Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 129998 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129998 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Nic scoffs from behind me and I resist slamming my elbow back into his ribs. “I … shit,” I look away, unable to meet his eyes as I feel shame for being so weak ripping through me. “I was walking home from school and ran into a few … friends.”
“Ocean,” Nic warns, not liking me discussing gang-related business with outsiders, but who the fuck is he to tell me what I can and can not say?
I shoot an icy glare toward Nic. “After the bullshit lies and secrets you kept from me, you're really in no position to be telling me to keep my mouth shut. Unlike you, I don’t keep secrets from the person I’m sharing my life with.”
Sebastian looks away, again pretending that he doesn’t hear a damn thing that’s going on while Nic clenches his jaw. He stares at me for a long moment and then finally looks back at my neck and presses the cold compress against my burn again.
I suck in another sharp breath that has Colton at my side in a heartbeat. “Ocean, what’s going on?” he demands, raking his eyes over the first aid kit on the counter and the small cuts and bruises on my face from when Russo’s men pressed me up against the brick wall. “Who the fuck touched you?”
I slide my hand across the counter and latch onto his and he takes it instantly. I don’t miss the way Sebastian and Nic eye our hold and see the clear need we have for one another. “Mikhail Russo,” I whisper. “He’s the leader of the West Side Wolves in Blaxlands Grove.”
“The gang your dad was a part of? The one who shot up ...” his gaze sweeps up to Nic and I nod, knowing he’s referring to the night Kian was murdered and everything changed.
“Yeah, that’s them,” I confirm. “Russo had his men corner me on the street today and lead me into an alley where Russo was waiting for me. He said that he wants me in his ranks to take Dad’s spot. He seems to think that he has some kind of claim over me because my father was part of their bullshit family. He didn’t like it when I turned him down and he didn’t like it more when I mentioned that I’m loyal to Nic. He says he’ll be watching me until the end of high school and then I’m his.” I turn to face the brooding guy behind me as Colton’s hand tightens in mine. “He wants me to get to you. He thinks I’m going to give up everything I know about you guys.”
Nic scoffs. “That’ll never happen.”
“Never.”
“Jade,” Colton says, drawing my attention back to him. “What happened?”
I look down at our joined hand. “He had me branded like fucking cattle.”
“What?”
I nod and turn my head, indicating to the back of my neck. His brows furrow and he steps around me, getting dangerously close to Nic but more than willing to take the risk for me. He sucks in a gasp and despite not being able to see him, I feel the rage burning out of him.
Sebastian watches the two over my shoulder, his eyes flicking between them as Colton looks up at Nic. “I want in. Whatever the fuck you have planned for these bastards, I’m in.”
Nic laughs. “No fucking way. You’re a little rich kid with deep pockets. That’s all you’re fucking good for.”
“Nic,” I warn, swiveling in my chair to see them better. “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. Trust me, you want him on your side.”
Nic narrows his gaze at me, able to tell when I’m holding back. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
I glance at Colton and he gives me a small nod, knowing exactly what it is that I need to say. “Colton is the reason that the fucking DeCarlo brothers are getting picked off one by one. He’s the one righting—”
I cut myself off before I have the chance to admit in front of Colton that Nic is the reason Maryne is gone but from the look on Nic’s face, he understands exactly what I was about to say—he’s the one righting your wrongs.
He looks across at Colton with a curious gaze. “You have that kind of pull?”
“I can guarantee that I have a bigger fucking pull than you could even dream about.”
Nic takes a deep breath and turns back to me. He doesn’t confirm whether Colton will be included in his little revenge plan or not, but he doesn’t need to. We all know he will, and if he isn’t, Colton is more than capable of stepping in and taking the job right off Nic’s tainted hands.
“Come on,” Nic says, pushing me back around on the chair. “Let me get you cleaned up.”
Half an hour later, I stand outside the pool house with Colton by my side and the boys standing at Nic’s car and while I’m still so pissed with Nic about everything that’s gone down, I can’t help but feel grateful for his help today.