Page 33 of Quiet Rage (Wicked Falls Elite #5)

Kellen

I tip my glass back and take another big sip of my cold beer. Alcohol doesn’t make the dreadful feeling in my gut go away, but it damn sure helps.

I’ve been at the Archer’s Den for most of the day, but it has been pretty empty until now.

It’s getting dark outside, and people are getting off work to come here and enjoy some time away from their family.

I, on the other hand, wish I wasn’t here at all.

There is only one place I want to be, and that’s wherever Tamson is.

I try not to think about her. She doesn't fit into this part of my life. At least I don’t want her to. I don’t want her to see the person I am now, the person I have to be.

“Another?” Peggy, one of the waitresses asks, pointing her manicured finger at my almost empty glass.

Nodding, I finish the last bit of beer and slide the now empty glass over the bar top. Peggy takes it and refills it from the tap.

“Thanks,” I mumble when she returns my beer to set it in front of me. Wrapping my hand around it, I let the cold seep into my skin.

More patrons come into the space, filling the bar with random conversation and carefree laughter. I do my best to drown the voices out, turning them into a low hum of background noise.

I’m just about to take another sip when a hand descends on my shoulder. My whole body stiffens. I turn my head just enough to see Dante standing next to me.

“Hey, big guy. Your dad wants you in the back,” he announces.

I give him a small nod before getting off the bar stool. Dante walks in front of me as we make our way to one of the private rooms in the back. We step inside to find Vinnie and Paul sitting on the couch. Vinnie is leaning over the coffee table snorting a line of coke off a mirror.

“There you are,” Paul shouts like he is excited to see me. The rapid tapping of his foot and the twitching of his shoulder tells me he is already high. That doesn't stop him from taking the rolled up twenty-dollar bill from Vinnie’s hand to snort another line.

I walk into the room and take a seat on the other couch.

Paul picks up the mirror and hands it to me.

I take it from him and place it on the corner of the coffee table in front of me.

Part of me wants to come up with an excuse not to get high, but another, more desperate part, wants to feel good and forget about all of my problems for a bit.

Picking up the rolled-up bill, I bring it to my nose and lean over to snort one of the lines of white powder.

Ignoring the burn in my nostril, I close my eyes and sink back into the leather cushions.

The drug takes effect almost immediately.

A warm, pleasant feeling spreads through my body.

My worries and fears float away until they are nothing more than an afterthought.

Sucking in a deep breath, I open my eyes again just as Dante takes the last line of coke. He sits down next to me. Lifting one of his feet, he props his boot up on the coffee table.

“I think we’re going to have a lot of fun tonight, boys,” Dante says, rubbing his hands together.

“What’s the job?” I ask, hoping it’s nothing too bad.

“I don’t know, but boss man promised I was going to enjoy today, and your father knows me pretty damn well,” Dante explains with a slimy smile.

As if my father heard us talking about him, the door opens, and he appears on the other side. He steps inside the room, getting straight to the point. “Are you guys ready to head out?”

“Fuck, yeah,” Dante yells first.

“Always,” Vinnie adds.

“For sure,” Paul says.

My father’s gaze falls on me expectantly. “What about you, son?”

“Of course I’m ready. I’ve been waiting all day for this.” The lie rolls off my tongue easier now that the cocaine is in my system.

My father’s lips turn up into a satisfied smile. “Perfect. We’re paying our old friend Frank a visit at his home today.”

No .

I feel like someone just sucker punched me. It takes everything in me not to physically react. Fuck. This can’t be happening.

Keeping my voice even and uninterested, I ask, “Isn't his pay date tomorrow?”

Dad gives me a threatening glare. “Don’t question me,” he snaps. “Just do what you are told.”

He doesn’t wait for me to respond. Spinning around, he walks back out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Dante’s is the first one up. “Let’s go, boys!” He says all hyped up.

