Ride or Die: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Rejects Paradise Book 4)

by Sheridan Anne

  Only when I can physically no longer keep going do I finally pull away, looking down at the beaten and bloodied man lying helplessly on my factory floor. “You stick to your word,” I tell him, “And I’ll stick to mine. Do it quickly, and I won’t do anything to your ‘company’ in the meantime … take your time, and you never know what might happen.”

  Leaving my threat dangling in the air, I walk across the factory until I'm standing in front of an old sink. I turn on the tap and listen to the squeal of the rusted metal pipes as they turn on for the first time in years. The water spits out a dark shade of brown and, after running for a minute, finally runs clear.

  I wash the blood off my hands and clean off my brass knuckles before slipping them back into my pocket. I dry my hands on my pants, and without looking back, I scoop up my suit jacket and head for the door, pulling out Russo’s phone that I took last night.

  I scan through his contacts until I find the one person who I know will come and take his boss off my hands. It rings three times before Snake’s voice tears through the line. “We’re ready to go boss. We’re on our way,” he says, his voice full of pride and excitement. “Those fucking Widows won’t live to see morning.”

  I stop in my tracks, looking back at Russo as horror begins to fill me. Ocean had told me the Wolves plan, and as much as I hate Nic, I can’t stand back and watch as Ocean’s brothers are slaughtered. She’ll never be able to move on from that, never forgive herself.

  I drop the phone and fucking run.

  Chapter 21

  Colton

  I slam Russo’s limp body into the passenger seat of my Veneno, cringing with the way his blood drips over my expensive leather seats. He grunts and groans with every little movement, but if he can survive my beating, he can fucking survive a short car ride.

  The passenger door hardly closes by the time my ass is hitting my seat. The engine kicks over, and I race through the fucking streets, pushing my Veneno as fast as it can go. I’ve never been to the Widows clubhouse before, but it’s not hard to figure out where it is. It's the street that nobody goes down, the one people are terrified of, the one that comes with a promise of death.

  I grab my phone and find Nic’s number, calling it over and over again, desperate to get through to him but with every call comes no answer, which in hindsight is fucking smart of him. I’m Ocean’s boyfriend, and she’s a Wolf. In any other situation, talking to me could be considered risky business, but right fucking now, it just makes him a bigger moron than I already know him to be.

  It’s a fucking godsend that I decided to deal with my business in Breakers Flats. I’m only around the corner, but who knows how long the Wolves have been driving for. They could beat me there, or I might just make it in time to save their dumbasses. I lost precious seconds going back for Russo, but he might just be what we need to give ourselves a few extra minutes.

  The call rings out for the fourth time, and I clench my hand around the phone, my anger rising higher than I ever knew it could go. I look back down at it, needing to get the message through to someone when I scroll past Kairo’s name. I hit call and glance up, just in time to catch myself from running off the fucking road.

  I swerve back into position, and within seconds, Kairo’s sharp tone is cutting through my Bluetooth speakers. “What the fuck do you want? Is Ocean okay?”

  “The Wolves are on their fucking way,” I shout through the car, “And your goddamn boss ain’t answering his fucking phone.”

  “FUCK. NIC, THEY’RE COMING. IT’S FUCKING GO TIME,” Kairo hollers before coming back to me. “How do you know?”

  “Because I just got done beating the living shit out of Russo for touching Ocean.” I speed down their street and spot their stupid warehouse from a fucking mile away, but what I can also see, there are no Wolves here. I glance in my rearview mirror, thankful we still have time. “Open the fucking roller door. I'm coming in.”

  The call goes dead, and two seconds later, the door begins slowly rolling up. Inch by inch, it sets my fucking nerves on edge. Maybe Ocean is right about having a gate that will open and close quickly. Right now, it’s the difference between life and death, and I damn sure don't want to give my fucking life for this bullshit.

  The second I can, my Veneno goes screeching into the clubhouse to where I find Nic standing front and center, armed and loaded with his Widows at his back. His jaw is clenched, and he looks more than ready to face down any fucking army. No wonder Ocean was so into this guy.

