I GRIPPED the steering wheel of Tobias’ Jeep, wincing as I ground his gears and glanced at the map on the screen of my phone. God, if I broke his damn car, he’d never forgive me. I shoved my foot against the clutch and forced the gear until it clunked.
My phone gave a beep. Tobias’ name flashed across the screen. I ignored it, and the two more texts that came after it. When Nick’s name followed them, I swallowed a flare of pain and drove my foot harder against the accelerator. I’d call them as soon as I got there. Once I explained, they’d calm down. Would they be pissed? Yeah, especially knowing it was Gio, but if I kept the call open and they heard everything he said to me, then they’d know I wasn’t going without a plan.
I knew they didn’t like Gio, knew they’d rather put him in the hospital than allow him any kind of contact with me. But if he was in a coma, he couldn’t tell me what I needed to know, and right now, the need to find out where my dad was outweighed their possessiveness.
My phone started to ring, and Nick’s number flashed over the map Gio’d sent me. “Shit.” I swiped the screen.
“Ryth—” Nick started.
“Wait,” I snapped, still a little pissed from earlier. “I can explain.”
“You’d better,” Tobias growled in the background as I punched the clutch and geared down around a corner. “Jesus…is that my damn gearbox?” He shouted.
“Yes, and if you don’t stop talking, I won’t be able to tell you I know where my dad is.”
“You do?” Caleb broke in. “Where?”
“Well, not right now. But I will—”
“Ryth,” Nick’s voice grew cold. “I want you to tell us exactly what the fuck is going on?”
I tried to concentrate on the unfamiliar roads and the fact this was only my third ever attempt at driving a stick shift…and I used the term ‘attempt’ loosely. “Promise you won’t get mad?”
Nick let out a growl. “Not as mad as I will be if you don’t tell us what the hell is happening.”
“Gio sent me a message—”
“Sonofabitch,” Tobias snapped. “Goddamn bastard.”
“I’m trying to tell you and not crash here,” I yelled.
“Tell us.” Nick sounded panicked.
“He said that Lazarus was lying,” I explained. “He said that he knows where my dad is.”
“And he wasn’t going to tell you with us there,” Nick added.
“Not after what Tobias did, no.”
“Goddamn piece of shit,” Tobias growled. “You know he’s lying, right? There’s no way Laz would tell him a goddamn thing.”
“Are you sure about that?” I glanced at the red blinking light on the map, then lifted my gaze to the flickering lights as they broke through the darkness. “Because I’m not, and right now we have nothing else. I can’t take that risk, I just can’t.”
The Jeep barely jolted on the lonely dirt road I’d been driving for the past ten minutes.
Tobias’ growl grew louder. “I don’t trust him.”
“I know.” I geared down, slowing the Jeep. “Which is why I was going to call you anyway so you can hear everything he says.”
“You were?” Nick broke in.
“Yes, I was. There was no way he was going to tell me anything with any of you there, so right now, this was our only option, unless you’d rather I talk to Lazarus Rossi instead.”
“Over my dead body,” Tobias practically howled. “Send us the coordinates, we’re on our way.”
I slowed the Jeep a little more, gripped the phone tight, and took a screenshot, sending it to Tobias’ phone with one hand. By the time they caught up, I’d have the information I needed. “Done.”
A stampede sounded on the other end of Nick’s call. The boom of the front door came barely a second before the Mustang’s engine growled to life.
“Just hang back,” Nick ordered. “Wait for us to get closer.”
I sought out those glittering lights, sure that if Gio even suspected they were on their way, he’d clam up. There’s no way he’d talk to me then. I glanced at the phone, listening to the Mustang’s squealing tires as Nick drove it hard.
I couldn’t take that chance, not when what I needed was so close. I eased my foot off the brake and let the Jeep pick up speed.
“We’re right here,” Nick’s voice came through the speaker, as though he knew on instinct that I needed him. “Twenty minutes from you.”
“Okay,” I whispered, scanning the darkness as the front door of the building opened and Gio limped out, leaving others behind. Laughter and voices spilled through the window.
I lowered my hand, hiding the fact that my brothers were listening to every word. Gio looked at the Jeep, then scanned the darkness. “You came alone?”
“You told me to.”
“Yeah, well.” He massaged the back of his neck.
He was nervous, still nervous after I’d told him the truth. I got out of the Jeep in front of the house and climbed the wooden stairs, glancing through the window. “I’m here. Tell me what you know.”
