I have tunnel vision. Everything else is gray and blurry.
Jessa fires, missing Pop and hitting the side of the barn.
What I didn’t see coming was my sister dropping her weapon to the ground and throwing herself in front of the bullet meant for me.
In the confusion, I manage to get my hands on Jessa’s gun. I pinch my eyes and squeeze until the magazine is empty.
I wait for the loud thwack of his body hitting the ground before I open my eyes. It’s a sound that is now ingrained in my brain. The sound of my father’s dead body hitting the ground, his steady stream of crimson blood, merging with Ruth’s.
Disturbingly poetic.
***
The club gathers around the family dinner table. The sizzling aroma of spices and barbacoa fill the house. Fajitas in honor of Ruth.
Being back home in Jericho is bitter sweet. We’ve had a major hit. Lost a lot of people.
Jessa only had a flesh wound, but is milking it for all its worth. And it’s worth everything in my book.
“How’s the Clubhouse coming along?” Stoner lights up while munching on an endless supply of tortilla chips and salsa.
“Bear’s got a good crew. Should be up and running in the next week or two.”
I tap Jessa on her good shoulder. “You might want to start those interviews.”
“You sure you want me to take that on?”
“Absolutely, and you’ve earned it. I think Ruth would be happy to see you taking on some real responsibility. Besides, Ronin was her partner and he approves, right?”
He nods. “Better you than me.”
“There you go.”
She nods, shoving Charro beans around on her plate, still unable to keep food down. I can see she tries to hide the tiny grin playing peek-a-boo in the corners of her mouth. There are big changes coming for my sister.
They say healing takes time. I’m not so sure I believe that. I think it takes work. A lot of work. It’s a good thing there’s no shortage of any of that around these parts.
Ronin chugs the rest of his Bud before wiping his beard. “Well, there’s new business to be handled.”
Rank time.
Here it comes.
He shoves his chair back from the table. His commanding voice vibrates off the walls.
“Church.” The Executioners’ President calls his first meeting.
I sit as everyone goes their separate ways. No one dare speaks about the elephant in the room. The funeral for Ruth was a new start. Jessa and I chose to bury her next to Baby X, where they can look out for one another. But it’s hard to see the empty chair at the head of the table. It’ll be filled one day. One day, very soon. But, even with the way things went down, there’s a matter of respect. Respect for the man. Respect for the club. The patch. And I think Ronin’s trying in his own way to show me respect.
He’s doing a better job than I am. He wasn’t there. He didn’t see the look in my father’s eyes. He didn’t see him aim the gun and try to kill me or the way he killed Ruth in cold blood, without a second thought.
He doesn’t know that I’m not, and never will be the same again. With new ranks come new titles. I’m moving up. Not because I choose the position, but because it chose me. I suppose I’m still an old lady at heart, but now, I’m the matriarch, as long as they’ll have me.
Now, the new matriarch has to find a way to spill the news about the new addition to the family.
The end… for now.
Tune in for the final ride ~ Extreme Measures
COMING SOON
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Kimmie is an International bestselling author who grew up traveling the country, rarely settling in one place for much longer than a minute. Being no stranger to heartache, she allows her unconventional childhood to fuel her writing. Kimmie is addicted to all things books, wine, cupcakes, and flip-flops. She is a homeschool momma, southern wife and pug wrangler. Kimmie can be found somewhere in the south writing wine worthy stories.
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Exacting Revenge Page 15
