Page 32 of Bitten By Zombie

Mostly because Hook wasn’t fucking wrong. But he spoke out of line, and that’s what mattered.

“Gladly, prez. I’ll take my licks because I was out of line with my approach…but not the question. Regardless of how you feel, you know I’m right in asking if she knows. Hell, you’ve asked the same question with every goddamn citizen we’ve helped.”

“Okay, sit down. You’ve made your point, brother.” Squatch directed Hook back into his chair.

Zombie remained standing, staring at all his brothers. Fuck.

“You’re right, Hook. Disrespect aside, it needed to be asked.” He sat with an exhausted sigh. “Postponed until this shit is resolved, but when we meet, you swing back.”

It was the best he could do. He couldn’t recall a punishment, it had to play out, however, he could allow for defense. Zombie wasn’t looking forward to it as much as he had been. Hook had fists like fucking sledgehammers. It was going to hurt, but it was the right call.

“You do what’s right, prez. I’ll let you know when I’ve had enough. But for the record, no matter how many times you hit me, I’ll always put my commitment to this club first. Until my dying breath.”

And that’s why Hook was the best fucking SAA around, and Zombie felt like a heel.

“If we’re done measuring our dicks, since you all come up short compared to me anyway, can we move on with this party? I’ve got a plump set of lips waiting for me at Rita’s Tacos.” Santa waggled his eyebrows.

Rita’s was a food truck all the guys loved, but Santa more than most. He worked his way through every employee they had, and most of the female customers.

Wall Street cleared his throat. “At the risk of pissing people off, I think maybe Heidi does know what, just doesn’t know she knows.” He cut his eyes to Zombie, but he remained calm and gave his treasurer a nod to continue.

“She trusted her brother, one hundred percent. Fucking blindly, her own words. Which means he could’ve given her something to keep, and she doesn’t even know the value of it. Or, he could’ve hidden it at her place without her even knowing. He had his own key, and again, she never questioned his motives.”

It made so much sense Zombie’s stomach churned. The man not only used and exploited her trust in him, he could’ve…no, he couldn’t even let his mind go there. They’d swept the apartment and found the hidden camera in her bedroom. Luckily for them, Virus did his mojo the second they arrived and disrupted any feeds, including the doorbell camera Heidi installed. He also piggybacked it so if the fucker gets into her place again, they’ll know.

He knew he’d have to eventually tell Heidi her own fucking brother was watching her. Just not today.

“What about the contents of the safe?” Santa asked.

“Other than her personal documents, cash, and her grandmother’s pearls, there wasn’t much. Nothing that jumped out at us as being anything of note.” Virus scrolled through something on his computer.

“Looks like she is the leaseholder of the apartment. Up until a month ago, she was the owner of her car. A car that was reported stolen last week by none other than brother dearest. I guess he had a backup plan in place even then. Since she didn’t mention it, I am assuming she didn’t know she gifted him her car or that it was supposedly stolen. The family house is owned by the Jesus Freak Squad. Her agreement with the garage is month-to-month. No college loans, a mere four hundred dollars on a credit card, and—”

Virus and Wall Street’s phones and laptops chimed.

“Her name just popped on a police report. Filed by Stanley Müller. Missing person, Heidi Müller. Last seen three days ago. Brother Stanley became concerned when she didn’t show up at the Ezekiel’s Children’s compound as she was moving there permanently. He realized she was missing when he entered her apartment and found a suicide note. Claiming she’d…oh damn.”

“What?”

Zombie watched as Virus cut eyes to Outlaw. His vice placed a hand on his shoulder.

“The note claimed she was in love with her brother, and she knew it was a sin and couldn’t live with the shame. But also couldn’t burden them with the sin of taking her life, so she went away to do it where they’d never find proof.”

Instead of throwing the gavel at the wall and raging around the room and upending every piece of furniture like he wanted, Zombie remained seated.

Instead of releasing the anger and rage that was coursing through his veins. Zombie let it flood every cell of his body until there was nothing left but the need to end Stanley Müller in the most violent and bloody ways he could think of.

He slowly scanned the room. Locking eyes with every single man there as he went.

“He dies. No jail. No redemption. No mercy.” His voice was cool and collected. Calm in that way that relayed chaos.

“Hear. Hear.”

“Let’s figure it out. Now. The sooner he meets the god he loves so much, the better.”

Zombie listened while his brothers threw out ideas to take out Stan. Where, when, how.

None of those plans seemed to stick. For one, he was living at the compound now. There was no way they were riding in there and killing the prophet. Hell, the only reason they got in last time was because someone let them in a secret tunnel. And that person paid the ultimate price for it too.

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