The Probability of Violet and Luke(22)

Me: I f*cked up.

I expect it to take awhile for him to text me back, but it takes seconds.

Toverson: I know. And I f*cking warned u. God dammit, Luke. What the f*ck were u thinking?

Me: I wasn’t. That was the problem.

Toverson: Where r u now? Your house?

Me: Can’t tell u yet. Not until I know how deep of shit I’m in.

Toverson: Luke I’m sorry, but I can’t get u out of this mess. And warning, Geraldson knows where you live.

A shiver rolls up my spine as I read the text and then moments later there’s a knock on my door, well more like a pounding of fists.

“Dammit,” I curse, stuffing my phone into my back pocket. I start to pace in front of the bed, trying to figure out what the hell to do, but seeing no other alternative. I’m trapped. Violet’s trapped with me. This is so bad.

Another loud knock. Then a bang.

“Who is that?” Violet asks, getting to her feet. “Wait. Is it them?”

I stop pacing and look at her. After all this time pining for her to be in my room again, I’m now wishing she wasn’t. I messed up big time and now there’s going be some heavy consequences. “Stay here,” I order, then go into the living room to look out the peephole. Sure enough Geraldson and some big dude with a shaved head that looks at least double my size are standing out there. Both are packing, guns tucked in their belt, brass knuckles on the big guy’s hand. My head slumps against the door, a sequences of curses flowing from my lips as I ram by fist into the wall until the sheetrock cracks.

“What are we going to do?” Violet comes up behind me. “And quit beating up the wall. It didn’t do anything to you.”

I elevate my head and turn to face her. “We aren’t going to do anything.” I stride across the room and shove her toward the bedroom. “You are going to stay back in here and hide while I talk to them.”

Violet plants her feet firmly to the floor and presses her hands against my chest, refusing to move. “First of all, I really doubt they’re here to talk. And second of all, I don’t need you to protect me from this. Trust me, I’ve had my fair share of crazy shit.”

“I’m know you have.” I give her a gentle shove toward the bedroom as I hear someone messing around with the doorknob—I’m betting their trying to pick the lock. “But it doesn’t mean that my f*ck ups have to add to that list.” I start to push her toward the bedroom again when the front door flies open, the doorknob slamming into the wall behind it and leaving a hole.

“Fuck.” I strategically place myself in front of Violet, pissed at myself for making bad choices and getting her involved. I don’t give a rats ass about myself, but her… well, it’s making me literally sick just thinking about them even so much as touching her.

“Luke Price,” Geraldson says darkly, taking in my small apartment as he enters. The large guy strolls in right behind him, shutting the door and closing us in. “You owe me some money.”

Gritting my teeth, I reach into my pocket and take out the fifteen hundred I won today. “There ya go.” I throw the small pile of cash on the floor between us, knowing there’s going to be more to it than that.

Geraldson bends down and picks it up, fanning through the bills. “You think this is going to be enough?”

“Probably not,” I say dryly. “But it’s what I won.”

He lets out a low laugh, handing the cash to the big guy who stuffs it into his back pocket. “You steal from me,” he slams his finger against his chest, “and you think we’re even because you gave me the winnings back.” He cracks his knuckles. “Who the f*ck do you think you’re dealing with?”

A thousand comebacks tickle at my tongue, but I bite them back, knowing it’ll make things worse. If I was alone, though, it’d be a whole other story. “How much?”

He smirks. “Nine thousand.”

“I don’t have that kind of money,” I snap. “And that’s like six times as much as I won today.”

“That’s the price you pay for being a f*cking cheat,” he bites back, stepping to the side to let the big guy step forward. My muscles ravel in knots because I know what’s coming. “You were warned not to f*ck with me,” Geraldson says as the big guy pops his neck and then stretches out his fingers with the brass knuckles on them.

I could run, but they’d only chase me. And throwing a punch means getting more in return. And knowing Violet, she’ll probably try to intervene, like she did that time at the bar when I got myself into a mess. I don’t want her getting involved more than she is, so I tighten my muscles and hold still as the big guy rams his fist right into my side. The impact and the metal knocks the wind out of me as my body fights to hunch forward, but I refuse to let it, forcing myself to stand tall. From behind me, I hear Violet suck in a breath, then her hand touches my back, causing my muscles to twitch.