Page 109 of Petty's Crime

Right now I don’t care. I just want him dead. Then I can go to my woman.

Thorne’s choking and coughing, but he’s laughing as well. Twister turns his attention from me to the man in the chair. “What the fuck have you got to laugh about?”

In between chortles, Thorne spits out the words, “I got my revenge. That bastard who left me is dead.”

Not yet, or so I hope, but it’s touch and go, and no thanks to him. This time it’s Red who holds me back.

Thorne’s insane eyes settle on me. “And you can’t kill me.” He looks sly as he adds, “I’m RoseLyn’s twin. She’d never forgive you.”

“You might be her blood but you’re nothing to her.” I hate to think anything of his is running through her veins. She’s an example of how nurture can win out over nature. RoseLyn hasn’t a bad bone in her body, and certainly not his black heart.

A rattling alerts me that Twister is wheeling out his tray of implements that had been tactfully hidden from Rufus.

Red steps forward. “We’ve got things to do and places to be. Let’s move this along. Thorne, you’re a rabid animal and deserve to be put down.”

Thorne rears back, well as far as he can being so tightly restrained. “You can’t!” he screams.

Oh, I think that he’ll soon find we can.

“Give me one good reason to spare you.” Red raises an eyebrow.

“I’m owed,” Thorne yells. “I’m fuckin’ owed. RoseLyn had my life, my parents. This is my fuckin’ time.”

“When the cards fall, it’s up to you to make the most of it,” Red says evenly. “There were a million different ways to handle this situation. Once you knew you were related to RoseLyn, you could have contacted her, introduced yourself, and maybe even had a relationship with her. Instead, you tried to take everything she’s got.” He shakes his head. “Your actions weren’t those of a sane man, Thorne.” He half turns, addressing himself to Twister. “Get it done.”

The enforcer’s eyes move between Prez, me and finally land on our captive. He raises his chin as he announces, “Seems we should take a page out of his own book. Thorne was going to deliver RoseLyn to her family in pieces. I say we deliver him to Satan the same way.”

And there’s the point it’s easier to dispose of a body when it’s in many parts. I have no problem at all with Twister’s plan.

Neither does Red who replies, “Let’s start with his hands.”

Hammer and Cobra loosen his bindings but keep him firmly secured as Twister places a short plank of wood beneath his arm.

“No. You can’t do this. You can’t touch me,” Thorne shouts, spittle running from his mouth and tears from his eyes as he starts to realise he’s lost. “You can’t fuckin’ do this.”

“I don’t think I’ll bother with fingers, takes too much time,” Twister drawls, ignoring the condemned man. “After all, you’ve got places to be, Petty.” Before Thorne can process what Twister’s about to do, a small axe appears and his hand is severed from his wrist.

An animal scream rises into the air as well as the smell of shit. But before Thorne stops screaming, his other hand joins the first on the ground.

Blood spurts out, a veritable fountain from the severed arteries, staining the plastic sheeting that’s already been laid down.

Knowing I’ve not got long if I want to add to his pain, and that I certainly do from the torture he put RoseLyn through, I push away from the bench I’d been leaning against, feeling the painkillers kicking in and doing their work, giving me the strength to break his nose with my fist.

Twister steps back and lets me have at him. I let loose on his ribs, and for good measure, sink my fist into his dick.

His screams start to weaken as his lifeblood drains out of him.

When he slumps over and his chest barely moves, I step back, allowing satisfaction to seep through me that both RoseLyn’s stalkers have now gone. She’s safe. She can go back to normality, well, her new one with me by her side.

“He didn’t deserve a quick death,” Red murmurs from beside me. “But you’ve got places to be, Brother. Now you can assure RoseLyn that she doesn’t need our professional services anymore.” He catches my eye and winks. “You’re free to provide all of your personal ones.”

“Except for Britney.” My brow creases. “Where is she, anyway?”

“Rope and Cuff are keeping her entertained in one of the bedrooms upstairs.” He pinches the brow of his nose. “Up to you to decide what you want to do with her. If you want her to go the same way as Thorne, the decision is yours. You deserve some payback, Brother.” His hand indicates the state of my body.

My gut roils. I want her out of my life forever, but despite what she’s done to me, the lessons ingrained so long ago are keeping me back from seeing her hurt.

There’s only one way I can go. “When the papers are filed, I’ll be free of her.” Unless she’s pregnant. But I’ll deal with that when, if, it happens.

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