Read August Burning (Book 2): Survival for Free Online

you?”
    Liam rose to his full height, and stretched back his shoulders like an alpha male predator preparing to fight for his turf. “It was him. He almost killed Bennett yesterday. And how many times has he grabbed you? And now this. I walked away the first time, at your request. Not this time.”
    Harley rose, her heart pounding with excitement. She could not deny it; she wanted Liam to fight for her. “Follow me.”
    They found Terrence on the roof, with five of his dirty cronies, all drinking in the dusky October sun. He grinned appreciatively when he saw Harley’s tight hugging sweater and jeans, and licked his lips. “Have a drink,” he oozed.
    “Where is the medicine?”
    The smile dropped from his flushed, grizzled face. His eyes became stony, and hostile. “What of it?”
    Harley felt Liam’s hulking form ease to her side and put a slender arm out to stop him.
    “So, you did take it.”
    Terrence flashed a toothy smile. “Of course I did. Why would I trust you with something so valuable? I don’t know you, either of you.”
    “You can’t just take whatever you like,” Harley snapped as she took a step closer, her blood warming. She could see his eyes crawling all over her, and she remembered the night his rough hands groped her against the cold lockers.
    The cronies seated at the flanks jostled humorously in their rugged outerwear.
    Terrence rose. “When’s the last time you made a food run? All I ever see you doing is watching over your prize there to make sure no one else gets a piece?” He spat, eyes alight.
    Before anyone could stop him Liam had broken free of his lover’s light touch and lowered a shoulder into the bulky fiend.
     
    …
     
    Terrence was stronger. Or maybe just more savage. Liam felt the shame burning through him. This was his thing, damnit! And this jackass was taking it to him! As he felt his neck compress into a headlock, he strained to see Harley at the edge of the little crowd, fighting to get closer. Liam strove with all his might, seeking to break the iron grip which now locked him in the bully’s embrace. Nothing. He heard the men laughing as the sweat made their limbs slippery. Terrence bellowed and flipped him over, so that Liam’s face was pressing against the rough roof. Through the tears in his eyes he saw all his friends emerging from the ladder exit. There was Jaxton, Bennett, and Elvis. Others followed. He imagined how he looked now, completely at the mercy of this stupid fucking brute. He felt the shame, unimaginable in power, coursing through him. In a vicious frenzy one of his flailing hands caught Terrence by the collar and dragged him down, freeing him. Liam snapped his elbow back and caught his foe in the lip, hammering his head back. He broke free, and rolled to his feet, panting with triumph. Terrence staggered to his feet, his usual swagger replaced by something purely sinister. In that moment, Liam was totally afraid.
    “ENOUGH!” Heavy boots thudded. Jaxton approached, his oily brown hair hanging in front of his eyes. His garb was ragged and rugged, a motley collection of hiking gear mixed with some camouflage. His pistol was jet black. Terrence’s men moved back slightly at his approach.
    “What’s wrong with you? I have to babysit you twice in two days?”
    “Thank god. The king has arrived,” Terrence cooed.
    “Someone chain this fucking dog ,” Liam ventured, his voice higher than he had wanted.
    “The young lovers seem to have a problem with my allocation of resources.”
    Harley shoved her way through the crowd. “He took almost all the heavy drugs for his crew,” she said, to the group’s amusement.
    Duke and Wilder jostled in, making sure to flank Jaxton. They looked to him expectantly, prepared to hang on every word even if they did not realize it.
    “Did you not, in your wisdom, ask me to put together a team after our little…altercation in the gym yesterday… and scavenge the houses in town for canned food?” Terrence