Vinnie gets on his feet next. Reaching back, he pulls his gun from his waistband to check if there is a bullet in the chamber. Paul stands up, and my eyes fall on his gun poking out from underneath his jacket. Dante doesn’t have a gun, but I know he has a knife in his boot.

I might be the biggest guy in the room, but I’m outnumbered and outgunned.

My heart races in my chest and my mind is going a million miles per hour. Countless scenarios about how the next few hours are going to go run through my mind. Not a single one of them end well.

I get up and stand on unsteady legs. My body moves on autopilot as I follow the guys out of the room and down the hall to the back entrance. We exit the building and walk out into the parking lot. The sudden rush of fresh air does nothing to clear my mind.

Dante unlocks one of our SUVs with the key fob, and we all pile into the car. Vinnie drives, Dante gets into the passenger side, while me and Paul slide into the back seat.

The engine roars to life, and techno music starts blaring from the stereo. Vinnie turns up the volume even more, nodding his head to the beat. The loud sound hurts my ear drums, but I don’t say anything.

We pull out of the parking lot, and panic claws its way up my spine. I desperately try to come up with a way out of this. Anything that would keep Tamson safe tonight. The closer we get to her neighborhood, the more unsettled I become.

Shifting in my seat, I stare out of the window at the buildings passing us by, wishing that something out there would give me the answers. The solution I search for never comes, and the drive is over too soon.

Vinnie parks in front of Tamson’s house, and the realization that I’m out of time settles in. Suddenly, there is a tightness in my chest that makes it hard to breathe. I haven't felt this way in so long it takes me a moment to recognize the feeling.

Fear . I’m scared. Scared for Tamson, for her parents, and everything they’re going to have to go through tonight.

The guys get out of the car, and I force myself to move. I open the door and climb out after them with a lump in my throat. We walk around the house, through the small yard, and to the back porch. Paul lifts his foot and swiftly kicks in the worn door. The old wood gives way with a loud crack.

Everything happens so fast, and I helplessly watch it happen. Vinnie rushes into the house first, his gun drawn. Paul and Dante force their way into the house next, and I’m right behind them. Fearful screaming and angry shouting draws me to the living room.

I pause in the doorway, taking in what's happening around me like I’m an outsider looking in.

Paul has his gun pointed at Tamson’s mother’s head.

She is crying hysterically, her hands clasped together in a praying position.

Vinnie has Frank by his neck, shoving him to the ground before kicking him in his stomach.

Frank curls up into a ball, groaning in pain.

“Kellen!” Dante calls out my name and my head snaps to the direction his voice is coming from.

He is standing on the other side of the room, holding Tamson by her hair while he has his knife pressed against her neck. My blood runs cold, and I make the mistake of looking at her face. Fear has taken over her beautiful features, and her eyes are wide with panic as they land on me.

I’m almost certain my heart stops beating for a moment. For a split second, I see the hope in her stare, the hope that I will keep my promise and protect her. I tear my gaze away from her, because I can’t take seeing her realize what a failure I am.

“What’s the fucking matter with you?” Dante yells. “Don’t just stand there! Help me with this bitch.” He walks across the room, dragging Tamson with him.

Everything inside of me wants to grab Dante by his neck and squeeze until he takes his last breath.

I want to scoop Tamson up, hold her against my chest and tell her everything is going to be alright.

But I can’t. So, I do the only thing I know to do.

I turn it off. I shove all these feelings down, banning them to the darkest corner of myself.

I forget every happy memory I created with Tamson, every touch, every laugh.

I let go of everything I want to be and turn into the monster my father raised me to become.

“Put her on the kitchen table,” I order, and step back into the kitchen.

Dante drags Tamson past me and forces her to lay down on the table.

“Hold her down so I can fuck her,” Dante says, while running his blade across Tamson’s chest.

“No, I’m going first,” I state firmly. “You hold her.”

