Free Fall (Fallen Duet 1)

“That piece of worthless shit!” Lola spun around, her gaze roving over each of us, and finally stopping on Hut. “Crystal was here when I got home.”

“Fuck.” Hut ran his hand through his hair. “And you left her unattended? What the fuck were you thinking, Lola?”

Lola puffed out a breath and slammed her hands onto her hips. “I was thinking that I’d worked two doubles, then gone to class and worked another shift. I was fuckin' tired, Hut. And I didn’t have time for her usual bullshit.”

“So you left her here, where she could steal my shit?”

Lola rubbed the palm of her hand over her forehead and heaved a sigh. “I shouldn’t have left her on her own, but Jesus, I was exhausted.”

“Yeah, well…” Hut stepped toward her, and my feet moved me closer without a second thought. I may have stood by and watched him hurt her last time, but there wouldn’t be a next time. I couldn’t live with myself if I let that shit slide again. “You’re gonna get your ass out on the fuckin' streets and find the bitch. Otherwise, you’ll owe me what it’s worth.”

Lola opened her mouth to reply but stopped herself and nodded. “Okay.” Her body sagged in the same way a balloon would. Where had the fight she displayed only moments ago disappeared to? Not another word was spoken as she moved up the stairs, the floorboards creaking as she did.

“Quinn, Jace? You head out and look on the north side. Ted, the west. Ford and I will take the east, and Brody, you take Lola and look on the south side.” I nodded, just the same as the other guys. “You find that bitch, and then you drag her back here so I can show her what happens when she robs her own son.”

Hut stormed out, all the guys hot on his heels while I stood and waited for Lola. The prospect of spending the day with her was both exciting and distressing.

* * *

LOLA

My peaceful day off turned into anything but that. Being woken up at seven this morning was not in my plan, and neither was walking the streets of the south side with Brody by my side.

I’d been looking forward to staying in bed all morning, dammit.

His imposing height and silent strength made way for us to check the local drug dens. Each one had been unsuccessful, and there was only one left to check out on this side of town.

“Next one is down the street,” I said, pointing ahead of me and yawning.

“Tired?” Brody asked, his dark-brown eyes focusing on me.

“Yeah.” I moved my neck from side to side, trying to relax my muscles, but it was no use. I hadn’t gotten the rest that I desperately needed.

Brody pushed his hand into his pocket, his muscles tensing from the action. The tattoos on his forearm danced as he pulled out his keys and tossed them to me. My quick reflexes kicked in, and I grabbed them, wincing as one of the keys scraped against my palm.

“Go take a nap in the car. I can do this last one on my own.”

I halted, staring at him as he took two more steps and then stopped and turned back to face me. What was he playing at? Was this a test? Did Crystal even steal Hut’s stash? It wouldn’t be the first time Hut had tested my loyalty, but back then, I’d been just another one of the people he dragged around on a string—a puppet master. Only I’d cut my strings a while back, he just didn’t know it yet.

“Why?” I tilted my head to the side. “Why are you trying to get rid of me?”

His shoulders tensed, his jaw ticking once again. His annoyance was clear, but I didn’t think he meant to show me that. He’d been careful any other time I’d seen him—aloof—yet now he was showing me a side to him he’d kept secret.

“You’re tired,” he ground out like the answer was simple, but it wasn’t. Nothing was simple when it came to Hut and his crew.

“And?” I placed my hand on my hip and held the keys out to him. “I don’t need your sympathy, Brody.”

“Good.” He left the keys dangling off my finger between us. “Because you’re not getting it. You said you’d been working a lot, and I’ll be honest, every time you yawn, you’re making me want to nap too.”

I raised a brow. “Then you go to the car and take a nap.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “And why would I do that?”

“Well…” I tossed the keys in the air and caught them. “You said you want to nap”—I shrugged—“so go nap.”

Neither of us looked away, caught in a web that was becoming tighter and tighter the more time we spent together. Everyone else had been a blip in a dark room, but since I met him, the lights had been turned on, and some unknown fight had reared its head. A fight that had been simmering under the surface for the past year, but now it was boiling over, ready for its chance to run free.

“Fine.” He huffed out a breath and reached for the keys in my hand, but I closed my fingers around them. “Don’t take a nap. It’s no skin off my nose.”