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Hartley pulls her phone out and places a call. Her voice is so low, and I can barely hear her side of the conversation. In a few minutes she’s off the phone and she lets us know her sister can be at the house within a half hour. She was apparently already on her way back there. I’m not sure where she goes to school, but Hartley makes it seem as if it’s further away.
JUST BEFORE WE get to my house, Sabotage leans up around my seat and asks me what I plan on doing now. I think about it for a while before turning around to look at him. Sabotage looks the complete opposite of his brother Lash. Instead of the dark hair and grey eyes, Sabotage has dirty blond hair and pale blue eyes. They’re both tall and have tattoos. He’s gorgeous but doesn’t make my stomach flutter the way Lash does. And don’t even get me started on the electricity I feel every time we’re in close proximity.
“Well, the only thing I can think of is to pack up and leave Braedon. At least for now,” I answer him. “I refuse to stay away for long because this home is where we grew up and the only thing we have left of our parents.”
“Why should you leave?” Lash asks me, his voice harsh and louder than I’m sure he intended.
“To get away from Eric. If I disappear for a while maybe, he’ll leave us alone. Or the guys he owes money to will kill him off,” I tell them honestly.
Yes, I feel horrible wishing for someone to be killed, but Eric isn’t human. He was when we first got together, but as he began to take drugs and his gambling addiction grew worse, he changed so much I don’t recognize who he is anymore. Instead of being kind and caring, Eric is ruthless, selfish, and only worried about his next game or fix. That’s not anyone I want to associate with. If only I had known before we started dating this is how it was going to turn out.
“Where would you go?” Sabotage asks me.
I shrug my shoulders and think for a minute. There’s never been a plan to leave here because it’s where we grew up and the only home Jaelyn and I have ever had. I’ve never wanted to leave since having to take responsibility for my sister when we lost our parents. In my mind, this is how I’m honoring my parent’s legacy because they worked hard to buy this house and make it a home. Plus, I don’t exactly like the unknown. Right now, I’m having to adjust and just try to take things a day at a time. It sucks, but it is what it is.
“Not gonna happen,” Lash growls out suddenly. “You’ll stay here, and we’ll figure out what to do so you don’t have to leave your home.”
“Lash, I can’t . . .,” I begin before Sabotage cuts me off.
“Don’t argue with the big oaf. He won’t hear you anyway,” he tells me, placing his hand on my shoulder.
Lash growls from low in his throat and for some reason, it warms me to my bones. I’m not sure what’s going on here, but I don’t have to think about it or do anything. Hell, I’m a grown ass woman and know how to control my feelings. I don’t need to jump on a man because of something I feel between us. Instead, I can stay away from him.
As these thoughts fill my mind, Lash pulls up to my house. I try to remember the state I left it in because I don’t want them to think I’m a slob and see a mess. Not that our house is usually a mess. I clean all the time, but I left in a hurry, so I don’t know if I left anything out. At this point, I can’t even remember what I was doing when I got the call from Eric and took off to the strip club.
We all climb out of the SUV and the men get on either side of me. They walk me up to the door and I unlock it before leading them inside.
“Is your sister here?” Sabotage asks, looking around the downstairs of the house.
“Not yet. Her car wasn’t outside. I said a half hour,” I answer him. “By the time I’m done she should be here.”
Turning my attention to the inside of my house instead of on the men, I gasp and tears fill my eyes. The entire downstairs of my house is in disarray. This is definitely not how I left my house yesterday. Walking further into the house, I see my couch is not only flipped upside down, but it’s been shredded to the point there’s almost nothing left of it. the same can be said for most of the furniture in the living room. I almost don’t want to walk through the rest of the house to find out what damage I’m going to find.
“What the fuck?” Lash almost shouts from behind me.
