Page 1 of Red Queen (Red Thorns Crew 3)

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Max

“I’m sorry it came to this, son.”

My eyes fell to the gun in his hand. The gun that didn’t shake. His pinky wasn’t flying around. It wasn’t moving, or twitching, or crooked. He held that gun with all the confidence his voice held, and I knew he’d do it.

I knew he’d gun me down.

What my father didn’t know was this: I loved her. The life I feared losing tonight wasn’t my own. It was hers. And if I didn’t do something, Dani would die right along with me. I was done tonight, either way. I had accepted that. I accepted it the second I crashed through that gate. I accepted it the second my father pulled his gun on me. I even accepted it when he apologized, lying straight through his fucking teeth.

What I refused to accept was her death.

Too much time has passed. You need to get her out.

The voice in my head tortured me with the truth. It screamed out exactly what I should do. And yet, there I stood. Facing off with my father. With Satan himself. It felt like my heart was being ripped out through my anus. It felt like a thousand tornadoes had descended upon my skull, wreaking as much havoc as possible. The physical pain was unbearable. A bullet would’ve been a great relief.

She’s going to die because I didn’t fight hard enough.

Dad sighed. “Whether or not you believe me, I do love you.”

I snickered. “Your gun has a funny way of showing it.”

He shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

I watched his finger flex and I stepped to the side. I moved as quickly as I could, waiting for the sound of the gun to hit my ears.

CRACK!

The deafening sound made me squeeze my eyes shut. I waited for the pain. I waited to see where the bullet had landed before I determined whether or not I could get to Dani. Whether or not I had just enough time to scramble to the pool and get her out before I bled out on the back lawn. I paused in my tracks, drawing in deep breaths. Anything to keep myself steady. Anything to keep myself stable.

Two and a half minutes without oxygen.

The pain didn’t come, even though I heard grunting. I opened my eyes and looked down, ready to see blood spilling from my body. Ready for the pain that I knew would slap me across the face once I pulled out of shock.

There was no blood.

What the fuck?

I searched around my body. I slid my jacket off and ripped my shirt off. I pushed through the pain, trying to figure out where the hell the bullet had landed. Then I heard a piercing voice behind me.

“Max! Catch!”

I whipped around at the sound of Rupert’s voice. I saw him stumbling along the lawn with a gun held tightly in his hand. Something shiny soared through the air. I locked my eyes onto it as I heard scuffling along the concrete. The gurgling sound kicked up again as I caught the flying object. And as the sharp edge sliced at my finger, I whipped back around.

Only to see my father fall backwards into the pool.

“Get her out!” Rupert roared.

I gripped the knife in my hand and watched my father fall into the water. I saw the pool tinting with blood as it spilled from the wound in his gut. Was this real? Had Rupert killed my father?

Dani.

“Dani!”

The bellowing exclamation left my lips as I ran for the pool. I dove into the waters, piercing through the growing red as my father’s body floated on the surface. I opened my eyes as I dove deeper, kicking my way towards the chair. I saw Dani lying there, bound to that fucking metal frame. The pain swirling around my body teased my lungs, forcing me to try and gasp. To try and drink a cup or two of the chlorinated water around me. I refused to give in, though. I refused to go out like that.

Panic gripped my heart when I saw how pale Dani’s face looked.

Cut her free. Do it. She’s dying.

The voice in my head spurred me forward. It gave me the strength to saw through the leather bonds on her ankles and wrists. I cut her free, watching as her body drifted in the middle of the water. Her black hair swirled around her face and her skin grew paler in front of my eyes.

Up! Now!

My lungs burned. My joints ached. My eyes watered as I wrapped my arm around her lifeless body. I looked upward at the rooftop of red. I kicked off the floor of the pool and soared up toward the top. I longed for fresh air. I longed for a hot shower. I longed for a good night’s sleep with Dani cradled next to me.

Soon.

I gasped for air as my head breached the top. I smelled the iron of my father’s blood as his body drifted away from me. I shoved the knife into my pocket, hoping and praying it didn’t stab me in the fucking thigh. Because that’s what I needed. Another damn wound to attend to.

“Take my hand!” Rupert yelled.

I watched him stumble to the edge of the pool as his hand thrust out toward me. I didn’t need help, though. Dani did. I kicked to the edge and rested my hand against the concrete. I heaved Dani’s body up and Rupert helped me get her out of the pool. I didn’t like the way her head bobbed around, water trickling down her cheeks from her mouth. Her eyes were closed, her ankles and wrists swollen and blue.

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