“Inside.” He motioned with his head.
I shook mine. “That wasn’t part of the deal.”
Hate flashed in his eyes as he turned on me. “Neither was three broken ribs and a bruised splayed neck, but I guess we get what we get, don’t we, Ryth?”
I froze at the sudden savagery, the others inside would hear us…they’d come, wouldn’t they? He stilled, sucked in a hard breath, and glanced over his shoulder to inside the house. Goosebumps raced along my skin and my instincts were on fire, telling me not to go in there.
“Tell me what I want to know,” I demanded, not moving an inch. “Tell me and I’ll go.”
“Come in the house, Ryth.” he turned back to me, but his once kind eyes now held no warmth. There was just stony anger. “Come in and I’ll tell you what you want to know.”
I looked toward the doorway behind him, catching one of the jocks from school peering out and narrowing in on me before turning away. There had to be at least five others partying inside. Gio wouldn’t do anything, not with a crowd, would he?
“Don’t fucking do it,” Tobias’ voice came from my phone in my hand. “Ryth….”
Time froze as Gio stared at me. My pulse thundered, sending a chill down my spine before fear finally kicked in.
I spun and lunged, stumbling down the stairs as Gio let out a snarl.
“Get the bitch inside now, Gio!” a female screamed.
I knew that voice…knew that fucking cruel bark. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Natalie standing in the doorway as I flew across the front of the house. No…God, no.
I drove my boots into the ground, the Jeep all I saw.
“Get the fuck out of there now, Ryth!” Nick roared from the phone as I ran…until I was hit from behind.
Gio grabbed me by the hair, wrenching me backwards. “Fucking bitch!”
I kicked and punched, trying to get away. “Get the fuck off me!”
“Goddamn cunt.” He yanked me back as I tried to shove forwards, pulling me so hard I fell and hit the ground. “Think you’re too fucking good for me?”
Fire lashed my scalp, his fingers entangled in my hair as the others from inside began to spill out.
“Get her inside, Gio!” Natalie screamed as she ran toward us.
No…no, please no! I lashed out, driving my fist into his side, watching as he buckled with pain.
They’d hurt me…if I went in that house…they’d hurt me.
I shoved upwards, tearing free from that vicious hold, my boots finding purchase on the hard ground. Voices came from those inside as they stumbled out of the house. But they made no effort to help. I knew deep down they wouldn’t. The Jeep glistened in the moonlight…like a beacon.
Get there…that’s all I had to do. I shoved up and ran with all I had.
“No, you fucking don’t!” Natalie screamed.
I caught the blur of movement, then a heavy smack that lashed my face, snapping my head sideways, and my body followed. I stumbled and fell, hitting the ground hard. But before I could think, she was on me.
Sharp nails clawed my face, dangerously close to my eye.
“Fucking cunt!” she screamed. “You think you can take MY boyfriend?”
I fought as hard as I could, slapping her hands away. Tears instantly filled my eyes, blurring her as she came for me again. My phone…my phone. I jerked my gaze across the ground, finding the glint.
I tried to shove upwards as she slapped my face once more. My head rocked with the impact and my ears rang, burning with the blows as I roared, “He’s not your fucking boyfriend!”
“You fucking bitch!” She lunged, her eyes wide and wild.
Gio held his side as he limped closer, glaring at Natalie. “You said you weren’t going to hurt her!”
I pressed my hand to the sting of my cheek. My fingers came away glistening in the night. Blood…that was blood. I jerked my gaze to her as she came closer.
“She thinks she can take my Nick from me?” she spat. “I’ll make it so he never looks at her again.”
I moved, stumbling sideways toward my phone. Muffled roars grew clearer as I bent on trembling legs and grabbed it.
“RYTH!” Nick screamed. “FOR FUCKS SAKE, RYTH!”
I lifted it to my throbbing face, my voice trembling as I spoke. “I-I’m here. I’m here. Nick, I’m scared.”
“Hold on, princess. I’m on my fucking way…just hold the fuck on.”
She took a step toward me, her curled lips baring her teeth as she focused on the phone in my hand. “He’s mine…you got that, you stupid, ugly cunt?” She dropped her hand to her waist and drew something long and silver from her pocket. “He’s always been mine.”
The knife flicked open with a snap, the long blade glinting as she stepped forward. “I’ll make it so no one looks at you ever again.”
My stomach clenched, and fear rooted me to the spot. “No…please no.”
