Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 71246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Following the voice, we both spin around and spot a guy approaching a girl. A girl whose body language clearly says, go away, I don’t like you. It only takes half a second from things to go from normal to horrible.
“That’s the fucker right there,” Luke growls, fists clenched at his sides.
“What? Are you sure?”
“Grace showed me a picture of the fucker, that’s him. I’m sure.”
Before I get another word out, Luke is sprinting over to the guy. I follow behind because I’m not going to let Luke do something stupid. The guy is so occupied with harassing the chick, he doesn’t see Luke coming until it’s too late.
Luke flies in like a bat out of hell, pulling his arm back and hitting the guy square in the jaw. The girl, who is still a good twenty feet away, lets out a loud shriek before turning and running away. Great.
“You fucking asshole!” The guy stumbles backward. “What’s your fucking problem?”
“You are,” Luke spits, his face taking on a look of rage like I’ve never seen. “Grace is my wife, and I know she told you to leave her the fuck alone. You have a problem with your ears? Or you just stupid?”
The idiot laughs while clearly looking danger right in the face.
“Maybe I just wanted to show Gracie how a real man does it.”
What a fucking idiot. Does he have a death wish?
Luke’s eyes go wide–like he can’t believe the fucker just said what he did. It only takes him a second to recover. Then he is on him again, taking another swing. The guy tries to defend himself, swinging his own fists, but I’ve boxed with Luke, and he doesn’t have a chance in hell.
Something tells me that this is going to get out of control if I don’t stop it. Luke’s eyes are crazed, and I actually think he might kill him if I don’t do something.
“Luke, come on.” I get in between them. Luke takes a step back and raises his hands, which are already bloodied. I look down at the guy and realize his lip is busted, blood drips down his chin.
“Fucking pussy! Who the fuck are you?” he yells at me. What an idiot. Shaking my head, I’m about to walk away when the asshole scoffs at my dog tags and says, “What are you? Some hero? Did you join the Army because you were to dumb for college?”
Army?
My fist slams into the side of his head before my brain makes the decision to hit him. The guy stumbles back, tripping over his own two feet and falling backward and into the grass. I take a step back, ready to get out of here, but Luke pounces on him again.
Shit, this is getting out of hand.
“Come on, man, you’re going to kill him.” I tug Luke backward and off the kid, staring down at him, he looks like he’s barely breathing. “What the fuck, Luke?” I growl low, looking over my shoulder, one way and then the other.
The air in my lungs stills when I spot Jude a hundred feet away, a look of pure terror in her beautiful blues. I should feel bad about punching this kid and be less focused on Jude, but all I can see in this moment is her face.
“You take care of the girl, and I’ll take care of him.” Luke grimaces, pointing at the guy lying in the grass. My eyes are still locked on Jude, and I know I have to go to her. How much did she see? God, I can’t imagine what she’s thinking right now.
Turning, she starts to walk away, and my body snaps back to reality. She’s not getting away this time.
2
Jude
Frozen in place, I stare straight ahead. The sound of skin hitting skin fills my ears. Two men beating another man less than a hundred feet away from me. They wrestle across the ground and into the grass. I should stop them, get help, do something, but my feet refuse to move, invisible vines of fear wrapped around each one. My lips part, and I’m not sure what I’m going to say: stop, or go away or I’m calling the police?
“Come on, man, you’re going to kill him.” That voice, that thick manly voice. Every thought and fear, every inch of my body clamps up at that voice. I’ve dreamt about it for weeks, seen his face in my mind, and hoped and prayed maybe our paths would cross again, but never did I expect our reunion to be like this.
Tugging his friend off the beaten man, Lex straightens, whispering something into his friend’s ear. Then as if he can sense my eyes on him, he looks over his shoulder one way and then the other way before his gaze collides with mine.