Page 75 of Raze

Alicia runs through the door followed by Trinity and one of her friends and they all look shocked by what they find.

“Woman, what did I tell you?” Vike scolds Alicia as she checks on her brother.

“You need to get out of here before they kill you too,” I tell Kane, but it’s too late, Ruckus pulls a gun from his jeans and presses it into the back of his skull

“Wait. No. Don’t shoot, he’s my brother!” I call out, suddenly noticing how much blood there is pooling around me.

“Where is she?” Griller manages to say, coughing blood out with his words.

“Peyton, what the fuck is goin’ on here?” Ruckus asks, looking furious as his gun remains pointed at my brother.

“Don’t hurt him please.” I sob, stroking Griller’s head in my hands and wondering how I’m going to explain all this.

“Is that true?” Ruckus spins Kane around, gripping his throat, slamming him into the wall, and causing me to scream again.

“Please, Ruckus, no.” I cry as Alicia slides onto her knees beside me and Griller.

She’s doing the sensible thing and trying to stop Griller from bleeding out. I was far too panicked to think about that. I’m in too much shock to do anything useful, all I can do is watch as Ruckus places his gun right in the center of my brother’s forehead.

“Ruckus, you can’t kill him, he’s my brother. He’s not one of them yet, he’s just a prospect…please.” Ruckus turns his head toward me looking confused.

“Is all that true?” He looks back at Kane and asks again.

“I’m her brother and I’m one of them,” Kane confirms proudly, looking so much more grown-up than he was when I last saw him.

“Please, let him go, everyone else is dead. Ruckus…”

“I’m not leavin’ here without you.” Kane flicks his eyes over toward me despite the threat of the gun, then breathes a little faster when Ruckus presses it deeper into his head.

“You have to. I’m not coming with you, Kane. You're wrong when you said I don’t belong here. I’ve…I’ve met someone.”

“Him?” Kane looks toward the man who I’m pretty sure is dying in my arms, the denim jacket Alicia has taken off to hold over his wound is already soaked through and I can feel his body shivering.

“Ruckus, I have to call an ambulance,” Alicia tells him with a serious look on her face.

Griller starts shaking his head and tapping me for attention.

“Shit.” Ruckus looks at the three dead Reapers, then back to Griller.

“It’s real bad.” Alicia is trying not to cry, but I see how frightened she is.

“You…” Ruckus turns his head to Kane.

“You go back to your club and you tell them that no Reaper is fuckin’ safe.” Gripping him by his cut he marches him toward the door and shoves him out of it.

“If I ever see your face again. Your sister won’t be able to save you.”

I watch the look of hurt on Kane’s face as he backs away, and then with the sound of more bikes coming from the distance he turns his back and runs.

“Griller.” I can’t let my hurt for Kane distract me from helping Alicia keep him alive. His hand wraps around her wrist when she takes her cell phone out and he shakes his head again as he tries to talk but chokes instead.

“What’s he saying.” She looks up at me helplessly.

“He’s sayin’ not to call an ambulance. He knows it’s too late.” Ruckus stands over us lookin’ hurt as we watch him suffering.

“No! We can get you help.” Alicia shakes her head and I wipe away my tears and feel his sticky red blood streak my cheeks instead.

“It’ll bring a whole lotta questions to the club if you call an ambulance.” Her brother tells her, and when Griller chokes up more blood and starts to wheeze I suddenly remember everything we talked about.

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