“Umm, going to the bathroom,” I said without turning toward her and then continued on my way.
The long dark hallway was crowded with bodies pressed against walls. I had no clue that the DT Coyotes had this many members. As I passed one guy, his dick inside a girl’s mouth, he threw his head back and groaned.
I cringed and hurried past him as Megan Thee Stallion boomed over the speaker system.
A light emanated from one of the bedrooms and drew my attention. The voices were low, almost inaudible. I crept closer in to peek between the gaps and my blood ran cold as the barrel of a gun was pointed at the face of one of the members.
“Somebody ran to the cops. Someone...” Dante said as he cocked the gun and pressed it against the forehead of a man whose eyes were shut tight. “Someone betrayed the family,” he snarled.
“It wasn’t me,” the man who I didn’t recognize muttered.
I was sort of in a haze as I tried to take in everything I was seeing. Easton stood next to the unknown man, and like me, Easton’s eyes were focused on the gun Dante held.
“I think we need to recommit to our loyalty,” Dante hissed. “You were the only new member who didn’t get caught. How am I, supposed to trust you?”
“I’m loyal, I swear. Just tell me what you want me to do, and I will. Want to give me another ‘jumping in’? I’ll do it. Just try me.”
“Here, take this.” Dante handed the man a revolver. “It’s got a bullet in the chamber, just one. Put it to your head. Prove your loyalty.”
I covered my mouth but had a feeling that I should be covering my eyes instead.
“God don’t want no Coyotes, he can’t handle us. Afraid that we gonna turn his angels against him,” Dante sneered. “You know that, right?”
The man nodded.
“You believe that, right?”
The man nodded again.
“Good. If you a true Coyote and loyal to us, then you be fine.” Dante paused for several seconds. “Ready?”
My breath came out harder. I wanted to scream, to cry, to demand that Easton run, but I couldn’t. I was paralyzed with fear as Easton’s eyes flicked to the door and then back to the gun. I could feel him looking out his periphery and keeping his gaze locked on me.
“Pull,” Dante ordered.
My entire body tightened, my eyes squeezed shut, and I froze in place as I waited for the sound of the explosion. Instead, all I head was a soft metal on metal as the hammer hit the plate. I released my breath and quickly moved so they couldn’t see me but I could still see them.
“As far as I’m concerned, every one of you betrayed me today, and you will all have to re-earn your spot on the DT Coyotes.”
The man on his knees in front of Dante trembled. Dante seemed larger than everyone else in the room, if only because of the power that he held in this moment.
“You’re clear,” Dante said as he clapped a large hand on the shoulder of the man. “Dry it up, Wrench. You’ll live to cower another day. Who’s next?” Dante asked as he took a step toward Crow, raised the gun high, and held it against the man’s head.
Crow didn’t shy away—he merely held Dante’s gaze as he leaned forward and pressed his forehead hard against the revolver.
Dante smirked in approval and nodded as he placed the sidearm in Crow’s beefy hands. “Your turn, brother.” Dante dragged out the word brother as though it was more of a question than a statement.
Without hesitation, Crow pulled the trigger. It clicked with no bullet in the chamber. My knees trembled as I gripped the wall, clinging to the cold wooden frame, hoping that this was somehow a dream.
“And you, Easy?” he said as he turned to Easton. “My newest brother.”
My heart stopped in my chest, and I bit my lip hard—hard enough to taste blood as I bit back a cry of horror and pain.
Easton wasn’t looking at me anymore—he stared at the gun extended toward him. Long fingers slowly reached forward and grasped the handle. Every part of my being urged me to leap forward and throw myself between the gun and Easton, to grab the handle and fire again and again until that single bullet finally exited the chamber and pierced the heart of the monster that masqueraded as a man.
Easton held the gun to his head, his hand remained steady, his eyes stayed in place as he pulled the trigger, and the crack of a gunshot vibrated through the air loud enough to mask my cry of terror. I clamped both hands over my mouth and turned away from the room of horrors. Sobs ripped through my chest as a very real part of me tore into two.
“What the hell is this?” Crow’s low voice demanded.
I stiffened, terrified that someone had seen me.
“A blank,” Dante said.
My heart stumbled, and I whirled around and peered around the side of the doorframe. Relief flooded through my body as Easton stood, gun in hand, frowning at the revolver. He was alive.
Spider cackled with laughter as I felt my stomach rumble as if I was going to throw up.
“You safe. Get the next member,” Dante ordered.
Easton stepped into the hallway, but I was already running. I had to get out of here, this was my fault. If it had been a live bullet, Easton’s death would have been my fault.
Kobe
I pulled my car in front of my apartment complex, then shut off the tired engine.
Okay, you’ve got this Kobe. You have to stay strong, this is for Jared, I reminded myself as I climbed out of my car. The hot, humid summer air of Florida was cloying.
I was fully aware that Dante was ruthless—a cold-hearted bastard, cruel to the bone. I just hadn’t expected him to have his members playing Russian roulette. His
