My palms graze cool, hard stone. I sit up and growl as the worst hangover in the world crashes into my skull. Nope, the hard ass floor ripping at my skin isn't just in my head.
I look up. The prison bars in front of my face tell me where I'm at.
The motherfucker really went and did it. I'm sitting in the county jail, locked up tight, a world away from ever being able to spit in my old man's bitter fucking face again. Of course, spit's too soft for what I'd like to do if I ever get a crack at his wicked ass again.
I don't give a shit about being exiled like this. He hurt my girl, so I hurt him. I did all I could to get his goons off her, and it wasn't enough.
Seeing her twitch when the Taser's probe sank into her skin was the worst goddamned thing in the world. I felt my soul leave my body, bathing me in darkness.
And that's where I saw it – it's not just my bastard father's fault. It's me. I'm the fucking cancer who hurt her, the senseless fuck who dragged her into this situation and nearly got her cooked alive. If I weren't so smashed from getting throttled with current myself, I'd wrap my hands around my own throat and squeeze 'til I pass the fuck out.
It takes me a couple minutes to stagger up. In the cell next to me, a nasty looking old dude laughs, smiling with his rotten teeth.
I walk to the edge of the cell and put my hands on the bars. Fucking shit. Now I know exactly how a monkey at a zoo feels.
Whatever, I barely give a damn that I'm locked up. What really bothers me is what went down before fifty thousand volts friend my nerves and I blinked out like a busted lightbulb.
I deserve to rot in here for what I did to her. Claire's fucked, and it's all because of me. Well, me and that cowardly little pissant she was working for.
I'm used to half the world pointing their fingers and laughing like the criminal in the cage next door. Shit's pretty damned natural when you're a billionaire's son, and I doubt it'll get much better now that I'm officially disowned. But Claire shouldn't have to live with this shit, shouldn't have to claw her way back with a fraction of the resources I've always had.
I'm willing to risk having my body shredded along with my reputation. But I can't stand pulling her into the grinder too, without even knowing it.
Goddamn it. My muscles pulse warning aches every time I move. Too bad it doesn't stop the urge to take my fists to the walls and start beating them 'til something gives way, either the bricks or my own damned bones.
I can't fucking let her go down like this. I have to get outta here, have to make sure she's all right. Then I'm gonna do the soul killing thing I should've always done for this chick who's got my heart in her pretty little hands.#p#分页标题#e#
There's only one thing that's right, I know it's my only choice because it hurts so fucking bad.
I'm going to clean up loose ends, and then I'm going to disappear.
It only takes a day to talk to some asshole judge, and the badges running this facility. Actually, my boys from the club do most of the talking, and one of them just happens to have some powerful family ties in the local police force.
Thank fuck money doesn't mean much in this world. Yeah, you can buy your way to freedom or lock somebody up with enough dollars in the hopper, but an old police chief or two can buy even more on street cred.
Dad's gonna rage himself blind when he finds out how easy it was for me to walk outta here free, and I don't give a shit. I want to finish what I started in our old house, slamming my fists into his demon face, but it won't solve a thing. Driving home, busting down the gate, and wringing his scrawny neck won't do shit to help my woman.
As far as I'm concerned, my family's dead and buried. All I've got left is her, and not for long. Not after what I'm about to do.
I'm out in a heartbeat, dumping the tight neon prison clothes wrapped around my skin. Ed, Mike, and Tommy pick me up. It doesn't take long to ask them for a big favor, and every one of them is game.
We're gonna pay the too-stupid-to-live fuck responsible for those pretty tabloid pictures a visit.
We stop by a gas station on the way to fill up our ride, plus a few canisters. Then I'm outside the asshole's building, a nice swanky condo Daddy probably bought. The trees aren't the only thing that's green in the big environmental lobby.
My guts churn, thinking how easily I could've been beholden to the same shit, falling in line to run Spree like my bastard father always wanted, dragging anybody I damned well please through the mud.
Not anymore. Not ever again.
Dan the Boss Man comes home late. His jaw's still hanging a little crooked from our last encounter. Fuck if I don't wanna tear it right off.
I pull my hoodie up and wait about a minute after he's gone in inside. A shy, leggy blonde runs up the stairs, and I'm right behind her. She jumps when she sees me, and I don't say a word, just take the door she's nervously holding for me and my crew.