Ride or Die (Rejects Paradise 4)

I suck in a deep breath, my eyes widening in fear. “No,” I say, shaking my head, begging for it not to be true as dead sinks heavily into my stomach. “No, no, no. Please tell me they didn’t.”

Colton drops his head, looking at his bloodied hands. “They did,” he murmurs. “I was in Breakers Flats in one of Dad’s old factories and took Russo to Nic. I couldn’t get through to Nic, but I got a hold of Kairo on the way and gave them a heads up, but there were only fifty or so of them there.”

Tears form in my eyes and instantly start trailing down my face. “No,” I say, my voice broken as the words struggle against the lump forming in my throat. “Just … please just tell me they’re not dead. Tell me they’re still alive.”

“They’re okay,” he soothes, reaching out and taking my hand and sending a wave of relief crashing over me, making it just a little bit easier to breathe. “We put Russo out front and used him as a bargaining chip, but that doesn’t mean that there weren't any fatalities. From what I could tell, Nic lost three men while the Wolves … I don’t know. It was hard to tell. Maybe two of them went down. Maybe three.”

“What happened?” I whisper, my heart aching.

“Your friend, Christian. He surrendered and laid his gun down to save Russo. He made a deal with Nic to call it off, said that if he just handed over Russo, they’d leave quietly, and I think Nic could tell they were outmatched. He didn’t want to give in, but he did. The cops were coming, and everyone just wanted out.”

“Are they okay?” I ask, not needing to clarify who ‘they’ are. “Did anyone get hurt?”

“They’re alright,” he says, desperately trying to soothe me. “Nic has a gash on his face, and Kairo got a bullet through his arm, but it’s just a flesh wound. Nothing he can’t handle.”

I nod, knowing that if anyone can tough it out, it’s Kai. “Sebastian and Eli?”

“Fine,” he tells me.

I take a deep breath, leaning forward and dropping my face into my hands. “This is all my fault,” I whisper. “Those guys who died, that’s all on me. They’re never going to forgive me. How am I ever supposed to face them again knowing what I did?”

Colton reaches over and unbuckles my seatbelt before pulling me across the car and into his lap, he wraps his arms around me, gently rubbing circles, and silently telling me that it’s all going to be okay. “They don’t blame you, Ocean,” he murmurs, trying to reassure me. “I saw the look in their eyes today, they love you so deeply, there’s nothing that you can do wrong. Even Nic, despite all the bullshit, he still sees you as family.”

I shake my head. “They can’t … not anymore.”

“Stop, Jade. You weren’t there, you didn’t see what I saw. They know this isn’t on you.”

I rest my head into his chest, trying to will the tears from falling. “Where were you during all of this?”

“Standing with your brothers,” he tells me. “Right where I should have been.”

My eyes widen. “You stood against the Wolves?”

“Uh-huh,” he murmurs. “I know you’re one of them now, but standing with your brothers is more important to you than standing against them, and I know you don’t want to believe that right now because you’re still so hurt by what Nic did, but I had to.”

I nod, lacing my fingers through his and holding on tight. “Did any of the Wolves recognize you?”

He shrugs his shoulders. “Not that I noticed, but I don’t think it matters, Russo knows it was me who warned the Widows, and he’s going to have it out for me, especially after the shit I pulled on him today.”

“Why do I feel like there’s more that I need to know?”

“I sort of bought the business that his whole organization runs through. With the information I have, I could bring the whole thing down and more.”

“Fuck, Colton,” I breathe. “He’s going to try and kill you before you can even do anything with it.”

“I know,” he whispers. “It’s better that he focuses on me and not you.”

I shake my head, not even knowing what to say. “I want to hate you so bad right now.”

“That’s okay,” he whispers, pulling me back into his chest. “Hate me if you have to, but either way, your part in this is over. They stood against the Widows, and all your boys came out unscathed while Russo has agreed to let you go. You can have it all now, college, this baby, if you want it, anything.”

“I ...I …”

“Shhhh,” he murmurs, his hand still running up and down my spine as his lips press against my temple. “It’s okay, you don’t need to say anything, just know that it’s all going to be alright. They can’t hurt you now.”