Page 162 of Heartbeats & Highways

Ribs cracked.

Sweat and blood flew through the air. The rumble of the mob drowned out the grunting of the two fighters, brawling like possessed barbarians. Minutes passed.

Acid was battered and though his nose was badly broken and gushing blood, Brutus’ right eye was swelling shut from Acid’s accurate jabs.

The fight had slowed; both men were running out of gas. There was only so much that adrenaline could fuel. Now grit would determine the victor.

Acid was in close, boxing like a titleholder when Brutus hooked a foot behind Acid’s right ankle and pushed him down hard. When he landed, he didn’t move, momentarily stunned. No doubt the air had been knocked from his lungs.

His hands slowly came up to protect his face, but it was too late. Brutus ran up on Acid and as he loomed over him, he lifted his foot and stomped on Acid’s face like he was a roach.

One of Acid’s teeth flew across the mat and his lip split open and began to bleed. Acid rolled over, grunting in pain. His hands went to the mat, like he was about to push himself up. But his arms shook with weakness.

Brutus lunged and dropped an elbow on the back of Acid’s neck with the weight of his entire body.

The cheers cut off mid roar—silenced horror filled the arena.

Acid went limp. Blood continued to pour from his broken nose and split lips.

His breathing sounded like a rattlesnake in his chest.

I knew that sound . . .

No, God no . . .

Chapter 42

The waitingroom at the hospital was melancholy. Acid had been rushed to emergency surgery and there had been no news yet from the doctor.

Brothers of the Tarnished Angels Motorcycle Club had congregated to keep vigil. Savage had left me with Willa and Duke while he spoke to Colt and Zip.

Most of the Old Ladies had stayed home—it was the middle of the night—and they had children.

I could feel eyes on me, silently asking questions people knew I had answers to.

“I need to walk,” Willa murmured.

“I’ll go with you,” Duke said.

She shook her head. “Evie? You want to walk with me?”

“Yes,” I said, desperate to escape the cloying guilt.

The two of us wandered down the hallway, away from the waiting room.

“Cafeteria?” I asked.

“I’m not really hungry, but yeah, that works.”

We went to the elevator and waited for it. We didn’t speak again until we got to the cafeteria. We took a seat at one of the tables, facing each other.

It was like neither of us knew what to say to one another. I hadn’t seen her since the club barbecue two days ago, when the brothers had learned about my past. Did the Old Ladies know about it too?

Willa shattered the silence when she spoke. “Duke told me Savage used to fight in an illegal ring but that he quit.”

“Yes,” I concurred.

“Just tell me, Evie. I feel like I know pieces of the story, but I don’t have the full picture. And it’s driving me crazy.”

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