Page 39 of Blade

“You get used to it.” I shrug. “I don’t know how Ryan got this way. Yes, Mom coddled him, but he was way more down-to-earth than how he’s behaving now. I don’t know how to help him.”

“You have to let him make the mistakes he’s going to make, and when he’s ready, he’ll come back.”

“I can’t afford any more of his mistakes,” I blurt out.

“They are Ryan’s mistakes, and he needs to pay for them. Not you. And I don’t hate Ryan, but it wouldn’t hurt him to learn humility. The only way he’s going to do that is to let him reach rock bottom,” Willow tells me. “I know watching someone you love fall hurts, but in the long run, he’ll be better for it.”

My heart knows Willow is right.

Blade

Late into the night…

It’s been the longest day of my life after a flight to Texas and meeting with our club brothers from Feared Justice. Their prez, Tank, hooked us up with a truck so we can get around and to transport Jaws back to town. Tank is also tight with the local police and will be ensuring our exit out of Texas to get home goes smoothly. I understand why Guard wanted the three of us on this trip. It’s a long trek back. Twenty-six hours, and that’s if we don’t stop for anything but gas and drive-thru food. We’ll each take turns driving, and one will keep an eye on Jaws while the other gets some sleep. None of us wants to be away for more than a few days.

Tank tells us that Jaws has been causing havoc, but out of respect for Guard, he’s going to let us take him back instead of doing the job himself. Tank wants to be part of the takedown to make sure it goes smooth, and he’s waiting in the shadows with a couple of his crew.

“It’ll be faster if we go in and get him,” I say with annoyance.

“He sees us before we can make our move, and we’ll be chasing him again. Show some patience,” War grumbles.

“Jaws has been holed up in there for hours. Is it possible he’s snuck out the back way?” Demon asks.

“Tank has that covered.” War utters. “Christ, you two, learn some patience.” He’s exasperated, and for good reason. We’ve been holed up in this car for hours, waiting for the asshole who left Aaron for dead, and we all want to get this done.

It seems that patience has its reward when twenty minutes later, Jaws emerges from the strip club with a woman with a brash-blonde dye job and a skirt so short, you can see half her ass cheeks.

I move to step out of the car, but Demon stops me. I turn to him and bark, “What?”

“Look around you, brother. Too many witnesses,” he growls back.

The parking lot is full of cars, and it’s dark, but the place is busy. I see his point. Jaws gets on his motorcycle, with the blonde on the back of his bike, and takes off down the road. War pulls out, and, keeping a safe distance, follows. Jaws turns into a motel parking lot. He waits on the bike and has his woman go inside to grab a room. This is it.

Twenty-One

He’s Gone

Blade

We caught Jaws off guard, and it was an easy takedown. The hard part was not annihilating Jaws on the way home. He spewed so much shit about how he enjoyed watching Aaron bleed, and how good it felt when he felt Aaron’s bone crunch. It took everything I had not to let loose and whale on him. Demon held his cool, but War hit him so hard, Jaws was knocked out cold. It was a good three hours of peace before he opened his eyes again. This time, he was more subdued.

In the quiet car, I asked Demon, “How can you be so calm?”

“Jaws knows he’s going to die. He wants his death to happen before Guard gets his hands on him,” Demon answered. It makes total sense, the way he was egging us on, asking for it. It was his way of avoiding what’s to come.

We ride mainly in silence, and it’s a long fucking ride back. We’ve been gone far too long, and it’s the middle of the night when we drive through the gates and to the clubhouse. Guard is standing out front, waiting for us. He’s not alone: Owen, Ghost, Orion, and Risk are with him. Demon and I drag Jaws out of the back. Jaws stands tall, even with his hands tied behind his back. He tries to intimidate Guard.

Guard walks right over to him. Jaws is a big man, but Guard is just as large. Jaws is older, with a beer gut, and looks his age. Unshaven and scruffy looks good on some men, but not on Jaws. He just looks dirty and old.

Guard gives the man with his hands tied behind his back a once-over, then gets nose to nose with Jaws. When Guard finally speaks, he keeps it simple. “You’re going to hurt, then you’ll be gone. No one, and I mean no one, touches a Pride brother without paying the price.”

“Fuck you,” Jaws spits out, his saliva spewing from his mouth. “Untie me, you asshole, then we’ll see who pays.”

There it is, that sinister grin that Guard rarely shows, and when he does, it’s the scariest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. “I’m going to enjoy this.” His voice is eerily terrifying. Without turning his head, he lifts a hand and signals for Ghost and Orion to come closer. “Take our guest to his room. I’m sure he’ll find the accommodations completely unacceptable, but then again, I don’t care.”

Guard and Orion take Jaws away. Guard has already moved on and has turned his attention to War, Demon, and me. “He’s practically unscathed. I’m pleasantly surprised.”

“Wasn’t easy. I wanted to choke him with my bare hands,” I murmur. Guard chuckles.

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