The Harder You Fall (Rixon Raiders 3)

Dad held Mom in his arms, his face ashen, his crisp white dress shirt stained red. “Dad?” I croaked, shoving Mya away and rushing over to his side. “What happened?”

I’d seen my father wear many expressions. Anger. Indifference. Arrogance. But I’d never seen him look scared until that moment.

“The bullet...” was all he managed to say.

Two little words.

Words that should never have passed his lips.

Two little words I knew would change everything.

Mya

“What did you do?” I lunged for Jermaine as he staggered to his feet. “What the fuck did you do?” My fists rained down on his chest, his face. My nails scratched, tearing flesh and drawing blood, as I shrieked at him over and over until my lungs burned and tears stung my eyes.

Eventually, strong arms wrapped around my waist, hauling me off him. “Easy, Mya.” It was Jason. “Easy.”

“I… fuck.” Jermaine’s eyes were wide and skittish as the drone of sirens drew closer. “I didn’t mean to… fuck!” He rubbed the heel of his palms against his forehead.

“Yo, J, we need to roll,” one of his guys yelled, but it was too late. The flash of blue and red illuminated the inky sky. The Chevy gunned to life, speeding away as Jermaine’s friends abandoned him.

“You’re dead, you’re fucking dead.” Asher rushed at my ex, tackling him to the ground, the two of them a blur of limbs.

“Asher, no!” The words tore from my throat as I watched the guy I love rain fire and fury down on the guy I’d once loved. Jermaine didn’t fight back. He just lay there, letting Asher beat him to a bloody pulp until the blood on

his hands swirled with Jermaine’s blood.

“Do something,” I cried, barely aware that Jason was holding me up.

A couple of officers arrived, dragging Asher off Jermaine. He fought against them, thrashing and yelling, tears streaming down his face. It wasn’t until the EMTs arrived and started working on Mrs. Bennet, that he finally calmed down.

“I need to go to him,” I whispered, pain coiled so tightly around my heart I could barely breathe.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Let me go talk to him.” Jason handed me off to Felicity who I hadn’t even realized was there.

“Ssh,” she hugged me, “it’s going to be okay.”

But nothing was okay.

Mrs. Bennet was bleeding out on the ground while her son sat motionless, his eyes completely devoid of emotion, his hands and face and clothes caked in blood. His mom’s. Jermaine’s.

His own.

“This is my fault,” I sobbed into my friend’s shoulder, clutching her arm like it was the only thing anchoring me to Earth.

“Don’t say that, you couldn’t have known he would do this.”

But she was wrong.

I should have known Jermaine wouldn’t just let me walk away.

I’d been too blinded by love though. Gotten too comfortable being in Rixon, with Asher and my new friends. I’d foolishly let myself believe things could be different, that I deserved more from life.

The EMTs got Mrs. Bennet secured onto the stretcher, and I tore from Flick’s hold, hurrying over to them. “I’m sorry.” I reached for her. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“I hope you’re happy,” Mr. Bennet said coldly. “None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for you.”

“I didn’t… I wasn’t…” The lame excuses dried on my tongue, a garbled sound escaping my throat, as every whisper and rumor about me came true.