Page 43 of R for Rough

“Oh my God, oh my God,” Angel chanted breathlessly.

“Faster!” Kit panted.

He and I took the lead, and we leaped over a fallen tree at the same time.

Holy shit, my blood was pumping through me now, with a generous dose of adrenaline. It was so fucking freeing. I couldn’t describe it. It was like flying.

“Fuck!” That was Justin. Kit and I came to a screeching stop and turned back, and— “Let go of me,” Justin growled. “Motherfucker!”

We watched as he delivered a swift punch to Ryan’s gut, and I knew he’d need backup. Griffin, Colt, and Jameson were right behind them, so Kit and I took off. So did Angel and Abel.

“We want Abel or Justin right now,” one of the Tops barked out.

“Fucking try!” Justin shouted.

We all kind of slammed into one another, and I hauled in a quick breath. There were hands everywhere, and they were way too fucking grabby. An arm snaked around my middle as I shoved at Madigan. Kit yelled at someone behind me, Madigan sent Abel to the ground by tripping him, and Angel launched herself at Ryan.Go for her feet. Get him! Let me go! Watch out for Kit’s pinches—I fucking swear, boy! Pin him to the ground.I groaned in pain as someone delivered a punch to my side, and itmade me goddamn livid. I thrashed at whoever was holding me; it wasn’t Griffin, ’cause he was the fucker who’d punched me. I reached for him and pounded my fists against his chest, and he cursed and attempted to trap my arms against my sides.

“Help me!” Abel yelled.

“Ouch—you asshole!”

“We got him. Keep the others away!”

No!

“Shackle the little shit,” Madigan snapped.

Just as I was about to wrench free, Griffin came up to me, grabbed me in a chokehold, and shot me a furious glare that punched all the air out of my lungs.

I froze and choked, utterly trapped in his deathly stare. He was so close too, our noses almost touching.

Oh my God, save me, fuck me, take me, help!

“You’re next,” he whispered in a rough voice.

With that said, he—or someone else—shoved me down on the ground, and I cried out. Motherfucking rock! I rolled over as my eyes welled up. That damn rock was gonna create a bruise along the back of my thigh. Holy fuck, it hurt. But even so, I didn’t get scared. Just angrier. Fuck, it was Colt. He’d been the one holding me, and he’d made sure I’d gone down ass-first, not head or neck. And it should reassure me, comfort me, that they thought about safety even in the heat of the moment, but I wanted to get scared!

I’d felt an ounce of it when Griffin had choked me. I needed much more of it.

I looked around me as Griffin, Colt, and Jameson retreated, and I noticed we were all on the ground. Angel and Kit were panting and glaring at the Tops, and Justin was grimacing and nursing his arm against his chest.

They’d taken Abel. I heard him. His furious shouting pierced through a rushing sound in my ears—I hadn’t even registered it at first.

Another glance at my friends—and an internal check—stated the obvious. We were in no position to fight for Abel’s freedom. My heart was beating so fast that it might jump up my throat, and my leg hurt like a bitch.

“We’re staying right here,” Justin said, catching his breath. “They gotta run back to wherever they’re gonna interrogate us—and then return. We’re better off resting and getting our shit together.”

I blew out a heavy breath and nodded.

Sorry, Abel.

You couldn’t trust a word spoken by a Sadist, at least in the middle of an event, so we didn’t know who they were going for next. Griffin had said it was me, at the same time as someone had said they wanted Abel and Justin first.

This time, we were ready for them.

Kit, Justin, Angel, and I stuck close together as Griffin, Colt, Jameson, and Ryan approached like the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Matching expressions of determination, geared up for a fight, they walked closer and closer.

Kit and I crouched, and I flexed my fingers and made sure I had good footing.

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