Page 237 of Before We Were

God, I need to make it through this.

There's so much I haven't told her.

Gravel bites into my palms and cheek as I try to roll away, but it's useless. They're everywhere, surrounding me like wolves on a kill. Each impact sends shockwaves of agony through my body, but I cling to thoughts of her like a lifeline.

The warmth of her laugh. The way she curls into me in the mornings when I wake up next to her.

"Stay down, Preppy," Monty growls, his voice dark with venom. Another kick lands square in my stomach.

I convulse, dry heaving as I gasp for air that won't come. Blood fills my mouth, copper-bright and sickeningly warm.

"Fucking hell," one of them mutters somewhere above me. "He's still moving."

A sharp blow to my back makes my vision blur, and a boot slams into the back of my knee, forcing me flat. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block out the agony and humiliation. It's like being broken down piece by piece, every kick driving home what I am—just another pawn in Scott Sullivan's endless games.

But through the pain, through the darkness creeping at the edges of my consciousness, I hold onto her. My anchor. My reason.

I love you,I think, as another blow lands.

I love you, I love you, I love you.

When the hits finally stop, I don't move. I can't.

Blood trickles down my lip, warm and metallic, pooling on the gravel beneath me. The coppery taste fills my mouth, but I let out a low, ragged laugh anyway. It's harsh and broken, but it's all I have left.

Monty crouches next to me, grabbing a fistful of my shirt and yanking me up. His breath stinks of whiskey and smoke, and his eyes burn with an anger that's been simmering too long. My head spins, and for a moment, I see Nora's face instead—the way she looked at me this morning, worry creasing her forehead as she traced the dark circles under my eyes.

"You think he cares about this being a message?" I rasp, my voice barely audible through the pain. "This is exactly what he wanted. Scott never gets his hands dirty. He leaves that to scum like you."

Monty's expression darkens, and his fist crashes into my jaw. Stars explode behind my eyes, and I taste more blood as my cheek hits gravel. The world tilts dangerously, but I stay conscious—barely. Monty grabs me again, hauling me up like a rag doll. My legs dangle uselessly, my body too wrecked to resist.

His sneer is inches from my face, his voice low and lethal. "One way or another, he's going to get a message." His grip tightens, fingers digging into bruised flesh. "And you're going to deliver it. You get me my money, or I'll take away everything."

His eyes glint with malicious understanding. "Come to think of it, maybe I went after the wrong son. Maybe your kid brother should be next." He leans in closer, bourbon-soaked breath hot against my face. "Or maybe I just go straight for that pretty little brunette with the nice legs you've been spending time with. She looks like she'd be a fun time."

Something inside me—something I didn't even know existed—snaps.

A surge of protective fury burns through me, stronger than the pain, stronger than fear. Despite the agony shooting through my battered body, I force myself to lift my head. My voice comes out low and deadly, each word carved from ice and steel.

"You go anywhere near my brother or dare to fucking touch her," I say, "and I'll kill you myself."

It's not a threat—it's a promise.

Monty's grin widens, cruel and amused. "Struck a nerve, huh? Rule number one, kid: don't fall for tits and an ass. They'll get you killed. And family doesn't mean shit. They're only good for stabbing you in the back anyway. But I think you've learned that lesson by now."

He shoves me back down, letting me crumple to the gravel. His crew laughs as they mount their bikes, the roar of their engines slicing through the night like thunder. The sound of their departure echoes off the buildings, matching the pounding in my head.

I lie there, bloodied and broken, staring up at the stars. They seem too peaceful, too distant from this hell. My chest burns with each breath, every inhale a sharp reminder of my fractured ribs.

Monty knows about Nora now.

That thought alone twists deeper than any blow they landed. She's no longer just my secret, my safe harbor—she's become a target. The realization sits like lead in my stomach, heavier than all my injuries combined. I try to move, but my body screams in protest. Blood drips steadily from my split lip, marking the gravel like morse code—a desperate message to no one.

The night air grows colder, or maybe it's just the blood loss. Either way, I know with absolute certainty that everything has changed. This isn't just about surviving anymore—it's about protecting what matters. The only pure thing left in my dark, twisted world.

I close my eyes, seeing Nora's face behind my eyelids. The way she looks when she's reading, completely lost in another world. The small crease between her eyebrows when she's worried. The sound of her laugh, how it makes everything else fade away. I have to keep her safe, even if it means pushing her away.

Even if it means breaking both our hearts.

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