Page 143 of Body and Soul

I pushed the door open, forcing him back a step, and shouldered my way into the trailer. Xion was half dressed and sitting on the counter, a bowl of cereal in his hands.

“Get your things, Xion,” I demanded. “You’re coming with me.”

“The fuck I am,” Xion replied with a mouthful of cereal.

“Now wait just a goddamn minute.” Boone stepped between us, arms crossed. “You can’t just barge in here and demand he come with you.”

I stared down at the smaller man. He might’ve been the best shot between us, but in hand to hand, I had him beat. “You’re in no position to stop me.”

Xion hopped down from the counter. “Fuck you. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

I turned to face Xion, struggling to keep my temper in check. The kid looked like shit—dark circles under his eyes, hair a mess, wearing nothing but a pair of ratty sweatpants.

“This isn't up for debate,” I growled. “You're coming with me, even if I have to drag you out of here.”

Xion grabbed a steak knife from the counter and held it out in front of him. “I'd like to see you try, asshole.”

I forgot how much of a pain in the ass he could be. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the rage building in my chest. Getting into a knife fight with my little brother wasn't going to solve anything.

“Put the knife down, Xion,” I said with a sigh. “Don’t make this difficult for yourself.”

The shick of a pocket knife opening had me turning my head back to Boone. “You lay a hand on him, I’ll gut you like a fucking pig.”

Before I could move, the door swung open and the cold muzzle of a rifle pressed into my back. “Back off, Shepherd,” snarled one of Boone’s men.

I weighed my options, my mind racing. Taking on all of them at once was suicide. Even if I managed to disarm the guy behind me, Boone would stab me before I could make a move on Xion. And that was assuming my little brother didn't decide to stick me with that steak knife first.

Time seemed to slow as adrenaline flooded my system. My eyes darted around the cramped trailer, searching for anything I could use to my advantage. That's when I spotted Leo, still hovering nervously by the door. The scrawny tech expert looked like he was about to piss himself.

In that moment, I made a choice. It wasn't one I was proud of, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

I lunged for Leo. The kid let out a startled yelp as I grabbed him, and I spun him around in front of me to use as a humanshield. Before anyone could move, I’d drawn the blade at Leo’s side and held it against his throat.

“Let him fucking go!” Boone snarled.

“I’m not leaving without what I came for,” I said as calmly as I could. “Give him to me, and I’ll free your man.”

“Fuck you!” Xion lunged at me with the steak knife.

I tried to dodge, but in the cramped confines of the trailer, there was nowhere to go. White-hot pain cut a line through my upper arm as the blade sank in once, twice, three times in rapid succession.

I flung Leo out of the way before Xion could miss and stab him. The last thing I needed was another body to explain. Blood poured from the wounds, soaking through my shirt sleeve. The metallic scent filled my nostrils as I grabbed Xion's wrist, trying to wrench the knife away. But the little shit was stronger than he looked, twisting and thrashing like a rabid animal.

In desperation, I let go of his wrist and wrapped my hand around his throat instead, squeezing hard enough to make his eyes bulge. The knife clattered to the floor as Xion clawed at my fingers, gasping for air.

“Stop. Fucking. Fighting. Me!” I snarled through gritted teeth, before shoving him toward the couch in the living room. I didn’t even get the chance to turn and face Boon before he had his knife pressed against my spine.

“Your next step will be your last,” Boone growled.

My arm throbbed, blood dripping steadily onto the dirty linoleum. Slowly, I turned my head to look at the man holding a knife to my back. “He’ll kill you, Boone. The man behind this bounty isn’t the sort to just let you walk away, even if you kill me.”

“Fucker has to find us first,” he said, smirking.

“He already has.”Or he will have as soon as I leave.

Boone's smirk faltered, his eyes narrowing as he processed my words. The trailer fell silent, the only sound the steady drip of my blood onto the floor. We stood frozen, locked in a deadly stalemate.

My mind raced, analyzing every potential move and countermove. The knife at my back was steady, its cold edge a constant reminder of my precarious position. One wrong twitch and Boone would drive it in at the perfect angle to paralyze me.

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