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“All there,” Viper grunted, standing back to his feet and handing the bag of money to me. “Let her go.”
Gunner did as he asked, releasing Rachel. She took a step toward them, stopping right beside me. I couldn’t resist the temptation, and my eyes made their way to her, taking in the sight of her delicate cheekbones and slender nose.
Fucking beautiful.
And fucking heartbreaking.
That’s all I felt as her eyes caught mine for a split second, not even long enough for me to read the emotion in them. I turned back to glare at Victor, but his eyes were still at his feet, staying right there at his feet like Chaz instructed.
Rachel made her way to the far side of the group, opting to stop next to the third man I didn’t recognize, butshedid. They embraced for a split second, and he asked her if she was okay. She nodded, her eyes shifting to the Bronco.
“Rachel,” Chaz called out, grabbing her attention.
She turned to him, her chest rising and falling as I watched her eyes momentarily flicker to Victor. They didn’t stay there long, though. “Yes?” Her tone was confident and bright, like we were just all there for shits and giggles.
“Did he touch you?” Chaz glanced at me, and then back to her.
She tilted her head, playing it off like she was confused. “Who?”
“Axle,” he answered through gritted teeth. “I know whose fucking basement you were in, Rachel. Don’t play dumb. I know the others wouldn’t bother with you—but him, I know he’s taken a liking to you. I can tell… Just like I can tell that you’re avoiding looking at him.”
Rachel raised an eyebrow and sputtered out a laugh. “You mean Ghost Eyes?” She looked at me, her face completely devoid of any emotion—and I realized just how fuckingpowerfulshe really was in that moment. “You don’t have to worry about him. He’s just like all the rest.”
Chaz smiled, laughing as he looked back at me. “What did I tell ya, Axle? She attracts the dark kind of guys like you, and then she fucking stomps all over them like they’re nothing. I swear my sister can bring the most powerful men to their knees.”
Victor muttered something under his breath, but I couldn’t make it out—and Chaz didn’t even acknowledge it. It made my skin crawl, as did the entire conversation…
“So, he didn’t touch you?” Chaz looked to Rachel, asking the question again.
She let out a sigh, like she was annoyed, turning back to look me right in the face. “No, he never touched me.”
Chapter 25
Rachel
“Deal is done. You can leave now,” Chaz growled, his eyes still focused on Axle. My brother knew I was a good liar, and I had gotten everyone out of messes time and time again with my ability to shut it all off. I could create whatever narrative I needed to in the moment… But this time, I was lying to the one that I usually was trying to protect.
But I had to keep Trevor out of Victor’s line of sight—if that was even possible.
“You can go,” Chaz reiterated.
“I don’t want her in the same vehicle with him,” Trevor barked, taking a step forward toward Victor.
“Let it go,” I snapped, speaking before my brother could. We were right on the edge of this going very,verybadly—and that’s why it was better to leave what happened between us in the past. “Let it go,” I said again, and finally, Trevor shifted his gaze to me.
He held my gaze, and I saw a glint of fear.
“Please,” I mouthed, showing him a hint of what I was really feeling toward him—which was anything but indifference.
His eyes dropped to the ground before looking back to Chaz, his face hardened again. “Don’t let him touch her.”
Chaz narrowed his eyes. “You don’t have to worry about that. I can handle it. I’ve been handling it foryears. Nothing happened to her until you all came in and fucked with her life. You should’ve left her alone and only dealt withme.”
“Gotta hit you where it hurts,” Viper said with a shrug. “You paid, and that’s all I care about now.” He grabbed the bag of cash from Axle’s arms and headed back to the van. “Come on.”
Trevor nodded, meeting my gaze one last time. It felt like he was pleading with me, his eyes softening while his face stayed stone cold.
I ripped my eyes from his, looking away as a means of communication. I couldn’t give my brother any reasons to think or do something—not that he probably didn’t already have it figured out to some degree.