  I force my Veneno forward, not about to park it at the front of the shop to be target practice for any of these dickheads. Call it selfish and wasting precious seconds, but this thing set me back a couple of million dollars, and getting new parts isn’t going to be a walk in the park.

  Every Widow watches me, Nic in the center with Kairo, Elijah, and Sebastian right by his sides, ready to lay their lives down and protect their family at all costs. I roll out of my car and hurry around to the passenger side, grabbing Russo with both hands and hauling his ass out.

  I get no resistance from him as he’s too fucking out of it to even know where he is, but as I clear the back of my car and the Widows get a good look at the man in my arms, there’s a fucking uproar. Men come at me, wanting to get their hands on Russo for all the bullshit that he’s brought to their doorstep.

  Nic’s voice bounds through the warehouse. “LET HIM THROUGH.”

  The Widows reluctantly stop coming for me, and I pass by them, more than aware of the automatic weapon that each of them holds. As I make my way through the throng of people, I glance around. Men are hiding up in the trellises of the roof with rifles, ready to take out any threat. I can’t help but feel that they’re as ready as they’re going to be, but the Wolves have been preparing for this. I’ll bet my whole fucking estate that they’re coming with bigger toys than these guys have.

  “I need a fucking chair and cable ties,” I call out, strutting past the widows and going right to the front of the warehouse, and passing through the massive roller door.

  I pull Russo off my shoulder and dump his heavy body to the ground as Nic presses his lips together before deciding to play it smart. He nods at one of his men, and the guy goes running. “What the fuck are you doing?” Nic demands, shooting his glare back at me.

  “You want to survive this without losing your fucking men in a massacre? Then I suggest you shut the fuck up and help me tie this bastard to the chair,” I tell him, not bothering to flinch at the way the Widows begin to creep forward. They don’t like the tone I’m taking with their boss, but in the end, who really gives a fuck? I’m about to save their asses. They’re all just too fucking stupid to see it. God fucking knows Nic doesn’t deserve it, though. Not only is his bullshit with Ocean’s dad to blame for this, but he also killed my father, and for that, he still hasn’t been forgiven, nor will he ever be.

  Nic clenches his jaw, holding his ground but as his guy comes racing back with the chair and cable ties, he has no fucking choice. He’s backed into a corner, and he knows there’s no way to win this.

  The chair gets put down at my feet and I grab Russo’s limp body before slamming him into it. Nic instantly starts binding his wrists. “How the fuck is this supposed to help?” he demands, loud enough for his men to hear.

  “When the Wolves come, do you really think they’re about to open fire on their fucking boss when fifty Widows are standing behind him with guns pointing at his head?” I question, raising my brow at his blank expression. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. They’re going to have to cover themselves to get him out of there, slowing them down and giving us the advantage.”

  “Us?” he questions. “This ain’t your fight. Get the fuck out of here, rich boy.”

  I scoff and look back at Kairo, Elijah, and Sebastian. “I’m not going anywhere,” I snarl, stepping up to him. “For some fucked up reason, Ocean still loves you four dickheads despite the bullshit you’ve put her through. You’re her family, and because of that, I stand
with you.”

  “Even though she’s one of them?” he demands, nodding at Russo.

  “She’s one of them because you forced it on her after killing her father. That doesn’t mean that those other three dickheads aren’t still her brothers. If you four were to get hurt in this, she would never forgive herself, even though some of you deserve it.”

  Nic stares at me for a short moment, before realizing that he’s quickly running out of time and has to make a decision now. Whether he likes it or not, I'm staying, because that’s the kind of man Ocean deserves. I’m not about to back out of this with my tail between my legs. I will stand and fight and save the lives of Ocean’s brothers.

  Nic gives me one sharp nod, and with that, I stride past him to join the boys. Sebastian meets my gaze, and as I fall in line beside him, he tosses an army grade machine gun into my hands. “You know what to do with that?”

