Page 56 of Forbidden Cravings

My jaw ticked, and I tried to keep my temper in check. It was already unsteady after my call with Donelli. Grabbing him by thecollar, I yanked him from the seat. “You will today. Now stop pouting and get in the fucking office.”

I released him and walked into the office, crossing my arms and waiting for him. He took his time, but he finally came in, slamming the door and leaning against it. He stared me down, the anger in his eyes palpable. Tension seeped from him like a trail of thick fog that coated the room.

“There’s nothing to talk about, asshole. You betrayed my trust and used my sister. Nothing you say can take that back,” he sneered. And when Tyson sneered, it was like looking a rabid animal in the face. I’d seen that expression turned on our enemies, seen it when he broke bones and took fingers, but never had I seen it turned toward me.

“Would you settle the fuck down and listen for once?” I said, my fists bunched. I just needed him to hear me out, to put his anger aside for two minutes and actually listen to me. Maybe then I stood a chance of repairing the damage.

He moved fast, slamming me against the wall. “No amount of bullshit you give me will make this better. We’re through.”

I shoved him from me, saying, “You pigheaded asshole. If you’d calm down?—”

He punched me and I snapped, plowing into him and ramming him into the opposite wall, which shook from the force.

“Stop this, Tyson. Think about what you’re doing.”

“I am thinking about it,” he said, shoving me back and punching me again.

I rubbed my jaw, ready to punch back, but he brought the barrel of his gun to my temple before I could stop his quick movement. My heart dropped, and something in me broke because his action told me there was no resolving this. Rage blinded him, and in his eyes, nothing could ever fix what I’d done.

“You hate me that much?” I stared at him, looking for any sign that the brother bond we’d shared since elementary school remained. Not even a glimmer shone for me to see, and my hope crumbled. My best friend held a gun to my head. There was no reconciling this in his eyes.

“You fucked my sister,” he snarled. “My little sister, like she was nothing but some common whore.” His voice cracked and his expression shifted.

I’d never seen him so filled with hatred and hurt. Hurt I’d caused because I’d crossed a line neither of us had ever questioned. But for him to think I would ever treat Casey like that was like a bullet piercing my chest.

“You really think I would do that to you? To her? After all the years we’ve been friends, do you think I would hurt her?” I pushed his gun down, dropping my head in defeat. An ache sat in my chest that matched the one I’d carried since I left Casey. “I give up,” I said, meeting his eyes and seeing the pain behind them that matched mine.

His phone rang, and he ignored it, our eyes staying locked as it continued until it went silent.

“I made a mistake in not telling you, in fearing you’d act just like you are and think I’d betrayed you, betrayed our friendship. But as much as I regret that mistake, I will never regret what I have with her.”

My phone rang too soon after his, and my instincts flared. Something screamed for me to answer. The crease of his brows reflected the same worry that was striking me. He dropped his gun to his side and nodded for me to answer. I pulled my phone out, my heart thudding upon seeing Casey’s number flash on the screen. Tyson had insisted she have both our numbers years ago, but this was the first time she’d ever called me. We’d avoided talking while I dealt with Tyson.

I glanced up at him and his anger dissipated when he saw the look of fear in my eyes. I answered, bringing the phone to my ear. A barrage of noise and the sounds of gunfire came through immediately. “Case?”

“Mason, help. They’re here. They have me and Angie?—”

There was more shooting, then the muffled words of a male’s voice and a definitive sound of a thud, and Angie’s scream in the background.

Fear wound its tentacles into me, and I screamed, “Casey!”

The phone went dead and with it, my heart screeched to a halt.

Tyson went stiff, his anger at me put aside with his fear for his sister.

“They have her,” I said.

Neither of us had to ask who had her. We both knew. The Bad Omens. And I’d led them right to her. I didn’t hesitate to consider that Tyson had been ready to shoot me only moments before as I called to have the plane readied and burst from the office. Tyson followed, his gun tucked away, his focus, like mine, only on Casey.

“Airport. Now!” I bellowed to Breck as we ran to the car.

I went to jump into the front seat, but Tyson shoved me toward the backseat. He stared me down, his chest puffed out, but I refused to let him intimidate me. I was tired of his shit. Stepping into his space, I challenged him with my glare.

“Get in the fucking back seat where it’s safer. Your head isn’t on straight, asshole. You didn’t even bring two men with you,” he said, pushing me away. “Open your own damn door. Breck, get in the car.”

Breck looked between us, stopping on me and waiting for my direction. Knowing Tyson was right, I gave Breck a nod. I hadn’t been thinking clearly since Casey left and it had only gotten worse since this thing with Tyson.

Road sped by as I stared out the window trying to calm my racing heart. I tried calling Donelli, but he didn’t answer, and he knew better than to avoid my call. Something major was going down in Armina and I was hours away. Too far to stop whatever was happening, too far to save the woman I loved.

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