Ride or Die (Rejects Paradise 4)

This meeting isn’t going to go well.

Getting out of the house wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. Colton hates it when I leave to go into Blaxlands Grove. I think it makes him feel helpless, but at least this time, he didn’t put up too much of a fight. He must have been expecting this. After all, he’s convinced that Russo is going to let me walk in exchange for his untouched business. Though, I can guarantee that while Colton waits for Russo to release me, he’ll be going through everything with a fine tooth comb and making copies on every hard drive he owns. Either way, Russo is going down.

The drive into Blaxlands Grove seems to take forever, when in reality, I get there much quicker than I had expected. The whole drive, my mind swirled around today’s bullshit, wondering what Nic is going to do when he gets out. Though I don’t need to wonder too much, he will retaliate, that’s a given. The issue is how?

Will he come for me, or will he let it slide? Nic is going to be pissed and unlike Kai, Eli, and Sebastian, he doesn't forgive as easily, but I’m not sure that I really want his forgiveness, he’s the one who needs mine.

I bring the Audi to a stop outside the Wolf Den and take a second to breathe. Only I don’t get as long as I’d hoped when Christian appears at the door and gives me a stern look, telling me to get my ass inside.

I climb out of the Audi and scurry to catch up with him, hoping that if all hell breaks loose that maybe I could use him as a human shield. “What’s going on?” I question, stepping in beside him and trying to keep up with his long strides as we walk through the big metal door of the Den. “What’s this about?”

Christian scoffs and grabs me, pressing me up against the wall and lowering his voice, reminding me that he’s not a friend, just an ally. “Don’t play dumb with me, princess,” he says. “I saw your boyfriend there. These other fuckers might have been too fucking stupid to put it together, but I know what the fuck’s going on.”

I swallow back fear, wondering if I've just walked into a trap when I hear Russo’s, deep booming voice flowing over the Den. “Let’s get on with it, we’ve wasted enough time.”

Christian doesn’t release me, just stands there staring at me with a heavy scowl, almost as though he’s accusing me of something. After a minute passes and all the bodies in the Den begin crowding around, he finally releases me, and we both hurry to catch up.

There must be at least a hundred and fifty Wolves crammed into this small part of the Den, and I have to admit, I’m impressed that they’re all falling in line and doing exactly what they’ve been told. Whether that’s out of fear or loyalty, I don’t know.

Christian walks right around to the front to stand by Russo’s side while I hide in the back, keeping close to the exit for a quick escape.

“Right,” Russo says with a grunt, sounding as though he’s in pain. “Where is she?”

Fuck. That could only mean me.

I take a step back when a hand curls around my wrist like a steel vice. My eyes snap up to find Snake’s sick glare on me, and I try to yank my arm free, only he’s holding on far too tight. “Let me go,” I growl, but it’s as though he isn’t listening to a damn word I say.

He gives me a hard yank and shoulders his way through the crowded bodies, dragging me through until he pushes me into the center of the circle, to where I fall to my knees at Russo’s feet.

“Get up,” Russo says on a growl, staring down at me with distaste.

My head snaps up to take him in. Russo leans against the bar, hardly holding himself up, and fuck, he looks bad. Colton really went to town. There’s not a single section of his body left untouched, and he looks more than miserable.

I swallow back over the lump of fear growing in my throat. He's going to kill me for this. There’s no way he’s going to let me walk out of here still breathing. The only way I'm getting out of here is in a body bag. What was I thinking coming here? I should have run. I should have left when I had the chance.

I shakily get to my feet and as Russo’s heavy stare settles on mine, I instantly begin backing up. With the Wolves behind me, they shove at me until I'm front and center. Russo points to the empty space to his left and shoots daggers at me. “Now,” he growls.