Elite (Eagle Elite #1)(70)

“She’s fine,” Nixon answered for me. His teeth clenched as he narrowed his gaze on Chase.

“She can answer for herself,” Chase argued. “Trace, I—”

Nixon leapt off the bed. “I said she’s fine. You aren’t needed anymore. Alright? Text me the address and we’ll be there in a few. I’ve gotta get her some clothes to put on.”

Chase’s nostrils flared. “Maybe you should have been thinking about that before you started taking her clothes off.”

Nixon lunged for Chase’s body. I scrambled off the bed to intervene and nearly tripped over my feet in the process. “Guys, stop!”

Were they insane? There was way too much testosterone flowing through that room and I’d have enough fighting for the day. My voice cracked when I yelled again, gaining both of their attention.

Chase reached for me first, but it was Nixon who tucked me into the crook of his arm and kissed my head. “Sorry, Trace. I’m just… shit, I’m just a little messed up after seeing everything go down today.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and locked eyes with Chase. His eyes burned through mine briefly before he shook his head and walked away.

My heart clenched and shattered into a million pieces. Everything hurt all over again. What was wrong with me? I truly loved Nixon, but Chase… well, Chase had been my best friend for the past few weeks when Nixon was off fighting Phoenix and the evil of his family.

I was tired and stressed. That was it. It wasn’t anything more. I tucked the feelings I had for Chase in the back of my mind while I hugged Nixon back.

“Now what?” I asked.

“Now…” He sighed. “You decide if he lives or dies. Just know, my vote is death.”

“And if I want him to get punished but live?”

Nixon didn’t respond for a few seconds. Finally, he released me and walked toward the door. “I’ll try to listen.”





Chapter Thirty-three


My hands were sweating. I had to keep wiping them on my jeans. Nixon hadn’t said a word to me during the drive to the location or spot as he called it. I wasn’t sure if he was deep in thought or just pissed off that I wanted to let Phoenix live. At any rate, I was ready for this nightmare of a day to be over.

My clothes even felt uncomfortable, as if they didn’t belong there, just like the rest of me.

How had I ended up in this predicament in the first place?

Oh right. Grandpa, my parents… ugh. I guess the old saying is true. You can’t help what you’re born into.

After a few minutes we finally turned down a street behind an old restaurant and stopped.

“You ready?” Nixon said without emotion.

I shook my head. I wasn’t ready. How would I ever be ready for this? To face the guy who tried to rape me? Especially in front of other men? I wasn’t ready for any of it, and I wanted nothing more than to stick my head in the sand and pretend that none of it happened.

I didn’t realize I was shaking until Nixon grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. “You’ll do fine. I promise. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

His eyes were like ice. I touched his face. He blinked and heaved a sigh. This was just as hard for him as it was for me. I knew it. Because I knew that if anyone ever messed with my family or those I loved, I wouldn’t think twice about hurting them, but it was entirely different when it was you and when it would be on your conscience. I knew Nixon wanted to rip Phoenix’s arms from his body, but I couldn’t fathom how I could sleep at night if I knew everything had to do with me and that it was my fault.

I turned away from Nixon and opened my car door. Two steps. I took two steps before I had to stop, close my eyes, and tell myself it was going to be okay. Nixon called out to me and I walked around the car to join him. His hand grasped mine and pulled me into the shelter of his body as he walked with me into an old abandoned building.

Had my sense of humor decided to visit me in that second I may have mentioned that the building and his last name were one in the same? Instead, I licked my dry lips and swallowed the lump of fear in my throat.

We walked down a dimly lit hallway and then turned left where a few men were gathered around laughing.

Laughing.

What?

I looked around me.

The room wasn’t dimly lit like I expected. And Phoenix wasn’t in chains. Instead, he was sitting calmly in a chair with his hands tied in front of him with zip ties.

The men around the room were eating food and drinking wine. Holy crap it was like they were feasting!

Soon everyone noticed our presence and dropped whatever food they were holding and put their wine glasses down. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Grandpa make his way toward me.

I would have looked at him or maybe even acknowledged him had Phoenix not looked directly through me and smirked.

Bad idea.

I lunged for him and before anyone could stop me, slapped him so hard across the face that my hand throbbed.

He cursed and fell to the cement ground.

The room fell silent.

“Is that it?” Phoenix taunted from the ground.

I made another move to kick him in the head, but Nixon gently pulled me into his arms while a few men helped Phoenix back into the chair and began tying his arms down.

Grandpa cleared his throat. “Will all members of the commission please stand?”