“NATALIE!” Nick’s roar boomed in my ears. “NATALIE, DON’T YOU DARE FUCKING TOUCH HER!”
She jerked her gaze to the phone in my hand. “Is that him?” Her breaths stilled as agony carved across her face. “Is that my Nicky?”
She didn’t need to cut me with that damn knife. Her words did it for her. I swallowed the agony, forcing myself to play her game. I nodded and lifted my phone. “Yes. Yes, it is. He wants to talk to you.”
She licked her lips, the knife still shining in her hand. “Put him on speaker.”
I tried to see the button, praying I hit the right one, my finger trembling violently. But the moment I did, Nick’s voice filled the air.
“Natalie,” he snarled. “You fucking hurt her and you’re dead to me.”
She winced, her breath catching.
“You hear me?” he barked, his voice filling the phone, smothering the roar of the Mustang’s engine.
“I’m dead to you now anyway,” she murmured, lifting her gaze to mine, her face brightening. “You never cared this much about me.”
“You fucking cheated on me.” His deep voice was etched with agony. “You fucked other guys behind my back and you didn’t give a shit when I found out.”
She shook her head, the knife trembling in her hand as her face grew brighter and brighter.
For a second, it didn’t click. But Nick kept talking. “You’re the one who ruined what we had, Natalie, no one else.”
“I did it because you stopped wanting me.” She took another step closer, desperation making her clench the knife in her hand tighter and direct that unpitying violence at me. “Now I see you won’t want me ever again.”
I waited for him to answer.
Waited for anything as the others from the party crowded around.
But as my pulse grew louder, I caught the sound of tires skidding. The Mustang’s engine roared as the car kicked up dirt and hit the shoulder with a thud. Doors were thrown open as my brothers charged. Gio’s eyes widened as they came for him.
“Banks!” someone screamed. “Fucking bastards!”
In a blinding blur, the fight broke out, but it was eight against three. I jerked my gaze to Natalie as she let out a feral scream and lunged toward me, the blade slashing in the air.
“Ryth!” Nick roared, throwing out a fist, driving it into some asshole’s face.
Headlights lit up the fray. Fists and blood. Tobias was a fucking animal, charging forward to take down the biggest of them there, unleashing his blows with sickening savagery.
Still the sound of cars grew louder behind us. There were more coming, more against my brothers. Fear chilled me to the core.
I leapt backwards as Natalie slashed the knife through the air, coming for me. “Fucking slut!” she howled as my brothers fought all around me.
Their yells drove me forward. I dodged the slash, stepping to the side, then lunged, driving my pathetically small fist into her stomach. It barely made an impact, but it didn’t matter, I was already swinging with my other fist, only this time, I drove it into the side of her face.
The blow hit hard, crunching my knuckles.
She stumbled sideways.
Nick divided his focus, desperate to get to me, but there were two of them on him, two who drove their fists into his face and his stomach. He left out a grunt and swung his savage glare back to his attackers.
“Nasty fucking cunt,” Natalie punched out the words at me, her fingers cradling her bleeding nose. “I’m going to hurt you for that.”
“The fuck you are,” I snarled, and stood my ground, my brothers fighting at my back.
The crack! of a gunshot came a second after cars skidded to a stop behind us. But I didn’t dare take my eyes off her, not for a second.
“Enough!” Lazarus barked, striding forward.
But punches were still being thrown by Gio’s asshole buddies. Freddy moved fast and charged forward, then raised his gun and took aim. “We said enough, asshole!”
Lazarus Rossi carved a line through the middle of the melee, sparing a glance at Gio, who was under Tobias, his arms outstretched, his mouth bloody and ruined once more.
“You,” Lazarus snapped. “You stupid fucking idiot. I fucking warned you.” Lazarus looked to Tobias, who was filled with brutal frenzy.
Something passed between them. A kind of unspoken loyalty…or maybe it was the fact that Lazarus knew a few minutes more and Gio wouldn’t need to worry about his injuries because Tobias would kill him.
“Freddy,” Lazarus called his bodyguard. “Get him the fuck out of here.”
Freddy moved instantly, striding forward. Tobias didn’t fight when Gio was dragged out from under him, just held the asshole’s glare. “The next time I see you, there won’t be anybody to stop me, you got that?”
Gio spluttered, bloody flecks shooting in the air as he coughed and tried to breathe.
“I will end you,” Tobias promised.
