Daisy appears and tries pulling Lucky toward the exit, but Lucky scuttles back and hides behind me. I’d let her in on the fact that I’m most likely not the safest place she could take shelter, but at this moment I want nothing more than to protect her, to protect us.
I spin around to find Jet with fire in his eyes. The cords of his neck are frozen in time as he bears those fangs at us. Not one but two cameras are narrowly squeezed in the doorway along with a sound stick that lets me know they’re hoping for a show. Rex, Owen, and Grant spill into the room, just as a fist the size of a ham comes swinging my way.
“You lousyfuck!” Jet snatches me by the shirt and thrashes me against the wall, sending an entire box of metal instruments crashing to the floor, and Lucky screams nonstop. “You little piece of shit!” he roars as he bashes my head into the wall over and over. My instincts tell me to knee him in the balls, but that’s a chick move, and I know that Jet is only trying to protect Lucky. I should take it—let him splatter my brains against the wall. I probably deserve it. Who the hell did I think I was taking advantage of his sister under his roof?
Rex steps in and tries to pluck him off, and Jet flicks him away like a rag doll.
Jet pulls me forward with such a thrust, I actually feel my ears pop from the pressure. “I fucking paid you to keep the filth off of her, and here it wasyouI had to look out for.”
“What?” Lucky shrieks through tears.
“That’s right.” Jet shoves his knee into my gut and compresses the air right out of my lungs. Owen jumps on his back, and Grant tries to get between us, but Jet proves unstoppable. “I gave this little shit two solid grand, and he not only took advantage of me—he took advantage ofyou!” He gives a violent shake to my shirt before launching me backward, and I hit my head with a watermelon-like thump. A warm gush of fluid runs down the back of my neck, and the room spins and sways. I hit the hard floor with a thud.
Lucky shouts something unintelligible as Grant pulls me toward him.
“Stay with me, dude. I see blood. Let’s get you out of here.”
“I don’t do blood.” A heavy wave of nausea envelops me, and, just as I try to sit up, the room flips upside down.
“Lawson!” Grant barks and gives my cheek a brisk slap. The room bounces in and out, flickering dim as a candle.
The world fades into a fog of darkness, and I fade right along with it.
Heart on the Line
Lucky
“You killed him!” I break free from the hold Daisy has on me and start throwing punches at my brother like a monkey on fire.
“Stop!” Ava gets between us, and I accidentally land a right hook over her eye.
“Sorry!”
“Shit!” Grant pulls her over, and I run to where Lawson lies in a quickly growing pool of blood.
“I’m so sorry, Lawson.” My fingers touch over his forehead, and he’s warm to the touch, clammy.
Jet kneels next to me with an arm full of towels, carefully lifts Lawson’s head, and places one underneath it.
Rex and Scarlett fall next to us.
“Honey?” Scarlett lightly taps her brother over his cheeks. “Wake up, hon. I promise you can sleep later.”
Lawson gives a groggy moan, his lids fluttering as if he’s ready to rouse, and I’m flooded with relief at the sight.
“Lawson, it’s me Lucky! Please open your beautiful eyes. I just want to see them one more time.”
Jet growls over at me, clearly unhappy with the sentiment, but I can give all of zero fucks at the moment. I’m not through with him by a long shot.
“Don’t you even start.” I grit my teeth up at my brother. “If there’s anything wrong with this boy, I will never forgive you.”
Jet’s eyes light up like flares. “He’s lucky he’s still breathing.” Jet’s chest pulsates with rage. Most likely at the memory of what he witnessed. I of all people should know that was enough to kill both him and Lawson.
Owen and Piper make their way over with a bag of ice they place near the top of Lawson’s head as if it might actually do something.
A cameraman gets in close, and Jet lets out an earthshattering roar. “Everybody out! Especially you. I want all crew, every single soul in this place to go home,” he barks. “Party’s over.” Jet bites down over his bottom lip, and it quivers. His eyes fill with moisture. “I’m sorry, dude. Wake the fuck up. I’m not going to kill you.”
Scarlett lets out an insolent huff. “Damn right, you’re not going to kill him. You’ll be lucky if he doesn’t sue the shit out of you.” Now it’s Scarlett with a fire brewing in her eyes, and her fury is solely directed at my barbaric big brother and his need to tear people to pieces for the sake of my purity.
