Page 81 of End It All

"You don't get to tell me what to do."

Fuck, it was like starting all over with him. I glanced at him as I kept driving. "Doll, we?—"

"Suck my dick, asshole."

I grinned. "If it would make you feel better, I'll gladly do it until I get lockjaw."

"I'm never touching you again."

The pain was back and flaring in the middle of my chest with a vengeance. I smiled through it, not willing to acknowledge it even for a moment.

"Blake—"

"Where are you? Are you okay?" Benito's voice cut through any thoughts that were threatening to spill out. I snapped my mouth shut as Blake avoided my gaze.

"Yeah, we made it out. Thanks to me."

"Gin told me you're a fire bug. If I didn't know you were my brother before, you certainly are now." Benito let out a relieved sigh. "Where are you?"

Blake simply grunted at Benito’s words. Seemingly unphased at his praise. "Being held against my will."

"What?"

Blake tried to pull free again and I tightened my fingers around his. I didn't give a fuck if I broke them, I wasn't letting him go. "He's with me," I chimed in.

"And that is where, exactly?" Benito grunted. “Harlow, sit down so I can talk.”

"Are you injured?" Harlow interjected.

"No,” I lied. My rib cage burned, but it was probably nothing more than bruising.

"What happened?" Benito asked

I shook my head at Blake and he surprisingly shut his mouth. A part of me expected him to disregard any instructions that came out of my mouth at this point. "We're headed your way now and we can talk then."

"Okay, do I need to call Melony?"

I did a cursory glance at Blake. There was no way I could afford her right now, but for him, I'd make it happen.

Blake turned and met my gaze briefly. I gestured at the phone and he huffed in annoyance. He hit the mute button. "What the fuck do you want now?"

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No, not that you care."

The bitterness in his tone sliced up and down my spine. I tried to shrug it off, but the feeling wouldn't let up. I pulled overand slammed on the brakes in a random parking garage. No one was following us. I'd checked every turn, and I was certain they were probably dealing with the fire Blake left behind.

I grabbed his phone and unmuted it. "No, we're both good, a few scratches, nothing more. We will be there in thirty." We were only a few minutes from his place but I needed to talk with Blake. It couldn't wait.

The moment Benito confirmed and hung up, Blake punched me again and slipped free of my grasp. He was out of the car and walking away from me before the pain even registered.

"Goddamn Vitales." I was out of the car and sprinting after him without a thought. "Where are you going?"

"Back home."

A bubble formed in my stomach, threatening to burst. I shouldn't be happy to hear him say he wanted to go home.

"I shouldn't have ever come to New York. This whole thing was a mistake. I'm taking the first bus back to California."

---