Page 23 of Piston

My jaw clenches as I steel myself for what needs to be done. The traitor's silhouette taunts me from afar. How many brothers did he send to early graves? How many old ladies became widows 'cause of his greed?

The weight of my anger settles in my gut like a lead ball. I can almost taste the coppery tang of blood in the air. Shi#, thisis what I've been trained for. To be the club's avenging angel, dealing death to those who cross us.

But even as I line up my shot, Jenny's voice echoes in my head. "You're more than this life, Piston. You've got a good heart under all that leather and ink."

F@#$. I grit my teeth, torn between duty and desire. The future I want is so close I can almost touch it. Lazy mornings tangled in sheets, her head on my chest. Rides under open skies, just her arms wrapped around me.

I gotta survive this. For her. For us.

My grip tightens on my piece as I exhale slowly. One more scumbag to send straight to hell. Then I can hang up my cut and be the man Jenny believes I can be.

Just one more pull of the trigger.

One last drag of my cigarette, the cherry glow matching the red haze descending over my vision. The butt hisses as I crush it under my boot. It's now or never.

I prowl through the shadows, just another flicker in the dark underbelly of the city. The traitor's still oblivious, probably daydreaming about his cut from the Bratva. Greedy bastard.

Each step brings me closer, my breath slow and controlled. In, out. Just like they drilled into us in the Marines. Except this time, I'm not fighting for Uncle Sam. I'm fighting for my club. My family.

The traitor's just a few feet away now, his back turned. It'd be so easy to end it quickly, put a bullet in his skull and be done with it. But that's too good for him. He needs to feel the betrayal he dealt us.

I'm a whisper in the night as I close the distance, my knife already in my hand. The blade catches a glint of moonlight, and for a split second, I see Jenny's face reflected in the steel. Her eyes are full of hope, a promise of a future untainted by this life.

I hesitate, the knife hovering inches from the traitor's throat. Is this who I am? Is this who I want to be?

Jenny's words echo in my mind once more. "You're a good man, Piston. You've just lost your way."

Fuck. I can't do this. Not anymore.

The traitor startles as I step out of the shadows, my knife clattering to the ground. He whirls around, his eyes wide with fear and surprise.

"Piston? What the hell?"

I grab him by the collar, my face inches from his. "You've got one chance, asshole. One chance to make this right. You're gonna turn yourself in, confess to everything. And if you even think about running, I'll hunt you down myself."

He nods frantically, his bravado crumbling under my grip. "Okay, okay! I'll do it. Just... just let me go."

I shove him away, disgusted. He stumbles, his hands raised in surrender as he backs away.

I watch him disappear into the night, my heart pounding in my ears. It's over. I'm done.

I pull out my phone, my fingers trembling as I dial a number I know by heart.

"Jenny? It's me. I'm coming home."

Suddenly, all hell breaks loose. Shadows emerge from every corner, surrounding me in a heartbeat. Russians, at least half a dozen of them, armed to the teeth.

"Shit!" I curse, reaching for my gun. But they're too fast, too many. A fist slams into my jaw, sending me reeling. Another blow to my gut, and I double over, gasping for air.

I lash out, my instincts taking over. My knuckles connect with flesh and bone, earning a satisfying crunch. But it's not enough. They keep coming, an endless tide of fury and fists.

I'm grappling with a brute, his meaty hands wrapped around my throat. I drive my knee into his groin, and he howls in pain.I follow up with a headbutt, feeling his nose shatter against my forehead.

But there's no time to celebrate. Another one's on me, a flurry of blows raining down. I block what I can, but I'm taking hits. My ribs scream in protest, my vision blurring at the edges.

Through the haze of pain, Jenny's face flashes before my eyes. Her smile, her laughter, the way she looks at me like I'm the only man in the world. She's waiting for me, counting on me to make it back to her.

I can't let her down. I won't.

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