“They’re one and the same, now aren’t they, luv?”
“What?”
He sets a piece of paper on the table and then stabs his knife into it. “Before you lie to me, take a look at what I already know.”
My heart beats wildly as I tug the knife from the table, keeping it firmly in my hand as I turn the paper over. I stop breathing as I stare at the photo. It’s my brother, and he’s wearing a Scorpion vest. And then my eyes slide to the name on his cut … Savage.
The knife falls to the floor as I grab the paper, pulling it to my face. I don’t believe my eyes.
I don’t understand. He’s not Savage. I met him. Nothim, but Savage.
Suddenly I’m thrust back in my chair, and Carver has his knife at my throat.
“I should cut you from ear to ear for deceiving my brother and his baby sister.” His eyes are filled with hate.
But I find I don’t care. Nothing matters anymore. It’s as if my emotions just up and left. How could my brother do this to me? He let me believe he was dead.
He had Mr. Johnson killed.
“You and your brother are pieces of shit!” Carver yells, spitting in my face.
I look him in the eye. “Do it.”
“I should. You know I fucking should.”
“Do it!” I scream.
The tip of his blade rips open the skin on my throat, and something wet trickles down my neck.
Suddenly the door bursts open, and the room becomes complete mayhem. Carver is ripped away from me.
Rage roars, and he wraps his arm around his brother’s neck. Carver begins to kick his feet, his face turning purple as he tries to touch the ground.
“He’s going to kill him!” Cub yells, and I find myself being shoved aside as they try to pry Rage away from Carver. Every single one of them wrestles him and still he doesn’t let go.
I rush out of the room and into the parking lot. It’s getting dark, and I have no idea what to do. So, I run into the trees. I run for miles. I run until I find myself crawling through the broken window of the room where I found Mila.
The harshness of my breath is the only thing to break the silence. I’m afraid to move.
“What the fuck just happened?” I whisper, squeezing the piece of paper still clutched in my hand.
This can’t be true.
My brother has put me in danger before, but if he is Savage, he’s crossed the line. My mother too.
I sob so hard that I have to roll to my knees, suddenly sick to my stomach.
Eventually, I pick myself up and stumble over the dirty carpet to the living room. I find a lighter along with a candle so I can read the information Carver gave me. I smooth the paper against the coffee table and then lean over to read it. When a drop ofblood plops on my brother’s photo, I place my fingertips against my neck.
“What the fuck have you done?” I whisper to the brother I once loved.
My gaze scans the words in front of me, catching something about the cartel. Oh my god. Does he owe them money?
“You’re so fucking stupid!” I cry out, then whisper, “I’ve been stupid too.”
I let myself fall in love with Mila. Why did I let that happen?
My mind drifts to the anger I saw in Rage tonight, and I wonder if he killed Carver.