  I nod. “This might be my first gang war, but it ain’t my first rodeo.”

  Without another word, Sebastian turns back to the roller door as Nic steps back into the center of the line, silence falls over the warehouse.

  A minute passes, and then a second when we finally hear it; tires screeching down the road.

  Everybody flinches, their bodies going rigid with their fingers hovering over their triggers. Some of these men are going to die today, but with Russo stranded out front, at least we’ll have a chance.

  The cars creep closer and I try to listen out as they turn the last corner, trying to figure out just how many cars are coming our way, but it’s nearly impossible to figure out over the sound of their engines.

  Within a blink of an eye, cars begin flooding the front of the warehouse, speeding in and coming to a screeching stop, guns are pointed out windows, and when the first shot rings out, all hell breaks loose. Men start dropping and scattering around as the Wolves duck down behind open car doors.

  Kairo gets a bullet through his upper arm, but when it sails right through his flesh, it only pushes him harder.

  Nic has the biggest target on his head, but he doesn’t relent as bullets start getting closer and closer to Russo, the Wolves finally see what’s right in front of their faces.

  Only a few seconds have passed since their arrival, but it’s already been enough for both sides to have fatalities. I take a second to thank whoever lives above that Ocean wasn’t dragged into this. I can guarantee that she probably doesn’t even know this shit is going down and for good reason too.

  The Wolves stop firing and scramble to put together a plan, shouting curses at one another over their car doors while Nic holds up his hand, stopping his men from shooting. My chest rises and falls with rapid movements as adrenaline pulses heavily through my body. I take the brief moment to scan over myself, checking for any bullet wounds but so far, it looks as though I’ll make it to see another day.

  I look left and then right. Ocean’s four boys seem to be fine. Kairo has blood running down his arm but he doesn’t even notice. Nic has a cut on his face, and I have no fucking idea how it got there, but it doesn’t look like a bullet wound. Sebastian and Elijah seem to be completely unharmed, just wide-eyed and alert, just like me.

  Everyone holds their breath as the tension rises, and while the Wolves fight for a plan, one man lays down his gun and steps out from behind a car door. I recognize him from the hospital when Russo had come to meet with Ocean after she was jumped in, though I can’t recall his name. I do know that from the way Ocean seemed to relax with his presence, he’s one of the good ones.

  Nerves rise within me. If this man gets shot down, it’s only going to make things worse. He raises his hands, silently begging Nic not to shoot, but as he takes another step forward, Nic stops him with a step of his own. “Don’t be a fucking idiot, Christian,” Nic warns him. “You’ve seen my aim. I don’t fucking miss.”

  “Let’s make a deal,” Christian calls back. “We’ll take Russo and walk away. No one else needs to get hurt. We’ve both already lost men.”

  “Why should I make a deal?” Nic demands. “You fuckers brought this bullshit down on my doorstep. I don’t owe you a fucking deal. I should end you all right fucking now.”

  “I know,” Christian tells him. “But you know that this isn’t going to end well for either of us. Hand over Russo, and we’ll leave quietly.”

  Nic clenches his jaw before raising his chin. I silently beg him to make the right decision. This is his only way out, his only way for his men to see another day, and he knows it, but he’s fucking stubborn and obsessed with winning.

  Kairo grumbles low beside him, so low that the other Widows would never be able to hear. “Come on, man. End this. We’ll hit back at them another day, but if we don’t end this, you won’t have an army to hit back with.”

  Nic growls low in his throat, and it’s damn clear that he doesn’t appreciate his boys telling him how to handle his business, but when it comes down to it, he respects what his friends have to say.

  Sirens are heard in the distance, and I don’t doubt that they’re coming here, but no one moves an inch, not one of them scared of a badge.

  Christian remains still, unrelenting in his stare and not prepared to give up on his boss as the rest of them cower behind their cars. “What’s it going to be?” Christian asks. “End this now, and we can all avoid jail time.”

