Page 108 of Love is Strange
I feel Caim’s essence running out of me and down my inner thighs.
“We need to get you cleaned up.” Caim goes to the sink and puts a towel under the water. He brings it back to me, but I hold my hand up to stop him before he can wipe me. I place my hand between my legs and take some of his semen onto my fingers, the same ones that are covered in Snake's blood. They’re red with his crimson life-force. I smear the two together, and my eyes glaze over as I fall back into a dream-like state again.
“Please.” I know what I have to do. This isn’t over yet. I thought it would be, but I still feel him in my head. The final piece of the puzzle I need to complete.
Caim shakes his head. “I can’t. It’s not my decision.”
"No, it isn't. It's no one’s but mine." The realization slams into my chest, and I gasp out a breath. All these firsts, they’re monumental. I open my mouth to plead again, but nothing comes out. I'm like a goldfish as I open and close my mouth, trying to find the right words to say.
Caim shuts his eyes and exhales a long breath. He goes over to the wall and pulls a large sword from it. He saunters back to me with a swagger, which triggers a tune playing through my head like the hardcore rock music I used to hear Snake play. If flames suddenly appear around Caim, I won’t be surprised. He hands me the sword. It's not as heavy as it looks – I expected something weightier.
He must realize what I’m thinking.
“It’s a lady’s sword. A more modern invention since women were homemakers and not fighters when most of my swords were made. But if you tried some of the others, you wouldn’t even be able to lift them off the floor.” He goes to stand over the other side of the room to allow me to have my moment. I run my hand over the blade, leaving behind the mixture of blood and cum on it.
“You won’t do this, Layla,” Snake insists.
I take one final look at him and then back to the sword. Without further ceremony or thought, I bring it up and drive it through his stomach. I pull it out as he starts to beg for his life. A red mist descends on my dream-like state, and pulling the sword higher this time, I slice it through his neck. He gargles and then… nothing. Silence. It's over.
Chapter Five
CAIM
I thoughtPrez was going to kill me when Heat told him Snake is dead. I definitely know I’m not long for this world when he realizes the body is covered in cum as well as blood, and Layla has it running down her thighs. I’ve never seen someone look so disappointed in me, in my entire life. I’ve let everyone down, but it doesn’t feel that way. I'd given Layla the revenge she'd needed. It may have been sick and twisted fucking her in front of Snake, but she needed to prove to him she was a strong woman, and that he hadn’t broken her. I’m confined to my room until they are able to agree with Gunner what is to happen to me for messing around with his daughter. I knew they'd arrived because I'd heard Gunner's gruff voice screaming obscenities at Tank, concerning the fact Snake was already dead. I know the nature of the club means his death is all Gunner's, but in my eyes, it needed to be Layla who struck the final blow. She may be a woman, and all that macho shit, but she was his prisoner for ten years. She needed to thrust that shiny piece of metal through the fucker’s throat and feel his last breath on her face. The fact she did it after I'd given her, her first ever orgasm via penetrative sex is so much sweeter.
My bedroom door bursts open, and I’m on my feet in an instant with an angry looking president of the Chicago Riders looking at me. His fists are clenched, and I know I'm about to face punishment.
“You’re as sick as he is,” Gunner spits in my direction.
Tank’s large figure fills the room behind him.
“Everything that happened in the dungeon was consensual. It was her way of getting revenge.” I try to stand up tall in response to the threats but doubt creeps into my head. What if I did take advantage of her. I saw the darkness in her from the start, but she's been through so much. Shit, I am just like Snake. I'm still wearing only my cut and jeans after putting my t-shirt on Layla earlier. I lower my cut down my arms and hold it out to Prez. He takes it. This is how I’ll meet my end. I’d hoped it would be when I was a little bit older and maybe with a wife and kids to mourn me, but I'm guessing it's not to be.
“Your daughter’s been through enough today. Can I ask we take it outside where she doesn't have to hear anything or witness the aftermath?” I request.
Prez nods at Gunner who jerks his head for us to go. I'm stopped by Tank’s hand on my shoulder before I get to the door.
“I know you don't think you're worth much, Caim, whatever messed up shit you have going on in your head has left you believing that. I just want you to know if there were another way, I’d take it. You're one of my best men. I'm sorry.” He taps me again on the shoulder. I don't turn around, just lower my head.
“I’m sorry. What I did was stupid, but she needed it, Boss. She needed to show him that she wasn’t the victim he believed he’d made her. It might sound fucked up to everyone else, but the stuff I have going on in my head – it's made me just like her. Darkness feeds off darkness – that's our way of finding the light. I know this has to happen. I broke the rules, but at least I know she'll be ok, now.”
I don't wait to hear his answer. Gunner’s waiting impatiently downstairs for me. He leads me through the throng of people in the main clubhouse. Some whisper amongst themselves, others – Gunner's club– turn their backs in disgust. Those who know me from my club, though, stand and bow their heads. Heat stands at the end of the line – my partner in crime. He gives me the most significant nod, and then, I'm outside. My legs are carrying me to my fate, but I think my mind is back in the room with Layla. Her scent still lingers on me. I bring my fingers up to my nose – her dried essence coats them. Damn, she smells good. We’re down in the woodland by the clubhouse before I realize. The crisp leaves of an autumnal drop crackle underfoot.
“On your knees,” Gunner orders.
“I’d prefer to stand," I tell him, my voice resolute and calm even with a death sentence on me.
“Fine.” He pulls a pistol out of his back pocket and aims it directly at me.
“No, Father, no!” The shrill feminine voice floods through the woodland and bounces eerily off the trees. Layla, still wearing only a t-shirt, runs into the clearing and stops directly in front of me. “You will not shoot him. He saved me. What we did, I consented to. I needed it. He cleared my mind and body of what Snake did, and I won’t allow you to kill him. He’s a good man. The best I’ve ever known. Please. Don’t do this.”
“He defiled you.”
“No. He made me whole again,” Layla sobs.
I want to move her out of the way. I know this has to happen, but she shouldn’t be witnessing it. These are the rules I live by.
Tank, Iron, Heat, and a couple of Gunner's men have followed Layla into the clearing. Ginger arrives shortly afterward and walks straight up to her daughter. The evil look she gives me would give Medusa a run for her money, and I'm surprised I've not turned to stone.
