Fury (New Adult Romance) - #1.5 Fierce Series (14 page)

Chapter
12

Defending Her Honor

A few hours later …

I’ve been spending my time frowning, pacing up and down the alley
behind the Denny’s joint, wondering how my first ‘real’ drug exchange will go.
Jaret’s only help was handing me the client list, which he forgot to give me
previously. I’m lucky he didn’t forget to give me the price list. I think I’ll
have to bring both with me wherever I go, because I can’t for the life of me
remember all of this. The gang would definitely be against it, since I could get
them exposed, but who the hell cares. I’m not gonna tell them, so how would
they find out anyway? Besides, staying low is my priority too, for now. I want
to find out who the leader is before I throw them to the dogs.

Speaking about dogs, I was supposed to call Agent Williams after I
successfully got into the gang.

I dial his number on my phone. “Yeah, this is Agent Williams.”

“Hunter Bane. I’m checking in to say that our plan’s working.”

“That’s good to hear,” he says. “Are you proceeding as planned?”

“It seems I’m gaining their trust, but I’m afraid I’ll have to dig
deeper to find out more. The only problem is that they’re forcing me to do
stuff that’s not exactly according to the law.”

“We talked about this, Hunter. You’re on your own out there. Just
make sure you don’t get caught, ’cause I’m not going to protect you.”

“There’s really nothing you can do?”

“I told you, getting your brother out of jail comes at a price.” His
bluntness is enough to know that he really doesn’t give a rat’s ass. He only
cares about getting the leader, making his career look good. Not my brother.

I snort. “Fine. I’ll keep you updated on my progress. I’m going to
do a drug trade in a few minutes, so I’m hanging up now.”

“Hunter,” he says, pausing for a second. “Do not talk about this to
anyone. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I told you that a hundred times already. I’ll stay low, worm
my way to the top, and expose them for who they are.”

“Good. I will talk to you soon then,” Agent Williams says, and then
he hangs up.

Asshole. Makes me phone him every other day, but only to keep tabs
on me. He’s only using me to get what he wants, but doesn’t want to get his
hands dirty. Bastard.

The moment I put the phone down, it rings again. When I pick it up,
my heart stops beating.

“Hey, little brother.”

“Jessie?” I say, my breath hitching in my throat.

“How are you?” he says.

“What? Oh … I’m fine, I guess. What about you? How are you holding
up in there?”

“I’m managing,” he says, coughing and sniffing.

“You don’t sound good.”

“Ah, it’s nothing.” He groans and I can hear noises in the
background. Yelling and thwacking.

“What’s going on in there?” I ask, concerned.

“Ah, they always fight over the phone. I don’t have much time to
talk.”

“Oh … right.” The way he’s breathing into the phone, making painful
noises, is already enough for me to know he’s hurt. Fuck.

“Listen, I know what you said about getting me out, but promise me
you won’t get involved with those pricks in the gang.”

I don’t answer. All I can do is stare into the distance, my eyes
stinging from the incoming tears. The silence is deafening.

“Please … just do it for me,” he says, his voice strained with
emotions.

Fuck. I can’t take this. I can’t
not
do anything.

“No.” My teeth barely separate as I speak. “I am going to get you
out of there. That’s the only thing I can promise.” I can’t do what he wants.

“Hunter, stop. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I don’t care! I’m gonna fucking come for you!”

“You can’t fix this!” he yells. “Shit. I gotta go, I don’t have any
time left.”

“I can fix this and I will,” I say. “Just hold on, okay? I’ll do
whatever it takes.”

“Stay safe, all right?” he says.

“You too.”

And then he hangs up the phone. The bleep that follows tears my
heart in two.

Fuck. FUCK!

I squeeze my phone so hard I hear it crack. I don’t want to break
another one, so I quickly tuck it into my pocket and clench my teeth to stop my
rage from erupting. I’m one second away from screaming my lungs out.

But then I hear someone else scream.

