“That’s where you’re wrong.” Eric steps closer. “She does belong to me. Whether you like it or not.”
Ryder turns and leans into my ear, whispering, “On my word, run. Cover your ears. There’s a door to the right of the hallway, and it leads to a window. Get out. Don’t stop and don’t look back.” I look him in the eyes. They’re sad and filled with pain, speaking an unspoken apology. I quickly nod. “What’s the word,” I ask in a whisper.
“Pip,” he instructs with a wink before turning his back on me.
“I should have done this a long fucking time ago,” he roars and then the sound of gunshots fills my ears, each making my body flinch uncontrollably.
“Pip,” he yells, and I do as he ordered. I run down the hall as fast as my weak legs will allow. I can hear shouting, screams, and more gunfire. I cover my ears, running like my life depends on it.
Ryder
I watch his limp body fall to the floor. My brother releases the girl as he runs over, dropping to his knees beside him. The blond-haired girl runs toward me, and I turn, pointing at the door. “Go now. Find Kailee,” I breathe and watch her as she nods knowingly. I hold the gun in my hand, pointing it at Jax.
I feel a small trickle on my leg. I reach my hand down and wince at the pain that shoots through my leg. It feels weak, and as I look at my hand, I see the blood. I glance down, and my blood covers the floor. I have to get out of here.
“How could you do this to him, Ryder?” Jax stutters, his hands shaking as he holds Eric’s arm, pressing two fingers hard to find a pulse. I look at the pathetic piece of shit, and the floor covered in his blood. The shot to his chest did the job.
“Fuck.” Jax sniffles, wiping his nose on the back of his arm. “You won’t get away with this.”
“He was poison, Jax, and you were the only one who fucking refused to see it. You’ll be better off without him.”
“No,” he screeches loudly. “You just killed my father, our father.” Jax drops back on the floor, pulling Eric’s lifeless body into his arms.
“What the fuck…?” I let my words trail off as his confession stuns me to the core.
“It’s true. He was our father. Ask Mom.”
“No.” I shake my head from side to side. “I don’t believe you.” I turn my attention to the sound of the footsteps and voices I hear approaching. I have no time to lose. I turn, racing down the hall and through the door. I look around the room for something to block the door with. I notice an old metal filing cabinet and drag it in front of the door, wedging it beneath the handle. I race over, stepping on a wooden box to push myself up through the window. I hope and pray that Kailee got out okay. I need her to be safe. As soon as I’m out, I can see her helping the young blonde over the fence. My anxiety is rising, the panic inside as I know what will happen if the guys in there get a hold of us. There are too many for me to take them on single-handed.
“Ryder,” she calls from over the fence. I race over, my leg growing increasingly difficult to move. The pain burns so freaking bad, and the feel of blood pouring down my leg doesn’t help. It’s becoming heavy, and I feel like I’m dragging the damn thing along. I stop for a second, and reaching for the neck of my shirt, I pull it over my head. Quickly tearing it, I wrap it tightly around my leg, trying to stem the flow of blood. I can feel the haze becoming heavier, but I need to make it over that damn fence and in the arms of the girl my heart belongs to. Running on pure adrenaline, I charge forward, blinking repeatedly.
“Are you okay, Ryder? Shit, he’s bleeding bad,” I hear her mumble.
“I’m good. Just help me over so we can get the fuck outta here.” I let out a puff of laughter. I watch as both girls climb back up the fence and reach down for my hand. I push myself to the top, using my upper body strength to launch me over. Dragging myself over, I drop to the ground, my weakened leg giving way as I fall to the ground with a thud.
“Jeez, Ry, are you okay?”
“I’m good; I’m good,” I reiterate, brushing myself off as I push to a standing position.
“Here, let me help you,” Kailee offers. Wrapping my arm around her shoulder, she tries to take some of my weight. I hobble as fast as I can, and we make our way down the side of the building and down the narrow path leading to the road. We keep as close to the side as possible, just in case they are hot on our heels.
“There should be a black car parked just at the end of this road. Aston is waiting for us,” I say breathlessly. As we reach the end, I check to the left then again to the right. “There.” I point as I spot the car located a little farther down the country road. We all rush over to the car.
