Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
“You’re safe,” he mutters, burying his face in my neck. “I was so fuckin’ worried they’d already sold you. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
I’m momentarily too stunned to even speak.
“Where’s Felix and the rest?” Kai asks. “And what about Caleb?”
“They’re killing everyone who’s trying to block our only way out,” Nathan replies, and he returns his attention to me. “I’m sorry, Lana, I should’ve been more careful with those pictures. If I had, you wouldn’t have gotten so angry, and we could’ve kept you out of their claws.”
“Yeah, this is kind of your fault,” Milo says, and Nathan throws him a seething look.
“I didn’t share those pictures.” Nathan focuses his attention back on me. “I swear on my goddamn sister’s life, it wasn’t me.”
His … sister?
She’s all he’s wanted to protect, and he swears it on her?
I suck in a breath. “I believe you.”
“I don’t know who did it, but I will find them and punish them.” He grips my face. “I don’t want you to hate me. I can’t bear to lose you too.”
His words strike my heart and gut it open, forcing me to come face-to-face with my own anguish and infatuation.
Because those pictures forced us together.
Bound us in a way that was inescapable.
And then those binds were suddenly released.
“I know who—”
“Talk later.” Kai interjects as he runs at a guard and engages in a fight.
Out of nowhere, a guy covered in tattoos and piercings shoots at the guards. “I’ve got you covered. Don’t worry.”
“Who is that?” I mutter.
“Caleb. Long story,” Milo says. “We should run.”
Nathan pulls back and caresses my cheek. “Even if you despise me, I will keep you safe. I promise.”
He presses a gentle kiss onto my hand before helping me stand.
But as I stand, I briefly glance over my shoulder at the others and notice one Bones Brotherhood guy with a hoodie and a ton of tattoos, making my blood run cold.
Romeo.
He’s aimed his gun right at me.
My eyes widen.
Nathan’s eyes follow mine, and when he sees the guy, he jumps right in front of me, shielding me.
The gun goes off.
BANG!
The bullet lodges into Nathan’s back, and his knees buckle and he falls into me while I scream, “Nathan!”
NATHAN
Blood spurts out of my wound as I collapse onto her. She sinks to the ground with me, clutching my body close to her as the blood begins to drain from my veins. My back stings with pain, electricity shooting out into my legs.
“Oh God, oh God, oh God!” Milo yelps as he runs to my side and cradles me too. “He hit your back! Fuck!”
I try to move, but it hurts so damn badly that I just stay here in Lana’s arms. Above me, gunshots fly left and right, and Kai and Caleb are the only ones left fighting to keep the Bonesmen at bay.
“Fuck! There are too many,” Kai grits, directing his attention toward Caleb. “You take the left; I’ll take the right!”
“We have to do something,” Milo begs Lana.
She rips a part of her shirt from her waistline and binds it around me, sealing my wound. “It’s soaking right through. Dammit.”
“We have to get him out of here,” Milo says.
BANG!
They duck for cover, hovering over me to protect me.
“Why did you do it?” Lana whispers into my ear. “Why did you protect me?”
“Because I love you. And I protect the people I love.”
I can feel the tears falling down onto my hair, the cold droplets soothing the pain just a little, taking the edge off things.
“Please …” she murmurs.
Her whole body begins to quake against me, and she leans over to grasp my knives and tucks them into her own pocket. Then she slips out from underneath me and tells Milo, “Keep watch over him. Don’t let him die.”
Milo nods.
“What are you going to do?” I mutter and lean up to look at her march straight toward Romeo, her head held high, knives at the ready. Like a goddamn motherfucking angel of revenge.
“Protect the people I love.”
Lana
I shake off all of the drugs and focus on the adrenaline coursing through my veins. Pure hatred drives me as I run toward Romeo.
Shots fire past my head, and I bolt from left to right to avoid all of them.
A knife whips past me, and I glance over my shoulder to see Caleb covering for me. I focus on getting to Romeo, ignoring the other guards headed in my direction.
“Stay away from me!” Romeo yells.
“You messed with the wrong bitch,” I growl as I run right at him. “You touch my friends, you fucking die!”
I chuck two knives at his face, and he dodges them, so I chuck the third at his knee. He groans when it lodges into his flesh, and he collapses from the pain. Just in time for my knee to hit his nose.