The world possesses a dreamlike quality as I move my hands. I’ve been clean of drugs for months, and I’m getting arrested for possession.
With his eyes scorching a hole into my brain, the cop snatches the bag from me. He tosses it to the guy holding the flashlight. “Don’t guess you have a prescription.”
He’s an inch smaller than me, and he’s not built. My right foot angles for the tree line and damn if his eagle eyes don’t catch it. His hand bolts for the gun strapped at his hip. “Don’t do it.”
This is a mistake. A goddamned mistake and I don’t know how to rewind and redo.
Sweat breaks out along my forehead. I should have stayed with Echo. I should never have left her side. In fact, we should never have been at this party. Mia played me, and I fell for it. I’d give my left ball to be in that hotel room with Echo watching whatever boring movie for the rest of my life.
I’ve fucked it up. A burn roars in my throat. I’ve fucked it all up.
The cop assesses Mia. “You here to buy?”
My mind whirls like a tornado. With the amount of pills she had, I’m bordering on a felony, but add that up with an intent-to-sell charge, and I’m facing prison. “No.”
Mia’s frame trembles as her wide eyes take me in. “I’ll take care of this, Noah. Stay silent, and I’ll take care of this.”
“Move to the hood.” The cop jerks his chin for Mia to go. “Both of you, hands on the car.”
“Fuck!” I say and slam both hands on the cold metal of the Mercedes. My heart pounds, and bile reaches up my throat. The cop pats me down, legs first, searching for weapons and whatever else he can find to put me in jail.
Echo. My brothers. The entire damned life I’ve attempted to create—all of it gone with one bad choice. By chasing the wrong person. I dip my head when the cop yanks out the lighter I carry to build the bonfires for Echo, and a strange ache in my eyes forces me to close them.
I’m losing her. I’m going to fucking lose her for good.
“What the hell is going on?” Isaiah’s pissed-off voice causes the cop beside me to swing the spotlight into the darkness.
“Stop right there!” The other cop, a big son of a bitch, pops into view when another cruiser races up with headlights beaming.
In his full punked-out glory, Isaiah doesn’t give a shit what anyone has to say as he keeps coming. The fingers on both cops’ hands twitch, and the new guy darts out of the squad car. His hand drops to his gun.
“Stay back, Isaiah!” I shout. He halts and so does my breathing as I hunt the horizon for Echo. “Don’t let her see me like this!”
The cop twists down on my wrist, rough enough that pain shoots up my arm. I don’t fight him as he slaps on the handcuffs. Metal pinches and digs into my skin. This is nothing. I’ve heard about the courthouses. Once I’m there, they’ll put me in shackles.
“Don’t let her see me like this,” I yell out again, and Isaiah nods once in silent agreement. “Take care of her.”
“With my life.” The promise isn’t just words to Isaiah. It’s sworn in blood.
Grabbing my biceps, the cop thrusts me forward, and we’re heading for the backseat of the police cruiser. Across the field, there’s more people with their hands bound. The shit I wandered into just got worse. This is a sting, a bust.
Fuck me.
A cop wanders over to Isaiah, and Isaiah holds out his arms. “I’m clean, man. Check all you want.”
Hope Beth is, too. I mentally push at the cop to hurry. I want Isaiah out of here and back with Echo before she searches for him. Before she finds me.
“Noah?” Echo’s uncertain voice calls from a distance.
Pain rocks through me like an aftershock of an earthquake, and I fling my body around. With Beth by her side, Echo stands at the top of the steep hill and stares down at me like she’s living a bad dream. The disappointment, the pure agony slashing across her face—damn, it’s annihilating.
“Let’s go.” The cop’s rougher, sinking his fingers into my skin, as he shoves me.
“Noah!” Echo sprints down the hill, and Beth chases her—calling her name, telling her to stop. Beth finally snatches Echo’s hand and whiplashes her to a stop.
“Noah!” The cracked rawness in Echo’s voice almost sends me to my knees.
“Get her out!” I shout. Using his hand as pressure on my head, the cop forces me into the back of the cruiser.