Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 101764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
“Careful here.” Alex stopped and turned around after traversing an uneven chunk of cement where a tree root had raised the walkway. Expression tight, he watched until I’d made it safely past the perceived danger.
I blinked at him, then cleared my throat. “Thanks.” The word rasped out through my cold vocal cords. My insides turned to goo. The man who hated me had stopped in his quest to rescue his brother to ensure I didn’t trip on a crack in a walkway.
He nodded. “Don’t engage with anyone in there, okay?”
“Stop worrying. I’m a big boy, Alex… as you well know.” I winked, which made him roll his eyes.
I’d call that a victory.
“All right, I’ll stop with the mother-hen routine. I’m just not used to having another person to think about when I do this. Not that I’m not grateful, I am, but it feels like you’re a bit of a wild card right now.”
Now, it was my turn to roll my eyes. “What is it you think I’m going to do exactly?”
His shoulders moved up and down. “I don’t know. Whip out your black Amex and start flashing it at anyone who looks at you.”
My jaw dropped. “You are a dick,” I said as I flipped him off.
Snickering, he turned back around and continued to the door. I couldn’t keep the grin off my face as I followed.
Before we could knock or even reach the crumbling front stoop, the door swung open, and a man in nothing but jeans and tattoos stood in the doorway. “Are you here for this guy?” he asked as he gestured with his vape pen to a man sprawled on the bottom step of a long, steep staircase leading to the second floor.
“Holy shit, is that Kenny?” Alex asked, concern marring his features. The guy on the step didn’t so much as twitch.
“Yep.” The man sucked from his vape and exhaled a plume of acrid smoke. “He ain’t dead. Didn’t overdose or nothin’. Think he’s conscious, but he’ll sure feel like shit tomorrow.”
Alex walked toward his brother. I followed right on his heels until we reached the door, and he extended a hand to stop me from entering the house. Part of me wanted to argue, but to get close to Kenny, he’d have to turn his back on the guy who’d answered the door, and while he didn’t seem outwardly dangerous, I’d feel better keeping an eye on him.
The guy eyed me up and down. “You boys in the market for any party favors tonight?”
“Why? So we can end up like him?” I gestured to Kenny.
Alex shot me a lethal glare.
“That ain’t my fault. Kenny’s a stupid fucker.” The guy shrugged and filled the air with more smoke.
I wrinkled my nose and fanned the air, which only made him laugh.
“Shit.” Alex’s whispered curse had me stepping forward. He crouched down next to his brother. “Ken?”
A groan was the only answer he got.
Keeping one eye on the vaper, I stepped closer and glanced down at Kenny. “Oh fuck.” Someone had beat the absolute shit out of Alex’s brother. Both eyes were purple and swollen like chewing gum bubbles. Blood had crusted beneath his nose and over his mouth and chin. Even his hoodie was covered in blood, probably from when it sprayed out of his nose.
“Do you know what he took?”
The vaper shrugged. Goose bumps coated his scrawny arms and torso, but he seemed impervious to the cold otherwise. “The usual, probably.”
“Do you know who did this to him?”
“Sure do, but I ain’t telling you. Not about to put myself in a spot to get my ass beat like Kenny.” He tugged at a thread near the pocket of his worn jeans. They hung low, giving us a view of zig-zag patterned boxers. “Think he stole from them. Either that, or he fucked somebody’s girl. Can you just get him outta here before they come looking for his ass?”
“Yeah.” Alex worked a hand beneath his brother’s back and heaved him to a sitting position with a grunt. Kenny’s head lolled to the side once, then bounced up straight. His puffy eyes opened to slits.
“Alex?” A goofy grin formed, showing his bloody teeth. “Hey, bro.”
At least he wasn’t feeling pain.
For now.
Later, he’d be in a world of hurt, guaranteed.
“Hey, Ken,” Alex answered with a resigned sigh. “Ready to go home?”
“Nah, bro, we should party.”
“Party’s over for tonight, Kenny. Let’s stand up.”
“But you never party with me. All you do is work and school and school and work. So fucking boooring, bro.”
A muscle twitched in Alex’s jaw as he no doubt fought the urge to add to Kenny’s colorful array of bruises.
I squatted down on Kenny’s other side. “Let me help you get him up.”
Alex blinked as though he’d forgotten my presence. Any other time, I might be offended, but the poor guy deserved a few breaks tonight. He nodded, then we each slid an arm around Kenny and hauled him to his feet.