Page 29

CHAPTER 29

ROSALIE

“Hey, asshole! Get your fucking hands off her!”

My head snapped to the left as I heard AJ’s voice. He was standing at the side of the warehouse, his arms flexing and fists clenched, and his beautiful eyes were dark and full of anger.

Oh my god. Thank you!

The pressure I felt from Kordell’s grip on my wrists felt like dull knives pushing into my skin as he glared over at the side of the building where AJ was now standing.

“Ouch! L-let me go!” I cried out from under his body.

I struggled more, and he turned his attention back to me, bringing his hand from my shorts to my neck. He squeezed it hard, his fingers digging into my skin, and I winced at the pain. My mind started to panic.

I can’t breathe! Please, no! This isn’t supposed to happen! I-I’ve got to get away.

“Shut up! Don’t act like you don’t want this now that your white knight’s shown up. You weren’t pushing me away minutes ago. You want me. You want to get back together with me. Tell him. TELL HIM!”

I turned my head, and his spit covered the side of my face. I tried to shake my head, but the grip from his hand was too much. I was getting lightheaded. Then, he let my throat go to lean back upright. I gasped for air as he yanked me off the couch by my wrists and pulled me close to him.

I struggled to pull away, but it was crazy how strong he was right now. I looked over at AJ, who had walked slowly toward us. Maybe he was trying to wait until Kordell was distracted enough so he could tackle him or punch him. Maybe I could help with that. I kicked back and connected with his shin. He growled in pain and shoved me hard. I tripped over my own foot and fell into the cold, rocky dirt, feeling my legs scrape against the rough ground. I rolled onto my butt and sat up, brushing my legs off, wincing as my hands swiped over my cuts as I tried to recover fully from him choking me.

“Stupid puta ! Why won’t you just admit it to him? You want me!” Kordell snapped as he advanced toward me.

I scooted backward in the dirt, and AJ pulled his hands out of his pocket and started to run toward Kordell.

But Kordell heard him and moved fast—too fast. I blinked, and his hand flew to his waistband, yanking out a pistol. Its metal shone in the dim light as he pointed it directly at AJ. My breath caught in my throat as my heart plummeted.

“Kordell! Please, no!” I screamed as AJ came to a stop.

Not even AJ could beat a gun. His muscles were powerful, but they weren’t armor. Kordell kept his wild eyes on AJ.

“Give me a reason, big guy. I’ve been dying to do it. I’ve wanted to put a bullet between your eyes since the first time I saw you with her. I could have killed you a long-ass time ago. I could have had my club do it, too, but I didn’t. For her sake.” His voice had a manic tone to it, and his eye twitched.

He jabbed a finger in my direction, and I slowly got to my feet. I knew what I was about to do was dangerous—I knew it—but I still had to try.

“K-Kordell, please just put the gun down. We can still talk, all right? We can figure everything out together. A-AJ will help even, right?” My voice wavered, despite my efforts to keep it steady.

I looked over at AJ, desperate for him to just play along so we could maybe get Kordell to lower his gun or even put it down completely.

AJ’s nostrils flared as he watched me move slowly in front of Kordell more so he could see the both of us. I knew he didn’t like what I was doing, but if he tried to move with Kordell looking at him like he was, I was afraid Kordell would actually shoot him.

“Kordell, look at me,” I begged.

Finally, Kordell tore his gaze from AJ to glance back at me. His gun hand was stiff, but his other hand was shaking. He was a bundle of nerves, anger, and sadness. And I felt bad for him, just a little.

“We will figure it out, I promise,” I whispered, my eyes pleading with him to understand.

He closed his eyes for a moment, and the gun lowered slightly. I gave AJ a hopeful glance that this was actually working when Kordell started to speak again.

“I already have it figured out, mama. You are getting back with me. We’re going to go to the clubhouse. Show them everything was just a big mistake. That you aren’t leaving me for him .” He shook his gun in AJ’s direction as he opened his dark green eyes and looked at me. “Then, we’re going to open a clubhouse in the city for the BLVD Riders, you and me. And we will run everything I’ve worked so hard for. It will be perfect.”

I nodded while AJ’s nostrils flared in response.

“Well, I think we should talk about some of that, but we can totally help you get the clubhouse running! And explain things to Damien that the video wasn’t supposed to be uploaded. I’ll have the guys take it down, and it’ll be like it never happened, okay? We can figure this out.” I flashed him a nervous smile, trying to be reassuring, but he kept his frown and rolled his eyes.

“I’m not stupid! You don’t think I know that you laughed at that video as much as everyone else did? That he and his smug fucking face didn’t share it wherever he went? No, I’m going to need more than an explanation. I need you . You’re mine, Rosalie. You owe me to make it right. Break up with him —now ,” he said through gritted teeth as he shook his gun in AJ’s direction again.

“Kordell, please just put the gun down. You don’t want to hurt anyone accidentally. It scares me,” I pleaded with him.

I couldn’t handle it when he pointed it at AJ. My heart pounded in my chest.