“You won’t need to.” Lazarus stepped closer, meeting Gio’s stare. “Because I’ll do it for you.”
“Uh-uh.” The bark came from behind me.
I jerked my gaze to Logan as he strode past me. His movement was just a blur as he lashed out, grasped Natalie’s wrist, and twisted until her knees buckled and she cried out in pain.
“Let go of me!” she screamed.
I sucked in a hard breath, watching the merciless male as he twisted harder. The knife dropped to the ground before he shoved her away. She stumbled, cradling her hand as she shot a tearful stare toward Nick.
But he was sickened by the sight of her. His lips curled, hate burning in his eyes. He didn’t need to say a thing before she broke down and sobbed. “You hate me. You really hate me.”
“Come near any of us again and you’ll find out just how much.” His voice was stone cold.
Her shoulders slumped as she wrapped her arms around her middle.
“Get her out of here,” Lazarus snapped.
“You heard him,” Logan barked, jerking his gaze to a car still idling behind us. “Move.” He took a step toward her. She flinched, fear flaring through the pain in her eyes.
She stumbled toward the car, leaving us behind. Still, I couldn’t help but watch her leave.
“She’s gone now,” Lazarus murmured, his gaze on me. “She won’t be bothering you again.”
The way he said it, I knew she was about to have the most terrifying ride of her life. They might not hurt her, but she’d know just what would happen if she tried to come after us again.
“The rest of you better clear the fuck out, unless you want to find yourselves on my goddamn shit list.”
Movement broke out in an instant, the rest of them shoving up from the ground and stumbling away, racing back to the house.
“You wanna explain this?” Lazarus glared at Tobias.
I knew who he was, knew his reputation as being dangerous. Yet Tobias just turned on him, meeting his stare with his own. “Explain? Sure, Lazarus. Let me lay it out for you, brother. This asshole decides to call Ryth and tell her you’re holding out on her, that you know exactly where her dad is, and the only way he was gonna tell her was if she met him face to face. But it wasn’t about her dad, was it? He wanted to lure her here alone.”
Anger ripped through those blue eyes of the Mafia asshole. “That true?” He jerked his gaze to Gio.
But the spineless asshole didn’t answer, just swung his glare to Natalie as the car doors closed. “It wasn’t my idea.”
Lazarus stepped toward him. “But you went along with it. You lured a young woman out in the middle of nowhere at night. A young woman whose father works for me.”
Gio flinched. “He stole from you.”
“That’s not your business, now, is it?”
Gio paled under the wash of the Mustang’s headlights. “I thought…”
“You thought,” Lazarus repeated. “Next time you think, Gio, you’d better be far from me.” The Mafia Prince’s voice grew dangerous. “Don’t go back to school. In fact, don’t go anywhere in this city. Go home, pack your shit, and leave. I see you and you’re done, feel me?”
Gio’s eyes widened, but there was no getting out of this. His shoulders slumped as resignation hit home. “Yeah, Laz.”
“Mr. Rossi to you.” Freddy made sure the point was driven home. “And I’ll personally make it my mission to drive by your place tomorrow…you know, just to make sure you got out of the city. Might check on your mom, too, just to ensure she’s okay.”
I hadn’t thought Gio could look any sicker…I was wrong.
He left, his head drooped low, slinking away like a beaten animal.
“He’s not coming back,” Lazarus reassured as he looked at me. “I’ll make sure of that. But I don’t know where your father is, Ryth. If I did, I would’ve told you. I might be a bastard, but I value family.”
“You wanted to kill him,” I answered, there was no way I’d believe him.
“Is he dead?”
I stiffened at the question. Panic flared as I glanced at Tobias, Nick, and Caleb, then slowly answered, “No.”
“Ever ask yourself why that is?”
I met Lazarus’ piercing stare. “No.”
“Maybe you should.” He turned and strode away toward his bodyguards. “If I find your dad, Ryth, believe me, you’ll be the first to know.”
He left me stunned, my mind reeling, as Nick stepped close. His fingers trembled when they grazed my cheek. “Jesus, Ryth.”
“Are you hurt?” Tobias grasped my hand, as his gaze searched my body for cuts or blood.
“No,” I whispered, leaning against them. I wound one arm around Nick, then the other as far around Tobias and Caleb as I could reach. “Thank God.”
Their hands held me, pulling me against their warmth as I shuddered and shook.
“Let’s get you home,” Nick murmured in my ear. “Then we can work out what the hell this all meant.”
