Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69352 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69352 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
“You did so good, Go,” Cutter said. “Way to fuckin’ go.”
I smiled against his neck and said, “I can’t feel my feet.”
He chuckled and hauled me to my family.
All of them were there, and Cutter set me on my feet to get a round of hugs from all the adults.
“Where are all the kids?” I asked.
“Desi’s watching ’em at the cabin.” Nastya smiled. “She’s makin’ bank, though, so don’t feel bad for her.”
I smiled and my eyes landed on pink behind me.
Hazel and her crew were glaring at us.
I raised a brow, surprised to see hostility there.
I mean, I wasn’t the one who did anything wrong!
But, the next second, everything was explained when a woman looking race official-like came up to me with a smile.
“Bib numbers 354 and 355 are disqualified because they didn’t cross the halfway marker on the trail,” the woman holding the ribbon out to me said. “You’re our age group winner. Congratulations!”
She held out a medal to me and it spun, front to back multiple times before Cutter took it from her and held it out to me.
I took it, stunned.
I stared in shock at the huge medal for a long few seconds, and then slipped it on over my head.
When I turned around, it was to see 354 and 355 bibs on Rayann’s and Hazel’s shirts.
Turning my head back toward Cutter, I couldn’t stop the excitement despite the throbbing pain in my head.
With the last of my energy, I threw myself at him.
“I can’t believe you’re here.” I sniffled.
He hugged me so tight that it was hard to breathe.
But it was a good hard to breathe.
“Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” he confided. “You ready to go?”
I nodded, not letting him go.
He chuckled and placed me on my feet, which protested mightily.
The pain on my face must’ve made itself known, because he picked me up and all but threw me onto his back.
I squeaked in surprise but looped both my arms and my legs around his torso and held on tight.
The walk to the car was much easier than it would’ve been had he made me walk on my own.
I smiled in commiseration at everyone as we passed them.
They were walking very carefully, the snow and the uneven ground making it near impossible even if we hadn’t just run twenty-six miles.
We’d just made it to the rental, a huge black van that looked like it was on steroids, when a commotion caused me to turn and look behind me the moment Cutter set me on my feet.
A woman was rushing up to us, another medal around her neck and the woman with the clipboard behind her.
“Could we get a picture?” she called out. “I was seriously staring at your back the entire way, and the race director said that it would be a great cover piece for next year’s race.”
I smiled and hobbled toward her.
She smiled at me in commiseration and turned so that the mountains were in the backdrop of the photo and not rental car.
“Oh, perfect,” the race director said, taking multiple photos.
I pulled away from the woman just as the man from the beginning of the race came out of the space between two vehicles behind my family.
The same feeling came back at me just as two pink flashes came toward us from the opposite side, drawing my family’s attention away from the man.
“Have a good one,” the woman said as she slipped away.
I waved but kept the man in my line of sight.
“You have to let us stay with you!” Hazel pleaded. “Every single hotel and rental is sold out because of the race!”
She was directing it at me, but my gaze was still on the man that was watching me watch him.
A smile came over his face, and he lifted up his shirt.
A black gun sat nestled against his flat belly, and seconds later, it was in his hands.
My heart rate skyrocketed, and before I could say anything, he raised the gun and aimed it at me.
The next few seconds were a blur, but the gun went off…and there was blood everywhere.
You’re why God’s last name is Dammit.
—Cutter to Chevy
CUTTER
So fucking proud.
That was the feeling in my chest as I watched Milena run her race.
She looked more and more exhausted as the race went on, and by the time we were walking back to the rental van, she felt heavier because she was too tired to even hold onto me anymore.
After dropping her slowly to her feet, Shasha steadied her and stepped away to open the van door.
That’s when the twat twins rolled up in their pink vomit suits demanding a place to stay.
They started rapid firing demands at Milena, but Milena only had eyes for the van.
She was fuckin’ tired.
She was staring at the van with such hard concentration that I decided that enough was enough.