Page 40 of Savage Devotion
Her words cut past the burn of hurt blazing a path across my soul.
She looks ready to shake me again so I nod my head and let her know she’s made her point. Loud and clear. “You’re right, you’re right.”
I turn to the nearest Savage. I can’t remember his name right off. Wait. “Wolf, right?” He’s holding an ice pack to his head. His lower lip is split in two places and the black bruise forming over his left eye, didn’t get there by accident.
“Who did this?” I seethe.
“You can guess.” Jinx pops a bubble but right when I am about to tell her to drop the fucking chewing gum routine and bad girl shit, I see the pain and the fury in her eyes as she watches my bookstore burn. It’s as if it has become a part of her and I realize something at that moment. She’s just as pissed off as I am. These people are here to protect me. I look around at the Savages and the locals all coming to help the little bookstore on the corner.
I look around for Reaper but he’s gone. And so is his bike.
I grab Jinx’s and Angel’s arms and drag them to my car. “Get in.”
Reaper
Iroar into Péril and I don’t let off the throttle until I see the whites of Grudge’s beady little fucking eyes.
Red paints my entire world and I don’t plan on stopping until I see blood spill. Fuck getting answers out of him about Euphoria. I’ll dig them up somewhere else.
There are at least ten Vultures scattered across the dirt lot in front of their shabby clubhouse. A couple of windows throw light over the uneven porch that I don’t think has ever seen better days or a coat of paint.
I spot Grudge standing on the porch, shoulder against a beam, beer in hand. The rest of the crew kick back in chairs or on their bikes.
A few spotlights light the place up like a stadium. Good. I want them to see the Reaper coming for them.
The second my bike stops I pull a gun and pop two in the man’s kneecaps to my right. And another two into the man on my left.
Screams and the scent of blood feed my need for violence.
I laser in on Grudge, one gun aimed at his head and another at his heart.
I throw a leg over the seat of my bike and take the steps two at a time until I’m face to face with my rival. “Celebrating somethin’, asshole?”
“Just a little weekend fun is all.”
He’s fighting it, but I hear the tremble in his tone. I’ve detected it in every man’s voice right before they eat my lead. He squares up with me. He has to. His men are looking on. He has no other choice but to accept the challenge I’m throwing down.
I sense movement behind me and I fire off a round, aiming at their feet.
“If anyone else wants to lose your kneecaps, step on up.”
The music inside dies and I hear men and women scrambling around behind the front door.
“Tell them to fuck off, before we see how long it takes for me to drop you and then burn your shithole of a club to the ground. Eye for an Eye is how I’m feeling right now.”
When he doesn’t move to get his men to back off, the barrel of my gun meets the skin of his forehead.
“Alright, alright. Dammit. Back the fuck off. You heard him.” He gestures to the men behind me and the ones trying to push their way out of the front door to get to me.
To help them understand faster, I pop a round off, taking out the doorbell.
The door slams and I have everyone’s attention where I need it. On what I have to say next.
“I know the fire tonight was your men’s doing.”
“You have a few weak links in your chain, Reaper. Not my fault.”
He spits a wad of chewing tobacco at my feet.
