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I move Asena behind me and throw off the sling. Pain radiates up my shoulder and the length of my arm. “Come on, I’ve been waiting to feed you my fist for a month now. You lied to us. To every last one of us and it got Devil killed.”
Ares shakes his head, his hands by his side. “Just because I share blood with the Antonovs doesn’t make them family. Don’t you have a past you’d rather leave behind?”
“Don’t you dare speak a word of my past. Mine only ruinsme. No one else. Yours killed.”
“You don’t want me to speak of your past? Then stop confusing your past with what really happened with Devil,moy brat. He died for our brotherhood. Honor that.”
Rage is at my side, facing me. He is Ares’ right-hand man and best friend. He’s also the only other soul besides Ares who knows all the sordid details of my past. Everyone else only has the highlights.
“Back off. You don’t know what you are doing, man.”
“Shut the fuck up, Rage. This doesn’t concern you.” I push past him, lock my shoulder back and sink my weight into driving my knuckles into Ares’ face.
He takes the full force of my hit. Fire blooms across my shoulder and wet heat pours from the wound to soak my T-shirt and cut.
I don’t give a fuck.
Ares stands unmoving only absorbing the blow.
“Fuck you, Ares. Fight me, damn it. I signed up as a Savage on pure trust. One promise to always have each other’s back. That means there’s no room for lies. I already lived that life and I’m done with it.”
“And it seems that past life is back. The men and I are riding out. Hunting down the man who shot you. You, recover. Then we’ll talk.”
“Hell no. He’s mine,” I seethe. “Don’t do a damn thing. He’s mine and I will kill anyone who steps between the Druid and me. You copy me?”
I’ve never seen Ares’ expression turn as deadly as it is right now. And I don’t care. “From day one you hid your true identity from us. And now Devil is dead. He thought he was saving a hero when all he did was give up his life saving the very trash we fight against.”
“Watch your tongue, brother.”
I push his words away. “You owe me. I need two days to find the asshole. That’s it. If I don’t find him then you bastards can go on the hunt.”
Ares considers me for a long moment.
Rage is in front of me again. This time his hands are on my face. “What the hell are you doing giving the prez an ultimatum?” He pulls back my eyelids and I watch as disgust pulls his expression into a scowl. “Fucking hell. You’re high. What the hell are you taking that has your tongue sinking you past points you can return from?”
Our in-house recovering drug addict has a past just as dark and unforgiving as mine. Only he took the easy way out and found relief with the use of drugs. I don’t judge him for it. Just stating the truth. Coming to this country is the only way he found the help and drive he needed to keep from finding his end like my mother did.
And it’s how he recognizes I’m popping painkillers like they are Tic-Tacs.
“No one wants to challenge the prez so I will.” I slash out, uncontrolled anger rioting through me.
“You’re going to sleep this off while I have a talk with Doc.”
I tear away from Rage and take another swing at Ares when he just stands there shaking his head like he’s better than me. But it’s not him about to take my steel punch. Nova’s beautiful face is there and my heart plummets to the floor. I pull, tuck her into my arms, and nearly hurt the one woman that has made this place feel like more than just a steel box with bulletproof windows.
Until Asena, but I don’t count on being able to keep her.
I crush Nova to me; my nerves shatter. Over her shoulder, I catch the watchful eye of Asena, but I can’t hold her gaze with the level of disappointment staring back at me.
“Fuck you, Nova Masters. God damn it, woman. I almost hurt you.” Maybe Rage has a point. I sway on my feet finally feeling the full effects of the last pills.
Her delicate body is soft against mine and reminds me not everyone in this world deserves my wrath.
“But you didn’t.” Her arms come around me. Her show of unwavering concern nearly forces me to take a knee. “I need you to trust him.”
I touch my chin to the top of her shoulder, holding Asena with a longing look. “I can’t. I don’t know how to trust someone who lies.” There are no words for the level of pain I feel. Its massive claws rip through me. Devil was a friend. A brother. Losing him might be the last straw to my ever-growing pile of grief. I’m probably only on my feet because of the hellraiser who stormed back into my life with a dreadful wedding dress and a death wish. Otherwise, my picture would be up there with Devil’s and I’d be free of this damned place.
My eyes are back on Asena. Water shimmers behind those sweet lashes of hers and I know I must look like a total screwed-up mess to her.