Instantly I cower down and want to find a place to hide at the rage Lash is emitting right now. Instead, I steel my spine and try to keep my head held high as I take in the continued destruction. Tears fill my eyes and spill over before I can stop them. Lash’s arms wrap around me, and he pulls me into his chest. I wrap my own arms around him and can barely put my hands together around his body. He’s a huge man as he towers over me. Footsteps walking away from us sound in my ears as Sabotage must be going to look through the house.
Lifting my head, I look up at Lash to find him looking down at me. I don’t know what the hell is going on with me because I find myself lifting to my toes. Lash leans down and his lips are brushing against mine. Everything around us disappears and fades to the back of my mind as he deepens the kiss. I don’t hesitate to open my mouth for him. Our tongues tangle and slide against one another. Before too long, I hear a throat clearing behind us. We immediately break apart like we’re a couple of teenagers and our parents just caught us doing something wrong.
“Sorry to break this up,” Sabotage says. “No one’s here, but the rest of the house is in the same condition.”
Another sob escapes and I can’t stop it. Lash lets me go and looks around for a few minutes. I’m not sure what he’s looking for and I don’t bother to ask as I think of everything Jaelyn and I will have to do to repair the house and how much we’re going to have to buy again.
“We’ll come back in a few days and figure everythin’ out. For now, just get enough things for your sister and you. Plan on a few weeks at this point. And make sure you call her so she can get here immediately,” Lash orders me.
His entire demeanor has changed, and I imagine this to be how he is as the president of the club. Lash’s voice is authoritative, his entire body is rigid, and his jaw is clenched tight. It’s as if he’s a rocket waiting to off at any second. I definitely don’t want to get on his bad side. Ever.
Taking one last look at the living room, I’m about to head up the stairs so I can pack a few bags for my sister and me. There’s a sudden screeching of tires before Lash and Sabotage jump in front of me and push me to the ground. Looking up at them, I see them both holding guns in front of them. My fear level shoots through the roof as I try to figure out what’s going on. My body begins to tremble while my eyes go as wide as saucers. I can’t think about anything order than who’s doing this and what it’s going to take to get them to stop. Well, I know who’s ultimately behind the damage and attacks; it’s Eric. I’m not sure if he’s willing to get his hands dirty or if he’s having someone else do it for him.
I don’t have to wait long before the glass of the windows in the living room smashes, and I smell the distinct odor of gas. Lash pulls me roughly from the ground and ushers me to the door of the house. He holds me close to his body as we run to the SUV parked in the driveway. With a quick glance, I see an older car pulling away from the road in front of my house. Looking back toward the house, I see flames from the inside, and I pull out of Lash’s grip on my arm. Smoke is already escaping from the broken windows and my only thought is getting back inside to get the things I can’t replace of my parents.
Distinctly I hear Lash yelling my name, but I ignore him as I try to make my way inside the house as the flames build higher and the smoke gets thicker. Everything becomes distant background noise and it’s as if I’m moving in slow motion on my trek to the front steps.
Smoke begins to billow out through the windows and darkens the sky surrounding the house while drifting over toward the neighbor’s house. Sirens now begin to fill the background noise I hear as I pull all my focus on my home as it continues to burn from the inside out. I’m so close to the flames as they make their way up the walls of my home it feels as if I’m burning up along with everything inside. My skin is covered in sweat, my eyes are watering from the smoke and heat, and I feel as if can’t breathe. This is the worst feeling in the world, but I can’t make myself turn around.
Before I’m fully on the first step, looking at the door as it continues to stand open in front of me as if it’s beckoning me inside, strong arms wrap around me like a vice grip. Lash pulls me back from the house as I struggle in his arms. I’m lashing out and trying to kick him anywhere my feet will reach so I can get inside the house.
Lash is yelling at me, but I barely register his voice as I’m choked up with smoke, pain, fear, and so many other emotions I can’t name them. thick black smoke is pouring out of the windows in the front of the house. Whoever decided to destroy my life made sure they were thorough because all four windows are smashed out and flames pour out of them along with the smoke.
