Page 105 of Hold the Line

I heard shuffling, a muffled sound, then Richie’s cruel demand. “Speak, bitch. There’re a lot of ways I can hurt you without you dying.”

“Deacon.”

My heart stopped.

No, that wasn’t—

“Phoebe?” I had to be hearing things. Oh hell, that couldn’t have been my girl’s tremulous, terrified voice.

“Deacon, don’t do anything he says. He’s got me at the compound—”

Whatever else she was going to say was cut off with a roar. Richie shouted expletives at her, ranting she’d better hope I did what he wanted, or she was going to be eating bullets. He kept going, but my blood was whooshing hot and heavy in my ears, making it hard for me to catch all of it.

Caleb was on red alert, pushing off his stool and moving close enough to hear Richie’s tirade. When I met his gaze, something lethal burned in his eyes.

“He’s got Phoebe.”

His inhale was sharp, massive fists clenching into boulders. “No.Hell no.”

Somehow, our voices cut through to Richie. He stopped screaming and started talking again. “You know what I need you to do, Deke. I’ll keep your girl nice and safe until you do that favor we talked about. Then I’ll return her to you. Not a hair on her head’ll be harmed so long as you follow through.”

“You think I’m going to let you keep her overnight? What’ll stop me from sending the cops out there right now?”

Joy dropped what she was doing at the other end of the bar and hurried to me, leaning in so she could hear the conversation.

“Because I’m fucked if you don’t do this drop for me. That means I’ll put a bullet through your girl’s skull and one in mine. If I’m fucked, so are you.”

I should’ve been scared. Maybe I was. But molten, raging fury burned through every nerve, drowning out the fear.

This was my big brother. My own flesh and blood. The person who was supposed to be my friend, my protector, someone I looked up to. He should’ve been like Caleb—the kind of brother who looked ready to tear the world apart for his sister. Richie had never been that. He’d always been the one shoving me headfirst into trouble since we were kids. Even when I’d done everything I could to save us both.

“You’d do that to me?” I spat. “After I went down for you? You took four fucking years of my life, Rich. Four years. Does that mean nothing?”

Joy put her hand on my shoulder, and as firm as her grip was, it did nothing to reassure me. I needed Phoebe safe in my arms for that to happen.

“I thanked you,” he scoffed. “You’re not some kinda god just because you went to prison.”

Black coated my vision. “I went to prisonfor you,” I shouted. “I could’ve cut a deal to give you up, but I never did because you’re my brother. I’dneversell you out. I sacrificed four years for you, Rich. Four years! And this is how you repay me? You take my girl?”

He sniffed. “I need help, man. Just one more time. Help me out, and I’ll leave you alone forever.”

“You leave so much as a bruise on Phoebe, I will tear you apart myself.”

I slammed my fist into the bar, rattling glasses. Caleb didn’t flinch, his stance coiled, ready.

“I’ve sacrificed enough for you. My life, Richie. You let me give up my life, and now you’re trying to take more. When’s it enough? You want my liver? How about my lungs? You’ve already got my fucking heart. Might as well take it all.”

“You always were dramatic,” Richie stated, like nothing I’d said had even made a dent. “Just do what I asked and everything will be fine.”

“Fuck you, Rich. I don’t know what I did to make you hate me, but congrats, brother, I hate you just as much.”

“I don’t hate you. I never have. That’s not what this is about.”

“If it wasn’t, you’d be doing the drop yourself.”

Silence stretched for a beat. Then, quieter, “I have too many eyes on me. It’s gotta be you.”

Phoebe’s voice broke through like the sunshine on a cloudy day. “Someone’s here, Richie. Are you expecting anyone?”

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