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I much prefer fighting an opponent without someone I care about in the middle. You can fight as dirtily as you want, and fuck me, I’m up for a fight right now.
Chapter Seventeen
Tal
Holly fought falling asleep before she succumbed and drifted off. Her hands are clutched to her chest, and she’s shivering. I have no idea how, but I’m going to make this right for her.
Lightning strikes, lighting up the old mill as thunder rolls across the sky. Raindrops beat against the run-down mill, which strangely soothes me. It doesn’t last long, though, when Leo strolls over, leans against the wall near where Holly sits sleeping, and lights a cigarette.
“Why?” he asks, exhaling a long stream of smoke.
He doesn’t have to explain. I’ve been waiting for one of them to ask.
Rolling my head to look at Leo, I find him staring down at Holly. To distract him from her, I reply with, “Everything you say you stand for: brotherhood, loyalty, family—it’s all bullshit.”
“Yeah? Is that so?” he huffs.
“If you truly gave a shit about your families, you wouldn’t put them in the situations you do. The night Ellis killed India was the night I knew I was doing the right thing.”
Shoving away from the wall, he’s on me before I can draw a worried breath, bunching my hoodie in his fists. His heavy pants of rage hit me in the face, gaining the attention of the others. They slowly close in, but don’t make a move to pull Leo off of me.
“You don’t get to say her name,” he spits in my face.
“Everything I planned to do was to bring her justice—proper justice, and not your kind.”
He pulls his fist back, but JJ’s quick to clasp it and pull him away from me.
“You all think you’re these heroic protectors, but it’s a smokescreen. You do what you want to do, regardless of who it gets killed. You’re all consumed with your own lives, which made it all too easy to join—say the right shit, do the right things.”
JJ raises his brow. “So you’re the hero the world needs, are you?”
Myles moves around Leo and crouches in front of me.
“Nah, you’re no hero. I’ve seen the gleam in your eyes when you pull the trigger. No matter you’ve been playing undercover fucking cop, you’ve got blood on your hands. You’re no better than us.”
“The blood on my hands doesn’t belong to innocents.”
Myles laughs so hard, it’s unnerving.
“Look, brothers, we have God right here, tied up at our feet.”
Their laughter wakes Holly. Looking warily at the guys so close to her, she squirms where she sits. She doesn’t look or sound so good when she croaks out, “I need to go to the bathroom.”
Zachery goes to help her, but Leo steps in his way and takes hold of her arms, lifting her to her feet with ease.
Walking across the mill, she stumbles and sways, causing Leo to stick to her too closely for my liking. Pointing off to the door leading to a small bathroom, she stops and turns to him when they reach it.
Her lips move, and her gaze drops to the floor in what I think is embarrassment. I can’t see his face from here, but his shoulders are tense. When a tear drops down her cheek, she quickly swipes it away, and then he’s stepping forward to tug at her shorts. Her eyes never leave his as he does it, making me feel sick.
“Isn’t she meant to be your girlfriend? I mean, I wouldn’t be happy if another brother was undoing her pants.”
Ignoring Myles, I close my eyes. It’s not like I’m in any position to do anything about it.
“Just because you shut your eyes, doesn’t mean it’s not happening. He hasn’t been with anyone in a long time. Don’t worry, he’ll probably be quick.”
He’s fucking with me, I know he is. Leo’s still too hung up on India to look elsewhere, and this isn’t the time or place to fuck.
“Leave him alone, Myles. The girl is the least of his problems,” Mason scoffs, kicking my leg as he steps over me, making Myles laugh.
