Page 59 of Ricochet

He’s enjoying this.

But so am I.

I watch, lips parted, breaths coming slow and shallow, as Stone straddles the man’s waist. Jealousy flares in my chest at the same moment my cock wakes up.

A therapist would have a fucking field day with me.

The man fights back, but he’s no match for Stone’s strength. There’s a gun tucked into the back waistband of Stone’s jeans, but he doesn’t need it. He slashes at the man’s flailing arms with his knife. His victim screams. The sound is cut off the momentthe blade is plunged into his chest. His body jerks with the last little bit of life remaining. Then he goes still.

His eyes are open, wide, staring at the ceiling. Blood drips from the corner of his lips.

This.This is what I craved.

While Stone sits back on his heels, taking in his deep breath, I reach into my bag without taking my eyes off him.

The fire escape shifts, a loud crack piercing the air.

I freeze.

Stone’s gaze snaps to the window.

I go to duck, and the landing dips, slanting to the side. I grab onto the railing. It trembles in my hand, then steadies. I hold my breath for a few more seconds. When I exhale, the air comes out as a gust before I’m sucking it right back up, breathing fast and harsh. I can feel my heart pounding behind my ribs and hear it in my ears.

Slowly, I lift my head.

The man is still on the floor, blood pooling beneath him.

But Stone is no longer in the room.

Fuck fuck fuck.

I move, quickly and carefully, back to the ladder. The entire fire escape sways and whines as I climb down.

My feet are on solid ground for all of two seconds when pain flares in my skull.

Everything goes black before I even hit the ground.

I peer down at Callum’sunconscious form lying on the dirty ground.

Blood drips from his temple where I hit him with the butt of the gun in my hand. It hangs heavy in my grip as something nasty twists in my gut.

Fuck.

I guess I’m going to prison tonight.

My head is fucking throbbing.My ears are ringing. My brain is fuzzy. When I try to lift my head, pain shoots through my neck and down my spine.

I groan.

My entire body is heavy and weighed down.

Andtieddown.

My shoulders are stiff, my arms pulled behind me. I try to move them, to lift my hands, and that’s when I feel the rope digging into my wrists. The moment I open my eyes, whatever light there is is like a burst of sun rays burning my corneas. I quickly shut them and groan again.

“Give me a reason, Callum.”

I know that voice.

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