Page 147 of Hate So Deep

He doesn’t believe me, but I don’t care. Hate’s not going to snitch. In his world, that’s the ultimate sin.

However, I still have to get Lauren out of here safely and to my relief, Hate nods at Buck and says, “We’re here for him.”

“You’re too late,” I mutter, and he grunts.

“Fucker hurt one of our women. Didn’t pay,” he says but there’s nothing I can do about it now.

“Look,” he says, pinning those icy eyes on me. Hate gives zero fucks which is why he’s so dangerous.

Everyone knows to steer clear if you don’t want to risk his wrath. He’s a stone-cold killer and we just took away one of his toys.

Fuck.

“I’ma do you a solid,” he says, his eyes sliding once more to Lauren. “We’ll take care of the rest if you don’t say a word about what happened. Feel me?”

“That won’t be a problem,” I say, stiffening when Lauren moves to my side.

“I think I’m gonna puke,” she mumbles, and I grab her up, holding her against my chest.

“You can’t puke here, sweetheart,” Hate says but she merely blinks up at him.

Shaking his head, he says, “Go. Keep your mouth shut or it’ll be you I use as a lesson.”

The message is clear. Hate has to show the dissenters what happens when you fuck with him.

If it gets out that it wasn’t him who did the dirty deed, we’ll be next.

“Got it,” I rasp, urging Lauren before me.

I don’t look back as we exit and go around the side of the building, avoiding all the people partying just feet away.

Thankfully, Lauren manages to control her roiling stomach all the way back to her house, but I’m worried about her anyway because she’s been laying there like a lifeless doll since we got in the truck.

To my relief, there’s another car parked in front and I’m hoping that means she won’t be alone while she processes her shock.

“Lauren,” I say, gently touching her shoulder.

“Hm,” she mumbles.

“Whose car is that?” I ask and she cracks her lids.

“Mom’s.”

Her lip curls as she says it and I glance back at the vehicle before saying, “You can’t tell anyone what happened, baby girl. Not even your mom.”

As always, the furrow between her brows and that sexy mouth tilted into a frown punch at my gut.

Sassy Lauren is my kryptonite, but I can’t afford to succumb to the weakness. I need to let this shit with Lauren go and yet, my throat still burns as she turns to me and says, “Whaddya mean?”

“About Buck,” I say, and she shakes her head.

“Huh?”

“Jesus, how much did you fucking drink?” I mutter. “Just go inside and go to bed, yeah?”

“M’kay,” she says before staggering to the door.

Once she’s inside, I pull away from her house, leaving her to her drunken daze.

Hopefully she’s learned her lesson because in the clear light of day tomorrow, I know she’ll be seeking me out for answers.

If I’m lucky, since she was so drunk, the details will be hazy, and I can convince her that we left before anything happened to Buck.

However, if she doesn’t follow the plan and keep her mouth shut, we’re both screwed.

I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I have to because as it turns out, I would do anything for Lauren Stark including killing a man if he gets in my way and the thought terrifies me.

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