Page 118 of A Twisted Arrangement

My head aches from the explosion as I force myself up. There’s screaming from inside the building, and I twist, trying to see what’s happening. I have to get to my brothers and get the fuck out of here. Despite the heat, chills roll through me as the reality of the situation solidifies. If they’ve gone after my father, they’ll be looking to take the rest of us out next. Bash and Xander’s mischievous grins flash behind my eyes, and my stomach drops. They’re still so fucking little, and I’ve left them in therealone.

I have to get to them. I can get them out if I can just get to them.

My throat burns, and pain radiates through my entire body as I roll onto my hands and knees, fighting against the thrumming in my head.

My father’s words from minutes before loop in my brain. The boys are my responsibility.

Get up. Come on, you fucker, get up.

I clench my teeth against the piercing pain as I stand, surprised at how steady I am on my feet. It’s the seconds of inattention that cost me. Arms hook around my shoulders from behind, and I’m ripped backward.

My elbow slams into my assailant’s gut, earning me a pained grunt, but he doesn’t let go, even as I throw my weight, thrashing against his hold.

“Got him, boss,” my assailant calls out as he drags me backward toward a blacked-out truck.

I dig my feet into the ground, but it doesn’t slow him down.

Rage is radiating through me, but it’s not until Xander’s and Bash’s small forms are dragged out of the house, kicking and screaming, that I learn what true terror is.

My heart slams into my ribs, fear piercing through me like I’m being stabbed with thousands of shards of ice.

They have me constrained, but that doesn’t stop me from slamming my booted heel into his foot with a sickening crunch. His grip loosens, and I use the opportunity to rip out of his grasp, but I don’t make it five feet before a solid weight smashes into my temple, knocking me off my feet.

My head swirls with the force of the impact, and I blink away my blurred vision.

Christopher Laurent stares down at me, a cruel smile smeared across his face and a pipe raised above his head.

The iron taste of blood fills my mouth, coating my teeth, and I spit at him. “I’ll hunt you fucking down.”

He smirks, the bar raising higher. “No you won’t.”

His arm slashes downward, and everything goes black.

Chapter 55

Matthias

“You can’t even stay stillwhen you’re out cold,” a soft voice says, breath fanning over my ear, quickly followed by a sharp pain and a tugging sensation by my temple.

I fight against an oily fog that’s pulling me back to sleep and slit my eyes open. When they adjust to the bright lamp placed inches away from my face, familiar startling blue eyes, surrounded by thick black lashes, blink back at me.

I jerk away, and there’s a quick pinch where her hand touches my hairline. My thoughts are thick, like trudging through tar, as I try to piece everything together.

“Where am I?”

“Look what you did,” she tsks, ignoring me, and swipes something wet over my skin.

I hiss through my teeth, pulling away.

She grips my head, keeping it still. “Don’t be a baby. I’m almost done.”

“Almost done what?” My voice croaks as I put more distance between us, and that’s when I feel the tug of cold steel circling my neck and follow the thick chain-link cord to where I’m locked to the wall. Memories of being dragged into this room, handcuffed and collared, overtake me.

I’m going to fucking kill them all.

“Listen to me.” Cool fingers clutch both sides of my head. “You need to stop moving. You’re practically bleeding out at this point.”

My jaw clenches, and I grip her arm until she winces, trying to pry herself from my grasp. Tears prick her eyes as I shake her hard enough for her teeth to click together.

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