Page 74 of Manhattan Tormentor

I shrug. Even though it is my business. I step back, shove my hands in my front pockets so I don’t do a gay thing and reach for him.

“Your business if you want a beard.”

He smirks, cold as ice. Damn, it really does it for me.

“You’d think, wouldn’t you? We don’t all have people around us just to use.”

Nailed it, hasn’t he? He’s got me in seconds when people I’ve known for years have no idea about who I am.

Fierro sees me down to the fraud I am.

“What’s up, Maverick, don’t want me around but can’t stand to let me go? Let me tell you something for free,” he gets so close the smell of apples saturates my nose. It parches my mouth for the taste of him. It’s been days and I can’t stand that his taste isn’t drenching my tongue. I can’t stand that his eyes look dead when they stare at me. “You don’t deserve to be in my world. I let you in and you fucked it up time after time, that’s on me. I want a king, and you, Finn Maverick, are a coward. Go back to your world where everyone licks your boots and thinks you’re the shit. I know better. You and Sofia are well suited.”

He walks away from me.

He doesn’t look back, and he doesn’t give me a chance to say anything.

What else am I gonna do but turn around to go back inside? He’s right. Every fucking word he said is right.

I’m shit, he knows it. I know it.

I roll my neck, intent on getting even drunker. I’m about to screw my life up this week anyway, I might as well go big or go the fuck home.

The sound of screeching wheels claws dread through me.

It all happens so fast, but in slow motion too. I freeze on the spot, watching a black car swerving across the street right in front of Sage.

It’s only seconds.

“Sage! Look out!” I know I scream it because my throat hurts, it’s already too late.

The car clips his hip.

I watch in horror as Sage gets tossed through the air, over the roof, hitting the trunk on his descent and landing in a heap of bones in the middle of hastily halting traffic. Other vehicles brake hard so they don’t run over him too.

No. No. No. No! fuck no!

I’m moving before I register what I’m doing. Ignoring the danger of dodging in and out of cars so I can get to him. My feet beat faster than I’ve ever run before, until I skid down to my knees. He’s laid in an awkward—terrifying—position and my heart rams up into my mouth, fearing the worst.

I can’t think. My brain is in turmoil.

Car doors slam, traffic stops, people start to gather and I see none of it but my Sage on the floor.

Unmoving and lifeless.

C H A P T E R 21

Finn

“Fierro? Hey, Fierro, open your eyes.”

He does, after what feels like an eternity.Fuck. He groans and his peepers flicker open.

“I didn’t see him. I didn’t see him.” A guy behind me whimpers like a little pussy and I turn my angry gaze on him. He’s the fucking one who has put Sage on the ground, and fury rises up inside me. I want to kill him.

“I didn’t see him.” he stammers looking like he wants to puke.

I can’t tell his age. His beer gut and bad dress sense puts him around middle age. He’s nervously raking his hands through his hair, looking down at Sage. I could give a fuck about his shitty driving skills right now.

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