I don’t give Dante the time to object. I walk up to the table and grab Tamson’s hips, pulling her toward me. I reach for her pajama shorts, ripping them down her legs until they are bunched up around her knees. I do the same with her panties.

Keeping my eyes on her pussy, I unbutton and unzip my jeans. Reaching into my boxers, I pull my cock out and start to stroke it.

“Damn, kid, what are you feeding that thing?” Dante laughs. The sound of his voice makes me want to rearrange his teeth.

I spit in my hand and rub it over my cock, making my hand slide up and down with ease. Thanks to the cocaine having my blood pumping, it doesn't take me long to get hard. Spitting in my hand one more time, I wipe the wetness over my tip before I bring it to Tamson’s pussy.

Grinding my teeth together, I push my hips forward, forcing my cock into her unwilling body. She starts crying, her small form shaking with each sob as I shove myself inside of her until there is nowhere else to go.

I don’t give her time to adjust. Pulling out a few inches, I thrust back into her. Ignoring her pained whimper, I concentrate on how good she feels, how tight her walls are gripping me.

Tamson’s weeping is momentarily drowned out by a blood-curdling scream coming from the living room. I ignore that, too. I let all the noise around me fade away and focus on the pleasure building inside of me.

Thinking of nothing besides my impending release, I fuck her roughly. Driven by carnal need, my thrusts are hard enough to scoot the table across the linoleum floor. Closing my eyes, I chase my orgasm, driving myself into Tamson over and over again until euphoria overcomes me.

Digging my fingers into Tamson’s thighs, I hold her in place as I thrust deep inside of her one last time.

My balls draw together, and my cock throbs as I shoot ropes of come into her tight cunt.

I stay buried inside her warmth as the last ripples of pleasure work their way through me.

My mind is clouded with the rush of endorphins when I blink my eyes open and reality comes crashing down on me.

Fuck.

I peel my fingers away from her thighs, where my touch has left red marks behind on her skin. Taking a step back, I let my cock slide out of her pussy. I can’t bring myself to look at her, as I stuff my dick back into my underwear and zip my pants back up.

Dante walks around the table, reaching to undo his pants. “Switch. You hold her down for me now.”

“No,” I blurt out, my eyes immediately searching for Dante’s knife. It’s not in his hand anymore so I’m guessing he put it back in his boot.

“No?” Dante asks, like he isn’t sure he heard me right.

“We’re done here. It’s time to go,” I order.

“I haven't fucked her yet,” Dante shoots back at me.

“I don’t give a fuck. I’m ready to leave, so we’re leaving.”

Dante walks right up to me, puffing his chest as if he is trying to match the size of mine. “What’s your problem, kid?”

Instead of giving him an answer, I shove at his chest, making him stumble back and crash into the cabinets. He might be ten years older than me, and he’s known me since I was a boy, but I’m not a child anymore, and Dante is realizing that fact at this exact moment.

He stares at me in shock. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Don’t get in my face like that again,” I warn.

Dante glares at me for a few seconds. Tension builds before he decides he is not going to take the chance in fighting me. “Fine. We’ll leave, for now.” He walks past me, into the living room where he tells Paul and Vinnie that we are leaving.

I turn my back to Tamson, still unable to look at her.

I wait for the guys to come out of the other room.

Dante speed walks to the back door, anger contorting his features.

Vinnie is covered in blood, whistling like he just had the best time of his life.

Paul comes out last, rubbing his swollen and bloody knuckles.

Glad that this is over, I follow the others outside and into the night. The small relief I’m feeling for getting Dante away from Tamson is overshadowed by everything I couldn’t protect her from.

Dante is seething by the time we get into the car, but he wisely chooses to stay quiet.

We pull away from the house, and I slowly process what I’ve just done.

Guilt slams into me like a ton of bricks, making it hard to take my next breath.

The feeling is only rivaled by the immense grief settling in my chest. No one died today, but Tamson and I both lost something we are never getting back.