62. Everest
H er room is a fucking mess. The door is caved in, almost completely off its hinges, and everything inside has been ripped apart.
Her things are scattered everywhere, some of her furniture overturned, and the mirror on her dresser completely shattered.
The anger inside of me is unlike anything I have ever known, as I take in the disarray, and when I spot her ruined art supplies on the floor, I curse.
“When I get my hands on Jason, I’m going to fucking kill him,” I spit, as Harden moves slowly through the mess, assessing every detail.
I can feel his own fury bubbling beneath the surface, that quiet and restrained rage he has always been able to keep a handle on, but right now he looks ready to tear the world apart.
Not for himself, not for Griffin, not for me, but for her, always her.
It’s only now I truly understand the depths of this bond between us all, and how it could never just be Aurora and I, not without them.
They are my brothers, my family, the four of us against the fucking world.
And right now, we’re ready to make that world burn.
This has to be him, right? He signs, looking around, and I can feel his anger in the deliberate movements of his fingers.
I’m sure he remembers that night as well as I do, no eidetic memory needed, he and Griffin are the ones who stayed behind after all.
My only priority was getting Aurora out of there, and all it took was one look between the three of us, for them to know how it needed to be handled.
I saved our girl, and they ruined the boy who hurt her.
“Of course it’s that lowlife prick, who else would it be?” I snarl, picking up some of her furniture, looking for any clues he may have left behind.
Harden does the same, both of us rifling through her stuff but coming up empty.
It isn’t until I spot an undisturbed box at the back of her closet, that I feel like I might have found something.
However, when I glance inside I see it’s just filled with letters, the ones sent from Harden no doubt, and I put the lid back on and stuff the box under my arm.
I know Aurora will want to keep them, and I’m not leaving them in this fucking mess for anyone to find.
Just as I have that thought, Harden’s phone starts ringing and he pulls it out, answering it quickly. “Miles,” he greets Caden, listening intently, before a wicked smirk crosses his mouth, and he flicks his stare to mine. “We got him.”
“Then let’s go, we’re done here.”
The drive over to The Underground is quiet, both of us contemplating what we’re about to do, and the answer is the same no matter which way we look at it.
Whatever it takes.
When we reach the race track it’s eerily quiet, the only person there is Caden’s right hand man, Bobby, and when he spots us, he nods his head for us to follow him.
Harden drives slowly behind him, Bobby leading us all the way around to the back of the track, where there is a large outbuilding I have never frequented before.
“What is that?” I ask Harden, as he guides the car into a spot as if he knew exactly where he was going, and he only smirks.
That’s the pits.
Bobby waits for us to climb out of the car, before making his way through the doors of the building, with Harden hot on his heels.
I have no choice but to follow, and when I push inside my eyes widen in surprise.
There are multiple boxing rings spread out across the space, all of them white and red and expensive looking, but it’s the large black ring in the middle of the space, with a cage around it, where my attention lies.
It’s there that Caden Miles stands, with blood on his shirt and a cigarette hanging from his mouth, hoarding over a bruised and bleeding Jason Miles. Bobby moves until he is in the ring, holding the gate open for Harden and me to join them.
When I flick my attention over both the Miles boys with a frown, Caden only shrugs with a smirk. “I may have started without you,” he muses, inhaling deeply, as Jason slowly lifts his head and looks at us both with a frown.
I see Caden assessing my now fading bruises with interest, but I’m only here to discuss his family's politics, not mine.
Harden’s stare is already locked on Jason, before it lifts to his cousin. What about Wilder? He signs, as Caden follows the movement of his fingers.
He knows what his brother did. He responds, and Harden nods, before smashing his fist into Jason’s jaw without pause.
He hits him again and again, sending his head flying back, but Caden just keeps pushing it toward Harden, watching the violence unfold without a hint of emotion.
Jason is gasping and spluttering, but Harden is ruthless in his punishment, marring his face and breaking the skin on his knuckles until he is panting with anger.
Only when he needs to catch his breath does he slowly step aside.
