Page 65 of Casper
“Of course.” Rebel nodded for Dom and Auryn to check the boxes.
Steve and his guys shifted nervously as they watched. My eyes narrowed, noting the way two of them inched toward the vehicle.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Dom pulled a bottle of pills from one of the cases, holding it up. “This is basic every day fucking Tylenol. Are you trying to screw us?”
Before Steve or his guys could make a move, there were three guns trained on him. Rebel, Stray, and Auryn all held a handgun, ready to use it.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t get the stuff in time. The last shipment didn’t come through.” Steve stumbled over his words.
“So you thought you could fuck us out of the cash instead?” Rebel’s tone dropped, becoming dark and deadly. “Did you really think that would work?”
Steve raised both hands, shaking his head frantically. “I’m sorry. I was taking a chance here. It’s the holidays, man. Times are tough.”
Usually I was content to let Rebel make the calls in these situations. Since I was often the main muscle of the group, I didn’t think it was necessary to wait this time. The pent up frustration inside me needed an outlet. Steve would do.
Tossing the bag of cash down at Rebel’s feet, I lunged forward. I punched Steve in the face hard enough to throw him on his ass in the snow. Pain throbbed through my fist. I wasn’t done yet.
His companions dove back into the vehicle, not wanting to rumble with us. Grabbing Steve by his jacket, I jerked him back to his feet, hitting him again and again. He brought his hands up in an effort to block. When that didn’t work, he tried to hit me back. Tapping my chin, I invited his attack.
He clocked me a good one that made my ears ring. A smile crept over my face. Steve didn’t seem to like that. He backed toward the vehicle, never taking his eyes off me.
“It will never happen again. I’m sorry. I made a mistake.” He fumbled around for the car door handle.
The Hyde within me wasn’t finished with him yet. Grabbing him by the throat, I threw him down to the ground. I gave him a few kicks before dropping down on top of him, my fists falling repeatedly into his face.
Only when he was bloody and unconscious did Dom and Stray pull me off him. They dragged me away, motioning for Steve’s friends to grab him and get the fuck out of there.
“We don’t need to bury a body today, Casper,” Dom admonished. “Chill out, buddy. It’s over.”
I pulled free of them, watching as Steve’s friends scooped him up and peeled away. Motherfuckers.
Blood dripped from my split knuckles, staining the snow brilliant crimson. I watched it fall, hoping to feel something. Some kind of relief. I only felt disappointed that I didn’t get to finish him off.
Rebel patted me on the back, chuckling. “You really do need to fuck your girl.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
CASPER
“Are you excited to see Luna? How many days has it been? I know she’s dying to see you.” Codie flitted around the kitchen getting everything ready for the party tonight. She pulled a bag of ice from the freezer, pouring it into a large cooler.
I nodded, holding up seven fingers. Of course I was excited to see Luna. She’d been at her mom’s house for most of the last week. The holidays had come and gone. Tonight we were ringing in the new year with a party at the house. We’d considered a big party at the graveyard. The girls had wanted a smaller gathering at the house. What they wanted, they got.
Codie pulled bottles of beer and other assorted drinks from cases stacked on the counter, shoving them into the cooler filled with ice. “No offence, Casper, but you were a bit of a grinch this year. Hopefully having Luna back will snap you out of it.”
I laughed softly. She wasn’t wrong. I was looking forward to the new year. A new chapter for Luna and me. I was determined to kick off the year on a high note.
When Codie offered me a beer, I accepted it with a nod of thanks. What I really wanted was a shot of something hard. I didn’t want to be wasted by the time Luna arrived, so I played it safe with the beer instead.
While Codie took care of getting the drinks ready, Stray and Dom took care of food. Several pizzas had been ordered along with an assortment of snacks. I made sure they included several veggie friendly options for Luna.
Knowing she would be here soon, I started to get nervous. It had been a week since we were together. We hadn’t been apart that long since Halloween night. Even though it had only been a couple months, it felt like I’d known her forever. We already knew each other so well. Our bond had been tested right from the start. A test I was determined to keep passing no matter what else came our way.
People started showing up shortly before nine. Trying not to make myself crazy, I paced in front of the living room window, watching for Luna’s car. The party was made up of friends from campus as well as a bunch of people Codie had wanted to invite. Stray pretty much let her do whatever she wanted, and I didn’t blame him for that.
I’d indulged in two shots of tequila, needing to take the edge off. Clutching another beer tight in my hand, I nodded through small talk with a few people. I didn’t care about any of that. I only wanted to be with Luna.
When she finally walked through the door, I couldn’t hold myself back. Putting my beer down on the coffee table, I rushed to greet her. She let out a little squeal, leaping up into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist.
