Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 65872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 329(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 329(@200wpm)___ 263(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
“Fuck,” I hear someone hiss. They pick me up and I know I should fight them, but I find I can’t. I can’t even breathe. It’s all just too painful. I lay against a man’s chest and let my misery swallow me.
Chapter 28
King
I wince as I take in the destruction that once was Ranger. Skull apparently is a master with a meat cleaver. It might even be his weapon of choice, since he’s currently on the third one and there’s two more nearby.
He has dissected Ranger piece by piece. I believe he started with the man’s fingers, or hell, maybe his ears. It had to be small to begin with because Ranger somehow lived through it until Skull began chopping off his arm just below the elbow. There is no stopping the blood from spurting everywhere when an artery is severed. I know because I got here just in time for that show. Blood now coats the floors, and the wall Ranger was facing. I’m not a squeamish man by no means, but fucking hell, this might give me nightmares.
“When are we heading out?” I ask when the room fills with silence. I’m not sure Skull recognizes that Ranger is dead because he’s still hacking away at the guy. I feel sorry for the cleanup crew on this one.
“Soon as Skull is ready. Bull made it back about ten minutes ago. He got a go at Ranger and then went to shower,” Dragon answers.
“Skull gave up his cleaver for someone else?” Right now, I’m having trouble believing that.
“Nah, Bull grabbed a different one. He’s the one that cut off the fucker’s ear and tongue. Said if he couldn’t talk or hear before, he couldn’t have betrayed his son.”
I nod. I think I could like Bull. He clearly keeps his head in this situation. Skull has let grief take over his rational thought process. He has no idea how much he has hurt his daughter. I found her slumped down in the hall, crying her eyes out. I picked her up and carried her to her room. Ayita—one of the Saint’s Outlaws’ old ladies, came running in. I stayed until she managed to get Gabby calmer. I stood by and heard her tell Ayita how her father blames her for her brother’s death. I got so upset that I had to leave. That’s the last thing Gabby needed unloaded on her right now.
I managed to get control of my anger, knowing there was nothing I could do. I want to get this shit over with, though. I need to get back to Virginia and somehow talk Shelby into trying to work this out. I want to get back to what we had when we first began. It was good. We at least need to try and see if any of our relationship is salvageable. We owe it to one another. Shelby is a good woman. My lifestyle is just too much of a shock to her. She can adapt. If nothing else, I can limit her exposure to the club. It’s not ideal, and nothing like the relationship I imagined, but I’m okay if it means having the happiness that Shelby and I once shared can be found again. I think I fucked up when I surprised her one day and drove her to the courthouse for a marriage license and a quick wedding at the circuit judge’s office. In hindsight, I should have talked to her and let her plan out what she wanted. I just wanted her tied to me. She didn’t want kids—at least not right now—and I didn’t like that there was nothing tying us together. Maybe I subconsciously knew that Shelby was having second thoughts.
I shake my head. I’m fooling myself. Shelby began having doubts when she started realizing that my lifestyle was violent, just like Mongrel’s—her ex—was. Slowly, she began judging everything I did for the club. I couldn’t please her, no matter what I did. Sighing, I admit to myself that I may have to leave the club if I’m going to save my marriage. It would kill me, but I’ll do it for her.
I just hope it makes a difference.
“I need to check in with Ford,” I answer. “I can be ready in thirty.”
“Go ahead. I figure it will be an hour by the time we’re ready here. That is, unless Skull doesn’t clean up afterward.” I look at Skull, any skin showing on him is red. His clothes are much the same.
“Good luck,” I mumble. “I’ll meet you guys out front in the garage,” I tell Dragon. He nods as I take off.
We’re in a building just down the street from the mill. Outside looks like a service station. In reality, it is the Saint’s Outlaws clubhouse. It’s kind of small but gets the job done. I think I’ve heard them talk about how they’re taking over the old amusement park that the Feral Kings occupied. It makes a great setup for a clubhouse. I have to agree. The place could be sweet with a little TLC.