The Original Crowd (A Whole New Crowd 0.50)

I hated him with all of my being in that moment.

Tray said nothing.

Galverson chuckled, a dry laugh, “I had high hopes for you. I thought you could go far in my business.”

Tray cocked his gun.

I held my breath.

“Your father told me it was a useless hope that you to come work for me. He said you’d never consider my business proposition, but I needed to try anyway. You’re a genius, Tray, but this…this was foolish. You didn’t plan. This is why you failed against me.”

While he’d been talking, Galverson had circled around us.

“Back the fuck up,” Tray bit out, moving to match him step for step.

I was distracted for a moment when Grayley let out a short moan, but I was aware that something was off. Tray was moving away from me. He was my safety net and he was moving away, making me vulnerable.

Galverson moved in and quickly raised his gun and pointed it at me. Straight at my forehead. I couldn’t move, and I couldn’t disappear. I hated that.

Tray instantly realized his mistake and cursed. Galverson had distracted him, talking about his father and got enough space where I wasn’t protected.

“Drop the gun, Tray.” He was cold now. The act had been dropped. He was just a cold, murdering, businessman now. He sounded like he was drawing up a business plan.

“You’re going to die,” Tray promised, the menace was evident and genuine in his tone. He didn’t drop the gun. “And you’re going to die soon. I promise.”

Galverson laughed. “And you’ll be the one to do it? Trust me, kid, you don’t have the balls. Your father was right about that.”

“Is my father here?”

“No, kid. Your pops left a week ago, but he was here. He was here and he left. He’s been doing that for four years now.” He didn’t care, not one iota how his words were cutting Tray up. Tray didn’t show it, but I still saw what each word was doing to him.

I hated the asshole even more in that moment.

“I know this is where the bad guy is supposed to gloat and uncover all the nasty little secrets that went down, but,” Galverson sighed, “I was in the middle of a business-deal and you interrupted it.”

Tray moved forward. Slightly.

“Easy kid,” Galverson noted, “you might be surprised at who’s behind you.”

Before Tray could counter his statement, Jace stepped out from behind and pointed a gun at Tray.

Galverson smiled an ugly triumphant smile as he held his gun on me.

I still had one hand on my gun, but was frozen in place.

“Taryn,” Jace murmured, sadly, “I told you to stay out.”

“Fuck you,” I snarled.

Galverson laughed harder, but his hand was steady.

Grayley moaned again from my feet; he’d moved to sit up against the wall.

“She’s a spitfire, Jace. I see why you have the hots for her.”

Jace just watched me.

Tray was quiet. But not me. “I fucking hate you, Jace. I hate you so goddamn much.”