“Get in the front, Layla,” I hear Kailee instruct. “I’ll sit with Ryder. I need to check his leg.” She looks up at me with a smile. The kind that would light up the darkest of rooms.
“Quickly,” she says, pushing my back to speed me up. Jesus” — she gasps — “I think I hear someone coming.” She slams the door shut, rushing around the other side. As soon as she’s inside, I yell at Aston, “Go, go, go,” desperate for us to get out of here. As we speed away, I look back over my shoulder and see Jax and a group of guys all running and pointing guns at the car. A cold hand touches me softly on the side of my face, directing my line of sight back inside the car.
“I don’t think thank you will ever be enough. Ryder, you saved me.” Her tear-filled eyes lock on mine, and my heart gallops. The combination of the touch of her hand and her intense gaze is doing strange fucking things to me.
“I’d do it a million times over if it means you’re safe.”
Her breaths become labored, and I can see in her eyes just how much she’s fighting back the tears. Her head falls forward, resting on my shoulder, and the exhaustion takes over her. I reach my hand to the back of her head, feeling her soft, silky hair against my rough palms. I cup the back of her head, pulling her as close as I can. Fuck, it feels good. She’s safe and finally here with me.
Where she fucking belongs.
“Ryder,” she mumbles against my heaving chest, “your leg.” Pulling back, she takes the makeshift bandage and unties the knot. I breathe in sharply; a hissing sound escapes me as I struggle to unclench my teeth.
“We need to get you to a hospital.” She looks up at me then back down at the wound. “You’re in pain?” She looks back at me questioningly.
“I’m fine, honestly. The bleeding has slowed, and I’m pretty sure the bullet exited,” I say, twisting my leg to show her the wound on the back of my leg.
“Jesus,” she mutters. “What the hell happened back there?” Her face contorts as if she’s scared to hear the truth.
“You won’t get any more trouble from that sick fuck, Eric. That’s for sure.” I lean my head back against the cold seat of the chair, and she gasps loudly.
“And Jax?” she says slowly. “What about him?”
“I had to get out of there. His backup arrived, and there was no way I could take them all. Jax also decided to throw a huge motherfucking wrench into the works.”
“What do you mean?” she asks, hovering over me.
“He said that Eric was our father.”
“What? Eric’s your dad?”
“Was,” I reiterate. “I’m not sure I’m buying it. We both look liked Dad; everyone said it. I think it’s bullshit.” She smiles sadly, and I remember what Eric said about Kailee’s father.
“I’m sorry about your dad, by the way.” I take her hand, squeezing it gently.
“Yeah, so am I,” she says a little dismissively, and I get the impression she doesn’t want to discuss it. “So what’s the plan? Where do we go now?”
Aston cranes his neck, catching my attention in the rearview mirror. “I’ve had instructions from Marco to take you to a motel a few hundred miles from here. There will be everything we need waiting there.”
Kailee looks at me with worry in her eye. “Are you sure about this?” she whispers, her lips and warm breath tickling my ear. “Can we trust Marco?�
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“Marco helped me find you; he made it possible for me to find you. We can trust him,” I say with absolute confidence.
She nods weakly, leaning into me and wrapping her arm around mine. “Hey.” I lean forward a little, touching the shoulder of the young girl in front. “How are you holding up?” I ask, concerned by her silence. She spins in her seat, turning and looking back and forth between me and Kailee.
“Thank you for getting me out of there.” She sniffles as soundless tears stream down her face.
“Do you have any family, somewhere to go?”
“Yes, my parents think I’m with a friend,” she explains. “I met Nick online in a chat room. He told me he was fifteen, and we started an online relationship. We’d been talking for weeks, and the more we talked, the closer we became. I had no idea he was a grown man; the picture he had was a really cute boy who looked a similar age to me. So we arranged to meet, and he said that I could stop at his house because his parents were out of town. We arranged to meet outside our local park. I waited. I didn’t think he was going to show, and when he did, I realized what a big mistake I’d made.” The tears stream down her face faster as she battles to keep talking through the emotion of what happened. “When he pulled up beside me and revealed he was the ‘real’ Nick, I made a run for it. But he chased me, knocking me to the ground, gagged me, and dragged me to his car.”
