Page 128 of Heart Sick Hate

I shake my head.

“I promise it’s okay,” she says, another tear streaming down her cheek.

The most beautiful path I’d like to kiss better until there are no more tears trying to wash her away.

“I’m yours.” She chokes on those words. “No matter what happens.”

Rhett laughs behind her, but she doesn’t break her stare on me. She holds me with her gaze like it’s her arms gripping me tight. She hands me her soul so no matter what he does in this moment, he doesn’t get it. Echo gives herself to me because she trusts me, and I refuse to fail her.

“It’s going to be okay, Goldie.” I steady my words, trying really hard to believe them so she will.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, brother.”

“I’m not.” My gaze once more finds Rhett. “No matter what happens here, you’re done. The truth is out there. It’s only a matter of time before Adam recovers the money you’ve been funneling. And Ryan already has the cops talking to Angelina.”

“And you don’t think I have a backup plan?” Rhett grits his teeth. “The moment this little toy of yours started fucking you, I knew it could be a matter of time before she got attached. What you’ve found is only a fraction of what’s out there. I’ll survive. I’ll reinvent myself. I always get what I want. You can’t touch me.”

Except I will. The moment I get my chance, I’ll beat the holy light out of him.

“You think you’re the only one who can be free, Crew?” Rhett is shaking with his rage. “That you’re the only one who can do as they please? I’ll be free too.”

“I’m not free, Rhett.” None of us are.

We’re all chained to something. Obligations, histories, women with dual-toned hair and beautifultattoos.

A door opens upstairs. Dad and Adam were a few minutes behind me.

“Let her go, Rhett.” It falls to the empty silence between us.

We both know he won’t. He’ll fight this until the end, and I’ll help him reach it.

A door slams and he jumps as it catches his attention. Just long enough that he looks away and I make a move for him.

One of his hands wraps into Echo’s hair as he stops her from trying to get away. She’s held by that and the chain, but my focus is on the needle and keeping it away from her.

I manage to grab his arm and steady him, but he’s still got too good a hold. She must sense my thoughts as our eyes connect, but her gold eyes shimmer, and she does the exact opposite of what I want her to do.

Echo reaches for Rhett’s arm and wraps both her hands around his wrist, pulling it in as she ducks down. And in that moment, I use my body’s full force to shove Rhett’s arm forward, the needle stabbing into my brother’s neck.

I push his hand, releasing the drugs into his system as he chokes on blood.

He releases Echo with his surprise, and she crumples to the floor. But I don’t loosen my hold on Rhett, shoving him to the wall so he doesn’t fall on top of her. My hands hold his arm, pinning his body to the wall, while the needle sticks from his throat, and his eyes start to get hazy.

I’m not sure what drugs he used, but they hit him hard and fast as his blood spills out of his neck. And in his dark haze, his eyes focus on mine. He grins and blood pools between his teeth.

Sick satisfaction like he got what he wanted all along.

His eyes roll back and the grin falls. His cheeks pale, and all expression fades. His body goes limp, and I shove him in the opposite direction from Echo.

“Crew.” She’s looking up at me with tears in her eyes, and I drop down to her.

I wrap my arms around her and pull her into my lap as best I can with her still chained to the floor.

“You’re okay.” I hold her tighter, her body shaking in my grasp. “I’ve got you. You’re going to be okay.”

I’m choking on the words as they fight their way out. I hold her shivering body in my arms and try to keep her together. I bind us as one and hope it’s enough.

“It’s going to be okay,” I whisper again.

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