  Eli grumbles beside me. “Think about your mom,” he urges. “All of our moms. If you’re not there, she’s got no one.”

  A sharp grunt comes tearing out of Nic, telling Eli to watch his mouth, and then finally, Nic raises his gun again, making the rest of the Widows follow suit. “Slowly,” he warns Christian. “Get your boss and then get the fuck out of here.”

  Christian doesn’t waste any time moving forward, but when Snake steps out from behind a car door to help, Nic fires off a warning shot, and the coward instantly retreats.

  Christian keeps his eyes on Nic as he reaches his boss and instantly snaps the cable ties before hauling Russo over his shoulder in the same way I had. He backs toward the Wolves as the sirens get louder. The seconds tick by, and the closer Christian gets to his car, the quicker he starts to move.

  The Wolves start packing themselves into their cars, and when Russo is thrown into the backseat of someone’s shitmobile, they all start taking off, hightailing out of here and leaving me and the Widows to finally take a breath, but it’s not over yet.

  “Get out of here,” Nic grumbles beside me as the sirens hit the end of the street.

  “What?” I question.

  Nic steps into me and snatches the machine gun out of my hands. “Get the fuck out of here. You saved my boys’ asses. I won’t forget that.”

  I glance back at Sebastian, Eli, and Kairo, who all nod, silently urging me to just go and not look back. So without missing a beat, I run to my Veneno and drop down into it before flying out the back entrance of the building.

  I cut around the back of the warehouse and have to go around the block before finally coming up the side of Nic’s warehouse. I can’t help but slow the Veneno to a crawl and find seven cop cars all moving in on the Widows. Nic stands front and center just as he had during the whole shoot out with his hands up. He slowly places the machine gun down on the ground while keeping his eyes locked on the cops. His men follow suit, and with all weapons down, the cops make their move.

  Nic is slammed down on the hard concrete as the rest of the cops make an impenetrable barrier, blocking the Widows from jumping in. Nic is put in cuffs, and within seconds, his ass is hauled into the back of a cop car. Lines of officers are collecting the guns from the ground, preparing to raid the warehouse for whatever else they could find.

  Not wanting to be caught here, I hit the gas and take off down the road, wondering how the hell I’m going to explain this to my girl.

  Chapter 22

  Ocean

  Two freshmen girls come running the wrong way through the hall as everyone tries to escape through the corridor to finally put an end
to this long ass day. “Holy shit, did you see him?” one of the girls squeaks to the other, making her friend giggle and blush.

  “He was so hot and that body. I’d let a guy like that plow right through me. Who cares about saving myself for Brandon next week. I should go back out there and offer myself up like a buffet. I wonder if he’d screw me right there on the front of his car. Hell, I’d even let you watch.”

  My eyes widen as I watch the two girls run past. Are they kidding? They’re only freshmen, and they’re talking like that for everyone to hear? Have they even hit puberty yet? Have their periods? Holy shit.

  The girls and their comments instantly fall from my mind as I get closer and closer to the door and begin hearing their adoring, needy whispers.

  “Holy shit.”

  “Did you see that?”

  “What’s he doing here?”

  Dread instantly fills me. The last time some random guy was welcoming himself into the school, it was Nic, and the time before that, Sebastian. I mean, who else would get that kind of reaction from the girls of BSP?

  I start preparing myself for the worst. Sebastian won’t risk coming here again, and I highly doubt it’s Nic coming to grovel on his knees or to beg for forgiveness. It’s either Kairo or Eli and seeing as though it’s been a pretty good day, I could probably get through a whole meeting with them without losing my shit or telling them to get fucked. Hell, I guess they deserve some brownie points for waiting until school let out.

  I narrowly squeeze through the flood of desperate girls, pushing and clawing to get a glimpse of the guys they’ve heard so much about. Once outside of the gates, and I have the parking lot in view, I instantly begin scanning. Only I don’t have to wait long. The Veneno is front and center with Colton Carrington leaning up against it, his eyes on me, looking every bit of the badass that he is.