Page 107 of Twisted Fate

I hated that he was mad at me, but he just wouldn’t listen.

I was trying to save him from heartache.

“Do you have to keep talking to her like shit? Caden’s close to knocking you the fuck out. Hell, I’m close to knocking you out. Give it a rest, Luke.”

I glanced around to make sure we were alone, my expression becoming desperate.

“I’m trying to save us from this bullshit. We’re going to lose her, whether it’s to the Soldiers or the next asshole who comes to town. She’s chosen to be part of the Psychos, Jense. She’s going to fucking die, and she doesn’t give a shit about us. She dumped us and has been rubbing on Hunter like a dog in heat, for fuck’s sake. Let her go, we’ve lost her already.”

He slammed his hand against the lockers beside my head, leaning close enough for his warm breath to fan across my lips.

“She’s running. You of all people should fucking know that, you were her best friend. It’s not like you can blame her for lashing out at us, considering some of the shit you’ve said to her. We tried to smother her, so no wonder she ran. Rory’s not used to having people give a shit about her, and she’s not used to having to care about someone in return. Of course she’s going to make mistakes, we fucking have!” He growled quietly, giving me no choice other than to peer into his angry blue eyes.

“Jense, she’s going to die, and then the guilt will eat at you until I lose you too. I can’t deal with that, I really can’t,” I whispered, something crossing his face before he covered it up.

His voice was low as he let me hear the hurt and anger that he’d been holding back.

“If you keep this shit up, you’ll fucking lose me anyway,” then he gave me one last glare before stalking off, leaving me there with another bruise on my heart.

I couldn’t break.

I fucking couldn’t.

* * *

Slash

I couldn’t let the Soldiers hurt Rory.

I would burn every last one of them alive if I had to.

I knew I’d originally intended on killing her to snap Skeeter out of his pathetic puppy love bullshit, but I totally saw what he saw.

She was fucking fierce, she loved with her all when given the chance, and she was strong.

So fucking strong.

She had all of us wrapped around her little finger, and I was okay with that.

Call me a little bitch, I didn’t give a shit.

I hated being separated from her in that moment, not knowing if she was safe or not.

I drove her Corvette straight to the shed, starting to worry when they took their merry time.

If she’d chosen this as a good time to pull over for make-up sex with Skeeter, I would fucking strangle her.

I never had a chance with her, I knew that, but it didn’t mean it wasn’t all I thought about when I was looking at her.

I watched Hunter pace by the bar like a caged animal as we waited for Rory to show up.

He was driving me insane just by being in my shed, let alone obsessing over Rory like he was.

Every time I turned around, he was all over her like a rash.

He might have grown up with Skeeter and I, but I’d put a bullet in him if he fucking hurt her.

He chose a side, so that was on him.