Prologue
“Wait here.” He holds his hand out, and bounces it in the air, as if to show me where I need to stand.
“Okay, I got it.” Raking a hand across my cheek, I scratch at the light stubble on my jaw. “I'll wait here.”
Harlow twists, taking a step forward, then abruptly stopping. Spinning around, he squints his eyes, and snarls, “And keep your fucking eyes open. No bullshit, we can't fuck this up.” He points directly in my face, the bulbous nub of his finger almost crashing into my forehead.
Ducking my head, I swat his hand away, and give him a shove backwards. “Fuck you, Asshole, I know what to do. I'm not fucking stupid.” My voice is low, challenging. I'm here because he wants help, I'm not here to be his bitch.
He cocks a brow, curling his lip hard to one side. The look in his eyes is telling me this is serious, so I nod, assuring him with that single motion he can trust me.
I've never given him a reason to doubt my loyalty, he doesn't need to doubt me now.
Harlow moves suddenly, launching into a full sprint. He darts through the thick trees, and I watch him until he disappears into the darkness.
On a desolate street, I stand still, doing the only thing he requested me to do, because we're brothers, and brothers have each others back's.
There's no one on our side, no family to back us if we need it, no one to help. We only have each other. That's how it's been for years. Which is why I'm standing here right now, keeping an eye out for him.
This is revenge, revenge he says is well deserved. There's no reason for me to question his motives. I don't need him to give me a reason.
We're Ramon's, you don't fuck with the Ramon's. Period. The guy that fucked with my brother made a choice, now he has to pay. Simple solution to a simple problem. I just don't know what my brother has in mind, he didn't exactly give me the details of his plan.
The sun is almost down completely, but I can still make out a few of the taller buildings from the city in the distance against the charcoal backdrop.
The wind blows slightly, sending chills down my spine as it whips up my calves, and crawls across my skin. I shiver, tucking my neck into my jacket as I scan my surroundings.
Looking left to right, there isn't a car in sight. It's quiet. Too quiet. An uneasy feeling sits in my gut as the wind gusts across my face.
How long is this going to take him?
Glancing up, I see the street light flicker a couple of times before it pops on, casting a glow that's barely enough to make a full sized shadow.
I feel skittish, looking around in every direction. There's nothing, not a damn soul, and I know it. I just can't shake this uneasy feeling, like I'm being watched.
Checking over my shoulder one more time, I sit down on the side walk, and stretch my legs out in front of me. There's a pit in my stomach, it's heavy, making me sick. Something bad is going to happen, I can feel it.
BOOM!
The world around me shakes, the sound so deep it vibrates my ribs, and makes me hold my breath. The pressure in my chest is heavy, spreading down my body, and through my legs.
Holy shit!
Jumping to my feet, I look in the direction that Harlow ran, and all I see is red and orange embers as they float through the air, disappearing like fireworks in the sky.
Shit! Fuck!
What the hell happened?
Raking a hand through my hair, I grip my jaw and start to move in the direction of the flames. All I'm thinking about is my brother. If he's hurt, if he's in danger, I have to help him.
I'm about to take off to find him, when the sound of feet on the road causes me to stay still. They slow to a stop, and I look back over my shoulder.
There's a girl in skin tight leggings, a tank-top and running shoes, her eyes huge as saucers as she looks past me into the trees.
Orange and red flames lick across her pupils, making her eyes seem even larger. They dance back and forth, watching the fire as it spears into the sky like a Roman fucking candle.
She hasn't noticed me yet. My nerves start to go wild, sweat is pouring down my temples as I stand like a deer in headlights. My feet are cemented to the ground, anchoring in, tethered to a promise I made my brother.
I won't fucking leave him, but now I can't go save him either.
Her gaze shifts as if she senses she isn't alone. Her eyes move down, slow, precise, until they stop. Fear simmers in the background of her giant orbs, almost as bright as the flames themselves.
We're staring at each other. The fear I see in her eyes is nothing like I've ever seen before. The girl's arms dangle at her sides, and I can tell instantly she's young, probably my age. Her chest rises and falls, taking in quick gulps of air.
Run. Get the fuck out of here!
I want to scream at her to go before my brother gets back. Maybe I want to protect her, maybe I want to protect him, I'm not really sure.
Opening my mouth, I try to yell, but my throat is too dry, and I can't form the words on my tongue.
She studies my face, her gaze shifting all around me, and I can see her taking note of every feature.
My legs itch to take off, eager to burst out from underneath me. Yet I stay, standing still, halfheartedly trying to convince myself she still hasn't actually noticed me.
The musty smell of smoke trickles between the trees, making its way out to the street. I can hear crackling and popping as the tree tops ignite from whatever the hell blew up.
Harlow comes flying out of the woods, his face lit up with joy, putting an end to the staring match between the girl and myself.
He smiles, lips pulling back to expose stained teeth, and his chipped front tooth.
Thank fucking God.
I breathe a sigh of relief. Seeing him settles my nerves. At least I know he's alright, and not waiting for my help. Sirens start to blare in the distance, the blue and red lights reflect off the sky.
Harlow ignores the impending trucks and first responders on the way to put out the blaze. “Did you fucking see that?” he asks, slowing down as he reaches my side. Harlow grins, leaning over for a second to catch his breath.
I'm about to speak, when the sirens scream louder, causing my brother to cut me off. “Come on, we got to get out of here.” He jerks his body upright, oblivious to the fact we're not alone.
“Harlow.” My eyes move back to her. I can only say his name. I can't look at him. We're caught, she sees us, she's watching us, she knows what we look like.
“Wh—” he starts to say until he follows my eyes, and they land on the girl across the street. Harlow frowns, growling under his breath. “Go, go, go,” he demands, his voice thick and grainy.
Giving me a shove, it's the boost I need to get my legs working, and my brain up and running. We both take off at full speed, crossing lines that have obvious borders. Cutting through yards, and down alley's, jumping fences, and crushing gardens.
When we finally come to a stop, we're on Ginger Hill, about a half mile away. The fire engines roar as the sky lights up like a burning Christmas tree. The long arms of the flames whip between the treetops, nipping at leaves.
“Fuck!” Harlow calls out, raking his fingers through his hair and down his face. “Who the fuck was that? Did you recognize her?”
“I don't know,” I say between breaths. Bending over, I rest my palms on my knees, trying to slow down my lungs.