Kiss the Stars (Falling Stars #1)(101)

Hungry.

Jealous.

Thinking it was just fine if you reached out and took what you wanted no matter who you hurt.

You deserved it, right?

But I’d seen enough to know I’d rather starve than be a part of this sleazy, disgusting world.

Had seen homes shattered.

Families split.

Had seen men slaughtered.

Their blood spilled on the ground because that greed just kept going round and round.

Done.

I was so done.

I eased over a sloping hill, and the city came into sharp, plain view. My heart raced toward the good. Toward what was right. Swore in that second that I would never lie to Maddie again.

Phone kept going nuts in my pocket, so I pulled off to the side of the two-lane road, pulled it out, flinching when I saw the name on the screen.

“Keeton,” I said, gruff when I answered it.

Done.

Done.

Done.

He had to fucking know. I wasn’t going to get pushed around any longer.

“What the fuck happened last night?” he growled.

That knot of unease tightened. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He didn’t even laugh. It was venom in his voice. “Krane claims ten-percent of the delivery was scraped.”

That unease bloomed into a discord.

A jarring of dread.

I swallowed hard. “Weighed it myself.”

“I know.” It was an accusation.

Fuck.

I roughed a hand through my hair that was suddenly dripping with sweat.

Money I had in my pack weighing a million pounds.

“It was there, Keeton. All of it. Before we packed it into the truck. Nixon was there. He oversaw the entire thing.”

“Seems like the perfect opportunity for you to take a little parting gift.”

“Fuck, Keeton. Last thing I want to do is get indebted to you or anyone else. Wouldn’t touch it. Want out. Not to dig myself deeper.”

“Someone did it, or Krane is lying.”

“And you trust that piece of shit?” I spat.

Guy was a savage.

Didn’t give a shit about anything or anyone who got in his way.

“He’s a businessman.”

Agitation blistered across my skin. A red-hot knife of fear. “Wasn’t me, Keeton. I swear to you.”

“Yeah? Well someone is lying to me.”

He ended the call without saying anything, and panic had me on my bike, racing back toward the city.

We were leaving.

Getting the hell out of this town.

Wasn’t even going to take the time to pack.

I was dropping this shit at Keeton’s door and was gone.

Phone went crazy again, and I tried to ignore it, pushing my bike faster around the curves in the road, about five minutes from hitting the freeway.

Finally gave in when it would stop only to start ringing again.

I pulled off, ripped my phone free, almost breathing out in relief when I saw it was Brax. “You hear this bullshit?” I asked the second I put it to my ear.

Braxton had connections on every side. Always in the know.

He didn’t say anything for a beat. Morbid energy held.

That dread slicked and shivered and sent my pulse slugging with fear. “Someone pegged this on Nix. Can’t locate him, but I got word that Morgue was sent. Krane doesn’t want repayment. He wants blood.”

Morgue.

Wasn’t a person.

Just a reference to any man who was sent for a hit.

Vomit lifted. Thick in my throat.

“Goddamn it,” I hissed. Sickness clawing. “That idiot.”

A disturbance burned through the line. “Word is, Nix has got a girl who’s pregnant. Another kid who’s seven or eight. Think he’s heading their way. Krane is pissed. Wants to set an example.”

“Fuck.” It was a shout. Disgust. Horror. I knew I hated that prick. Knew he couldn’t be trusted.

“Where are you?” I asked. “One of us has to check this out. Make sure his family is safe.”

“About forty-five from the shop.”

I sighed. Struggled. Battled with this feeling that rose up in me. I couldn’t just . . . turn my back.

Ignore this.

“You have an address?”

“Think I can get one. How far away are you?”

“About twenty minutes from the shop.”

Which meant no matter where in the city Nix’s family lived, I was going to be closer. He didn’t say anything. We both knew this had become my duty.

Krane was brutal. Didn’t matter if I hated that fucker Nix or not.

Couldn’t sit aside and let this happen.

“Text it to me. I’m on my way.”

“Be careful, brother. Know you want to help, but don’t get in the line of fire.”

“His kids don’t deserve what he has coming to him. I will warn them. Head off anything that might be coming their way. Until Nix can get there to get them out or this blows over.”

I ended the call and hopped back onto my bike, and when I hit the highway, I hit it at a way too high rate of speed for the load I was carrying. Darting around cars. Cutting lanes.

I didn’t care. I had to get there.

Stand in if someone came for his family. Doubted he really gave a shit.