Total pages in book: 194
Estimated words: 187754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 939(@200wpm)___ 751(@250wpm)___ 626(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 187754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 939(@200wpm)___ 751(@250wpm)___ 626(@300wpm)
“I didn’t know it was my birthday, boys.”
Khalil stops dead in his tracks, his head slowly pivoting toward Zeke’s body.
“The plane crash was a bit much, but I appreciate the surprise.” Seth reaches out and curls Zeke’s hand around the girl’s ankle. She doesn’t so much as twitch.
Jesus, she’s out cold.
“It’s not your birthday, and she’s not for you.” The hostility in my voice can’t be shrugged away. Seth may look like my brother, but right now, he’s my worst fucking nightmare.
“No?” Seth coos without taking his hand or eyes off her. “Shame.” His hand slowly moves up her leg, curling around her calf. “I would have enjoyed playing with her.”
Except there would be nothing fun or joyous about the games Seth likes to play—at least, not for this girl who helped herself to our cabin. We never considered needing a Keep Out sign, but I’m thinking about it now.
Maybe one that says Beware of Dog.
I’ve got the leash out and ready for Seth when his eyes flare wide with surprise. I watch as Seth pulls his hand back to examine the crimson coating his fingers. “Fuck, she’s already broken.”
My gaze searches her leg for a wound. “She’s hurt?”
“Who gives a shit?” Khalil snaps. “Who is she?”
“How would I know? She’s either lost or right where she wants to be. Either way, she’s a problem.” Khalil doesn’t respond, but his expression twists as he stares past me, drawing my gaze back to Seth. “No, don’t—”
Seth slips Zeke’s bloody fingers between his lips and hums.
Khalil gags even as he walks over to the bed for a closer look at our trespasser. “Zeke, you know I love you like a brother, but you got to reign in the weirdness, man.”
“She tastes like the sun.”
Khalil’s weirded-out gaze flicks to him. “Or not.”
“He’s not Zeke.”
Khalil’s frown deepens, and then he gives Ezekiel a careful once-over. He’d heard the variation in Zeke’s tone and accent earlier but probably dismissed it.
Khalil isn’t ignoring it now.
He takes in the new confident posture, the wildness in Seth’s gaze that replaces Zeke’s melancholy, and the dark hair now slicked back instead of shielding his green eyes before Khalil explodes.
“Aw, fuck. Fuck! FUCK! FUUUUUUCK!” Khalil takes an astonished step backward and then forward again. “Seth?”
Seth sketches a mocking bow. “Been a long time, bitches. Missed you.”
Khalil just looks at me for an explanation.
I shrug a little too casually, considering shit just got exponentially worse. My head is already throbbing. “Zeke must have seen this bitch and split,” I explain with a nod to the sleeping girl on the bed.
Khalil turns back in time to see Seth crawling onto the bed. He’s already sneaking a hand up this foolish girl’s dress.
Who the fuck does she think she is, letting herself in and making herself at home? This cabin and mountain are ours.
Khalil’s reflexes are legendary, his aim precise as an arrow as he lunges, catapulting himself over the girl and tackling Seth off the bed. Khalil’s arm rears back once they hit the floor, and then I hear more than I see the punch land. A rapid flurry of vicious blows follows.
“Zeke!” he calls in between punches. “Zeke, you fucking coward. Get out here!”
If only it were so simple.
Seth doesn’t ever give up control of Zeke’s body until he’s good and ready. The only one who can make him is Bane, and that animal is an even bigger pain to deal with. Bane doesn’t give a shit what problems Seth causes us as long as he isn’t trying to hurt Zeke.
It’s as convoluted as it sounds, but this is our life—a never-ending cycle of violence and blood.
My gaze unwillingly returns to the girl.
She has no idea what kind of hell she’s walked into, but the moment she wakes her ass up, we’re going to show her.
Isaac and his flock aren’t the only reason we’re hiding on this mountain. Zeke, Seth, and Bane don’t do well around others, and we refuse to let the courts lock them up, so Khalil and I took our brother and fled.
“No can do,” Seth taunts. His mouth is already filling with blood when he bares his teeth more than smiles at Khalil. “Zeke’s sleeping.”
Beating Seth to a pulp will get us nowhere, so I walk over and wrestle Khalil off him. He hurls obscenities and threats as I put distance between them while Seth rolls onto his side and groans. I don’t have to question if Khalil got in more than a few good shots.
But he’s still no match for Bane, and we don’t need him waking up if Khalil does too much damage to Zeke’s body.
I shove Khalil to the other side of the room, back near the door, to keep them apart. Khalil wastes no time trying to put his fist through the wall. The only thing he succeeds in doing is splitting the skin around his knuckles. The moment he draws blood, I stomp over and snatch his hand away before the idiot breaks it.