dimly lit dining room. Those stupid, hideous pale green walls that he was certain would look great in oursalle a mangergawked back at me.Lucy, my pit, glared at me from the living room doorway with concern on her pale face. She looked so out of place next to the expensive dining room furniture and lush rugs. "Lucy, come sit down girl," he called.Vomit cl
"Tell me where he is," I shouted, my foot connecting with the man's ribs.All I could see was red. The sympathy I had for the man below us had vanished when he spit in my face. This guy knew where Denver was at all times, and I needed him to spit it out. I couldn't find my sister until I found Denver.He looked up at me from the concrete, his expensive clothes in shreds, and smiled a bloody smile. "I'll never tell."Dante reached down, grabbed his shirt, and lifted him up to the brick wall behind him. "We know you know where he is and you have ten seconds to tell me."Dante was in even more trouble for being there than me. It wasn't his mess, but he had my back. Dante was the only person I could trust. The man snarled and spit at his
Lucy woke me the next morning with her tongue on my face. I cringed and wiped at my mouth until she started bouncing next to the bed."Okay, I'm getting up," I whined. "I'll get you something to eat."I dragged the covers from my body and stood abruptly, causing a flood of stars to block my vision. Whew, I am not a morning person.I trudged toward the kitchen and found a note from Dad on the bar.There is cereal in the cabinet and gravy and biscuits on the stove.I glanced at the food sitting on the stove, and my stomach grumbled. After giving Lucy her food, I made a quick plate and ate while I got ready for my run. It was a sunny day compared to the rain storm that blew through the
The hot summer air did nothing for my mood.The butter I'd been asked to get from the store had already melted in the bag.I'd hoped Mom cooked something good with that butter. I'd lost my Call of Duty match online because of it.It'd been six blocks to the store since I was out of gas, and I didn't get paid at my after school grocery bagging job until Friday.I'd made it to the house with the German Shepard when I smelled the smoke.At first I thought someone was burning leaves. Then I heard all the screams, and my heart dropped into my stomach. I clutched the bag in my hand and ran. There wasn't any way of me knowing who it was, but I had a gut feeling that told me I was about to live my worst nightmare.
Lucy and I decided to stay at the gym until Dad closed. I hadn't wanted to spend an awkward day with Cooper. Lucy beat me to the house and bounced like a rabbit on the front porch waiting for me.My laugh was short lived when I noticed Cooper's truck in the driveway. I guess I'd hoped he'd go home tonight, but that prayer had gone unanswered.Cooper sat at our bar with his head in his hands when we walked in."How is he?" Dad asked from behind me.Cooper lifted his head, and his gaze landed on mine. That gaze had once sent jolts of adrenaline through me. "He's better. He's eating, and I changed out all of his bandages. He'll be able to walk normally in a couple of days."Dad walked o