Page 37 of Hate So Deep (Hate #4)

NOW

Dirk

You have a brother?

The lost look in her sparkling green eyes passes over my vision as I peel out of Hayden’s driveway.

My chest burns at that, but I set it aside because I can’t change how Lauren feels, although I wish I could because every time she says something like that, I have the urge to do shit that is dangerous both for her and me.

As soon as we’re on the street, Hayden glances at me sideways before saying, “You tell him?”

“Tell who, what?” I mutter.

After our last conversation, I thought I made it clear to that asshole that I meant business. I should have broken a few body parts to leave a lasting impression because it can’t be a coincidence that after I questioned him, two assholes jumped Lauren.

Why? My throat burns knowing I left her basically defenseless, but it never occurred to me that someone might get nervous.

Now I’m wondering what the fuck I’m missing and damning myself for not taking this more seriously.

I know for a fact that Lauren was fine when I dropped her that night. She was clearly intoxicated but she sure as shit wasn’t covered in blood.

Whatever happened took place in her house because there’s no way she left again unless someone took her. Who though?

From what I found out through the grapevine, no one saw Aimee after nine pm that night and I dropped Lauren off well after midnight.

So, what the fuck happened and where is Aimee?

“Colt and that you’re gone over his sister,” Hayden says, breaking me from my thoughts.

“I’m not gone over anyone,” I mutter, and he smirks.

“Sure.”

I’m tempted to argue but that will only make me look like an ass and since I’m feeling like one already, I change the subject.

How I feel about Lauren is no one’s business but my own. Besides, I don’t even know how I feel.

Fuck.

“This Danny fucker,” I say. “Someone got him to lure her out but who? Why would Danny agree?”

Shrugging, Hayden says, “People find a lot of motivation when they’re scared.”

“Hm,” I mumble. “You ever heard of Toro?”

“Nope, but I’m looking forward to meeting him,” Hayden says with a filthy smile.

Hours later, we’re holed up in one of the abandoned warehouses where we used to party.

Ironically, it’s not far from where Buck was beat to shit for the last time. No surprise, the dick always thought he was tougher than he was.

This isn’t your problem, Dirk.

Lauren’s words circle my brain as I assess the asshole laying on the concrete.

Seeing her broken and bruised set something burning in my chest that now begs to be freed and I’m not in the mood to hold back.

Poor Danny Marker should have said no when those two thugs came calling because now all the helplessness I felt before has turned to rage.

When Hayden looks over from where he’s leaning against the wall, I spit on Danny’s body and say, “I’m disappointed, asshole. I thought you were tougher than this. I thought you were the big bad ass on campus. Looks like you’re nothing but a sniveling little piece of shit.”

Danny doesn’t respond, beyond sniffling a snot-filled sob, probably because he knows if he does, it’ll only lead to more pain.

“Bro,” Hayden grunts, “Academy dicks don’t know nothing, not even how to use their dick.”

Nudging Danny with my shoe I ask, “That true, fucker? You’re dick as useless as you fucking are?”

Ignoring Hayden’s snort, I bark, “I bet it is. That’s why you drug ‘em before you fuck ‘em.”

When Danny shakes his head, avoiding my gaze, a trickle of awareness slides down my spine.

I can’t kill the fucker, I remind myself as I lean over until we’re practically nose to nose, but I can put the fear of Dirk fucking Evans into him.

“Well? You sniveling piece of shit, you drug girls and rape ‘em?” I ask.

“No man, no!” Danny cries and I glance at Hayden.

“Think he’s lying Franks?” I ask and Hayden’s lips curl into a deadly smile.

Shit.

He’s so fucking menacing that even I pause as he says, “Oh, he’s lying. Pricks like you can’t get it up unless they’re drugged. Am I right, prick?

Danny’s eyes roll and I chuckle when he says, “I promise.”

“Your promise means shit to me,” I mutter. “What about your bro ?”

I sneer the last word and Danny blinks one eye open, the only good eye because the other is swollen closed before saying, “Huh?”

“Oh yeah. You know exactly what I’m talking about.” I nudge him with my shoe for good measure, immune to his broken sob when it hits one of his particularly brutal bruises.

A little pain is the least of what he deserves for luring Lauren into a trap.

I can’t kill him. I can’t but goddamn I really want to end his miserable existence.

“It-It was all Buck,” he wheezes, and Hayden stands from the wall.

“What about the filthy fucker?” he snarls, and I whip around.

Maybe I shouldn’t have brought him. Ramie will never forgive me if he doesn’t come home and this shit is still too raw considering how dirty Buck actually was.

Fuck.

While Danny pants for breath, I grab a piece of metal lying on the floor and test its weight before eyeing Danny who’s crying silently a foot away.

“Look at me,” I say, and when he glances up, his eyes wide, I swing the rusty metal around. “You tell me who those two fuckers are, and I’ll let you live. Understand?”

He opens his mouth, but no sound emerges, and I cock my head, placing my hand behind my ear.

“I can’t hear you.”

“T-Toro and his brother.”

“Where? Where can I find them?” I ask and Danny shakes his head.

When I raise the bar, he mumbles, “I don’t know. They came to me. I don’t know !”

I’m still tempted to beat the life out of this fucker, but I’m derailed from the madness when Hayden claps my shoulder and says, “He’s done, bro.”

With a sigh, I throw the bar to the ground and lean over Danny to say, “If you touch a single piece of hair on Lauren Stark's head and I have to come back here you’re dead. Got me?”

Danny nods his eyes bright with tears and easing away, I tap his back before we step toward the door where I pause to say, “If you’re a smart one, which I’m betting you’re not, you’ll get the fuck out of town for a while. Looking at you hurts my eyes, and I don’t like for my eyes to burn.”

Although Danny doesn’t answer, I assume from his sniffling little sob that he agrees, and we walk away. I know it’s highly likely that the little asshole will turn me in, but I don’t fucking care. I did what I did, and I don’t regret it because if you mess with mine, you mess with me.