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CJ: I heard Natalie met Aries first, so maybe I’m not the brother you need to watch out for.
Like he had a chance, the asshole.
“Who are you chatting with and scowling at through the phone?” Natalie asks, laughing at my expression.
“CJ and Aries.”
“What is he giving you shit about now?” she asks, amusement written on her face.
“You know that whole fiasco of me sleeping with his girlfriend? She was the last woman he was with. And he just told me now. Over a text,” I say, shaking my head. “And this whole time I’ve been feeling guilty like she could have been the love of his life and I ruined that, but he’s not even into women!”
Natalie seems to find this hilarious. “Well, I think it’s great that he’s finally telling you the truth.”
“Yeah, I don’t know why he waited so long. It’s not like it would’ve made a difference to me.”
“You’re a great brother,” she says, and snuggles into me. “Well, not when you were sleeping with his girlfriend, but every other time.”
As soon as she says that, I see that Aries is calling me.
“What’s up, bro? Natalie was just saying what a great brother I am. Care to agree?” I give Natalie a wink.
“I’m with CJ, and Marko showed up unexpectedly. I don’t know—”
I quickly stand and put the phone on speaker, his panicked tone putting me on alert. “Aries, where are you?”
He doesn’t answer, but I can hear shouting and then gunfire. Then the phone goes dead.
“Fuck!” I call out in anger, grabbing my phone and calling Temper.
“I’ll call Rhett,” Natalie quickly says.
“Yeah?” Temper answers.
“Aries just called—he’s with CJ, and Marko showed up. I heard gunshots.”
“Where is he?” he asks quickly.
“Hold on, let me check.” Aries and I have Find My Friends on our phones for situations like this. “He’s at CJ’s house.”
“Send me the address. I’ll send the others there.”
“I will.” I end the call and run to the car, Natalie behind me.
“Do you want me to come with you?” she asks, brows drawn together in worry.
“No, it could be dangerous. But can I drop you off at Cara’s? I’ll feel better knowing you’re not alone.”
She gets in the car without answering, knowing that it’s more for me than for her.
When we arrive, I kiss Natalie quickly and then race out of there. It’s been a while since I’ve been to CJ’s house, but I know exactly where it is. CJ rarely tells people where he lives, so his home is like a hideout that not many people know about. Only people he trusts are welcome there, but Marko must’ve found out somehow. Or from someone.
I just hope that he and Aries are okay. But the harsh pounding of my heart and the pain in my stomach tells me that something is wrong.
When I arrive at his house ten minutes later, I grab my gun from my glove compartment. Aries’s motorcycle is out the front and everything is silent.
“Aries?” I call out as I push the busted front door open. I step inside and come to a pause when I see CJ lying on the couch, blood dripping from his chest onto the cream carpet, his hand hanging off the brown leather onto the floor and his eyes wide open.
I check his pulse, already knowing the outcome.
