Page 111 of Corpse Roads
The front door closes as Enzo’s three passengers enter the house. I straighten, pushing the gun underneath a discarded newspaper that Hunter left behind.
“Theodore Young!” a familiar voice yells. “I’m going to kill you in your sleep and piss on your fucking corpse for good measure.”
Tall, wiry, and wrapped in a leather jacket, Brooklyn West strides into the room with the confidence of a trained killer. Her ash-white hair brushes her shoulders these days, choppy and wild, highlighting her pierced nose.
Pert lips turned up in a fearsome scowl, she trains her silver-grey eyes right on me. Hell, I didn’t need to hide the gun after all. She never leaves the house without one.
“Howdy, Brooke.” I wave playfully. “Can you leave my corpse piss free, please? I didn’t come home drunk. Well, this time.”
Her mouth drops. “Leighton! Son of a bitch.”
Behind her, two slabs of authority and power stomp into the room. With hair the colour of midnight, enough dark tattoos to reach his throat and several black eyebrow piercings, Hudson Knight is an unnerving sight.
He’s dressed in his usual ripped jeans and black t-shirt, showcasing more tattoos that drench his generous biceps in darkness. Every inch of him is covered. I’d cross the damn road to get away from this motherfucker.
“Baby Rodriguez,” he drawls. “Long time no see.”
Yanked from my bar stool, he traps me in a painful headlock and scrubs my hair. Fuck me, it’s like being body rolled by a crocodile.
“Can’t breathe,” I croak.
“Don’t kill the little asshole yet.” Enzo sighs from across the kitchen. “He has his uses.”
Hudson snorts as he releases me. “Yet.”
Brushing myself off, I’m hit by another tornado as Brooklyn pulls me into a suffocating hug. I swear, my ribs actually creak.
“Leigh,” she whispers in my ear. “Fuck, man. Where have you been? We’ve been calling and texting non-stop.”
“Sorry, B. Things have been hectic.”
“We live a mile away, you asshole.” She shoves me backwards and pins me with a glare. “You could’ve come over when you got out.”
“Yeah… I know.”
I brace myself to face the final pillar of intimidation. Hudson’s older brother, Kade Knight, is more beefed up and sinewy than I remember him. He doesn’t look like a geeky Clark Kent wannabe anymore.
Wearing his usual open-necked dress shirt and pressed trousers, the spotless fabric perfectly matches his slicked-back, golden-blonde hair and sharp hazel eyes.
“Leighton.” He nods tightly. “You’re looking good.”
I stifle an eye roll. “Come here, idiot.”
He chuckles and pulls me into a tight embrace. Before I went to prison, I got to know their ragtag group pretty well. They crashed into our lives without warning after Blackwood Institute was shut down.
The other guys—Eli, Phoenix, and Jude—aren’t usually far away. This dysfunctional family is joined at the hip. They moved down the road after Hunter bought this place, keeping close relationships with the whole team.
“As charming as this little reunion is,” Enzo interrupts, “we have an emergency here.”
“What’s going on?” I quickly ask. “Harlow?”
“No, she’s still safe with Hunter.” He jabs a thumb at Theo. “If this one bothered to turn on his phone, he would know what’s going on. Our missing girl turned up.”
“What?” Theo stiffens.
“The intelligence team has carried on searching,” Kade answers grimly. “They spotted a suspicious vehicle leaving the abduction area using false plates.”
“You found the bastard’s car?” I gape at them.