Page 21 of Reese’s Protection
He stalked down the steps and stopped right in front of me. “You don’t get to decide you’re done. I do.”
“Do you realize how egotistical that sounds? You’re abusive, Jeremy. You’re a horrible person, and you’ll have to kill me if you want me to stay with you because that’s the only way I’ll do it.” My heart ached. How did I ever care for him or fall for his charisma? He was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
He bared his teeth. “That can be arranged because I’d rather you were dead than with that piece of shit.”
I took a step back, his words driving panic into my lungs. Would he really hurt me? Of course he would. Shit, sugar, and spaghetti!
Numerous roars of engines filled the quiet neighborhood, and I turned in time for headlights to blind me. I blinked as some of them turned off, and men in leather jackets slid off their bikes, heading toward me. I recognized one of them as Bullet.
In the dark, Bullet looked like a demon possessed. The light from Jeremy’s open front door highlighted the mean expression on his face as he stormed toward us.
“Bullet?” I gaped at him.
“Bower showed me your message. I could tell he was worried. He showed me this asshole’s address on Maps and I called some friends.” He came to a stop beside me and crossed his arms over his massive chest.
Behind him was the only other King I recognized—Jester. He inclined his head toward me as he came to a stop right behind Bullet.
“Jester called Knox, just so you know. He’s on his way.”
I shook my head, anger fighting with fear. “He can’t come here. He’s already hurt because of me.”
Jeremy took a few steps back, eyes wide with horror. He stumbled over his feet, his hands trembling. “What is this?”
I had to sort this out before Knox got here. Squaring my shoulders and taking a deep breath, I moved in closer to Jeremy again. “End this now. Tell me you’re done, and the Kings won’t hurt you. Knox is on the way, Jeremy, and he won’t give up until you leave us alone. Do you understand? He knows more dangerous people than you. If anyone ends up being killed in this situation, it isn’t me.”
“You’re mine.” His voice didn’t hold confidence anymore, and the man standing in front of me was a scared kid.
“No, I’m not. I never was,” I admitted. I didn’t feel sorry for him; he didn’t deserve my pity. “I’ve been waiting for Knox since the day I met him. You should know that. I’m his.”
He took another step back, halfway into his house. He reached inside, and I didn’t have time to process anything as he yanked out a handgun from somewhere behind the door and pointed it at me. A bang made my ears hurt. I gasped, glancing around to see who’d been shot.
“Reese,” Bullet roared, grasping my arm.
“What?” It took a second for the pain to echo through my chest. I glanced down. Blood seeped and spread across my shirt. “Oh. I’ve been hit.” I laughed nervously. My fingers tingled until they began to go numb and my vision grayed. My mind took flight with a jumble of thoughts, of all the things I still hadn’t done, as I tumbled to the ground, not able to hold myself up.
Bullet held me as I fell to my knees while chaos erupted around me. Three men rushed Jeremy, seizing him and his gun, but I couldn’t concentrate. The agony had begun to spread through my body. I wheezed, not able to draw air into my lungs.
Was this how it ended?
Crickets on a cracker. I had too much shit to do in this world first.
And Knox? He’d blame himself. I should’ve told him how much he meant to me. My thoughts turned fuzzy as I tried to connect them, but my energy was being sapped. My arms grew weak.
So, I was going to die like my brother. Damn it. I never wanted this.
Panic caught in my lungs, and I forced myself to exhale through my nose so I could talk. My throat seized up, but I shoved the words out.
“Bul-Bullet. Tell Knox I’m sorry.”
A sob escaped me as I fell against Bullet’s supporting chest, my legs stretched out in front of me.
“I’m-I’m sorry.”
8
KNOX
“There! Right there!” Layton pointed, his hand jittering faster than a trapped bird, but I remembered the directions.
