Page 97 of A Hurt So Good

“Is that why they sent you over?”

“I asked if I could tell you this,” he says, running his tongue up my neck. Shudders take over, my body trembling just from his touch. War spins me in his arms, so I’m facing him, and I whine, missing his tongue on my flesh. “Walk with me.” I nod my head as he takes my hand into his and leads me toward the end of the pier where no one else is. I look out at the ocean for a long second knowing whatever he’s about to tell me, I’m not going to like. War leans against the rail, looking as if he doesn’t know what to say to me.

“Spit it out, War.”

“The man that cut you, he said he was our brother.”

“I heard that part vaguely,” I tell him. He nods his head.

“He lied. He wasn’t really our brother, although he could have easily been. Dad did a lot of searching and had people looking into everything. He was a cellmate of your dad’s,” he tells me. I swallow hard and take a deep breath, not at all expecting that to come out of his mouth.

“That’s how he knew about me?” War nods his head.

“Your dad had given him a lot of information on you. He must have tracked you when your mom brought you here.”

“And he was the one sending the messages,” I say softly.

“Seems that way. He wanted to scare you while he watched you.”

“But he’s gone now.”

“Yeah. He’s gone now, little bird, and he isn’t coming back.”

“I hear a but in there,” I laugh a little.

“There is a but, and not one you’re going like.”

“What more could there be?”

“He’s up for parole.” My heart stops. It literally stops in my chest. My hand comes up to my mouth, covering it to keep the scream that’s lodged in my throat from coming out. War steps toward me, but I throw my hand up to stop him.

“How?”

“Good behavior,” he says, lowering his head. What am I going to do? What if he finds me? He knows where I live; he has to. The guys can’t protect me forever. I lower my hand and suck in a deep breath I need before looking at War.

“So I fight back.”

“What?”

“I fight back. I’m not letting him try to kill me again, War. He tried twice now, and I refuse to let that happen again,” I snap at him.

“You’re not fighting him, little bird.”

“Like fuck I’m not!” With that, I take off. I run from War, knowing he’ll catch me if he wants to and knowing I’m going to run right into the other two, but I run anyway.

I round the corner just as Harlon steps in front of me. I slam into him, and he wraps his arms around me as a sob breaks free. Ishake my head and shove at him, trying to shove him away, but he doesn’t let go.

“Let me go!”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“Just let me go, Harlon!”

“He’s not going to do that, and if he does, I’ll be there,” Denz announces. Tears burn my eyes so badly, but I can’t let them fall. I refuse to let them fall. I take a few calming breaths when War catches up to us. Only then does Har ease his grip on me.

“He’s not going to touch me,” I tell the three of them.

“We’ve already agreed on that,” Denz adds.

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