Ride or Die (Rejects Paradise 4)

My father was a good man, at least, I believed him to be. He was honorable to our family, always brought home money to pay the bills, always looked out for us, and always showed me and my mom all the love in the world. When he was taken from us, it was a tragedy. Learning about his secret life wasn’t easy, but I like to think that even while he did these awful things, he was still a kind and loving man, and if that’s true, then maybe there’s more to being a Wolf that I’m not quite seeing.

Thoughts of my father have my fingertips brushing over the tattoo that sits over my right shoulder. I miss him so goddamn much. I don’t think it’s ever going to get easier, but I know I can get revenge. I just hope that when it comes down to it and Nic’s eyes are staring into mine, that I have the strength to go through with it. It’s going to be the hardest thing that I’ll ever do and go against every moral that I’ve ever lived by, but I have to do this. Nic can’t keep getting away with these things.

I guess I'm just grateful that Colton hasn’t tried to take it into his own hands yet, though, with every day that passes, I see his patience getting thinner and thinner. He wants to do it, he craves it, but he won’t, and I absolutely love him for that.

Walking out of the school on Friday afternoon, I find myself oddly excited. I've hardly had a chance all week to see Charlie and Spencer while poor Milo has been stuck at home in bed. I saw him yesterday, and I have to admit, he’s been looking much better. He's even been walking around and ordering me to do ridiculous tasks for him, so I guess he’s feeling more like himself.

Leaving Hendrix and Jess to argue over their Friday night plans, I slip out through the front gates and make my way down to the parking lot. Only after I have a look around and find the coast clear am I able to breathe easily.

I unlock the Audi and slip in, tossing my things onto the passenger's side seat before that familiar feeling of being watched comes over me. My head whips around to the back seat, and I double-check that there’s no one about to jump out at me. I finally start the engine with a deep breath and back out of my spot. This paranoia is getting the best of me.

Trying to calm my racing mind, I turn on some music and focus on the drive. It’s not that hard. All I have to do is get back home to Colton and make sure the gates lock behind me and then I’ll be safe.

It’s only a seven-minute drive. I’ll be alright. Besides, they can’t get to me here. This Audi would whip any of their cars, but I brush a finger over the lock button anyway, just to be sure.

Taking a shaky breath, I realize that I'm overthinking it again. It’s all going to be alright.

I approach a red light, and just before I begin to start slowing the Audi, it turns green. I give myself a mental high-five for my perfect timing, only that high-five quickly drops from my mind when a familiar car pulls out in front of me from the side street. I have no choice but to slam on my brake to avoid smashing into the back of Sebastian’s car.

My heart rate kicks up a few notches until it’s in full-on panic mode. I haven’t talked to the boys all week. None of them have answered my texts, and I fear that this time, I've gone too far to earn their forgiveness. I prepare myself for the worst, but when Sebastian keeps driving, I find myself staring at the back of his car. Perhaps he didn’t see that it was me in the Audi and was just casually running a red light. It’s not exactly something new for Sebastian. Breaking traffic laws is one of his favorite things to do.

His taillights begin to get further and further away and I let out a shaky breath. I’m all good.

Not wanting to hold up traffic, I hit the gas again. Just as I cross completely over the intersection, another familiar car pulls out from the side street, cutting in front of the other drivers until he’s sitting right behind me.

What the fuck?

I glance up into my mirror to find Kairo staring back at me with Eli in the passenger seat, and I quickly realize that Sebastian driving past wasn’t a mistake at all. He did it on purpose, even more so now that Sebastian is beginning to slow.

Wanting to get away, I change lanes and begin to speed up, only to have Sebastian cut in front of me and force me to slow.