“I thought we gave you your final warning that night,” I state simply, looking over him in disgust, and when he doesn’t respond, Caden grips his hair and pulls his head back, forcing Jason to meet my gaze.
“Monroe?” Jason spits in confusion, blood spilling from his lips. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he chokes out, and it only makes me angrier.
“Reminding you to stay the fuck away from Aurora,” I snarl, and his eyes flare in recognition.
“Little Gray?”
Her name hasn’t even fully left his lips before Harden is smashing his fist into him again, making him groan in pain.
“Apparently breaking your legs wasn’t enough, was it?” I question, my hands flexing around the box in my hand to stop myself from hurting him. “You just had to fucking keep coming after her.”
His swollen eyes narrow slightly, as he tries to keep up with what I’m saying. “Coming after her?” he repeats, half-dazed. “I haven’t seen her for years, except for the other week when I came here.”
Harden hits him again, erasing the lies spilling from his lips and replacing them with more blood.
“Don’t fucking play stupid with us, cunt,” Harden bites out, surprising all of us, and I don’t miss the feral smirk that crosses Caden’s mouth at his words.
“We know about the flowers, the photographs, what you did to her fucking room, so the only weapon left in your fucking arsenal right now, is the truth.”
“What? You think I’ve been fucking stalking her?” Jason coughs out a laugh that has Harden’s knuckles flexing. “Please, she was nothing but a chance at a bit of virgin pussy in high school. I never gave a fuck about her.”
The box is on the floor and my hands are around his throat before he can even take his next breath.
“Is that why you tried to rape her?” I seethe, tightening my hold on his neck until I can feel the rapid thrum of his pulse.
“Huh? Is that why you dragged her into that fucking maze and started ripping at her clothes, even though she told you no?”
I’ve never truly considered myself a violent person.
Sure, it comes with the territory during games, but that’s just part of the sport, nothing serious.
Right now, though? Right now I could squeeze the life out of him and not feel a second of remorse, and I almost do, squeezing my fingers tighter and tighter, until Harden places his hand on my shoulder. Only then do I stop.
We all watch as Jason gasps and splutters, struggling to catch his breath, as more blood spills from his mouth.
“I was off my face that night,” he chokes, inhaling deeply, before spitting more blood on the floor. “I was drunk and I thought she was into it.”
His voice holds firm at his words, sounding nothing but truthful, but Harden sneers, “Yeah, I bet it’s not the first time you’ve used that as your defense, is it?”
Jason shakes his head. “Do you really think I would have touched her again after what you guys did to me. I was in rehab for months, couldn’t fucking move or walk, you ruined my fucking future.
” He splutters the words out so firmly, and I search for any hint of deception, but I can’t find it, and I stumble back in confusion.
Harden spits something else at him, but I don’t hear.
No, my gaze is now locked on the discarded box of letters.
Letters that are now spilled out on the floor, and I bend down to pick them up.
I don’t recognize the stationery as the one Harden always favored when it came to Aurora, and I snatch up the first one I get my hand on and rip it open.
The words are scrawled across the page, my eyes scanning them so quickly that I can barely keep up, as realization flows through me.
I open another and another, each one more detailed than the last. Paragraphs of senseless fantasies that have a sickness churning inside of me, but that’s not what chills my blood with panic.
No, what does that is the fact that I know the handwriting, I would recognize it anywhere after sharing classes with him for years.
“Fuck. FUCK!” I roar, gathering up all the letters, as Harden spins around to look at me.
“What? What is it?” he asks, still panting with rage, although Jason seems to be unconscious now, as Caden and Bobby both stand to their full height.
“It’s not him.” I’m still shaking my head in disbelief, as my mind replays every interaction they have ever had, the narrative finally becoming clear in my mind. “We have to go. Now!”
I’m not sure what Harden sees on my face, but he nods, turning back to Caden. “You can finish him off.” Is all he says, before moving to my side.
The sound of Jason’s pained scream rings out behind us, as we rush toward the car.