The second man looks up at me, his eyes alight with anger. I feel Garett tense next to me just as my own insides clench.
“Hello, wife,” Brody says as he stares up at me. “I’ve come to bring you back home.”
THIRTY-FOUR
Garett
Isee red. He’s supposed to be gone, out of our lives, not our problem anymore. He was supposed to be locked up for good, not standing at the bottom of the steps of Luke’s house. Not here, not now, not free.
This was not the plan.
I feel my rage spiralling. My heart thunders in my ears as I stare down at the ghost who’s been haunting me for most of my life—the man that is responsible for taking everything I’veever loved away from me. Hate would be too kind of a word to describe the way I feel. I loathe him with every ounce of blood in my being.
Why the fuck is he here?
“Come down here now, Allison, and we can leave without anyone needing to get hurt,” Brody demands with a snap of his fingers. He snapped at her, like she’s a fucking dog.
“Well, I’m not sure that’s a fair statement, friend,” Will drawls slowly at Brody’s side. “They took something that belongs to me.” His gaze flits to Liv, and to her credit, she doesn’t back down, doesn’t flinch. “And I don’t take kindly to thieving filth.”
“Brother,” Luke says in a placating tone which I know he usually saves for the courtroom. Underneath is a serpent ready to strike. “Why don’t we all go inside and discuss this calmly?”
Luke gestures with an open hand toward the door. Brody scoffs, but before he can run his fucking mouth, Will begins to ascend the stairs.
“Finally, acting like a fucking civilized human, brother, and not some feral street kid,” Will snarks as he breezes past us toward the door. “And take off the fucking mask. You look like an idiot.”
Brody takes a step forward before freezing. His dark eyes slide to mine. Even beneath my mask, I’m sure I look murderous. I inch forward, placing my body between him and Ali. No fucking way he gets anywhere near my girl tonight.
“Go on, dog,” I tell him when his eyes flit toward the woman behind me. “Follow your master.”
He narrows his eyes at me but does as he’s told, following Will inside the house. My hand finds Ali’s thin fingers and squeezes her for reassurance.
She’s here. She’s mine. Now and all lifetimes after, this girl is mine. And nothing, especially not some shit-stain husband, is going to come between us.
This ends tonight.
“This wasn’t the plan, but we still have them outnumbered,” Luke whispers to me as we enter the house. Liv and Ali follow behind while Celeste slips into the shadows.
Game fucking on.
“Welcome to my home, brother,” Luke calls loudly as we stroll into the sitting room. He holds his hands wide as if truly showing off his home.
Will’s eyes flit around the space before he scoffs. “You bought some old, run-down, freak show house? Fitting.”
Will plops down on the sofa, his arms finding the back of the couch. He spreads his legs wide, as if he’s completely at ease. Brody, on the other hand, scowls at us from the corner of the room with his eyes locked on Ali. Her hand is cold and clammy in mine. He wasn’t supposed to be here and her nerves are clearly getting to her.
“Drink, brother?” Luke asks, his mask pulled up over his head, as he brings over two glasses of amber liquid. Will readily accepts one of them and takes a large swig.
“You want one too, Brody?” I ask with a sharp sneer.
“Fuck you,” he snaps back at me.
I shrug and make my way to the bar, pouring a glass and bringing it back over.
“To putting the past behind us,” Luke says as he raises his glass. I pull up my mask and follow suit. We all take a long swig of our drinks.
“I’m glad you’re finally coming around, Lucas,” Will says as he swallows the liquor down. “A boy like you can’t handle two women anyway.”
Liv scoffs from the other side of the room and eyes fly to her. All except mine. My eyes are still on Brody. The smug asshole is sitting with his arms crossed, staring daggers at my girl.