“Oh, Layla, I’m so sorry.” Kailee soothes, reaching forward and wiping the tears from her cheek.
“He did things to me,” she chokes out. “He hurt me, Kailee.” She sobs uncontrollably, her body shaking violently.
“Stop the fucking car,” I shout louder than intended.
Aston slams on the brakes, the car skidding to a stop. I open the car door, racing out to get some fresh air. I need a fucking smoke, and this young girl needs Kailee more than I do right now.
“Ryder,” Kailee calls from inside the car. I don’t answer as I reach for the front passenger seat. “Please sit in the back with Kailee,” I say to the young girl whose face is a mess. She nods, stepping out and falling into Kailee’s arms in the back seat. I light up a smoke, watching as she rocks her back and forth, comforting her as she mumbles through her cries. I step closer to the car, taking one last hit of my smoke. I throw the butt on the ground then climb in and close the door behind me. I can’t resist glancing over my shoulder. I can’t fucking deny that this girl owns my heart, and I just hope and pray she wants me as much as I want her. No, scrap that; I don’t want her — I need her. My body has craved her since she stepped onto the trailer park soil. It was like a switch flicked inside, like the strike of a fucking match, igniting the fire deep within my dark soul. I will fight to the last breath for this girl. I will take a thousand bullets to protect the girl who holds my heart in her hands.
I lean back into my seat, the motion of the car rocks my body, and I can’t help the feeling of exhaustion that washes over me. I glance down at my leg, the pain stinging like a fucking bitch. I downplayed the whole thing to Kailee, but I’m worried that bullet may have done some damage. I reach into the pocket of my jeans and pull out my cell phone. I lick my dry lips, checking through the list of notifications. Missed calls and texts — all from Marco. Not one from my brother. It worries me more than I will ever let on. If there’s any truth in what he says, he will want his revenge.
I find Marco’s number in my contacts then hit dial. The phone rings, and he answers breathlessly.
“Ryder.” His voice is fueled by panic. “Talk to me… What’s happened?”
“Hey,” I say with a croak, my throat suddenly feeling drier than I’d realized. I cough lightly, trying to clear my throat.
“What the fuck, man. Talk to me…” His words trail off.
“Eric’s dead,” I blurt out.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” he mumbles down the receiver. “What about Jax?” His words are said softly as if he’s scared to ask the damn question.
“He’s alive… for now,” I growl.
“Don’t do this, Ryder. Don’t go to war with your brother. You two have been inseparable since you were young boys; you’re the dream team.”
“Were,” I correct him. “He caused this war the minute he laid his hands on Pip. Anyway, he’s fucking pissed…”
“Because of Eric,” he interrupts.
“Yeah, some fucking shit about him being our father. Did you know about this bullshit rumor?” I ask, knowing if anyone knows, he does. I never held much regard for that piece of shit we called a father. The man who beat my mother; the man trying to rape my brother. The motherfucker I watched die of heart failure and felt absolutely nothing for.
Oh, I felt one thing.
Relief.
Like a weight lifted from our shoulders. But the whole damn thing fucked with Jax’s head. He spiraled into a life of crime, a life where he had to prove to the world he wasn’t the fucking pussy our father had made out he was. Only now, he tells me he wasn’t our flesh and blood after all.
“I was sworn to secrecy. If I had any choice in the matter, I would have told you right away.” He’s stuttering and rushing his words. I can tell he’s nervous. Despite being the clever mastermind, Marco hides behind his technology and bodyguards.
I hum in response. I don’t know what to say or how to feel. All I know is that I will ask Mom. Either way, they were both a waste of air. I just can’t believe he would have kept a secret like this from me.
“I hear you’ve arranged a room at a motel. Tell me one thing…”
“Anything,” he replies almost immediately.
“Are we safe? Because I’m not stepping a foot in that place until I know where you stand, and what your fucking intentions are.” Pip questioning Marco’s intentions got me thinking.
