AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The consequences for hiding birth control? Kin punishment.
The consequences for fucking her? The devil’s bargain.
A bargain worse than death.
Why would Leo risk it? I know they haven’t had sex, but if he spends time with her and lets himself fall for her, the outcome is the same.
He rises to his feet, regarding me from a few paces away.
Smug. It radiates from his tall frame, his glinting, variegated eyes. So smug about his powerful secret, the little ace up his sleeve. To have any advantage over Denver is a boon. Especially one that prevents more children in Hoss. But it won’t end well. I feel it in my teeth.
I won’t survive it. Not this time.
In the dimly lit workshop, tension hangs in the air like a volatile fuse waiting to ignite. We face each other, eyes locked in a battle of simmering ire and dominance. We both want blood.
We both want her.
“It changes things,” he says.
“It changes nothing. Even if she takes the pills every day—”
“She will.”
“—it doesn’t change the rest. You know how this ends.”
“She’s different.”
“Different like Gretchen?”
He flashes his teeth, a glinting row of fangs in his lethal expression. “She’s nothing like Gretchen.”
Everything inside me tenses, bracing for the fight that’s seconds from unfolding. “Frankie isn’t just a cheating whore. She’s worse.” I tighten my hand on the wrench, baiting him just to prove a point. “She’ll fuck you and throw you away—”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“And you’ll let it happen because it’s all you know.”
“You’re wrong.”
“I’m not, but I’ll give you this…Unlike Gretchen, Frankie likes Wolf. She enjoys his company. So don’t be surprised when she invites him to watch while you fuck her. Hell, maybe she’ll let you and Wolf and Denver pull a train on her. Turn it into a family night tradition.”
He lunges, fists first.
I’m ready for it, dodging his strike and swinging the wrench. I catch him in the jaw, steel colliding with bone. Shock registers on his face, followed by a howl of pain. But his reflexes rival my own. In the next breath, my head flies backward, and my cheekbone explodes in blinding agony.
Back and forth, we whale on each other, crashing into the snow machine, rolling across the floor, tearing clothes, ripping stitches, only breaking apart long enough to catch our breaths.
Bloodied and bruised, we circle each other, panting heavily. Sweat stings my eyes. The taste of copper floods my mouth.
“Thanks for proving my point.” I spit a ruby glob at his feet.
“What point is that?” His fist sends shockwaves of fire through my abdomen, serving only to inflame my wrath.
“You let her come between us. You chose her.”
“You’re one to talk. You’re ready to kill me over her.”
“You leave me no choice!”
My fury burns, plunging me into a flurry of punches, my knuckles aiming to bruise and break. Until my injured hand falls limp. The pain flares with excruciating intensity, forcing me to tuck the useless limb against my chest.
He notices but refuses to yield, his determination fueling a relentless defense.
Looks like I’m finishing this one-handed.
At least he has the decency to look scared. He knows I’m stronger in combat. I can kill him with my eyes closed.
With a powerful kick, I slam him against a rusted toolbox, its contents scattering across the concrete floor. In retaliation, he sweeps his leg, causing me to stumble and crash into a shelf of engine parts, sending it toppling down.
Lightning-fast, I close the distance, and he pounces with the force of a raging tempest. We collide, tempers unleashing and limbs locking in a savage struggle.
We’ve done this our whole lives—practicing, fucking around, or straight-up trying to kill each other. Hell, we’ve grappled so many times for so many reasons that we know each other’s body as well as we know our own.
As our blows connect, the smack of flesh echoes in the confined space. We’re animals, snarling, biting, punching, and foaming at the mouth. Pumped with adrenaline, I meet his rampage head-on, parrying his blows, blocking, and countering with precision.
Metal screeches. Muscles strain. Veins bulge, and blood sprays as we fight for control, neither willing to back down.
Until I feel the bite of arctic air lance across my skin.
Someone opened the door.
Leo feels it, too, and we fly apart so violently we fall onto our backs.
The fury that consumed us dissipates, replaced with harrowing dread as Denver ambles forward and stands between our splayed feet.
He wears his signature smirk, his lips slightly parted, the corners softly tipped up. His nonchalant smile. The one that makes my stomach bottom out and my insides ice over.
The room falls silent, save for our heavy breaths and the faint hum of fluorescent lights. Panting, Leo and I clasp eyes, a shared understanding passing between us.
Denver knows this wasn’t one of our usual disagreements. The intensity of our fight left deep marks. Bruises, oozing gashes, possible broken bones. Marks that don’t come from a dispute about chores or the daily grind of life.
