Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 72156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
I’ve never known a Sam, other than my first pup. Not inside or outside. In an old ranching town like Summer Creek, you’d think I’d have met a Sam.
First I thought of calling him Jay—a bird name, like the rest of us. Then I thought that was stupid. I always swore that if I had kids one day, they would never get bird names. Not sure what my mother was thinking.
“Come here, Sammy,” I call.
He cocks his tan head.
Yeah, that’s his name.
He’s Sam. Sam part deux. And this time, I’m keeping him, no matter what.
“I’ll take care of him, Falcon,” Raven says, sniffling.
“Thanks, Ray. I owe you one.”
“You don’t owe me anything.” She shakes her head. “How did it come to this, Fal? I know you didn’t—”
“Shh. I have my reasons for confessing,” I say. “Reasons you’d probably understand if you knew.”
“I do know.” She blows her nose on the wrinkled tissue she’s holding. “I know you’re protecting Hawk or Eagle. I’d do the same. But you… You don’t know what you’re in for.”
“And you do?” I grip her shoulders. “I’m big, and I’m strong, and I’m a lot tougher than you think. Dad didn’t spare me at all on the ranch. As the oldest, I was expected to do the most, to be the strongest. The biggest, the baddest, and the toughest. I’ll be okay, Ray.”
And I will be.
Because I have to be.
It’s only four years of my life. Three if I get out on parole sooner. I’m twenty-two. I’ll still have my whole life ahead of me when I’m done.
Hawk… He’s not me, but he’d be okay. Might take a few more knocks than I will, but he’d survive. But why should he? He didn’t fire the shot that killed that poor fuck.
Eagle, though. He’s just a kid. Not quite eighteen. No way is he going to any fucking prison. He’s big and tall, but he still has the lanky muscles of a teen.
He’d get hurt.
And no fucking way will I let that happen.
The kid’s made some severe mistakes. Mistakes Raven doesn’t even know about. Mistakes Hawk and I didn’t know about until recently. But he’s still a kid, and he doesn’t deserve to pay for something stupid he did.
He won’t. Not while I’m his big brother.
Hawk has one job while I’m gone—to straighten our youngest brother out. To make sure he’s clean and on the right track by the time I’m sprung. He’d better do his job, or they’ll both be answering to me.
“I’ll take care of the pup,” Raven says. “What’s his name?”
“His name is Sam,” I tell her. “He’s a good pup, Ray. He’s already learning not to shit in the house. Peeing will take a little longer, but—”
“I know how to raise a pup, Fal,” she says. “I grew up on the ranch same as you did. He’ll be fine. He’ll get lots of love.”
“I know. That’s why I chose you.”
Raven is the gentlest of all the Bellamy siblings. I guess she’s the only gentle one, really. Robin’s as tough as nails. She did as much work on the ranch as Hawk, Eagle, and I did. Mom kept trying to make her into a miniature version of herself, but Robin had none of it. Raven likes to cook, keep house, all that other shit. She’ll be a great mom someday. In the meantime? She’ll be a great fur mom to Sammy.
“That’s enough.” The bailiff grabs me and pushes me away from my sister.
“Falcon!” she cries.
“I’ll be okay. I promise I’ll be okay.”
And damn it, I’ll keep that fucking promise. I’ll get out, and I won’t have so much as a scratch on me.
Raven kept her promise to me. She took care of Sam, gave him lots of love, and when he succumbed to cancer at age eight, she sat with his head in her lap as the veterinarian gave him peace.
And I kept my promise to Raven. I got out. A little later than planned, but I got out. As for not having a scratch on me? I’ve got a few, but I kept my dignity and my pride. I became Savage to do it, but that’s how it is on the inside.
You do what you must to survive. You do what you must to keep your body autonomy.
Not everyone was as lucky as I was.
Not Tommy Ortiz, which is why I paid Bruno for his freedom.
It felt good. It felt altruistic, and I have a blood brother for life in Tommy.
But Bruno just moved onto the next weakest link.
I couldn’t save all of them.
But I saved some.
I saved Tommy.
And I got out. I got out early because sweet Raven, the only Bellamy child who got our mother’s softness, got sick.
Raven, who deserves her fate less than anyone I know.
That’s always the fucking way. Shit happens to those who deserve it least.