Page 48 of Ravaged By Lust

My brother simply glares at me, everything I’ve just said finally sinking in. He doesn’t say a thing.

I can’t tell what he’s thinking, but I know it ain’t good. He’s going to explode. He’s going to go mad; I just know it.

“Don’t kill him,” I whisper. “Please. You promised not to go mad.”

Axel clenches his jaw and I see him change in front of my eyes into a man hell-bent on violence.

I see his promise not to flip mad break in front of my eyes.

“I’m going to kill that son of a bitch.”

16

BISHOP

“Follow me to my car,” Axel commands ominously.

Am I about to be bitch slapped?

“Sure.”

He’s taking me away from other people literally after we’ve been speaking about me fucking his sister, so of course I’m a tad worried. Even if he’s promised not to kill me.

That could’ve been a fib.

Goodbye, cruel world.

We leave the basement bar via the back entrance to not attract the crowd outside. We members of Ravaged have become very used to sneaking out of the back of buildings now that we’re some of the most famous faces on earth. It’s one of the tradeoffs for our incredible lives.

I’m still wary of my best friend. Sure, he says that Chloe will give me another chance, but I remember the way he reacted the time his sister told him about us, and I don’t want a repeat of what happened then.

We step outside in the warm Los Angeles night air. I spot Axel’s motorbike parked across the street. His beloved Kawasaki. What a beast of a ride. It’s just us here now. No one around to witness a murder.

Axel hasn’t spoken a word on our way out, but now he turns to me, a serious, somber expression on his face.

Oh shit. Here it comes.

“Do you truly love Chloe?” he asks in a straight, blunt tone. He’s been building up to asking me this in his head, I see.

I sigh. We’re gonna have this out here, then. There’s no escaping.

I’m not going to lie to my best friend. I once kept a big secret from him and look how that turned out, so I swore never again.

“Isn’t it obvious that I do love her? I’ve always loved her,” I say.

“Are you bullshitting me?” Axel asks.

“I truly am not,” I reply. “Chloe has been the only girl I’ve ever loved. In my eyes, she’s the most beautiful girl in the world, and always has been. You’re not going to attempt to beat me up for that, are you?”

Chloe’s brother pauses.

“I’ll beat you up if you don’t go and get her.”

“Okay.”

“I know you both, and I know that Chloe brings out the best in you. You better do this, Bishop, and you better do it right.”

I pat my best friend on the shoulder. “Thank you, Axel. Truly.”