Page 110 of If You Dare

The other guys jump back as I aim right for their leader.

Trey braces when he spots me coming and swings his stick at my head.

He misses. That’s why he didn’t get captain.

I grab the stick and we grapple over it, the other guys hovering nearby, torn between us. Their captain and the traitor they made the mistake of following. They’ll each get their turn after I’ve handled him. “I fucking told you not to do this! You’re all dead!”

Trey swings a kick for my balls but connects with my leg. Still hard enough for me to lose my grip on the stick. He swings it down, but I grab it again and pull it so hard, it slips out of both our hands, landing on the concrete with a clatter.

None of our teammates move to grab it. Neither does Violet, who’s motionless now, still curled up on the ground.

My heart’s going to explode if I can’t check her pulse. Make sure she’s still with me. I need to get her to safetynow.

I throw a punch at Trey, connecting with his jaw and making him spit out a curse. Delaying him long enough to give me time to spin and reach her.

I feel for a pulse, her neck still warm, heart still hammering hard beneath her skin.

So fucking strong. My resilient little flower.

“You’re okay, baby.” I grab her hand to let her know I’m here, I’m not going fucking anywhere without her, and her perfect hazel eyes flutter open. I let out a sound that’s somewhere between a gasp of relief and a sob. “I love you, Violet. I love you so fucking much. I’m sorry I wasn’t here to protect you, but I’m here now. You’re going to be all right. I’m getting you out of here.”

“The hell you are.” Cold, sharp metal presses against my neck. Violet’s eyes widen in horror, and she would scream again if she could. I freeze, my team’s eyes round behind their masks. “Stand.”

The last thing I want to do is obey a command from the devil himself, but with a knife pressed to my throat, it’s my only chance at getting Violet out of here alive.

With every ounce of willpower in me, I release her hand. “I’m not leaving you,” I murmur.

I stand slowly as Trey grips my shoulder and keeps the blade biting into my neck.

“Sorry it had to end this way, buddy,” he says.

Maybe if I can swing back with my elbow, I can get him to drop the knife—

“Say goodbye to your girl.” He leans closer, squeezing my shoulder. “She’s mine now.”

Before I can make another move, Trey swipes the blade across my neck.

Chapter40

After

Violet

I didn’t thinkI could scream anymore, my throat ragged and raw, but I scream for him.

I scream for Wes as his knees hit the concrete and blood pours from his neck.

Too fast.

Too fucking fast.

The agony is tearing me apart at the seams. Every inch of my body has been ripped through by a tornado. With every kick they landed to my stomach, back, legs, arms, head, all I’ve been able to think about is the pain. Unending. Unyielding.

But none of it holds a candle to watching the man I love try to staunch the flow of blood from his own throat.

If Trey managed to cut his windpipe, Wes won’t be able to breathe. If he sliced through a major artery, Wes has only minutes before he succumbs to the blood loss.

Maybe seconds.

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