Page 152 of Did They Break You

I don’t see the gun, and I don’t think.

I just charge at them, my fists flying to their chest, then I hook one arm through Cortland’s, pulling him toward me.

“Let go of him,” I snarl, my words angry, that emotion riding over my fear. The only person I ever loved was already taken from me.No one is getting Cortland too.

He wraps his arm around my shoulders, tugging out from the person’s grip, their hood pulled down low.

But behind me, someone’s arms wrap around my waist, yanking me apart from Cortland. I’m kicking and screaming, my fingers digging into their hands around me.

Then I hear laughter.

I freeze, the sound familiar.

It grows, deep and dark, and I see Cortland in the light spilling from his truck, his eyes angry as he spins around, upright and away from his attacker.

And Storm brushes his hood off of his head, his tattooed hands visible in the truck light.

“You almost shot me,” he says, his white teeth flashing. Then he nods toward me, and I turn my head, see Brinklin’s green eyes on mine, an amused expression on his face. I whip back around, angry, and Storm tips his head back, his throat exposed, tattoos edging up it as he keeps laughing.

He dips his chin, running a hand over his dark wavy hair. “And she was gonna kill me,” he says, a note of pride in his voice that, despite my anger, makes me feel good.

But before that smile leaves his face, Cortland cocks his fist back, and drives it into Storm’s nose.

Storm staggers back as my mouth drops open and Brinklin grips me tighter, my hands still on his wrists.

I see blood blossom down Storm’s face, and he doesn’t bother trying to cover his nose, to stop the blood flow. He bounces on his toes, shaking out his hands. Then he charges at Cortland, slamming him against the side of the truck.

I struggle in Brinklin’s grip, but he doesn’t let me go.

And Cortland doesn’t need my help.

He grabs Storm’s shirt, flips him around, so he’s against the truck. “You stupid fucker,” he growls, slamming his forearm against Storm’s throat, blood still pouring from his nose. “What thefuckis wrong with you?”

“He got into the coke,” Brinklin says behind me, his words quiet.

Despite myself, my lips twitch, and I have to fight back a laugh.

Cortland’s mouth falls open as he looks from me, to Brinklin, back to Storm. “Are you fuckingkidding me?”

Storm starts laughing like a maniac, and Cortland drops his arm, backing off, running a hand through his hair.

“Let go of my girl,” he commands Brinklin, still staring at Storm, leaning against the truck, blood flowing freely down his face.

Brinklin releases me and I run to Cortland, his arm around my shoulders.

“Fuck, you’re insane,” he says, and at first, I think he’s talking to Storm, but I look up, and his gray eyes are on mine. “You jumped over the hood of my truck,” he says with a throaty, husky laugh that makes my toes curl. He grabs my shirt and yanks me to him, kissing me before I can speak.

Storm is still laughing, and I hear Brinklin join in.

Cortland pulls away, both of us breathless, but he’s still holding onto me.

“You are fuckingcrazy,”he says again, pride in his words.

I stand on my tiptoes, wrapping my arms around his neck. “You almost shot someone for me.”

He laughs, and Storm laughs even harder, and it’s him that speaks next.

“Chase is gonna be a problem,” he says quietly, “and if we’re not careful, little wolf, next time, it won’t be analmost.”

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