by Wilder, L.
Instead of answering, I slammed my fist into his gut, knocking the wind from his lungs, then stood there glaring at him as he tried to catch his breath. When he finally recovered, he spat, “You don’t know who you’re messing with, motherfucker. You and your boys have fucked-up big time. Fuck. You’re as good as fucking dead.”
“You’re in no position to be making threats.” I walked over to the counter and picked up my ball-peen hammer. As I carried it back over to Abernathy, I told him, “I’ve got some questions for you. Answer them, and I’ll consider taking it easy on you. Don’t answer, and there’ll be hell to pay.”
“I ain’t answering shit.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.” I tightened my grip on the hammer, then slammed it into his shin. A sense of satisfaction washed over me as his pain-filled screams echoed through the room. Panicked, he tugged at his restraints, trying with all his might to break free, but it was no use. He wasn’t going anywhere any time soon. I hit him again in the knee as I asked, “You ready to start talking?”
“Fuck you!” he screamed. “Piece of shit, motherfucker! You think you something ’cause you got that fucking hammer, but we both know you ain’t fucking shit! Just a fucking lapdog for a bunch of no-brained pussies on goddamn trikes!”
“That right?” I was used to trash-talk. Hell, I’d heard plenty of it over the years, but there was something about this guy that got under my skin. Maybe it was his tough-guy attitude or the reference to my brothers, but I had a feeling it was something else altogether. “Well, this fucking pussy is about to become your worst fucking nightmare.”
“You think you scare me?” he scoffed. “I’ve dealt with crackers like you my whole life. I can take anything you dish out.”
“We’ll see about that.”
I dropped the hammer, then walked back to the counter and grabbed a pair of vice grips. I took them over to Abernathy and locked the grip around his index finger, quickly breaking it before moving on to the next. With each broken finger, his groans and grunts became more and more pronounced until he let out a stream of curses that roared through the room. Before I started on the second hand, I asked, “Tell me about the girl you tossed in Stilettos’ dumpster.”
“This is about that fucking bitch?”
I immediately broke his next finger, causing him to bellow in agony. “I’m running low on patience.”
“Don’t give a fuck. Ain’t gonna tell you nothin’.” He shook his head with a chuckle. “All this over some fuckin’ piece of ass. I should’ve fucked her good and hard when I had the chance. Showed her what a real man has to offer.”
I wasn’t one to lose control, but his words got me right in the gut. Unable to hold back my rage, I wrapped my fingers around the vice grips, then reared back my fist and slammed it into the side of his head, knocking him out cold. I strode over to the back corner of the room and tightened the chains around his wrists, lifting him up even higher. It took some time for him to come around, and when he did, he made the mistake of a lifetime. He was trying to fight against his restraints when he snarled, “You’ve fucked up now. All you Sinner assholes are gonna pay for this shit. When I get out of here, I’m gonna blow this place fucking sky high. Won’t be nothing left of you. Nothing!”
His words had my mind going back to the day I’d lost most of my platoon in a hostile raid. We were surrounded by gunfire. Bullets were flying over our heads, and when one of them pierced through my chest, we decided to go into an abandoned building for cover. We’d barely stepped inside when an explosive was detonated, and the entire building was blown to shreds. After the dust finally settled, and I realized the rest of my squad was dead, I wished I’d died right along with them.
That same cold, bitter feeling came creeping up over me as I stood there glaring at Abernathy. Unable to hold back my rage, I reached into my holster for my Glock and put a bullet in his head, killing him instantly. Seeing that my time with him was done, I made my way next door to introduce myself to Mr. McKinney.
When I walked into the room, I found him bound with his hands above his head just like his buddy. I already knew this guy was older, a little rougher around the edges with graying hair and crow’s feet around his eyes, but unlike Abernathy, there was a despondent look in this guy’s eyes, making him appear defeated or broken. I walked over to him and crossed my arms. “I’ve got some questions for you.”
“Yeah, figured you would.” He motioned his head towards the room next to us. “You the one in there with D?”
