He strains his body to stay in place. “Why didn't you answer your goddamn phone?”

With a shrug I reply, “Because I didn't feel like fucking talking.”

Shaking his head disapprovingly he starts, “Merrick-”

“Save it, Madden,” I cut him off. “My best fucking friend in the world died two days ago. My fucking fiance hates me. I can't take a fucking lecture right now and with all the bullshit life keeps dumping on me, I don't deserve one.”

Drew questions from beside Destin on the couch, “Did you say fiance?”

I nod.

She still is. She was just angry. Confused. We're still getting married. On Thursday. What? We are. Don't...don't argue with me about it. We are! I know she wasn't wearing her fucking ring at all. I know! Don't fucking remind me!

Madden's jaw ticks, but he doesn't reply. Instead he grabs me by the back of the neck and pushes me forward towards the living room. Without a word, Destin types on his keyboard revealing an image that makes me thankful his hand is where it is. My knees buckle as I try collapse in place, which is when he grips me tighter and coldly states, “Lecture time.”

Jovi's body looks lifeless. As still and stiff as I imagine Ben's did.

What the fuck have I done?

Merrick

On a soft cry her name comes out, “Jovi...”

“The Devil wants a word with you,” Madden announces, his grasp tightening to the point I'm not sure if it's to help me stay on my feet or punish me.

If I make it out of this alive, I might just take myself out of the equation now known as life. I can't do anything fucking right. And every time I fuck up someone dies. Is she dead? You saw her body. You really think she's still alive? You're right. She is...She has to be.

“Focus,” Madden mumbles under his breath as The Devil enters the shot, sitting on the bed beside her.

As soon as he smugly smirks I snap, “If she's dead, I swear to God you're fucking next.”

He chuckles and shakes head. “I think you're the last person in a position to threaten someone.”

Don't agree with him! It's not fucking helping!

“Now that I have your fucking attention...wait...do I have your attention now, Ghost?”

In a low grumble I confess, “Yes.”

“Good. Let me start by saying I didn't want to have to do it this way,” The Devil teases. “But since I did I would like to add, I don't fucking appreciate being ignored.”

“I had...family issues.”

“I don't fucking care.” My face tightens. “I don't care if you lost both your goddamn arms and a leg! What I care about is my fucking package.” Not responding forces him to raise his voice. “Where is my fucking package McCoy?”

Calmly I state, “Police impound.”

Madden's thumb digs in deeper.

So that one was to hurt me for sure.

“But you knew that,” I sigh. “That's why you have Jovi.”

“That's the only reason I have the fucking Police Commissioner's daughter,” he corrects. “I thought about taking you-”

I lunge forward. “Trade me!”

Madden yanks me harshly backwards grumbling, “No fucking way.”

The Devil smirks. “See how this is more fun for me?”

Evil fucking bastard.

“Here's the deal Ghost. I want my package delivered. All pieces of it. You have 'til Sunday. I want my package no later than 2 P.M. No bullshit time extensions. If you are a minute later you won't like what I do next.” Before I can say anything he adds, “And no cops. Don't forget every one of those bastards you would call in for a favor works for me. You fucked up. You fix it. It's not their job to clean up all of your fucking messes.”

They do clean up quite a few for us and The Devil.

“No later than 2 McCoy. She's a little too young to die, don't you think?”

“You're not gonna kill her,” Drew argues immediately regretting it.

“Nope,” he smiles so slickly, vomit in my stomach surges upward. “Merrick is.”

My eyes widen. “No the fuck I'm not.” The Devil strokes the side of Jovi's face and I growl, “Don't you fucking touch her.”

Proud he's ruffled me up as much as he has he says, “Killing the Commissioner's daughter is not on my to-do list and if it needs to be done, I'm not stupid enough to leave a trail back to me. I am smart enough to leave one that they'll trace back to you Mr. Merrick McCoy. I suggest you don't fuck me over on this one. Oh! Might wanna act quickly. Cops hunt for their own twice as hard as they do anyone else and there may be clues to hint them your direction.”

Without giving me the opportunity to say anything else the screen goes black. The new sight frees the gate for me heave the contents of my stomach all over the side of the couch closest to Daniel.

“Damn it!” he shouts shooting up. “Aim!”

Coughing up the remains of the emotions I swallowed, I start to choke on it.

Seems like a fitting death sentence. Don't you fucking save me. Don't encourage anyone else to either.

Madden pounds me on the back releasing the last of the vomit onto the couch. Once it's free, I cough and cough as I turn around to slide my back against the backside of the couch. Tears start pouring out of me uncontrollably. The combination of the two actions seems to be ripping me apart as the misery tries to murder me.

For a few minutes no one moves. No one asks any questions. No one scolds me. No one even tries. For just a moment I'm allowed to feel like the piece of shit I've become.

And I have. I am nothing to be proud of. Not even fucking sure if I ever was.

Suddenly I feel a coolness on my forehead, which lifts my eyes to Knoxie who's squatting in front of me. “I'll clean up the other mess too, but you owe me new sweats.”

“If I make it out of this alive, I'll buy you anything you want.”

“When.” Madden squats down beside her. “I am not losing another fucking family member. Not to The Devil and damn sure not to the cops.”

Surprised at his calmness I try to apologize, “I'm sorry-”

“Fuck that,” he bites. “Start fucking talking. And start at the fucking beginning.”

Suddenly Triple D appears behind him, all three with their arms folded across their chest.

There's a certain fear meets security when Triple D unites with Madden like this. Most of the time, Drew has his side, Destin gets mine and Daniel lands wherever he does, but right now, division doesn't even look like a word in their vocab.

Clearing my throat, I gently nudge Knox's hand away. “When I met Jovi, something happened to me. I don't know exactly how else to explain it other than love at first sight.” My jaw trembles to smile. “And she's all I've been able to see since. Not cars. Not the job. Not working for The Devil. Hell, I should've taken Ben's explosion at me as a wake-up call, but I didn't. The only thing I was concerned about was Jovi.”

“We know all this,” Drew states. “We were there.”

“Yeah, but...” My voice fades as I look back down at my shoes. “There's something about Jovi. Being with her. Being around her. It doesn't just make me wanna be a different guy. It makes me wanna change my whole fucking life. I don't wanna be a street racer any more. I don't wanna work at the shop. I wanna go away with her to school. I wanna start college. I wanna live with her. Have a future with her. I wanna leave this Devil bullshit behind, so...so I asked Jovi to marry me.”

Madden grinds his teeth before turning to Knox. “That's what you went to the mall for that day.”

Knox hesitates before he answers, “Yeah but-”

“You knew my baby brother was about to run away and didn't fucking think to tell me.”

“I-”

“How could you fucking do that to me, Knox?”

“To you?” She shrieks standing up. “All the bullshit you put me through and you have the balls to ask me why I didn't tell you your youngest brother isn't a complete moron like you?”