The man doesn’t respond. He tilts his head, as if he’s trying to figure me out. “Unfortunately, I need the money or the drugs. And since Marcus here was responsible for me trusting your brother here, I hold him partially responsible.”
“This isn’t my fault, Tatum,” Marcus exclaims from where he’s standing across the room.
At least I know the name of the man who may kill us.
Tatum holds up his hand to silence Marcus. I squirm under his intense, unwavering stare. “So many fucking excuses,” Tatum mumbles.
Taking a steadying breath, I say, “I know I was short on the last payment, but I got a loan, and I’ll have forty thousand for you in just a few days. I can set up a payment plan for as much as I can to cover the rest. I swear I’ll pay you back.”
Tatum smiles, but it’s miles away from his eyes. “Payment plan.” The not-so-tiny Tiny huffs out a laugh from the other side of the room. Tatum pops up suddenly from where he’s seated, spinning and taking two large steps toward Marcus. Gripping his wrist hard enough to make Marcus wince, he drags him over to the coffee table and slams hishand so it’s palm down so loudly that even Benny flinches against me.
My heart is beating so powerfully, I’m shocked that I can still hear Marcus’s protests as Tiny whips out a gun and holds it to the back of Marcus’s head. My eyes dart to Marcus’s face, contorted in fear and anger. Panic and horror have sweat beading on my hairline at the scene unfolding in front of me. My eyes dart around the room, trying to find any opportunity to get away, no matter how fruitless I know that would be.
Movement from the door makes me swing my head in that direction, my pulse stuttering at what might come next. I’m not sure how much more I can handle as my breath stutters in and out of my frozen lungs. It’s unnerving when the unnamed man’s expression is still unreadable as he observes the room. He shuffles slightly toward the group again, but doesn’t make any move to help or stop it.
I refocus on the group standing inches from me and Benny as I pull him tighter to my side. Tatum slips his hand into his pocket and pulls out a switchblade. He presses it to Marcus’s pinky finger, and nausea swirls in my stomach. Marcus’s pleading becomes louder and more insistent.
Not that Benny has any idea what’s happening, but I pull him tighter against me and cover my mouth as a cry leaves my lungs. Sweat is forming on my hairline as terror rips through every cell in my body.
“Marcus, you know the consequences of your actions.” Tatum’s words are unnervingly calm as blood beads under the blade.
I squeeze my eyes closed, not wanting to see what happens next.
Marcus’s scream almost drowns out the deafening sound of the door being kicked in, making me jolt. Wood splintersand hits the man from my couch. He steps back against the wall as men rush into the house. Curling deeper into the couch, I hold on to Benny as tight as I can, not looking up but hearing shouting and loud footsteps all around me. I can’t even make out anything that’s being said because of the magnitude of the chaos breaking out. All I can focus on is making Benny and me as inconspicuous as possible so that the bad guys forget about us, and who I hope are the good guys can concentrate on the bad guys.
Fear has my body trembling so hard that I’m shocked when Benny doesn’t stir against me. I wrap my arms tighter around Benny and squeeze my eyes shut harder. Regret and feelings of stupidity have me feeling like I might be sick. How could I be so stupid? How could I make so many wrong decisions in the last few hours—hell, maybe the last few weeks—that’ve led me to be in this situation? All I wanted was my brother back. I wanted him safe. And it made me make idiotic choices that could have gotten us both killed. I have no idea what will be waiting for me when I open my eyes. All I can hope for is that, at the end of this, I’ll have the opportunity to make this right. To Benny. To myself. To Nate.
My name being yelled pulls me from my pretend protective bubble. As if my thoughts of him caused him to materialize, I lift my head to find Nate rushing across the room as Benny is lifted off me by someone else. Relief and guilt cause my breath to come out in rapid pants.
Nate is here. For me.
I rip my eyes away from Nate to make sure Benny is okay, and the earth-sized vise on my heart loosens when I see him surrounded by police officers. When Nate gets to me and wraps me in his arms, I collapse against his chest. He pulls me in tight, my uncontrollable sobs having me heavingagainst him, unable to believe this is real. His hand buries in my hair, and I press my head to his shoulder. “Nate.” His name is barely recognizable on my lips from how badly I’m shaking and sobbing. “They drugged him. I don’t know how much. He might need Narcan.”
“Shh, it’s okay. The paramedics are going to take care of him. It’ll be okay.” He shifts me back and smooths my hair away from my tear-stained cheeks as his eyes search my face. “Sweetheart, what happened to your face?”
My body tingles at the intensity of the emotions running through my body. I try to tell him, but more sobs shake me to my core. I can’t decipher if it’s residual fear and adrenaline or relief that the cops are here and Nate is holding me.
Nate pulls me back into him as he rocks me gently, my tears soaking his shirt.
After a few minutes, I calm a little, and Nate kisses me on the side of the head. “Olive, I want you to get looked at by the paramedics.”
My hands find his chest, and I push myself back from him to look into his eyes. “I’m fine.”
Nate’s features are so unsettled my breath hitches. His voice breaks when he begs quietly, “Please, for me. I need to know you’re okay.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
His shoulders drop an inch as he huffs a breath of relief. “Thank you. Can you walk, or do I need to carry you?”
The thought of him carrying me out of the havoc happening around us has a smile I thought would never return lifting my lips. “I can walk.”
He doesn’t look convinced, but doesn’t argue. Wrapping an arm around my waist, he helps me stand. My legs are shaky, but having Nate hold me tight to his side strengthens me with every step. He leads me over to a waitingambulance and asks for me to be checked out. The paramedic tries to take me from Nate to help me into the back, and I swear I hear Nate growl until the paramedic steps back with his hands up.
I press my lips together to fight a new smile as we climb into the back of the ambulance and sit on the stretcher with Nate glued to my side. As the paramedic starts his examination, I answer his questions and take in the scene happening on the street. Marcus is being walked in cuffs to the back of a police car.
Despite everything, a surprising twang of sadness overtakes me at seeing him being arrested. I really hope this is the wake-up call he needs to get his life together. I don’t see Tatum or Tiny. I hope that means they are already secure in the back of a car.
My eyes shift back to the house, and my muscles tense.
