“You should expect hell if you let the devil in.” I may have been nice to her, rather I didn’t kill her, but I was a monster. Those bastards had stripped everything I was away from me; all that was left of me was the killer. I would shoot Jazmine dead and mourn over her later if it meant I would stay out of the clutches of the Giles family.
“Ink. I know you’re dangerous. I know you could kill me in the blink of an eye, but I also know that it’s because of your circumstance and not your will.” She put the gun down, “I have known more than my share of psychopaths and murderers. It’s not you. I know it.”
“It’s not Inkpop.” Angel chimed in from where she was.
“Fucking hell, the both of you.” I rolled my eyes I’d had enough of this sappy shit. “It’s a motorcycle club, not a gang. They’re looking for me because I was a patched member.”
“Why are they here to hurt you?” Jazmine asked, leaning back against the door frame.
“The other day, when I went into town, I either killed or tried to kill one of the members. I don’t know the outcome, so I don’t know if I succeeded.”
“Why? If these were the men you were in this club with, why would you try to do that?”
I shook my head looked away, "It was to get back at one of the bastards who did this to us, his brother is still in the club. If they know it was me who tried to kill him, they for sure are here to kill me." I'd be ready for them, though.
"I didn't see any weapons on them. Just the one big blonde one who wanted to get in.” Jazmine said. "Maybe they want to talk ?"
"It's too late to talk if they wanted to talk they should have come and rescued us from that hellhole."
"So, what do you guys deal with drugs, prostitution?"
"No prostitution, we do... I mean, they have a few legit strip clubs. A lot of trafficking is done, but they don't sling. They are heavily into the gun trade, but who knows, this was the norm four years ago. They could be all different now."
“I have heard of them; they are usually at all the fundraisers and community outreach projects. They seem like good folks.”
“Looks can be deceiving.”
“You think they sacrificed you? Is that why you don’t want to go to them?”
I rushed her, the anger I’d been holding onto bubbling up trying to force its way out, she didn’t flinch. “It doesn’t matter if they intentionally let me get taken or if they didn’t. What matters was I gave my life for them, I pledged on my patch, and to my brothers, it would always be the club before all else. I would protect my brother with my life, and I’d avenge any of them who fell. I made those vows, knowing in my heart, I was joining with men who meant them as deeply as I.” My face was even closer to hers now, “It was all a lie.” I groaned between my teeth. “The Wings of Diablo has allies all over the world, connections in both the underground and above, they should’ve been able to find us. The only way they couldn’t have found us was if they weren’t looking; they threw us to the dogs and forgot we existed.”
She sighed and walked past me, “You don’t understand. It was all these wars and vengeance that nearly drove me insane. I couldn’t stand always looking over my shoulder, waiting for someone to come for me. What happens when you’re successful, and you kill one of them, you think they won’t retaliate? What about me? Am I expendable? Angel? Would you sacrifice her so you can get your revenge?”
“Don’t fucking do that shit.” She was poking at a raw wound. I turned and walked away.
She ran behind me, my long legs covering twice the distance compared to her shorter ones. “No, you can’t run from this.” She grabbed my arm and turned me around. “I can’t begin to say I understand all the horrific things you both were put through, but starting a war just to show them you have the upper hand is going to backfire. It may not be on you, but it will be on someone you care about or who cares about you.” She let my arm go and put the gun she had into the small of her back. Her big shirt falling over it and concealing it from view. I walked over to the room I’d been sleeping in when I wasn’t watching over Angel. Pacing back and forth in the small space like the caged animal I once was.
She was telling me I needed to let it go. I wasn’t trying to hear that shit. At first, it was the thought of my brothers coming to get me that kept me going, but by the end, it was the chance to give every one of them what they deserved. Now I was free, and they were so close, I didn’t want to hear about how I needed to let it go. I didn’t fucking want to let it go. They betrayed me, one way, or another, they had to fucking pay for that.
The only issue, I would never sacrifice Angel for that. Fuck. There was no way for me to do this without someone hurting her. I thought about Mikki, but I didn’t know if she would be able to protect her from Prez if he was as far gone as he had been before. I’d seen him kill for less.
My brain was racing a million miles a minute, the more I thought about it, the more I couldn’t see a way out. I opened the door and walked briskly over to Jazmine; I had to