“I was.”
“You gonna tell me what this is all about?”
“I need to know about the girl you and your buddy tossed into our dumpster at Stilettos.”
“Damn, I knew that shit wasn’t a good idea.” He lowered his head with regret. “I didn’t want no part of that. Poor girl didn’t have shit to do with anything. Just in the wrong place at the wrong fucking time. Didn’t deserve none of what happened to her, especially that beating. That shit wasn’t right.” He looked up at me and added, “It was up to me to finish her off, but I just couldn’t do it. I stabbed her in places where it wouldn’t fuck her up too bad.”
“How are the Punishers connected to Detective Mathews and Detective Long?”
“That’s some bullshit right there. That Mathews fella is a real piece of shit. He’s in deep, man. Real deep.” He lowered his head and grumbled out a curse, then looked up at me. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know. I just have one request.”
I shook my head as I scoffed, “You’re in no position to be making requests.”
“I get that, but I got one all the same,” he said with an anguished expression on his face. “I’ll tell you everything you need to know. Hell, I’ll tell you shit that no one else knows about. I just ask that you put a bullet in my head when I’m done to end all this fucking shit once and for all.”
“You being serious right now?”
“Hell, yeah. Been doing this shit for way too long, man. Lost everyone I care about. My ol’ lady and my kids, and for what? The Punishers haven’t done shit for me. They just take and take until there’s nothing left. That’s what they do. There’s nothing good in those men no more. Not sure there ever was, but I’m done with it.”
“Not sure what you’re getting at.”
“The way I see it, some folks were born to be buried. Figure the same goes for me.” He muttered something incoherent under his breath. “I’ll tell you what you need to know. It’s not like you’re just gonna let me walk out of here, so I might as well be getting to where I belong.”
“Understood.” I had no idea what McKinney had to share, but I hoped he was about to tell me everything we needed and some. I grabbed a stool and sat down in front of him. “You’ve put me in a giving mood, so I’ll make a deal with you. The more you talk, the less painful your death will be.”
“You got yourself a deal.” Alfonzo let out a deep sigh before saying, “The Punishers have been my life for as long as I can remember. Hell, I was just fifteen when I joined up, and back then, it was cool. Not like the gang shit you see today. We had each other’s backs. We lived by a code, but that all changed the day Scar came into the picture.”
“Who’s Scar?”
“Honestly never met the guy. Just know he’s the one running the show.” A sadness filled his eyes as he explained, “He got to Lucifer, our leader at the time. He’s the one who convinced him to get us boys to start running his product. Promised that we’d make bank, so Lucifer bought in. That’s when everything started going south.”
Seeing that he was getting emotional, I gave him a moment to collect himself. After a few seconds Alfonzo said, “You know how it is when you’re running smack. Deals go bad, and when they do, it doesn’t turn out well for anyone. Hell, I learned that the hard way. Instead of coming after me, motherfucker sent a crew after my family. Killed my wife, and she didn’t have shit to do with any of it. A few days later, my boy was shot in a drive-by.”
I could
hear the pain in his voice, and no lie, it got to me. I knew that kind of loss and how it changes someone in unimaginable ways. It certainly changed me. As I stood there listening to him, I thought back to the day I buried my folks.
It was in late June, hot as hell with the sun bearing down on us as we listened to the preacher give his spiel. All I could do was stare at my parents’ caskets and wonder why they’d been taken from me. Not many people were at their funeral. Just a few of my parents’ friends and coworkers, and of course, Ada. She was standing next to me, her arm draped protectively over my shoulder as I sobbed. She was my only comfort, and I was about to lose her too. Knowing it was our last time together, she leaned down and whispered, “Yous gonna have to be strong, son. Da good Lord don’t give us nothin’ we can’t handle, and together, we’ll finds a way through dis.”
I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye as I replied, “But we won’t be together, Ada.”
“Oh, son. We’s always gonna be together.” She placed her hand on her heart as she continued, “Yous always gonna be right here wit’ me, and I’s wit’ you.”
