Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
This is bad.
This is so bad.
* * *
* * *
Pained screams pierce the air, making everyone around the campfire look up from their bowls of oatmeal in confusion.
I latch eyes with Dad for about two seconds and then I realize he’s counting children. When he comes up short, he takes off out of the yard in a full sprint.
Several moments later, chaos ensues as Dad returns with my sisters and Mage, Jace, CJ, and some other kid in Rowdy’s arms.
There’s blood everywhere.
I snap into action about the same time Ryder does, both of us running toward our siblings in an effort to make sure they’re okay. First thing I notice is both Destiny and Raegan have been bawling—red-faced and snotty-nosed.
“Take care of your sisters,” Dad barks out at me and Ryder.
An entourage of people go into the house no doubt to deal with the bleeding boy. When Raegan sees me, she crumples, a loud sob escaping her. Ryder hugs Destiny to him since she’s closer and I grab Raegan. Raegan clings to me, soaking my shirt as she cries into my neck.
“What happened?” I ask, gently stroking her back. “Rae, what happened?”
Through her hiccupping and tears, I hear the word, “bears,” and it’s enough for me to figure out what happened. They were attacked and the kid got mauled. Better him than my sisters. I catch Ryder’s worried stare and he silently gestures for me to go sit at the firepit. We lead the girls to the end of one of the long C-shaped benches, sandwiching them between us.
As Rae regains her composure, she recounts what happened from the moment they left until now. I’d thought they were doing chores or sleeping in. I never saw them leave the property. Based on Ryder’s same guilty expression, he feels just as terrible as I do for letting this happen under our watch.
I notice we’ve drawn a crowd of people. Mya kneels on the gravel near Ryder, a concerned frown on her face as she listens.
“Is my brother okay?” Mya asks. “He and Jace went into the big house with all of our dads and Carter. I’m worried.”
Rae nods. “They’re fine. It was just Carter who got hurt.”
“What were you all thinking?” Mya demands, concern melting away as anger storms its way in. “There’s a reason why we have a big group. Safety in numbers. It’s too dangerous to sneak off just so you can suck my brother’s dick!”
Rae recoils at her nasty words. “You’re one to talk. I see how you look at my brother.”
Several people whisper and someone barks out an inappropriate laugh. I hug Rae closer and whisper for her to quit. Of course she ignores me. That’s my sister for you.
“He doesn’t want you and yet you still try,” Rae continues, voice quavering. “Get over it. You look desperate.”
“Bitch,” Mya snarls, rising to her feet and then storming off.
Ryder shakes his head in disbelief. What a shit show.
“What’d I miss?” CJ asks as he walks over to us, Jace on his heels.
I glance over his blood-splattered shirt and shudder. “Nothing worth repeating.”
Raegan tugs out of my hold and rushes over to CJ. He collects her in his arms and barely spares us another look before guiding her away from the crowd around the fire. Jace remains, his stare on my other sister lingering a little longer than I feel comfortable with.
“Let’s go,” I tell Ryder and gesture for Destiny. “She needs to get away from all these people.”
Especially these bad influences.
Ryder nods and then scoops Destiny into his arms as he stands. Jace takes a step forward, like he might go with us, but freezes when he meets my nasty warning glare.
I follow my brother to my cabin and then help her get settled. She curls up under the blanket and cries quietly. I’m sure this morning must’ve been traumatizing for them all.
“I’m going to check on Rae,” Ryder says after a few minutes. “Keep an eye on Dez.”
Sitting with my sister does nothing to quiet the raging thoughts in my mind. I’d been so eager to have people join us, but they’ve been nothing but stress and trouble since they arrived. I’m beginning to understand why Dad was so angry with us for bringing them around. Things were quieter and safer without them.
As if to punctuate my thoughts, I hear Ryder yelling just outside the cabin. I leave Destiny to see what the hell is going on, nearly tripping over Mage, who rushes into the cabin. Outside, I find Ryder shoving CJ.
“Hey,” I call out to my brother. “What’s the problem?”
Raegan stands in front of CJ and glowers at Ryder. “I can kiss whomever I want.”
“The fuck you can,” Ryder growls, baring his teeth. “He touches you again and I’ll kill him.”
I can tell Raegan is about to punch Ryder, so I rush over to them to prevent them from brawling. Grabbing Ryder by the back of the shirt, I drag him a few feet away from our feisty sister.