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“Your worst fucking nightmare,” Zion grunts out, and how cliche. I roll my eyes, watching in awe as he grabs the knife that’s still sticking out from one of Tiger’s hands, dragging it up into his arm.

I cringe as Tiger screams bloody murder, falling to his back, he thrashes around. Zion stomps on his hand, the sound of his bones breaking.

“Oh, fuck,” the prospect says somewhere beside me. Gabriel is suddenly at my side, as the prospect turns and runs away. He doesn’t get far when Zion pulls a gun out of his vest shooting the prospect in the back.

“I-Izel,” Tiger's voice brings me back to where Zion is now standing over his face. “H-help me.”

I laugh, air filling my lungs, and for the first time since Zion dropped us off, I feel safe again. I can finally breathe. I open my mouth unsure of what I’m going to say when Zion brings his foot up and stomps on Tiger's face. Over and over again.

Bones break, blood pours everywhere. Before I can process much more, Gabriel is pulling me up to stand. My legs struggle to hold myself up. Gabriel thankfully takes most of my weight.

Zion finally stops stomping on his face. I’m sure he’s dead. “Who was he?” he asks, not looking up from the dead body.

While I don’t say anything, Gabriel has no problem. “Someone who took advantage of her.”

Zion snaps his head towards me, his mask only giving his eyes away. It takes all my strength not to fall at his feet and beg him not to leave us again. But that’s not who I am. I’m the strong sibling.

I have to be strong. I need to be.

“Took advantage of her.” Zion mimics back, looking unsure. Then in a blink of an eye he takes that gun once more and is shooting Tigers…dick. “Let’s go,” he says, leading us towards his truck.

Gabriel has no problem climbing into the backseat. I don’t know what I’m doing but I slam the door closed turning towards Zion.

“You followed us.” It wasn’t a question. I knew someone was following us. It just turns out there were two different people following. Him and Tiger. Though I’m fully grateful that Zion was and that he saved us again. I can’t help but wonder why.

Zion doesn’t say anything, his eyes never looking at me but instead above my head. I hate that. I don’t know why. But I hate it.

“Where do you plan on taking us?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest to stop myself from reaching for him. I must be strong. I don’t know why I expect him to say anything; he never does. “If you can’t answer me, Zion, then we’re going. I can’t drag Gabby around God knows where with people after us.” I slam my mouth shut, realizing I’m actually admitting someone is after us. I don’t like this. And I surely don’t like the look he’s currently giving me. I may not be able to see his face, but his eyes give everything away. I won’t be surprised if he’s not foaming at the mouth.

“Who’s after you?” he asks.

Shaking my head, I refuse. “If you can’t answer a few questions, easy questions from me, then what makes you think I’m just going to answer yours, Zion? Because I won’t. Men have walked all over me my whole life. I’m not about to let another one. Even if it’s you.” Shoot, why do I keep saying more than I really need to? I need to just shut my mouth.

“Why do you always argue with me? I’m not a man that takes arguing well.”

“You won’t hurt me,” I mutter. I wasn’t sure if I truly believed it or not until now. Zion has done nothing but be kind and caring towards us. He might be a monster to others, but he isn’t one to me.

“You don’t know that.”

“You don’t scare me.”

“I should.”

“You don’t, Zion.” Reaching up, I cup his masked cheek. Wishing I could feel his bare skin, dying to tug that stupid mask off.

“You would if you knew the things I want to do to you…” he whispers.

“I trust you.”

“That might be your biggest mistake, Red.”

Sighing I drop my hand. I don’t know why Zion makes himself out to be the bad guy, but I’m stubborn and bound to figure out why. “Some people aren’t born a monster; some are made. And they’re only made because they were forced. I see you, Zion. I see the real you, and one day you’re going to let him out. And I’ll be waiting.” With that, I open the back seat and climb inside without his help.

Zion might think he’s a monster, and he might be. He murders people and hunts them for a living. But that doesn’t mean he’s not still human somewhere in there. I’ll just have to figure a way to bring him out.

9

Zion