with his hand. I make myself relax, but in the next instant, nothing in the world could make me relax.
Trey returns to the room with Brawler in tow.
“We have a matter to vote on,” K says.
I practically leap from the chair. I don’t, really, but my energy, my soul, everything, jumps from my body and runs to the blond-haired giant, throwing myself in front of him.
Somehow, K’s words snake their way through the deafening moment. This is not happening. Brawler? Here? What the fuck could we possibly be voting on?
Fear and nerves rage inside me for a toxic mix. I barely restrain myself to the chair, and I don’t even want to think of what K’s doing with him. Or why? What could Brawler have possibly done to him? This specimen of purity with the light and dark on his shoulders couldn’t hurt anyone.
Johnny’s fingers tighten around me again, and I can imagine the tension I’m bleeding right now. If he only knew it’s taking everything in me to stay seated.
K glances around the table, and I school my features as best I can with every ounce of my strength I have left in me.
“This is Marcus Timms,” he begins. “Some of you might know him as Manning’s little brother, Mack. Still more might know him as Brawler. He’s been helping us run the underground fighting ring our new girl is especially fond of.”
Big Daddy K winks at me, and every cell in my body locks up. My mind goes to things that make my stomach upheave. If they try to hurt him, I’m about to break the promise I just made to Johnny because there is no way on this planet I’ll be able to sit still and not react if Brawler’s in danger. I can’t. I won’t.
Time slows as K says, “Brawler came to me yesterday and wants to recruit into the Crew.”
Noooo! I grip the table in front of me and glare at Brawler, eyes willing him to look at me, but he stands stoic.
He has no idea what he’s just done.
17
I keep willing Brawler to look at me. I stare every dagger I have into the side of his face because what in the ever-loving fuck is he thinking? Join the Crew?
Magnum presses in closer from behind. My muscles are so locked up it feels as if my skin will rip apart, coating the room in my flesh and blood.
Why would he do this? The Crew isn’t the place for him. He was the only one of us who could escape from this cleanly. Literally, the only one of us who could skip off into the sunset, but not if he does this. Once he aligns himself with the Crew, there’s no getting out without repercussions.
Think, think, think, I scold myself.
“Relax,” a whisper sounds from behind me. Magnum takes a deep breath and releases it. I try to match my breaths with his, but I feel like I’m going to throw up.
When I made the promise not to say anything during this meeting, I didn’t know this was going to happen. I had no idea Brawler would throw himself into the line of fire for no goddamn reason.
All the happy thoughts I’ve ever had about Brawler not being in the Crew crash at my feet. Well, at least Brawler is safe. At least Brawler can get out, sit like nauseous bricks in the bottom of my stomach.
This is someone I care about. I can’t just sit back and let this happen.
Johnny glances over. His gaze narrows as he takes me in. “Are you okay? You’re white as a sheet.”
“Just feel sick all of a sudden,” I croak out, thankful for the excuse on the tip of my tongue. I do actually feel sick from the rotten turn this meeting has taken.
Johnny places his arm around me, squeezing my shoulder and rubbing his hand up and down my forearm in an attempt to comfort me.
“What’s going on?” K snaps, eyeing the two of us with his anger-spitting gaze.
“Kyla doesn’t feel well.” Johnny goes to stand.
K slams his fist on the table and shouts, “Sit!”
For his part, Johnny hovers over his seat, flashing a look at his father. He doesn’t give in, but I don’t mistake the conflict in his gaze.
K pulls his suit coat together as if he’s pulling himself together from his little outburst. “We need to finish this.”
“At least let Kyla leave,” Johnny says.
K flicks his sinister gaze to me. “I have something to discuss