“Not until you tell him you’re with me now.” Kordell glared at me. His eyes were wide and crazed.

I swallowed hard and looked over at AJ. I didn’t know what else to do.

“O-okay. AJ? I’m with Kordell now, all right? So, you don’t have to be here anymore. You can just go.”

Kordell’s mouth turned upward as he lowered his gun and sneered at AJ before laughing. “See?! She doesn’t want you anymore, so fuck off. You interrupted my girl and me from making up for some lost time.” Kordell turned his attention back to me and took a couple of steps forward.

I stepped backward, and his smile faded a bit.

“Come on now, mama. You just said you wanted me, so don’t act shy now. He can stay and watch if he wants, for all I fucking care.”

I gasped as I saw AJ swing his fist back and bring it toward the back of Kordell’s head. But Kordell must have been paying attention to my face because he twisted and dodged AJ’s blow. AJ took a few steps forward, cursing under his breath as he came to a stop close to me. I couldn’t help but be relieved that he was closer. But that was short-lived when Kordell aimed his gun at me. I froze, my words caught in my throat.

“What the fuck are you doing, aiming that gun at her?!” AJ growled, his body full of rage as he tried to step in front of me.

“Move, and I’ll shoot her.”

I choked back a sob. The look in Kordell’s eyes had scared me before, but I was absolutely terrified now. Sweat started to bead along my forehead, and my heart felt like it was going to pound right out of my chest.

“Rosalie, breathe, baby girl.”

AJ’s voice tried to soothe me, but Kordell’s eyes pierced right through me. These were the eyes of someone who didn’t care anymore. They were almost lifeless, like Stevie’s eyes had been when I saw him in his car at the crash.

I was panicking. How was I going to get him to snap out of it now, when he was so far gone over the edge that I didn’t think I could reach him anymore?

“Don’t fucking talk to her. No one gets to talk to her but me. She gets it, but apparently, I’ve been threatening the wrong person to get you to leave us alone once and for all. So, if you don’t walk away, get into whatever car you came here in, and leave, I’ll hurt her.”

The worst part about his words? I believed them.

AJ looked between me and Kordell. I could see he was so distraught about what to do.

“I’m going to count to three, and if you don’t start moving your fucking legs, I’ll shoot her in hers.”

Snap out of it, Rosalie! Say something! Anything! You have to stop him!

“One.”

AJ made to move toward me, and Kordell quickly turned his gun between us and shot on the ground.

I screamed.

“SHUT UP!” Kordell shouted. “You know what? Sorry, mama. Changed my mind. I’m just going to get rid of our problem. Then, there will be nothing standing between us.”

His gaze went back over to AJ, and the tears I had been holding back fell down my face.

“N-no, Kordell, please! Please don’t!” I couldn’t look away from the scene unfolding in front of me.

AJ’s body tensed, as if he was either going to charge him again or try to jump out of the way of the bullet. And Kordell slowly swung his gun in front of AJ.

I knew there was no stopping him. Kordell wasn’t the man I’d once known and loved. Something in him had broken beyond repair, and my heart pounded in my chest at that realization, fear gripping me. But when his finger tightened around the trigger, everything inside me screamed no . My legs moved before my mind could catch up to what they were doing.

I was driven by something greater than fear. Love.

Time moved slowly as my steps propelled me forward. Thankfully, he wasn’t that far from me. And the flash of the bullet leaving the barrel was barely in my peripheral vision by the time I was facing AJ. I was worried I wasn’t going to make it in time, but it was enough. A sharp, searing pain exploded in my back. The impact was like being slammed into the seat during a car crash. The breath rushed out of my lungs. The world around me tilted. My body felt light, and my hearing dimmed. I glanced down for a moment and saw blood soaking into my shirt and jacket. I had stopped the bullet from hitting the man I loved, but at my own expense.

I had been shot, and a tingling numbness crept through me, cold and heavy, as if my entire body was shutting down inch by inch. But despite knowing what had just happened, I smiled as I looked up at AJ. He was safe.

I didn’t want to die, but if it meant he would be okay? Then, I would jump in front of a bullet every single time.

It was weird. I’d thought being shot would hurt more. I’d thought dying would hurt more. But I didn’t feel anything but relief. Because I knew AJ was going to be okay, because I’d protected him. He was always doing that for me, and I had done it for him. Because I loved him more than anything in the world.

But as my legs buckled and I fell forward toward him, I saw the look on his face. His eyes widened, and he shouted something. Maybe my name? My relief turned to sadness at his reaction.

Memories of what could’ve been flashed through my mind—us laughing in the living room on the couch, making out in the car, his arms wrapped around me, us working on another car together. Steak tacos at dinner, the sound of children’s voices laughing alongside his. But none of that was going to happen now.

I’m sorry, AJ. I didn’t mean to leave you all alone.

I wanted to live our lives together and do all kinds of things that we hadn’t gotten to do yet. And now, I wouldn’t be able to. That was what hurt as I kept falling.

I wished I could have seen him smile.

One last time.