My attention is immediately drawn to the high-pitched sound, a
woman’s voice. It sounds like she’s in serious trouble.

I run around the corner and look into the restaurant. To my horror,
I notice the group of guys I was supposed to meet in a few to make the drug
trade have already disappeared. Shit.

I turn around and follow the ruckus up ahead. A group of guys come
into view, and with them is a young girl, screaming for help. She’s trapped in
their grips, her clothes ripped to shreds. Her curly brown hair and white skin,
covered in tears, glint in the moonlight. Leafy.

“Get your fucking hands off her!” I yell, bolting toward them. I
don’t wait one second. Fury is boiling inside me and I’m ready to release it.
“Get the fuck away from her! Right. Now!”

How dare they fucking touch her!

My hands ball up into fists, and when the guy turns around, I smack
him straight in the face.

“You fucking son of a bitch!” I yell. “Don’t you fucking dare lay a
hand on her again.”

Fucking bastards. Just the thought of what they were doing makes me
furious. They were harassing her, trying to … FUCK!

I spit on the ground. They’re disgusting. Fucking pieces of shit. I
can’t believe I was about to trade drugs with them. No way in hell I would ever
give them anything. Not them. Fuck the deal. Fuck the gang. I’m going all out
now.

His buddies come after me like a pack of wolves, smashing their
fists into my face. I avoid as many hits as I can while punching them in their
guts. I aim for the weak spots: neck and balls. Nothing’s off-limits now. Not
after what they were about to do to her.

I stomp one in the stomach so hard he pukes his guts out. Good. I
kick one in the balls, but am too late to avoid an elbow to the nose. It feels
like a hot poker has been rammed into my face. Fuck, it hurts, but I don’t
care.

“No!” Leafy screams, but I’m not stopping. They hurt her, and for
that they’ll pay.

My mind clears and my veins expand, my blood pumping energy to my
muscles. I’m running on pure adrenaline right now. I’m gonna kick their asses
so hard they can’t sit for weeks.

“I’ll kill you! You dickhead!” the one who was touching her yells.
He joins the fight, but I’m so angry I don’t even care. I’m gonna knock them
all out, one by one.

“Stop it!” Leafy screams, her voice croaky. “Stop it, stop it!”

I’m not stopping, not even if she wants me to. Nobody puts his hands
on her like that.

My heart is racing, my face stinging from the cuts and bruises, and
blood is spilt all over the ground. “You motherfucker. Think you can stop us?”
one of the guys I was supposed to trade the drugs with says. “We take what we
want, when we want it. You don’t get to fucking intervene!”

I don’t fucking care what they want. They can take anyone, anywhere,
except her. She is mine, and mine alone. Nobody gets to fucking touch her but
me.

I avoid their punches, determined to win. I won’t fail. I throw out
as many punches as I can, quickly jabbing them in their eyes, stomachs, and
groins. I’m like a bull on steroids, ramming my way through.

My eyes momentarily catch Leafy’s, and when I see the sheer horror
in her eyes I can’t help but feel distressed.

“Run!” I yell. She’s hurt, and I don’t want her to get hurt anymore.
I want her to be safe. She needs to get out of here, fast.

But she doesn’t listen to me. She stays put, her eyes scanning the
pavement for something. What the fuck is she doing? Is she trying to get into
trouble? I’m fighting my ass off here, and she needs to go, now!

“This is your life now, rookie. Just like it’s ours. Get used to
it,” one of those bastards says, and he spits on the ground.

He knows I’m in the gang, but I don’t fucking care. I’ll break the
rules if I have to. I don’t need to take this shit from them. I won’t let them
do this. Fuck him. Fuck them all.

“I won’t let you fucking hurt her,” I snarl.

“If you mess with us, you can pay the price with your life,” the asshole
says. “We. Demand. Respect.”

Screw respect. Especially for these kind of guys. Pathetic bunch of
bitches. I’d risk my life for this girl every goddamn time I can. She is worth
it.

