This was the first time Max had been in Brittany’s family home. There was evidence of happier times in the framed pictures on the walls. He reached for her hand and locked it in his own. Her brother’s scarred friend was worryingly close, still gripping a crowbar. If things went south, Max knew that he couldn’t take both men on. All that mattered was keeping Brittany safe.
“Tonight there’s going to be trouble in Colridge,” Max announced stiffly. It felt wrong to betray his pack this way, to speak with Reaper members on reasonable terms. He had to keep reminding himself that he was doing it for Brittany. It was all for Brittany.
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Zack snarled.
“It’s going to be a bloodbath,” Max continued, hoping he could somehow reach Brittany’s brother and convince him not to go.
“Good,” the crowbar-wielding friend grinned excitedly.
“Not good,” Max shook his head sadly. “It’s a fight few will be walking away from. Which is why I’m not going. Instead, I’m leaving town with your sister.”
Zack’s glance flicked between the couple, darkening with unease.
“You’re what?”
“We’re leaving town,” Brittany stepped in.
“You mean you’re going on the run?” Zack clarified coldly. “Putting my sister in danger because you’re too chicken shit to fight?” the look of confusion crossed his wicked eyes.
The scarred friend laughed wickedly at this.
“I’ve begged him not to fight,” Brittany said defiantly. “And now I’m asking you the same thing. Zack, why does this pack demand loyalty to the point where it would cost you your life? Can’t you see how mad that is? Please, just cut your ties with them, and then we can all be free.”
“Sweetheart, this isn’t the kind of club where you can just opt out of membership,” the friend told her sharply.
“There’s only one way you stop being a Red Riders member,” Zack agreed. “And that is if you die.”
“Do you hear how insane you fucking sound?” Brittany raged, her pretty face pinched with anger. “If Max can be man enough to walk away, why can’t you?”
“Walk away?” Zack was staring directly at Max now, his eyes cool and impassive. “Is that what he told you? That he’s just walking away? Then why are you two kids having to flee town? It’s because you don’t just walk away from the Kings or the Red Riders. His own pack will hunt him down for desertion like the dog he is.”
“Desertion? You’re talking like this is a war!” Brittany blurted heatedly.
“It is a war!,” Zack snapped. “We’ve been at war for a long time, Brittany, and tonight it all comes to an end. One pack will be victorious, and that pack will end up ruling over the whole state.”
“Do you listen to yourself? You sound like a madman!” Brittany was starting to cry, tears shimmering as they died on her cheeks.
“Brittany,” Zack raked his hands through his hair, calming slightly. “The Red Riders, they are my family now. After Mom and Dad died, they took me in, they let us keep a roof over our heads when anyone else would have forced us into foster care. I owe them everything, can’t you see that?”
“No,” Brittany was shaking her head, refusing to believe her brother’s words. “I’m your family, Zack. It’s always been you and me against the world.”
“Doesn’t look that way now, does it?” Zack’s voice hardened as he once again locked eyes with Max. “You’ve chosen your family, and I’ve chosen mine.”
“If they stay here any longer, we’re going to be found out,” the friend stated fretfully. “We were supposed to be in Colridge a half hour ago.”
Zack groaned in frustration.
“Jameson, go load up the bikes,” he dismissed his friend.
“You sure?” Jameson lingered for a moment, staring at Max.
“Yes,” Zack nodded. “Go.”
Jameson hurried outside, the door banging loudly behind him as he left.
“Please, Zack, please don’t go tonight,” Brittany pleaded, her voice high-pitched with urgency.
“If I stay or go, either way, I’m a dead man.”
“Zack -” she moved towards him, but he ignored her to hold Max in a steady gaze.
“You should set her free,” he told him. “Walk away from her tonight. Otherwise, your problems are just going to follow her around, as they will you. You’re putting her in danger, and you know it.”
Max clenched his jaw and counted slowly to ten. He wasn’t putting Brittany in danger, was he? He thought he was finally setting them both free. He doubted the Skeleton Kings would really hunt him down. He was leaving town as a precaution. After all, his uncle might not even live to see the morning. So much was riding on the fight that night, but Max couldn’t think about all that. He had to focus on what was his and what was real, and that was Brittany.
“I’ll always keep Brittany safe,” Max swore. And he meant it. He’d sacrifice his own life to protect her if he had to.
“Then get the hell out of here,” Zack gestured towards the door.
“No,” Brittany flung herself against her brother, her small arms reaching for his shoulders. “Don’t do this, Zack. Don’t fight tonight, please. I can’t lose you.”
With one swift movement, Zack pushed her off.
“Zack, please,” she was sobbing as she folded, drooping towards the ground. Max scooped her up, pressing her against his broad chest.
“You understand, don’t you?” Zack looked up at Max. Brittany’s brother looked so drained, like a man resigned to his fate. “They gave me everything,” he continued. “They took me in, they made me one of their own.”
“Yeah,” Max replied gruffly. “I do understand. The Kings, they did the same for me. At a time when I had nothing and no one, they stepped in. Back then, they seemed like heroes, angels even. But now I’m older I see it for what it was – they took advantage of a desperate kid to mold me to their will. I’m just a pawn in their never-ending game of vengeance. They never cared about me; they just wanted me to believe they did.”
Something changed in Zack. His eyes misted and his gaze became distant. Max dared to hope that he was actually starting to get through to him.
“We can’t be held to promises we made as desperate children,” he added gently. For a moment, Zack looked like he agreed. But then the moment passed and he was once again wearing his hardened mask of indifference.
“I don’t break the promises I make,” he stated darkly. “Now get the hell out of here while I’m still inclined to remain loyal to my sister, first and foremost. The only reason you’re still breathing is because she clearly cares about you.”
“Don’t do this,” Max pleaded. “Brittany is your family, think about her.”
“I’m sorry.” Max wasn’t sure if Zack was apologizing to him or Brittany, or both of them.
The front door opened and Jameson peered inside.
“Bikes are loaded and ready to go,” he informed Zack.
“Okay, good, let’s move,” Zack nodded at him. Brittany was still sobbing, shaking against Max’ chest.
“Don’t do this, man,” Max pleaded again. “Think of your sister.”
“I am,” Zack replied tersely as he strode towards the front door. “I always have been. That’s the problem.”
Zack was now in the doorway preparing to leave.
“Since you won’t leave, then we will.”
Max opened his mouth to object, but his words were drowned out by the roar of Jameson’s motorcycle as he drove out of the driveway, shortly followed by Zack. All Max could do was watch them leave and hold Brittany up against him. Zack and Jameson were now en route to Colridge and the fight that awaited them there.
“You tried,” Max reassured the weeping woman in his arms. “You did your best, Brittany.”
Looking out at the road beyond the house Max thought of how Zack would rather risk death than defy the pack. Was Max really making a terrible decision to underestimate how vengeful the Skeleton Kings might be to him? If Alex lived to see another day he’d surely be looking for someone to blame for the deaths of any of the Reapers members, and Max’s absence at the fight would make him the perfect target. Fear gnawed at the base of his neck, urging him to move.
“We need to get the hell out of town before shit hits the fan,” Max told Brittany, unhooking her from his embrace and gently guiding her back through the front door towards his bike. They didn’t have much time.