Page 26 of Swerve (Boosted Hearts 1)

“It’s Ruby,” Hunter said, skirting Jude, walking into my apartment.

He reached out to put his hand on my shoulder and I shoved him away. “Tell me.”

Zeke and Jude moved in as well, shutting the door behind them. “She was found outside her place . . .”

I grabbed Hunter by the front of his shirt and shoved him, until his back collided with the wall. “Is she dead?”

“No.” He didn’t try to fight me off, just held my gaze, sympathy clear in his. “She was beaten pretty bad. A lot of cuts and bruises, and she has a concussion.”

I jerked away from my best friend and paced the room like a caged lion. I started to shake from the violence hammering me, the need to hurt whoever had done this to her. I spotted my phone on the small table by the couch, where I’d left it last night. I’d left it off all night. A sick feeling washed over me as I turned it on. Whatever happened between us, I was always the person she looked to when she was scared, always. So when a message flashed on the screen, I wasn’t surprised. I forced myself to retrieve it, body vibrating with tension.

I heard a sob down the line. Ruby’s sob. A loud crash, a male voice. Ruby crying out followed by the unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh, her broken cries, her scream . . .

“Scott, no . . .”

It cut off.

Scott. I started to shake harder.

Hunter cursed and grabbed the phone out of my hand, putting it to his ear.

This was my fault. I’d turned my fucking phone off because I wasn’t man enough to deal with my feelings, because I was too damn weak to risk hearing her fucking voice if she called me. I’d gone to the back room of a fucking strip club to get off, to try and forget the only woman I had ever loved.

Ruby had been terrified, had been beaten, and I hadn’t been there. I’d failed her, again.

I roared, picked up the coffee table, and flung it across the room. It hit the TV, cracking the screen, knocking it to the ground. I’d upended the couch when Jude’s monster arms banded around me, throwing me to the ground and pinning my arms behind my back.

“Calm the fuck down,” he growled. “You’re not gonna be any use to our girl if you can’t keep your shit tight.”

I shoved him off and got to my feet. She’d needed me. She’d needed me and I hadn’t been there for her.

The anger in me was like nothing I’d ever felt in my life. I thought after finding her at that park all those years ago, being held down, almost raped, nothing could ever top the rage I felt that night. I was wrong. I’d never felt more helpless either. It was a tight iron fist squeezing my heart in my chest. I had to get to her. I had to see her for myself, hold her in my arms, feel her heartbeat strong under my fingers.

I shoved on my boots and then I was headed for the door. Hunter stopped me with a hand to the gut. “You gonna keep it tight?”

Right then, I knew I was capable of anything, any ugly, cruel, vengeful thing. I knew I’d gut that fucker Scott if I saw him, and I’d enjoy it. I’d enjoy watching him bleed. Instead of verbalizing that, I gave Hunter what he wanted and nodded.

Zeke, who had stayed by the door, locked eyes with me. “We’ll get him, and we’ll make him pay.” Then he opened the door for me, letting me pass.

“Though true,” Jude rumbled. “Not fucking helpful, Zeke. We’re trying to calm the guy down, not fuel the blood lust.”

I ignored them all and strode to the elevator.

The drive to the hospital felt like time had ground to a stop, like it was going in fucking reverse. Jude was driving, and he was sticking to the speed limit. Zeke was shotgun, and Hunter was in the back with me. I could feel him cast glances my way every so often, no doubt waiting for me to flip the hell out again.

“I’ve been locked up, Nec,” Hunter said low. I clenched my jaw. “Prison’s not a place you wanna go, brother.”

“I won’t get caught.”

Hunter cursed. “You’re too close. You go after this guy, you will end up inside.” He was quiet for several seconds. “I’m here for you, you understand what I’m saying? You do not do this alone.”

Hunter knew there was some deep shit between me and Ruby, knew it was complicated—also knew I considered her mine in a lot of ways. I wouldn’t let this go, and he knew that as well.

My best friend had seen firsthand what I hid, the dark shit I was capable of, the ugly I kept under wraps. But no way would I involve Hunter in what I had planned when I got my hands on Scott. He had Lulu and Josh to worry about. He’d served his time. No way would I be responsible for him doing more.

Because the reality was, if I got my hands on Scott—I would kill him.

We hit the hospital parking lot and I was out of the car before it fully stopped, striding across the lot. I heard Hunter curse, his door slam, boots pounding after me.