Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 148704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 744(@200wpm)___ 595(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148704 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 744(@200wpm)___ 595(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
Willie is shoved away, barricaded by a brigade of bikers, but continues to try and bully his way to his best friend.
That’s when I see him.
On the left side of the ring, a bottle of bourbon in his hand, he creeps closer, busting it along the cement post holding the rope in place, ducking underneath it and into the ring.
He’s noticed on entry.
Snake spins so fast, he can’t brace, but he doesn’t attempt to do so either.
Air whooshes from my lungs, my temple pounding as I stare, horrified.
Memphis shoves the broken bottle into the man’s neck… but not before Snake’s knife thrusts deep into my brother’s chest.
Time slows, then stops.
“No!” A tremor racks through me, and my muscles give, my scream loud and piercing. Deafening, yet, somehow, the slamming of Memphis’s body as he collapses to the ground reverberates around me. Choking me.
Snake falls next.
I look to Crew, now free of the bounds holding him back.
Struggling in the arms keeping me still, I try to yell, to shout, but somehow, no sound slips from my lips.
Dead silence falls over the crowd, but not a split second later, cheers erupt, and then they scurry like mice, bike after bike firing up, the motors rumbling through the air.
I manage to tear free, flying forward and falling to my knees, pain shooting through my legs as I crawl under the rope.
“Memphis! Fuck!” Crew is on his knees beside his old best friend, staring down at Memphis with wide eyes, blood seeping from his own wounds. He dips down, pressing hard against my brother’s chest. “Why the fuck did you do this?!” he shouts. “I’m the one who fights, Memph. Me. Not you!”
Snapping out of his unconscious state, Memphis’s head jerks toward Crew, and it’s as if he’s preparing for a second attack, because his hand flies out, bracing to shove the person coming near away. But then his barren eyes find mine, and the dread filling them has me trembling.
“Davis,” he croaks.
I scramble closer, gripping Crew’s arm for support, but then my eyes fall to my brother, pale and sweating, blood pooled all around him, and my hand flies up, trembling as I go to touch him but fear to.
“Oh my god…” Tears blur my vision as I stare at him, my eyes quickly locking on Crew’s torso. “Crew, you’re—”
He shakes his head as if to say he’s fine.
Slowly, Memphis’s hand lifts off the dirty ground. “Davis—”
I jolt, taking his fingers in mine, my lips quivering as I try to smile.
“Shh, I’m here.” I push his hair back, holding his cheek. “It’s okay, you’re going to be okay.” I nod, fear heavy in the pit of my stomach.
“I’m sorry,” he rasps, trying to swallow. “For everything I-I did and didn’t.”
“Stop, it’s okay. You’re okay. You’re going to be okay.”
A small, sad smile curves his lips. “I love you, baby sister.”
A cry escapes before I can bury it, and I shake my head. This can’t happen.
It can’t.
I just got him back.
I thought everything was better.
Memphis’s eyes begin to close, and I gulp. “Memphis!” I scoot in, squeezing his hand tighter. “Memphis, please. Help! Someone help!” I shout. “Please help!”
Familiar keys are tossed in the dirt at my brother’s feet, and my head jerks left to find Kaleb. His face is blank, eyes on Crew, but my brother’s coughs draw my attention back, his entire body jerking, and I scream, gripping his shirt.
“We have to do something! Someone, please!”
Feet shuffle closer, and I look up into Julius’s wide eyes, at Drew, who drops his chin to his chest, Crew’s warm hands wrapping around my biceps in the next second, his body cocooning me from behind.
“No.” I shake my head, refusing to believe. “No, no, no,” I croak, looking down at my brother.
“It’s okay,” he rasps, a faraway look in his light eyes as they flutter half open. “Davis…”
“I’m here,” I sob, tears soaking into the blood on his shirt.
His smile returns, his grip on my fingers fading. “Nothing hurts anymore.”
“Fuck,” Crew curses, one hand gripping me tighter, the other leaving my arm and pressing into his old best friend’s cheek, gaining his attention.
Memphis looks to him, his chest deflating as a single tear slips from the edge of his eye. “I love you, brother. Forgive me.”
My hand slaps over my mouth, my breath lodged in my throat as the man at my side gives a single jerky nod. “Always, my man. Always,” Crew breathes, his body shaking.
My brother’s eyes flutter closed, a slight jolt racking through him.
“Memphis.” I push up on my knees. “Memphis!” I shout, shaking him. “Memphis, wake up!” I cry, my head falling to his chest as I tug on him. “Please—”
“Get her out of here.”
I jerk up, gripping the hem of my brother’s shirt, tearing the soaked cotton as I’m lifted off the ground. “No, I can’t leave him, please! I can’t…” I go limp with silent cries. “I can’t leave him…”