Page 52 of Beautiful Liar

That hadn’t been what I expected him to say. “Join you in what?”

He bit his lip and Zarek and Beck chuckled. “I told you, man. He’s one of them.” Zarek said.

Annika blew me a kiss. Her pale skin against a shit load of black make-up matched her personality.

“Join us in finally ending the Ark Boys.”

“Did it ever occur to you that they don’t give a fuck about you?” I looked at each of them in turn. “You are putting way too much thought in them. Let it go. We’re all just trying to survive here.”

Ashton narrowed his blue eyes. “Are you that naïve?”

The story of my life. “Ashton, this isn’t a game. People are going to get hurt.”

“That’s the point.”

“Charity was right. You guys are a bunch of morons.” Frustrated, I turned to leave.

Big mistake.

Never expose your back to the enemy. I wasn’t sure who hit me first, but that motherfucker slammed a fist into my ear hard enough to sting. I stumbled sideways, ear burning. I swung.My fist connected with Zarek’s jaw. Then I tackled him but was overpowered by the other three fuckers before I could slam him into the ground. Beck, Kennedy, and Ashton already pulling me back. Beck took a swing into my stomach. I doubled over and was slammed again by Zarek, who recovered quickly. I swung, covered my head, swung again. Fuck them all. This wasn’t my first beat down. I hit my mark a few times, drew curses out of the fuckers. Berserker mode my specialty.

“Hold him the fuck down,” I heard Beck say.

I was jostled and pushed between the houses, out of the main pathway. Another punch to my ribs came from Beck. I pretty much lost perspective on who was doing what until Ashton yelled.

“Stop! Stop!”

They released me and I fell on my knees and spat out a glob of blood.

“Who the fuck gave you this?” Ashton said, lowering Luca’s collar so I could see it. It must’ve fallen out of my pocket during the struggle.

I smirked despite the sting on my stretched lip. “Luca’s going to kill you.” I put enough venom in those words as I could.

“Fuck you, you belong to Kieran.”

That stung. “What can I say? Everyone wants me.”

Ashton paled and dropped the collar.

“Fuck, we’re dead,” Zarek said.

“Luca Mancini is a fucking psycho.” That came from Beck.

The other two, Annika and another jock by the name of Kennedy, remained silent.

“I won’t tell if you leave us the fuck alone during the games.”

“We’ll see about that,” Ashton said. And they scattered.

I shoved the collar back into my pocket and stumbled to my feet. My arms and ribs were tender, but I’d survived worse.I pulled the hood over my head and began the long trek home trying not to breathe in too deep.

Morgan sat on the steps, eyes cast down, so in his thoughts that he didn’t hear me approach. “Hey,” I said, trying not to startle him and failing.

He snapped his head up, his eyes on mine. “What happened?” He sounded in panic mode.

“Nothing I couldn’t handle.”

“It looks like they handled it on your face.”

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