Beast and the other two storm in when they hear Briar’s shots, surveying the damage. I’m momentarily distracted and Matthew makes a move for his gun. I fire a shot into his arm. Fucking asshole! Who exactly does he think he is fooling with?
“Told you not to move, gilipollas,” I tell him, enjoying the way the red flow of blood oozes from his three-thousand-dollar suit. I don’t think that can be dry-cleaned. “Beast, take the men and secure the perimeter. We need to know where Matthew’s other men are.”
He doesn’t answer, but they head out.
“How’s Katie?” Beth asks, trying to look around me to see her sister.
“Get up and see for yourself so I can clean up the fucking mess you’ve made,” I growl, my anger at her starting to bubble over. Mierda! Even now, she’s sitting on the floor in front of him like she stupidly has all day.
“I had things under control,” she argues, and the anger in her face when she looks at me pisses me off even more. Who the fuck does she think she is?
“It sure looked like it. Were you trying to wear his fists out with your face? Real great plan, Beth. Christo,” I mutter, disgusted.
“I had a plan!” she argues.
I snap. “Briar, watch the fucker,” I tell him, talking about Matthew. I’m not going to get distracted by Beth and let the son of a bitch get away. He will die before I leave this damn cabin.
“What kind of plan? You que mujer estúpida!”
“This!” she growls, thrusting her hand up towards Matthew’s balls. At first I think she’s just going to punch them, which I’m okay with. She’s crazier than I thought if she assumed that move would save the day. Then, I hear Matthew scream out, and when I look to see where her hand connects, there is a small blade sticking out of his crotch. She stabbed at least one of his balls. Interesting. My Beth has developed claws. She twists the knife for good measure before pulling it out. Matthew drops to the floor and Beth wipes the blade on the jacket of his suit. “Call me stupid again, Skull, and I’ll give you the same as I did Matthew, and honest to God, I might enjoy it even more,” she warns, her eyes spitting fire at me.
Damn. She does have claws, and the twisted fucked-up mess that I am, I apparently love it because my cock is rock hard.
Cagar!
I’m totally lying out of my ass. I, in no way, had things under control. Once Katie was shot, I folded like a damn cheap pair of pants. I was going to kill Matthew, but I knew I’d end up dying in the process too. I accepted it. Doesn’t mean that I didn’t still worry over Gabby and wish things would be different, but there comes a time in your life where you quit running, a time when you reach the end of what you can take. I had been there for a while, but being under the same roof with Skull and having to face his anger and hate has pushed me beyond that point. I’ve had it. I’m done, and when I say that, I mean completely and utterly done. He gave me a taste of him in a kiss and walked away. I hate him for that—for reminding me of what I don’t have anymore.
“Did you honestly believe that what you just did would have saved you? Did you not see the men with guns before we got here?”
“You asshole! Of course I saw them! They shot my sister!” she huffs, walking around him to get to Katie. “Are you okay?” I ask her, dismissing Skull. He’s not important. Not anymore.
“I’m…”
“No, you’re not fucking fine,” Torch interrupts. “You’re shot. In your fucking bad leg. What in the hell did you think you were doing, Katie?” Torch rips open Katie’s pants to better inspect the wound.
“Gee, I don’t know, Hunter. I was thinking, wow, it’s a beautiful day today. I wonder what a fucking bullet would feel like in my leg!”
“I would watch your tone with me, Katydid, because I’m a man on the fucking edge right now.”
“I’m not exactly happy-go-lucky myself, and quit yelling at me! I’m in pain!”
“Get used to it, sweetheart, because when I get you home, your ass will be sore for a fucking year.”
I stand back as they go at each other. I rake my hand through my hair, feeling my adrenaline start to ebb. I didn’t think I would live past this point. I should be thankful that I am. It might be easier if Skull wasn’t breathing down my neck. Literally. He grabs my arm and spins me around, looking only slightly less intimidating now that he’s put his gun up. I look over to see that Latch has come back and helped Briar subdue the men inside.
“Eyes on me, Beth,” Skull growls, instantly pushing me back to the edge.