There’s every chance he could be in on this with my brother. Part of me wants to trust him, but I’m just not sure who the fuck I can trust anymore.
“I said I would help. Hell, you didn’t give me any choice.” He nervously chuckles. “I can’t get in the middle of this feud, Ryder. You need to find a way to figure this out, to make amends.”
“Make amends!” I roar. “He stole the only girl who has ever meant anything to me to sell her at some sleazy human fucking cattle market.” I chuckle sarcastically. “I’m not sure there is any coming back from that, do you?”
“I really don’t think it’s as bad as you think. It’s usually businessmen like myself looking for a silent worker. Someone who can’t report to the outside what happens on the inside.”
“Fuck you, Marco. Don’t ever try to justify that motherfucking bullshit to me. I ain’t buying, got it?”
“Got it,” he mumbles, clearing his throat. “Oh, and Ryder, just so you know, I deactivated all your passes to the house. Yours and Jaxon’s. Don’t bring your war to my house. Got it?”
“Fine,” I say, shaking my head. “These girls need clothes. Oh, and I need a motherfucking EMT.”
“I guessed as much. I’ll get one there immediately.” He sighs so loudly I pull the phone away from my ear. “Hold up.” He pauses once more. “Girls? As in plural?”
“Yes,” I say, checking over my shoulder. Layla’s head rests on Kailee’s shoulder, but Kailee’s eyes are fixed on me. I shoot her a quick sideways smile.
“Oh, fuck. How many?”
“Just the one. Man, she’s like fifteen and so frightened. Poor fucker has been through it, all right,” I say, lowering my voice, hoping the girl can’t hear me.
“Jeez.” He sighs. “Does she have anyone… uh, like family?”
“Yes,” I reply quietly. “We’ll make sure she’s okay until the morning then drop her at the nearest police station.”
“Good,” he replies. “Ryder. You’re a good man. Don’t let anyone tell you any different.”
“Marco…” I pause.
“Yeah?”
“Fuck off.” I chuckle before ending the call.
Kailee
We finally pull up
outside the motel. Aston cuts the engine, jumping out of the car and heading to the trunk. He returns, opening the door to the rear of the vehicle and handing me a blanket.
“Here.” He offers the blanket with a smile. “Cover the girl with this. Do you need me to carry her inside?”
I look down at Layla, and she’s sleeping so soundly, it makes me wonder when she last slept. I shake my head, not wanting to scare her any more than she already has been. I gently shake her arm, whispering her name.
“Layla,” I say so quietly my voice is barely audible. “We are here. We’re at the motel.” Her eyes fly open, and her head whips back and forth as she tries to make out her surroundings. “It’s okay,” I placate. “You’re safe now.” I stroke the top of her head to soothe her. She blinks harshly, nodding when she looks through the window and notices the motel sign. I look up at Aston who is still bent down with his head inside the car.
“How is he?” I ask, nodding my head forward toward Ryder. He’d slept the whole way since he ended his call with Marco. Unlike me. I’ve barely slept. A million and one thoughts race through my mind about what happened and about my father. How could the bastard do something like this to me? What if it isn’t true? What if Jax made up the whole thing, and he’s actually looking for me. I need to know the truth, but for now, I need to rest. My body is weary, my mind even worse.
“I’ll wake him,” Aston says, stepping back and opening the front passenger door. He rests his arm on Ryder’s shoulder, and I watch as his body jolts suddenly. In the blink of an eye, Ryder has a hand grasping Aston’s neck tightly. Aston tries to fight the grip; both his hands work to loosen the grip around his neck. I part from Layla, reaching forward, shouting his name repeatedly.
“Ryder, stop,” I say, pulling on his arm. The low lighting from outside highlights the dark look on Ryder’s face, but I’m not sure if he’s completely conscious of what he’s doing.
“Ryder,” I shout a little louder, and his hand instantaneously loosens his grip. His head whips to the side as he looks at me. I rest between the two front seats; his eyes are wide, and his mouth is slack. He looks back at Aston, who is coughing and holding his neck as he takes deep breaths. His head twists, and his eyes are on me again.
The edge of forever: A Blackhearts twins novel (Book two) Page 4