We’re still fighting, and I’m trying to catch my breath while pounding
in on them at the same time. I can feel I’m growing weaker, but I won’t give
in. I need to protect her at all costs. And I need to avenge her honor.

Suddenly I see Leafy run to the left, her quick movements catching
everyone off guard. She grabs something lying on the ground, and before I have
time to react she sprays them full in the face.

They scream, holding their hands to their eyes, while I get back onto
my feet. She grabs my arms and helps me get up. Just before I’m hauled to my
feet, I spot her glasses on the ground, and I pick them up. I’m limping quite
badly, my leg aching like hell. She pulls me away, supporting me with her
shoulder. Shit, now I’m the one getting helped by her.

She takes me to a park and sets me down against the trunk of a tree,
breathing heavily. She sinks to the floor. Now we’re both just sitting there,
trying to calm down. I can barely catch my breath. I’m exhausted, drained of all
my energy because I threw everything I had at them.

When I look up at her, tears start flowing down her cheeks. Oh, no. Christ,
what did they do to her?

My body aches as I lean forward, my fingers reaching for her. My
heart is breaking. Seeing her cry is the last thing I want. My instincts tell
me to console her. To caress her and pull her in for a hug. I gently pet her
head, her frizzy hair tickling my hand.

“They tried to … they wanted to …” Her breath falters with each
word, and her voice cracks.

“I know …” I say. Her ripped coat and shirt tell me they tried to
rape her. I’m seething with anger, my teeth grinding because of what they did
to her. I can’t believe I got there so late. I should’ve seen them leave. I
shouldn’t have taken that phone call, maybe then I could’ve spared her that
experience.

Goddammit!

The first urge I have is to slam my fist into the ground, but I
can’t. The instant I move my body I wince. It’s too painful.

Her head lifts, and her sad, watery eyes make contact with mine. She’s
so beautiful, and I’m so fucking pissed they tried to ruin her. Thoughts rage
through my head—thoughts about killing them.

She scans my face, her eyes widening, her mouth dropping. “Oh my God
…”

Do I look that horrible? I must. I’ve taken quite a beating for her.

I cough, and blood spills from my mouth, running down my chin.

“Don’t move,” she says, her voice cold, without emotion. It’s like
she’s already forgotten about what happened and only focused on my injury. I
don’t want to worry her.

She takes a band aid out of her purse and leans forward, sticking it
to my face. She’s so close I can smell her scent on me, lingering on my clothes
as she touches me. I fight so hard not to wrap my arms around her and pull her
close. I want to bury my head in her neck and cry with her, because I was so
goddamn afraid they’d hurt her.

I wonder why she didn’t run. Why she didn’t listen to me. The only
reason I started fighting was so I could save her. So she’d be able to flee.
Why didn’t she? Did she want to save me too?

“Why did you … why did you do that? Why did you help me?” I say, but
she shushes me, putting a finger on her lips.

“Shh … They can’t know we’re here.”

Then I hear their voices, and the primal rage inside me awakens
again.

I keep my eyes on her, forcing myself not to get up and go after
them. Looking into her dark blue eyes gives me clarity. I’m driven to stay with
her, to protect her at all costs, even if it means letting them off the hook.

“Motherfucker! You’ll pay for this!” one of them screams. “See you
in the arena.”

My heart stops hearing that word. The arena. I’ll take on that
challenge. If I’m gonna have to fight someone there, it’ll damn well be them.
But this time, it won’t end before I say it does.

Chapter
13

Beaten to a Pulp

She helps me stand as we make our way back to campus. My body feels
broken, although all my bones are still intact. I’ve sustained quite a lot of
wounds, cuts, and bruises, but I’ll manage. I’m glad she’s here to drag my ass
back to the dorm. She pulls me into a bathroom and I sit down on the nearest
toilet I can find. I wipe away the blood running down my face. My entire hand
is covered, and I can feel it dripping from my nose, too. Damn. I got hurt badly
this time.