Page 52 of Unforgivable

Laughing, I punch him again, in the right temple this time. My hand stings. I may have broken it. I ignore it and hit him again.

He lashes out. Lunging upward, he swipes his claws across my stomach. It burns like a bitch.

Inuit kicks him in the head. Liam drops like a stone. I look at my little brother, impressed. "Nice one, In."

He grins ferally at me. "No prob. What should we do with him?"

I look down at the pup after standing shakily, pressing my hand over my bleeding abdomen. Inuit said that this was one of Lyri's friends, but I remember him being there. I'm almost 100% positive. Almost.

The sound of voices approaching decides it for me.

"Leave him on the ground and get back in the truck," I say. If someone gets in trouble for this, it won't be Inuit. I can't pretend it's not me. My blood is all over the scene, mixed with Liam's.

In jumps back into the truck just before Beta Max rounds the corner with one of the enforcers, Willem. Someone must have seen us and called it in. Shit. I have to step carefully here. I don't want to spend the night in lock-up.

"Ezra?" Beta Max's eyes take in the scene in a glance.

"Beta," I greet him, striving for relaxed, casual, cool. "Seems Liam here has a problem with our new houseguest." I throw out the explanation before he can ask. I have no idea if Beta Max knows who was there that night, but I'll assume he doesn't.

Cold, shrewd eyes survey Liam's unconscious form. "He was very angry with Miss Song. Disappointed, maybe. Had a crush on her, according to their friends."

I really want to kick Liam in the head one more time. A crush? So much for his "love." I don't remember much about him from that night. I was focused on Lyri and on keeping Rhet under control. But... he was there.

"Who started it?" Beta Max kneels to take Liam's pulse.

"He's been lurking in this vehicle a couple of times that I've been in town," I tell him the truth. "I didn't know it was his SUV. When I jumped out of the truck, he threw it in reverse. Hit the post." I point to the fence.

Beta Max's jaw twitches angrily. "Fucking punk. He's been off the rails lately. Alright." He stands up. "Willem, call it in. We'll take him to the clinic, get his head checked out." He looks at me. "You need some attention?"

I shake my head. Thjis looks after our injuries, and my stomach isn't an emergency. The blood's already clotting.

"Well, I'll talk to Liam when he wakes up. I may have you come back again. Don't skip town."

I force myself to smile amiably and chuckle instead of spit in his face. Beta Max is a prick. 'Don't skip town.' Fucker can't stand that we have independence from his authority out on Genom. Pah-rah-ick.

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