Sirens blare in the distance, but darkness starts to creep in, and it feels like I’m floating in fluffy white clouds. I can’t keep my eyes open. I’m weightless. Everything around me is turning blurry and darker by the second as blood drips down my face.
This is it.
This is how I’m going to die.
I try to fight it.
Try to breathe.
With each inhale, it’s getting harder to pull enough air into my lungs.
The sirens are still too far away.
I’m going to die right here.
And I never even had the chance to start living.
CHAPTER 1
Kian
“Dude.Close your fucking laptop before I throw it off the roof.” My younger brother, Beckett, scowls at me as he stands in my office, his arms crossed over his chest. “You bailed out of last night because you were tired, but let’s be honest, you probably went back to the office.”
Cash chuckles and nods. “Wouldn’t surprise me.”
I stare at the numbers on the screen in front of me. “Someone’s got to keep this empire running. Cash is usually too busy at one of the Kingston properties, following his wife around to make sure no other man talks to her, while Xander sits in the bar, watching Quinn like a fucking stalker all the time.”
Beckett bursts out laughing and holds out his fist to me. I tap mine on it and smirk at Cash and Xander, who both flip me off. They know it’s true. Those dickheads are so fucking obsessed with their women, it’s a miracle if I see them in the office once a week anymore.
“He’s jealous because we’re getting fucked regularly and he’s not,” Cash says with a teasing grin.
I shoot him a look and then roll my eyes. I hate that what he said is completely true.
I stare at the tattooed letters,ACE,on the fingers of my left hand as I rest them on the keyboard of my computer. Sitting back, I rub my forehead. I can’t remember the last time I had sex. Or the last time it felt satisfying in a way that made me want to even pursue it.
“It’s your thirty-eighth birthday. Get your ass up and let’s fucking go. Jesus. When did you turn eighty?” Beckett yells and slams my laptop closed.
Running my fingers through my hair, I sigh. I can usually weasel my way out of going to the club with Beckett, especially since Caleb is willing to go with him most of the time, but there’s no way in hell they’re not going to force me to celebrate my birthday.
Fucking bastards.
I rise and motion for my brothers to go ahead. “Fine. Let’s fucking go. I don’t see why we couldn’t have had a simple fucking dinner at Cash or Xander’s house.”
Cash laughs. “Because I’m not about to let my wife cook another man’s birthday dinner. Besides, we’re having family dinner tomorrow, and it’s being catered. Remember?”
Xander grunts in agreement, and all I can do is shake my head because, Jesus Christ. Those two aresogone for their women. The second Jordyn and Quinn walked into their lives, they lost their fucking minds. I love them, but they’re idiots.
“Speaking of, where are your women?” I ask.
“They are being escorted to the club by Caleb and Roman,” Xander announces as he looks at his phone. I glance at his screen, and he has a map pulled up with a small moving dot on it. He’s checking Quinn’s location.
“You need help, bro,” I tell him as we bump shoulders.
He looks up at me and smirks. “I already go to therapy, and I gave up alcohol. That’s as much self-growth as I’m willing to do, unless my wife says otherwise.”
I stare at him, totally speechless, as he goes back to watching Quinn’s moving location. I guess it’s better that he be addicted to his wife than the bottle. Besides, she’s pregnant, and I can’t imagine how much more protective that makes Xander feel. Hell, I’m honestly surprised he’s letting her come to the club tonight. Not that he’ll let her out of his sight. Between Xander and her bodyguard, Roman, no one will be able to get within six feet of her.
We climb into a waiting SUV, and the driver takes off in the direction of the club while Beckett pulls a bottle of whiskey from the door panel bar and breaks the seal, then offers it to me.
