All The Wild Ones | Wildfire Series

The Killers

GRAYSON

The blood pumping in my ears was like a backtrack for Nessa's words. They kept playing on a loop.

When I wouldn't tell him anything, he grabbed me by the throat hard enough that I—

Part of me wanted to know how that sentence ended, and the other part dreaded ever finding out. I already had plenty of fuel for the fire under my feet today. I didn't need more.

Hate. A sickly burning spread through every inch of me, and I knew it was hatred. Of what Reid had done to these girls, the damage he'd caused them. And then there was the selfish part of me that hated him for how he'd damaged my chances with Nessa Elez.

Hell, all I wanted was to be a guy who Nessa could be around without throwing up her walls.

Cranking the volume on my music, I let my AirPods drown out everything else—my overworked heart, my murderous thoughts, everything. And then I kicked the treadmill up a notch. And sprinted.

Jealousy,
turning saints into the sea.
Swimming through sick lullabies,
choking on your alibis.

I was so in the zone that I nearly jolted right off the track when Julian popped in front of me, waving his arms like a madman.

I ripped my AirPods out.

"What the hell?" My heavy breathing kept me from saying anything else. But it didn't keep me from continuing to get after it on the treadmill while I glared at Julian.

"Gray, take a rest!" he shouted over the loud whirring of the machine.

All he got in response was a scowl.

He looked me up and down, surveying the sweat decorating my shirt, sprinkling my forehead. Okay, soaking my forehead.

"Everett!"

"Fuck off, man," I grunted before increasing the speed in defiance.

Julian's lips flattened into a tight line, one that I'd seen countless times before on the football field, and he reached over the top of the treadmill, slapping the red stop button.

Ass.

I didn't bother arguing with him, though, stepping down as the belt began to slow and high-tailing it to the bench press instead. But Julian was a quick fucker, and he slipped in front of me. A shove to my shoulder sent me reeling back a step, and I crossed my arms over my chest to keep from doing something I'd regret.

Julian's eyes were direct and hard as he stared me down. "Are you trying to kill yourself?"

Just trying not to kill someone else.

"Dude, I'm not going to die from a little run."

"I saw you get on that treadmill before I went to talk to Coach downstairs. It's been almost an hour since then, Gray, and that was not a jogging pace. You look like you're about to pass out. Little run, my ass."

Staring back at him, I saw the flare of determination that Julian was known for. He wasn't about to back down. But I wasn't in the mood for being told I wasn't capable of taking a goddamn run.

Lifting my shirt to wipe the sweat off my brow, I scoffed a little. "I would have thought my captain would be happy to see me in the gym during the off-season."

Julian wasn't amused. "Your captain wants to make sure you're around for the next season."

I bit my tongue, glaring back at him while I let the hammering in my chest settle.