Page 1 of Wrecked for Love
PROLOGUE
Brentwood, New York – three years ago
In my world, little sisters looked out for big brothers, too. I’d been warned not to come, but this was Cody—the one person left that I still loved. I couldn’t turn my back on him. Not now, not ever.
The house appeared innocuous—modest paint, a neatly trimmed lawn, and neighbors spaced out along an unremarkable street. But I knew better. Behind those drawn blinds and still windows, this place had become a hideout for The Revenants, a ruthless gang that had wormed its way into Cody’s life.
I stepped inside, and the scent of cigarettes and sweat hit me, mingled with something heavier. Blood.
My eyes darted nervously as I moved through the narrow hallway. Cody had sworn he was done with this life. Sworn that he’d walk away. One last time, he’d said, just to claim his share. In and out. But that was days ago.
And he still wasn’t home.
“Cody!” I called, my voice low but sharp.
Silence. No answer, just the creak of the house under my feet.
I stepped over bodies. They all wore leather jackets with The Revenants’ insignia. Cody had taken care of them, no doubt. But these were foot soldiers. I’d learned not to assume the worst was over. As long as Gideon Purcell reigned as the leader, things would never be over.
I moved cautiously into the next room. Light flickered from a broken lamp in the corner. My grip tightened around the small handgun, a Ruger, tucked inside my jacket. I wasn’t here to kill, but I wasn’t naïve enough to come unarmed. Cody was my only family, but if it came to survival, nothing else mattered.
The hallway stretched, every step dragging me closer to a nightmare I wasn’t ready to face. When I finally reached the end, my heart plummeted. Cody lay on the floor, blood soaking through his shirt and pooling beneath him.
“Code! My God, Code…” My voice cracked as I rushed to his side; the sight of him hurt my chest. So much blood. Too much.
I dropped to my knees, and my hands pressed against the gash in his stomach, trying to stem the flow. How many bullets had he taken?
His eyes fluttered open, hazy with pain. “Claire…what the hell are you doing here?” His voice was rough. Fear flickered in his gaze—not for himself, but for me.
“I’m getting you out of here,” I said, more determined than I felt. I hooked his arm around my neck, tugging. “Come on, you’ve got to help me.”
But he didn’t move. Instead, he smiled—a weak, painful smile that crushed me. “My silly baby sister…” His words were barely a whisper. “Take the money and go. Stick to the twenties and fifties. Leave the fresh bills.”
“I’m not leaving you!” Tears burned in my eyes, but I blinked them away.
“I earned it, Claire.” His breaths grew shallower and more strained. “Take it. Run away. Far.”
I ignored him and kept pleading, “Who’s Batgirl without her Batman, huh? A sidekick with no one to keep out of trouble?”
He let out a breathy chuckle, though it turned into a cough. “You’re so silly.” It was his way of soothing me, even now. Normally, it would have brought a smile to my face—but not this time.
With a labored breath, he added, “I’m the troublemaker.”
“No, you’re not. You’re my brother.” My voice wavered, the desperation leaking out with each word. I couldn’t lose him. Not like this.
Suddenly, Cody’s eyes widened, filled with a flash of terror. I barely had time to blink before a shadow surged behind me. Something speared through my back. At first, it felt like nothing more than a sting, but then the agony spread, white-hot.
Strong arms clamped around me. His grip was faltering, like a dead man trying to claw his way out of the grave. He was injured, that much I knew. But it didn’t matter. His weight drove me to the ground, pinning me. I struggled, but the blade—oh hell, it was a blade, wasn’t it?—twisted inside me with every shift of his pressing body.
“Code!” I shouted, but he was too weak to help, maybe even too far gone. His chest barely moved. Was he even breathing anymore?
Panic clawed at me as I reached for my side. My gun—where was it?
Fuck!I’d left it. I’d left the damn gun on the floor when I tended to Cody.
I fought to claw my way free, but my attacker wasn’t done. Somehow, as if he’d found one last surge of strength, his arm slithered up, inching toward my throat, ready to close the deal. This was it. But damn it, I wasn’t dying tonight!
I stretched my arm out, straining. The gun lay beside Cody, just inches away. I screamed, using the sound to fuel my reach.The man was so fixated on choking the life out of me that he failed to notice.