“I don’t want you to go, Ada.”
“I knows you don’t, but I’ll always be here if you need me. I promise you dat.”
I wanted to believe her, but I knew she was wrong. My bags were already packed, and as soon as the funeral was over, I’d be on my way to my first foster home. I didn’t argue with her. Instead, I just hugged her and said my goodbyes, hoping she knew something I didn’t.
I left that cemetery with a piece of my soul buried right along with my folks, and from the sound of it, Alfonzo had a similar experience when he lost his wife and son.
He cleared his throat before he continued, “Lucifer tried telling me that it had nothing to do with our ties to Scar, but I knew better. I knew Scar was the one who had them killed. Did that shit to remind us who was really in charge. I would’ve gotten out then, but knew I couldn’t. They’d just find me and kill me. I was stuck. Hell, we all were. Didn’t have no fucking choice, and over time, it changed us. All of us. The Punishers became the one thing I’d always hated. Greedy.”
“That the reason they decided to come after us?”
“I reckon so.” He shook his head. “Figured they needed to wipe out the competition, but unlike them, I knew trying to take you guys out wasn’t the answer. Instead, it’d be the end.”
Remington
Since the night of the attack, I’d had my ups and downs, but I thought I was finally starting to improve, especially when we first got to Ada’s. Not only had I gotten a kick out of watching her interact with Noah, but the lavender oil she’d put on my bruises felt amazing, and breakfast had been out of this world. I was actually enjoying myself until I suddenly began feeling terrible. The room started to spin, and I could barely hold my eyes open. I thought I was just overly tired, but I knew something had to be wrong when I found myself back in the medical room with Doc. He was hovering over me, checking the IV in my arm when I asked, “What’s going on?”
“Well, look who’s back in the land of the living.” He smiled as he reached down for my wrist and started checking my pulse. “You’ve got yourself a nasty infection.”
“What kind of infection?”
“Looks like a deep incisional SSI.”
“And what’s that?”
He released my wrist and crossed his arms. “An infection that occurs beneath the incision area—usually in the muscle or the surrounding tissue. It’s treated with a round of IV antibiotics or a second surgery, but hopefully, it won’t come to that.”
“How did this happen?”
“Can’t say for sure.”
My eyelids grew heavy as I listened to him explain how the infection might’ve come from the initial stab wound or while he was stitching me up. Doc had just started voicing his concerns about my becoming septic, and while I was also worried, his voice was low and soothing, making it impossible not to doze off. I had no idea how long I’d been sleeping when the sound of Noah’s voice woke me up. His voice was muffled as if he were far away, making it difficult to hear what he was saying. Trying to hide the fact I was awake, I kept my eyes closed as I tilted my head and tried to listen more closely. “This thing is bigger than any of us thought.”
“Any idea what we’re gonna do about it?”
“Not yet, but we’ll figure something out.” I could hear the anxiety in his voice as Noah continued, “We have to. Otherwise, we risk losing everything.”
“Viper gonna call us into church?”
I had no idea what he meant by calling them ‘into church,’ but Noah replied, “Not until Menace gets some more intel on Mathews. He’s working on it now.”
“Good.”
There was a brief pause before Noah asked, “She doing any better?”
“It’s too early to tell.”
I was surprised by the sound of concern in Noah’s voice. “She been out like that since I left?”
“She’s come around a time or two, but for the most part, she’s been resting.” I opened my eyes, just enough to see them talking, and a warmth washed over me when I saw the way Noah was looking at me. As soon as Doc noticed I was awake, he motioned over to me and said, “Looks like she’s coming around if you wanna talk to her.”
Noah nodded, then started walking in my direction. When he reached the end of the gurney, he asked, “How you feeling?”
“A little better, I think.”
“Good. I, uh...I can’t stay. I gotta get back. Do you need anything?”
“A hot bubble bath would be nice.”
A soft smile crossed his handsome face. “Well, you keep getting better, and I’ll see what I can do.”
“Okay.” When he turned to leave, I called out to him. “Noah?”
“Yeah?”
