Page 58 of Don't You Pucking Dare

I shake my head. "First, you need to tell me what you’re protecting me from because from where I’m standing… it’s all seeming to be a bit premature."

"Your father––"

I bend over and start laughing. "Oh my God. What is the fascination with him? He’s not all that special. Actually, you can have him. I don’t care." I throw my arms in the air, being theatrical with it.

I reach into my purse as I’m bending over and grab my pellet gun. In one swift move, I aim it at his face. "I’m so sorry, Jackass. I just don’t believe a goddamn thing that comes out of your mouth."

He breaks into a deep laugh, finding this genuinely funny. "You gonna fucking shoot me with a pellet gun?"

I nod. "Right in your fucking eye, asshole."

We stand, staring at each other for a moment. I wish Amanda would run back in this direction to save me from what’s about to unfold. I don’t want to shoot him in the eye, but I will if I have to. If he keeps fucking testing me.

A nervous laugh comes from behind Jack. "What do we have here?" Caleb asks, rounding the corner. I flinch at the sight of another Reaper. I don’t know what’s going to happen now thatthere’s two of them. Caleb’s glancing between the both of us as Jack stands still and I’m on high alert, ready to shoot both these fuckers.

Caleb shakes his head, clicking his tongue. "This isn’t a good look for you, Jack. What the fuck are you doing?"

I answer, "Telling me to get on my knees."

Jack whistles, pointing at me. "Way to turn things around, Duchess. I only said to get on your knees if you wanted my help."

I point the gun at him harder. "Don’t fucking call me that!"

Jack says, "Put that fucking thing away, Lola. We’re just talking."

I turn to Caleb. "Where the fuck is Brody?"

"I’ll take you to him," Caleb answers.

I watch him, not knowing if I can trust him. Truth is, I don’t trust any of these fucking Reapers.

My phone notification dings from my purse. We all look down at it.

"Lola," Jack says, walking closer to me. "Put it down. I know you don’t want to hurt me, you’re just scared." He smiles. "And drunk."

He walks closer until the pellet gun is on his chest. My fingers clutch onto it like a lifeline, scared of what he’s going to do to me.

Caleb says, "Brody is looking for you, Lola. He just went the other way."

"Remember what I said, Lola," Jack says, so I glance at him. He’s towering over me, completely not afraid of my amateur move. This pellet gun. "You’re on the wrong team."

"Stop with the fucking riddles, Jack," I whisper and push the gun higher on his chest. "I don’t fucking like the games."

He leans in, "Your boyfriend will take care of you."

I aim the pellet gun at his cheek and he smiles at me. I wish Caleb wasn’t here otherwise, I’d shoot Jack and strangle him with my plastic bag. I glance at Caleb who’s watching us. He ruined everything.

"What the fuck do we have here?" Brody's voice cuts through the garden like a blade.

Amanda cowers behind him, suddenly sober, her eyes locked on what's in front of her. Everything's still spinning, but the fear in her face is crystal clear.

"I thought I told you to leave her alone." Brody's voice drops low, dangerous.

"We were just having a chat." Jack keeps his eyes on mine. "Guess I’ll see you around, Duchess."

The word hangs in the air for a heartbeat before Brody moves. "What the fuck did you just call her?"

It happens fast—Brody's fist connecting with Jack's jaw, the sick crack of bone on bone. They crash into the hedges, a tangle of limbs and rage. Caleb tries to separate them, but Brody shoves him away, unleashing punch after punch into Jack's face. Jack gets his own hits in, blood spraying with each connection.

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