Page 40 of Smoke the Enemy

Ring. Ring. “Soren! Are you okay?”

“Did. You. Ask. Him. To. Cut. You?” I’m vibrating with rage and my voice is shaking with each clipped word.

“Soren…”

“Yes or no.”

“I don’t…”

“Yes…or…no.”

“Yes.”

I end the call. My vision turns red. Anger grips my chest thinking she would want that with anyone but me. I stomp back over, and when my eyes meet Alex’s smug expression, I lose it. I swing at him, but he ducks. He punches me in the stomach, and then I tackle him to the ground. We’re both getting hits on each other and taking turns being on top of the other one. The guys are yelling for us to stop. It feels too good to release all of this anger. I taste blood, mud, and vengeance. My eyes burn from the sweat dripping into them.

I finally have Alex flat on his stomach, and I’m leaning over him about to have him in a choke hold when he rubs his ass against me. I immediately stop moving. He rubs against me again, and then his hand comes up with the knife. He extends the blade, and the satisfyingpopsound it makes has me growing harder. I stare at the shiny silver.

“Go ahead. Cut me.” His voice is gruff and breathless.

I swallow, and can’t stop myself from rocking into him slightly. He groans and presses back into me.

“Soren!”

Shit! I jump up, but when I turn around I see that Bryce is running. One of the guys is onthe ground hurt. “How’d he get loose?”

Steffan punches me. “You and Alex distracted everyone on his behalf! We promised Father that Taylor wouldn’t be a distraction! Worse, you’ve put her in more danger now! Both Van Doren and Father are going to be after her now.”

“I’ll fix this,” I say through clenched teeth.

“No, you won’t. I will. I always do.” Steffan’s voice has dropped lower, filled with barely controlled rage. He turns to the other brothers. “After him. Spread out. We don’t rest tonight until we have captured him.”

I decide it’s best if Steffan and I don’t ride together right now. As I’m walking toward one of the other vehicles, Alex grabs my arm.

“Soren.” I pause but remain staring straight ahead. “You can be there… when I cut her. And then help me lick her wounds. I’ll let you play with my knife, my girl, and anything else you want.”

“She’s not your girl.” I jerk my arm free and pull out a much-needed cigarette.He’s more messed in the head than I am if he thinks I’d share her with him.

“I’m going to go check on her. Want to go with me?”

A pull a long drag from my nicotine stick and spin around and blow a breath in Alex’s face. He smiles, the sick prick. I step into his space, and before he can blink, I reach out and grab his throat. I press the lit end of my cigarette into his eye.

“Go near her, and I’ll make sure you’re never able to look at her again.” A single trail of smoke disappears into the night air as Alex screams, and I hear the delicate flesh of his eyelid sizzle. I twist and press harder against him as I tighten my grip on his throat. “I may not be able to kill you, yet, but I’ll still smoke your ass, Dupree.”

Blue Rose, Alabama

Taylor

Maybe if I keep pacing back and forth I’ll be able to forget everything that happened. Maybe the fear won’t continue to choke me until I can’t breathe. I want to forget the deranged look in Bryce’s eyes, or the way he spoke to me like he was angry, like I somehow destroyed his life. I’ve known for a while that this Brotherhood they belong to is more than just a chapter or fraternity. They are everything that is terrifying. The reasons for nightmares. Too many things connect that weren’t there before, and even though I know in my gut I should stay away, I still can’t resist them.Soren and Steffan have become more to me than guys I’ve messed round with. They give me comfort, they wake a part of me that feels alive, and they make me feel special. They need me, and it’s becoming more apparent that I need them too. Even with the danger constantly lurking around us, I feel safe when I’m with them. I called Soren. I begged him to help me. He came…actually, they all apparently did.It was Lee’s voice over the intercom, and I recognize Steffan’s handwriting from class on that note. They all showed up to protect me from Bryce.

But what does that say about me? Why am I so willing to jump into their arms, when not that long ago I wasn’t sure I could trust them? There is still someone out there murdering people, and here I am practically getting butterflies because Soren showed up to save me.And Steffan.My cheeks heat from my inner monologue. I let Steffan fuck me in the library the day he returned, without an explanation for why he put distance between us over break, and now here I am getting all hot and bothered over Soren acting possessive. They’ve made it seem like they don’t care if they share me. And selfishly I want them both. “Ugh…focus,” I mentally berate myself as I hug myself around my waist. I wish Kali was back from work so I could talk with her. My phone dings and I race to grab it.

Alex: Your lovers let Van Doren go.

My breath hitches in my lungs. I feel my hands start to shake. Glancing around the tiny house, suddenly every shadow seems darker and every creak of the house sets me on edge. My phone pings again.

Alex: Do you want me to come over and keep you company?

My mind whirls. I instantly want to put a stop to his contacting me, except a small sliver of hesitancy slithers through me. I also don’t want to be alone, and as crazy as Alex is, Bryce would stay away if Alex was here. They may all be in the Brotherhood, but Soren and Steffan both act as if they have to listen to Alex. But I do the right thing in this situation and turn him down.

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