Page 66 of Joyride
Shade chuckles. “Did you really think your plan would work? Or that you would be the one to take your father’s place? You’re a special kind of stupid, aren’t you?”
Zack snarls. Shade unlocks the cell, opening the door. Ratchet comes up to me, handing me a hunting knife.
“Shade, get rid of his shirt. I wanna carve this fucker up,” I tell him. Zack’s eyes go wide. He starts flopping around like a fish as Shade gets closer to him.
Shade throws a right hook into his gut. “Stop fuckin’ moving!” He proceeds to rip Zack’s shirt down the middle then moves behind him to hold him still. I step so I’m standing directly in front of him. Taking my time, I make small slices across his chest and stomach. Some shallow, some deep. His screams are like music to my ears. So fucking satisfying. I make sure there are plenty of deep cuts so he’ll bleed out. I take a step back, admiring my work.
“He’ll bleed out within a couple hours. I’ll stick around to make sure,” Ratchet says.
“Thanks, brother. I’ll send a prospect or two to do the cleanup,” I tell him. He nods in response.
“Let me see that knife,” Shade requests. “I’m gonna finish TJ off.”
He walks out of the cell to TJ’s. I watch from outside the cell as he lifts TJ’s head by his hair and slices his throat. He drops the knife and walks up the stairs. Ratchet and I follow him. None of us speak a word until we’re back in the main part of the barn.
“Tell Wren and Sienna I say hello,” Ratchet says.
“You got it. Thanks again.” We say our goodbyes as Shade and I head out. When we get back to the clubhouse, I head straight for my room to take a shower.
41
Wren
Siennaand I had an early lunch at We Knead Pizza before coming to A Novel Bunch to check out what new books they might have. We’re reading and drinking coffee when I get a text from Sketch.
From Sketch:Hey, Little Bird. We’re done with our errands.
To Sketch:Awesome! We’re hanging out at A Novel Bunch.
“The guys are back at the clubhouse,” I tell Sienna.
“They can wait. This is a good book.”
I laugh. “Why don’t you buy it and finish it at home?”
“I plan to, but it’s getting really good. I can’t stop reading it yet.” She giggles.
An hour later, we’re back at the clubhouse.
“Thanks for today, Wren. I’ve missed this,” Sienna says.
“Me too. We’ll have to make this a weekly thing.” We walk into the clubhouse.
“Hell yes! Can we please?”
“Can you please what,” Shade asks. He’s sitting at the bar with Sketch.
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Sienna sticks her tongue out at him.
“You’re beggin’ for me to turn your ass red, huh?”
“Ugh. I don’t need to hear y’all talk like that.” I stick my fingers in my ears to block out Shade’s voice. The last thing I want to imagine is my brother and my best friend’s sex life. I walk away from them, toward Sketch, who’s laughing at me.
“You want me to say something to get back at him?” Sketch whispers in my ear.
I shake my head with a laugh. “No, it’s okay.”
“You say the word, and I’ll do it.” He smiles his megawatt smile, and I can’t help but kiss him. His hand cups the side of my neck as he deepens the kiss.
