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“And Apple is the antithesis of evil,” Frenzy adds. “So, in some twisted, fucked up way, it makes sense.”
“Philosophical much?” Soul snaps with a brow arched and his arms crossed over his chest. “Jesus.”
“Jesus can’t help us, Prez,” Lock jokes.
“Can we focus?!” I shout. “This isn’t the time for this bullshit. Apple is dying, and we have no goddamn clue why.”
My own words register, and my body goes numb.
Apple is dying.
My brothers stare at me, each of them wearing an expression of pity, and I want to knock them out one by one, sending them and their pity to Hell.
“She’s not dying, Mal,” Soul says quietly. “She’s stable.”
“And we all know how fast shit can go downhill,” I seethe.
“She’s not gonna go downhill,” Abyss says as he shoves his chair back and stands. “Permission to leave church, Prez?”
“For what? We haven’t figured this out.”
“Grim’s right. If the standard tests aren’t giving us answers, it’s time to run blood work that isn't routine.” Abyss shrugs. “I don’t know what I’m looking for, but I’ll be damned if I stop searching.”
Soul nods. “Go. Do what you have to but come back as soon as you’re done. We’re not leaving this room until we have answers.”
I stand to move around the table and go with Abyss, but Soul grabs my arm. I watch helplessly as Abyss stalks out of the room, his strides hurried but purposeful.
“Sit down, Mal,” Prez orders. “He’s just gonna draw some blood and put it in those fancy machines of his. He’ll be back before you know it.”
“I wanna see her,” I bite out.
“And you will, when church is over. Right now, we need you here.” He clasps my shoulder. “Mark’s with her.”
I growl at the mention of my brother. “It should be me.”
“Malice, she needs you to fight for her,” Fort says from his seat at the other end of the table. “Standing over her and watching the life drain out of her isn’t fighting. It’s giving up.”
“I’m not giving up,” I snarl.
Glancing around the room, I search for something to take my rage and fear out on, but all I see is the wall and the people I love more than life itself.
The wall it is.
I whirl around and launch my body toward it, my arm drawn back. Pain explodes through my hand and shoots up my arm as my fist connects with the concrete. Having an underground clubhouse is great for so many things, but it’s hell on a body.
“Goddammit!” I shout with my head tipped back.
I send my other fist into the wall and then attack it like I would a punching bag. The black paint becomes shiny with blood, and droplets of my life force trickle to the floor. Letting up isn’t an option, and when strong arms wrap around me from behind, I fight against them like a caged animal.
“Let go of me!”
“Fifty bucks to Rogue!” Soul shouts, breaking through my rage.
Suddenly exhausted, I slump, but I don’t hit the floor. Instead, I’m dragged back to the table and shoved into my chair. A hand grips my chin and forces my head up. Grim glares at me and shakes his head before letting me go.
“No fine, Prez,” he signs. “Mal’s dealing with enough right now and didn’t mean to forget I was in the room.” Guilt settles in my chest, infusing with my already impossible emotions. “Now you listen to me, VP,” Grim continues. “No one thinks you’re giving up. And neither are we. We won’t stop until we know what’s making Apple so sick.” He narrows his eyes. “God fucked you once, but I’ll be damned if he gets to do it again by taking her.”
I huff out a breath. “God fucked me more than once.”
