Page 175 of Trapped With You

We walked through the lot, taking inventory of the dirty ground from years’ worth of pollution, rusty rides, and a broken-windowed concession stand until we finally arrived at the back of the outbuilding that once served as the public restrooms.

Wearing all black attire, Nico, Nate, and Sam were there, making graffiti on the brick wall before spotting us. “Lovebirds, you finally made it!”

I smiled good-naturedly at their teasing. Boisterous greetings echoed in our circle as they did that thing boys did whenever they saw each other—half handshake, half back claps.

Nico came to hug me first, brown eyes warm and dark inky curls whipping in the wind. “Hey, Ella. Good to see you again.”

“You too, Nico.” I hugged him back. “I hope you’ve been well.I’m sorry I haven’t been to any of your races lately—”

“Hey, what about me?” said another familiar voice.

I glanced over my shoulder at Samuel, relieved to see his mischievous smile and green eyes without an ounce of contempt. Unfortunately, I cut ties with these guys, who were also my friends, after my breakup with Cade. I appreciated them acting like their usual welcoming selves, proving that the past was water under the bridge.

“You haven’t been to any of my fights either,” Samuel rasped, crossing his arms over his barrel chest. “I’m butthurt.”

I grinned at his playfulness and ruffled his dirty-blond hair. “I’ll make it up to you guys. I swear.”

“Deal. Now that you’re back with Cade—thank fuck, by the way, we were getting tired of his moping ass—will we be seeing you at the gym again?”

I learned how to fight courtesy of Cade and these boys. I missed the gym and wanted to start bringing my girls for self-defence lessons as well. “Yes.” I gave him a hug too. “I’ll be there next week.”

“All right, time to talk business,” Cade announced and we gathered in a circle. “Gavino is arriving within the hour.”

Unlike the other boys, Nate didn’t say anything except for throwing a brotherly arm around my shoulders in a silent greeting…and an olive branch. Considering our last exchange ended with me yelling at him for interrupting a situation I had under control. Whenever I ran into Nate after that moment, the mood between us was hostile. I regretted it. So I squeezed his hand back and we smiled, calling it a truce.

I felt much more at ease now that I knew I was back on good terms with all of them. I didn’t realize how depressing it was to have my entire support system reduced to Callie after that summer night. Especially when I used to have so many people in my life who loved and championed me.

Another burden slowly lifted off my shoulders.

Everyone listened carefully as Cade provided updates on the whole Callie/Gavino debacle. “Callie’s out of the city and Gavino’s coming to meet ‘her’—AKA us—soon. The property has three entrances, therefore we’ll split up to stay on the lookout. Ella, you’ll be with me, while the boys cover the rest. The minute Gavino crosses into the lot, we’re all over him. Beat him. Taser him. Shoot his leg if necessary. But donotkill him. That’s my job.”

Of course it was. Nobody but Cade was allowed to deliver the killing blow.

After a few more instructions, it was go-time.

Ski masks slipped into place, Cade towed us towards the entrance closest to the carousel.

“How do you feel?” I asked him as our strides ate up the distance.

I heard Cade’s smile in his voice. “Thrilled at the prospect of ending that motherfucker’s life.”

Cade

Exactly an hour later, a gunshot rang in the air, followed by Gavino’s pathetic shriek. The boys’ footsteps echoed in the lot as they brought him to us.

Baseball bat resting on her shoulders, Ella sauntered next to me, face covered in her ski mask and booted heels clicking loudly on the pavement. I cocked my gun as we met them.

They threw Gavino’s trembling body at our feet. Blood poured out of a bullet wound in his shin. “P-Please, stop!” hewailed. “Who are you people?”

Ella lowered to her haunches in front of him and used the end of the baseball bat to tip his chin up. “We’re your worst nightmare, Gav.”

“W-What do you want?”

I shared a secret smile with Ella. Gavino grew more distressed, blue eyes teary, blond hair mussed. “Where’s Callie? What have you done to her?”

“Your manipulative fuck buddy is far out of reach,” Ella drawled. “She left the city and you at our mercy.”

Callie hadn’t, but nothing wrong in painting her as the bad guy after everything she did. He’d die thinking she betrayed him.