Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 174(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Ranger: We need to move. Eyeball and Demon are alone—unprotected.
My stomach goes cold. I lift my gaze just enough to catch Ranger’s. He doesn’t even flinch—just gives the slightest nod.
I clear my throat. “Ayita just texted,” I lie, forcing my voice steady. “Said she needs me home. Something about the damn sink again.”
Blade looks up, frowning. “You serious? We’re not done—”
“I’ll catch up,” I say quickly, already pushing my chair back. “Not going to be long, brother.”
Ranger straightens, stretching his back like he’s just remembered something. “Bear, before you go—mind if I take a look at those new pipes you were braggin’ about? I wanna see if they actually sound as mean as you claim.”
I give him a tight smile. “Perfect timing. I already regret buyin’ the damn things. You can buy these.”
Blade waves us off with a mutter, and we slip out the door.
The second it closes, Ranger chuckles low. “Quick thinkin’, brother.”
“Yeah,” I grunt. “Now tell me what the hell you know.”
He glances down the hall before answering. “Been screwin’ this waitress at a diner in Townsend. She’s been keepin’ eyes open for me. Saw Eyeball and Demon rolled in tonight. She said they’re still there. I’ve had her watching for them for a month. It’s finally paid off.”
My pulse kicks. “Then, let’s load up. I need to get back before Blade or Ayita figure any of this out.”
We head for a cage. It will be easier to slip in undetected. Ranger’s old truck is in that area often anyway. The night air bites sharp, cold enough to make me feel alive again. Ranger fires up the engine the moment the doors close, and we head out.
We ride in silence most of the way. The road’s a black ribbon cutting through the hills, moonlight flickering through the dark clouds. My thoughts drift to the letters I sealed and have hidden in my safe at home. Words I should’ve said out loud but couldn’t. Letters for Blade, Ayita and most of all … Olivia.
Honestly, hers damn near broke me. She’s the only woman I ever loved, and she’ll never know—not till I’m gone. At least I have the consolation of knowing that they will all eventually know the truth. I hate living these lies that I’m buried under.
We pull off across from the diner. The place is dark, a sign hanging crooked in the window shows the place is closed. Out front, two bikes sit gleaming under the streetlight—Eyeball and Demon.
Ranger kills the engine. “There they are.”
He starts to open his door, but I grab his arm. “Wait. Let’s see what they do.”
It doesn’t take long before the two assholes cross the road and head for a small garage at the edge of the lot. The metal door creaks open, and they disappear inside.
Ranger exhales hard. “That was close. They could’ve seen us. You wanna do this, or we head home?”
Something feels off—my gut twisting—but I shove it down. “We’re doing this,” I tell him. “We can handle those two bastards,” I mutter.
He nods, though there’s hesitation in his eyes I don’t like. We pull our guns, move slow and silent through the shadows. The gravel crunches under our boots, every sound too damn loud.
When we reach the back of the garage, I whisper, “You take the left side. I’ll come around right. We’ll box ’em in.”
Ranger leans close, murmurs, “I’m not sure that’ll work.”
“Why the fuck not?” I huff out, impatient—and that’s when the gun goes off.
The shot slams into my back, fire ripping through my chest. I drop to one knee, gasping.
A voice behind me says, almost amused, “Because, fuckhead, Ranger’s working with us.”
I hit the dirt, vision swimming. Ranger steps in front of me, his shadow blotting out the moonlight. He kicks me hard in the ribs, and I can barely breathe.
“Sorry, man,” he says, voice cold, unrecognizable. “They pay better.”
Eyeball moves beside him, gun still in his hand. He leans down and pries my eyes open. “Oh, pretty brown eyes. I’m going to enjoy having one of your eyes on my necklace. I’ll make sure to show it to your brother, before I take his,” he laughs.
I reach for my gun, fingers trembling, but Ranger kicks it out of reach and laughs. “Yeah, that ain’t happenin’, brother.”
The world tilts sideways. My heart’s hammerin’, lungs burnin’, but the pain’s already fading into something else—quiet. Death is coming …
I close my eyes wanting to see my Olivia one last time. She’s there, waiting for me in my memories just like always. Her beautiful laugh, a smile that a man would get down on his knees and thank the Lord to have shine on him, her gorgeous eyes that see into your soul and shine with equal parts of love and fire, and then her full lips that I once tasted. Lips that could have been mine …