Dynasty (Boys of Winter 1)

Fuck him though. That was the last trick I had saved up my sleeve. I’m all out of options.

My body sags as I feel the desperate devastation washing over me and Cruz does nothing but hold me up, keeping me safe in his arms as I feel everything falling apart. I have no other choice but to watch as the three guys take on my fight, easily annihilating the seven men with precise, practiced moves as though they were trained to do just this.

It’s over within seconds, and as the last man falls, so does my pride. Even more so when Carver turns around with split knuckles and fury rippling across his face. “WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?” he roars, the first actual words he’s spoken to me since trying his bullshit intimidation tactics in the student parking lot almost a week ago. “ARE YOU FUCKING STUPID?”

With the threat of the men gone, Cruz releases me, and I don’t hold back. I aim for Carver's face, and my fist barrels toward him as all of my rage and desperation takes over. Despite knowing he was only out here to save my stupid ass, fuck him. I didn't need saving.

His lightning-fast reflexes kick in, and his hand shoots up and catches my fist with ease, spinning me and pinning my hand to my back. He throws me forward until my body slams against the wall, my breath coming in short, sharp pants. “Let go of me.”

“No,” he snaps back at me. “You’re a fucking mess. Look at yourself. I’ll release you when you can get in control of yourself.”

“I hate you.”

“Yeah,” he scoffs in my ear, leaning into me and letting his breath brush over my skin, sending goosebumps soaring over my body. “The feeling is mutual.”

His words cut for a reason that I can’t work out, one that I don’t have the energy to look into right now. I fight against his hold, but he only pushes me harder against the wall, my face squished against the bricks. “Why are you even here? Did you follow me? You knew I was going to be here.”

“Of course we fucking knew you were going to be here,” he says as though it should have been obvious, and honestly, it was, but I needed him to admit it to make me feel better about myself. “That’s why we came. We fucking warned you about Knox, but you didn’t listen. You don’t listen to shit. It’s always the Winter show, whatever the fuck Winter wants to do, she does.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I demand, my eyes flicking up to King to see nothing but a scowl across his face as he glares back at me, not a hint of a fight covering his body. His clothes aren’t messed up, his hair is perfectly falling forward into his eyes, and not a single drop of blood covers his knuckles. “You dickheads don’t even know me.”

Carver sighs before giving in and easing up on his hold, but only enough to spin me around and slam my back against the wall, giving me a perfect view of all four of the guys under the harsh club lights. Carver takes a step back, but the other three move in to block me against the wall, and while I’m not physically restrained, it’s still impossible to get out. “What?” I demand, my gaze sweeping past each of them. “What aren’t you telling me?”

King’s stare is lethal and I know better than to try him right now. There’s no point trying to break Carver, and Grayson … that’s a mystery that’s not meant to be solved today. So, I focus on Cruz, keeping my stare trained on his until he lets out a soft sigh, his shoulders slightly sagging. “Knox’s uncle, the guy he had you meet with tonight …”

“Sam,” I cut in.

“Yeah, him,” he says, spitting the word as though it’s poison in his mouth. “He’s a sex trafficker. The biggest one in the fucking state, and Knox just lead you straight into his fucking trap.”

My brows pull down as I start shaking my head, the night instantly playing on replay as I go over everything that happened inside that club. “No, that’s not …”

“Oh, come on,” Carver roars in frustration. “What do you think this is? You’re a fucking nobody. Knox brought you here to parade the pathetic foster girl around in front of his uncle, hoping to get a cut.”

“No,” I snap. “He wouldn’t have. We were just having a good time. I was going to get a job.”

Carver’s hand slams down on the wall against my head, making me flinch. “Stop being so fucking naive. You’re supposed to be smarter than that. Knox was using you. You’re the easiest target that’s come through here in years, and with a body like yours, Knox would have cleaned up. Tell me, who’s going to miss you when you’re gone, huh? Kurt and Irene? Would they even notice that you’re gone?”