𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑, jj maybank¹

𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗒

𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 / 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗒
❛ stay off the cut. ❜

THE THREE POGUES arrived at the warehouse where the Phantom was resided. The more time that past, the sadder Stella got. She knew she was moments closer to saying goodbye to her brother, and she just didn't know if she was ready for that.

JJ pushes the garage door open. "There she be. Hey, girl. A 1983 Forumla 402 SR1." He pulled the sheet off the boat and pat the metal. "The Phantom."

JJ looks at the girls and they nod. "The first boat to make the run to Bermuda in under sixteen hours, guys. Forty years old! Forty. And still the fastest thing that Kildare's ever seen."

"Hm." Stella hums. "Never thought I'd be jealous of a boat."

Kie looks at her. "Really? It's kind of a junker."

JJ glares at her. "Really? She's right there, Kie. She can hear you. Let's just put it this way. You would not be smokin' weed right now if she never existed, okay?"

"I just hope it runs."

"Oh, no, she'll run all right. She's faster than any cutters the boys in blue got." JJ started to unattach the boat from its hitch when they hear a motorcycle approach.

"Pope. Finally." Kiara hops over the hitch, rounding the corner when Rafe and Barry come strolling in.

"Hey, there. What's goin' on?" Stella stiffens at the familiar deep voice. "JJ. Stella. How you guys doin'?"

"Whoo-hoo." Barry steps around the corner, patting the top of Kiara's SUV while Rafe jumps on the boat with a whistle. "Well, well." He cocks a gun a points it at JJ while he raises his hands. Stella stumbles back slightly. "See, don't think I forgot about me and you on the side of the road."

He looks over at Stella, a smirk growing on his face when he moves the gun to her. "Hands up, princess."

"Don't fucking look at her."

Barry smirks. "You mean this pretty girl?"

JJ's jaw clenches as he watches Barry move closer to Stella, pressing the gun on the center of her forehead. Tears fall from Stella's eyes while she squeezes them shut. She'd never really thought about when she'd die, but in that moment she thought she was a gonner.

"I'm here because I want my motherfuckin' money." Barry moves to JJ and takes a fistful of his hair, pointing the gun at him before he fell to the ground.

Stella is quick to move toward him. "Stop it! Get the hell off him!"

She grabs the fabric of Barry's tank top and yanks him off her boyfriend when Barry stumbles back, a smirk on his face while Stella moves to help JJ. "Bad idea, baby."

His arms twist around Stella and yank her up before throwing her into Rafe's arms. Rafe smirks down at Stella before throwing her to Kiara. "Where's John B?" he asks the two.

"I don't know!" Kiara reaches up and smacks him.

"I really wish you didn't do that."

"I know what you did."

"What? What did I do?"

"You murdered Peterkin."

"Don't say those fucking words again." Rafe's hand curl around Kiara's throat and Stella moves to grab his arm. She claws and scrapes at him, attempting to alleviate the pressure on Kiara's throat, but he shoves her weightless body off him.

She falls to the ground before looking over and seeing JJ get beaten and bruised by Barry. She scrambles to her feet and runs over, jumping on Barry's back, shouting and tugging at him. "Fucking leave him alone!"

Barry flails for a moment before Stella is hitting the concrete. "Stella—" JJ's scream is interrupted with a punch to the jaw.

Stella's back thuds on the concrete and the oxygen leaves her lungs. She lays there, breathless for a moment as she struggles to breathe in. Barry shoves JJ to the ground beside Stella. "Stay down, boy!"

A beat later, Pope rushes in and whacks Rafe in the back of the knees with a metal pipe. "Don't touch her!"

Rafe stands up and the two boys go at it when Barry moves his attention to Rafe. "Hey!" He walks over when JJ grabs his foot, falling to the ground and dropping the gun.

"Kie! Kick it!" JJ yelled. Kie kicked the gun under the boat and far out of reach while Stella strungles to her feet, holding her chest. JJ grabs Barry by the collar and shoves him into the boat, repeatedly punching him in the gut.

"I told you to stay." Punch.

"The." Punch.

"Hell." Punch.

"Away from her." The next one lands on the bridge of his nose before shoving him to the ground.

Stella grabs Kiara's arm, moving her out of the crossfires while Pope and Rafe swing their fists at each other. Pope lands a few then starts beating him. "Pope."

"Pope, come on, man. Stop it! He's good!" Stella shouts, her and Kiara holding onto each other in fear.

"Pope! Pope, that's good! Stop!"

JJ looks over his shoulder to see Pope continuing to cave Rafe's face in. "He's had enough, dude."

Pope doesn't stop. His vision goes red when he grabs a rubber tube, wrapping it around Rafe's neck while he splutters and coughs. "Pope, stop! Please!"

JJ moves to him, snapping his fingers in front of his friend's face. "Snap out of it, man. Stop, dude!"

"Pope! Pope, that's too much!" Kiara shouts, seeing Rafe begin to struggle.

"Dude, come on! Stop! Stop, dude!" JJ tries to pull Pope away.

"Pope, let go! Get off of him!"

"Pope, stop it!" Blood pours from Rafe's mouth while he chokes, but Pope doesn't loosen his grip. He yells and pulls tighter, fearing Stella that he might actually kill him. "Look at me!" Pope's eyes meet Kiara's and his body lossens and his hands drop.

Pope's body falls into JJ's as he begins the hyperventilate. The four of them look down at a coughing Rafe with wide eyes. "Shit."

"Oh, my God."

"Okay, we gotta go. We gotta go."

Stella nods, her and Kiara letting go of each other. "Yeah, no. Guys, we have to get the hell out of here. Now."

Kiara walks toward her car and JJ stumbles toward Stella, his eyes watching Pope before his hand laces through hers and they climb in the vehicle.

"Stay off the cut." Pope spits at Rafe, getting in the final word.

KAY SPEAKS !
two chapters left!