Kruger’s barely broken a sweat, but Jamie is lying on the floor with blood coating every square inch of his body. As if Gunner and he are in a tag team wrestling match, Kruger and Gunner’s hands connect in a high-five and Gunner steps in and takes Kruger’s place.
The match isn’t even, Gunner’s physique puts Jamie’s puny one to shame. Even though Jamie has been bested by Kruger, he gives a wide, blood-soaked smile up at Gunner. “Give it your best shot, Gunner. Because even in death I’m a threat to you and those you hold near and dear. My disciples will finish my tasks for me, even if I’m dead and buried.”
“Do you not believe that we’re aware of that? I will wipe every one of those motherfuckers from this planet before I’ll allow a single hair to be misplaced on my old lady or daughter’s head. Your entire tribe is being erased from existence as we speak, Jamie. My dad, his organization, and their close allies are there right now. They have one mission alone, care to take a gander on what that is?” This time, it’s Gunner who has the upper hand in their verbal sparring match.
“You motherfucking piece of shit!” Jamie roars out as he finds strength to once again get up on his two feet. He sways a bit, but it doesn’t deter him from trying to take Gunner down.
Gunner lets him get a few blows in before he goes to town on Jamie’s already sore, and tired body. Gunner is fueled with revenge, and uses it to keep his stamina flowing through him as he delivers hit after hit to Jamie. With one final blow to Jamie’s temple, he passes out and falls flat to the ground. It’s a knockout, but we don’t have time nor the space to take him back with us and continue on with the torture. Gunner brings his knife out of the sheath that was on his belt and slices Jamie’s throat from one end to the other.
“Let’s see him come back from that,” I boldly announce, much to my brothers’ amusement as they chuckle at my words.
“As long as there’s not another look alike lurking around the corner, I think we’re good,” Gunner says as he pulls a handkerchief from his back pocket and wipes the blood off of his face, hands and arms. There’s nothing that can be done about his clothes for now, they’ll be burned as soon as we make it back home.
We all walk out with a new lease on life.
Star
I’ve been comforting and cleaning Luscious up the best I can with the small towel I found shoved in the back seat. I had a bottle of water with me, so I’ve been using it to wet the towel and clean her up, it’s not working any miracles, but she seems to be comforted and content by my attempts.
Tyson hasn’t moved his eyes from her since she entered the vehicle and Sandy has been standing guard at the door he opened for her.
She’s so damn strong, I know she’s going to be okay and make it out on the other side of her life’s tragic events. Every time I’ve asked her if she’s alright, she says the same thing in response, “They may try, but they’ll never break me.”
Tyson and I have both been commending her on her bravery. She has nowhere to go, she can’t go home only to be taken again by Jeremiah. Because he’s compulsive when it comes to people and things he believes he owns outright.
Tyson has offered up his protection for her, which she gratefully accepted. Especially once she discovered that I’ll be there with her. He’s made her feel comfortable and has sworn and vowed to protect her with his life. These men are something else. They are an enigma that I’m not sure I’ll ever figure out.
It doesn’t take much more than a singular look at someone for them to decide that a particular person belongs to them. It’s gonna take Amara, which I’ve learned upon asking is Luscious’ given name, to get on the same page as he is.
With what she’s been through tonight alone, she has months of mental and emotional healing to do before she can even contemplate a relationship of any shape or form.
Several figures capture my attention as they walk out of the front door. Even in the night’s darkness, I can see blood on Kruger and Gunner. But every one of them are sporting a relaxed look which causes my body’s tension to ease.
Does this mean one of the men our nightmares are made of is no longer a threat?
My gut screams ‘yes’ but I need to hear the words come from Shamus’ mouth.
It’s a good thing this place isn’t in a subdivision or housing development, because the last two men who walk out from the house, do so while they steadily pour gasoline out of a can from the inside out. That trickle of gas that follows them toward the awaiting vehicles has me turning all around in my seat to make sure that there are no witnesses to what they’re doing.
“Ballsy,” I mutter out loud in astonishment.
“It’s called cleaning up the evidence,” Tyson answers my unasked question. “They’ll find a body, but no evidence of who set the place on fire nor who took his life.”
“Hopefully,” I shakily respond. I knew that Jamie was not going to come out of this still breathing, but the reality has started to sink in about what could happen to these men who make it their life’s ambition to protect those they call family.
“We take no