I was being needy and selfish, but I couldn’t help it. I felt better when he was around, and I really didn’t want him to leave. “Will you come back?”
“Yeah, as soon as I can.”
He gave me a quick wink, then turned and walked over to Doc. After he talked to him for a few minutes, he disappeared out into the hall. I felt like I was sinking into a pit of despair, and I hated it. I had always been fairly independent and able to take care of myself, but this whole thing had taken its toll on me, and I was feeling more vulnerable than I ever had before. I just wanted this nightmare to be over, or at the very least, to feel a little better. Maybe then, I wouldn’t seem like such a burden to Noah and his brothers.
I was really starting to feel sorry for myself when Doc walked over and placed his hand on my ankle. “You doing okay, kiddo?”
“Been better.”
“I’m sure you have, but be patient. You’ll be back on your feet soon enough.” He gave me a little pat. “I’ll move you over to your room when we get that fever down a little more.”
“How much more?”
“Well, it’s hanging around the one-oh-two to one-oh-three mark. I’d feel better if we could get it down to at least one hundred. Then, you’d be feeling a lot better too.”
“Okay.” As I watched him check my IV, I thought about what I’d heard Noah say, and the more I did, the more curious I became. “Hey, Doc, can I ask you a question?”
“You can ask. Not sure I’ll be able to answer.”
“I overheard a little of what you and Noah were saying earlier, and he mentioned something about Detective Mathews. Is he the one responsible for what happened to me and Thomas, or is there someone else involved too?”
“Sorry, doll. That’s club business.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I can’t get into it with you.” He cocked his eyebrow and shrugged. “We don’t discuss business with anyone outside of the brotherhood, especially women.”
“So, you keep secrets from your wives?”
“You mean our ol’ ladies,” he corrected. “And yes, we keep some secrets, but it’s only to ensure the safety of our loved ones.”
&nb
sp; “Safe from what?”
“Can’t get into that either.”
“So, you Ruthless Sinners really are as dangerous as people say.”
He reached over and grabbed the thermometer. As he ran the scanner over my forehead, he looked down at me and said, “Regardless of how dangerous we may or may not be, you’re safe here with us, and you can trust Shotgun and the rest of my brothers will do everything they can to get you back home.”
“I appreciate that. I don’t fully understand why—especially when it comes to Shotgun. There are times when I think he can’t stand the very sight of me.” My eyes drifted up to the ceiling. “I can’t really blame him, though. I do look pretty terrible.”
“Oh, come on, now. It’s just a few bruises. They’ll fade soon enough.” He returned the thermometer to the counter, then turned back to me and said, “And don’t give too much thought into the whole Shotgun thing. It takes time for him to warm up to folks, but I got a feeling he’s already warmed up to you. Probably more than either of you realize.”
I yawned and shook my head. “I don’t know about that.”
“Well, I do.” Doc’s voice grew soft like he was talking to himself. “Never seen him act like he does when he’s with you.”
“Hmmm.” I closed my eyes. “Not sure if that’s good or bad.”
“It’s definitely good. He’s been needing a woman like you to come into his life.” He gave me a pat on the leg. “Get a little rest while I go grab you a bite to eat.”
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. I’d already dozed back off and was dreaming of Noah. We were in his room, on his bed, and every nerve in my body was tingling with anticipation as he hovered over me, his mouth just inches from mine. His lips brushed against mine. Not innocently like a tease, but hot, fervent, and demanding. I wanted to pull away, fearing I might lose myself in his touch, but I couldn’t seem to resist him. I wanted Noah too much and could no longer think straight. A light moan escaped my lips, and that was it. The dam broke, and all of our inhibitions faded away. Noah’s fingers dove into my hair, grasping the nape of my neck as he pulled me closer and delved deep into my mouth. I’d never felt anything so incredible, so all-consuming, and I wanted more. I reached for the hem of his shirt, and he took over, quickly pulling it over his head. My hands began to wander on their own, roaming over his chest as they explored the curves of his perfectly defined muscles.
