by KJ Dahlen
Pride grabbed the man by his lapels and dragged him into the hall. “Is she going to be okay?”
The doctor tisked as he yanked his hands away from his jacket. “She will be right as rain in a few days.”
Pride’s shoulders drooped in relief.
“Thank you doctor,” Kirill spoke then went around them into the room.
Pride watched as the large Russian went over and bent down to brush her light hair away from her forehead. Then he kissed her forehead ever so gently. Backing away, he turned to join Pride at the door.
Pride let out a huge breath. “So what happens now?”
Kirill looked over at him and grinned. “Have you ever had a boxing match?”
They pulled up to a gym, ten minutes later.
Pride had followed Kirill’s SUV on his cycle along with ten of his MC men. He didn’t know what the hell was going on, but Viktor had directed him and his men to follow Kirill.
They all looked up at the sign above the double doors.
SAZON’S.
They parked their bikes and dismounted.
Krill got out and motioned them inside.
In the huge space at the middle sat a ring.
In the ring at one corner two men sat.
Pride’s eyes widened as he rushed over and stared. “The fucking Rinc twins?”
Kirill stepped up next to him. “Da and this is where they will pay for all that they have done.”
Pride looked up at him then back at the ring.
The two Rinc brothers were gagged and bound as their eyes glittered with hate. Well, to be honest, just Lionel. His brother Logan-Spider looked frightened as hell.
“Untie them,” Kirill ordered to one of the large guards.
The guard got into the ring along with another large man and untied the pair.
When they ripped off the duct tape, Lionel screamed, “You MOTHERFUCKER!” He glared at Pride.
“Me?” Pride glared back. “You’re the one who needs to pay for what you did to Joanie and my daughter!”
Lionel stood up and shook his legs out. “I will not be paying a thing, except maybe ransom to these fucking Russians.”
“Ransom?” Kirill asked with a growl.
Lionel nodded then straightened his shirt sleeves. “Everyone has a price.”
Kirill laughed. “You are delusional, Mr. Rinc. Our price is blood.” His laughter halted and his eyes narrowed at him. “Yours.”
Chapter Fourteen
Yuri and Kirill’s brothers stepped up next to Krill.
“We have no need of your money, fool,” Yuri stated.
Lionel stared at him. “So, the Russian mob man himself, eh? You did all of this?”
Yuri tilted his head at him. “All of what?”
“Don’t act like that! You destroyed my fucking organization!”
“Oh yes, but actually, we did more than that,” Viktor spoke up from the side of the ring. “All your money is gone as well. Along with two other warehouses, 3 homes, a Ferrari, Corvette, and that new Tesla X you just purchased. 3 Swiss bank accounts and... Oh, the 2 strip clubs.”
Lionel swung his glare over to him. “Who the fuck are you?”
Viktor shrugged. “No one of interest.” He swung his gaze over to Kirill. “Though, on occasion, I double as a referee.”
Lionel looked from him to Kirill. “And who the fuck are you?”
Kirill cracked his neck from side to side. “I am someone of interest to you. I am the man that is here to kill you.” His voice came out low and calm as if he were making an order in a restaurant.
Lionel stared at him. “And why would you want to kill me?”
Kirill said nothing as he rolled up his sleeves.
“What the fuck is happening here?” Spider shouted as he staggered over. “Why are we here?”
Lionel motioned his head at Kirill. “He says we are to die.”
Spider’s eyes widened as he stared at Kirill. “I remember you!”
Kirill smirked now. “Yes, how’s the wrist doing? By the way, where is your 2 by 4 carrying friend?”
“H-he died of wounds you all gave him.” Spider shrank back from him to try to hide behind Lionel.
“Oh, I will bet!” Pride’s voice cut in. “You killed him off didn’t you, Spider?”
Kosta cleared his throat and passed a piece of paper to Kirill.
Kirill gazed down at it and read it. Then he looked over at Pride. “They have found Boo’s birth certificate and it lists her name as Fallon Marie Remmy. But it also lists Nash Pride as her father and Joan Remmy as her mom.”
Pride gasped and grabbed the paper up reading it.
Lionel’s eyes rounded.
“So, Mr. Rinc. I can now say this...” Kirill glared at him. “I am soon to be Fallon’s husband. So this makes me her protector.”
“What the fuck does that have to do with me?” Lionel shouted.
“I owe you scars...” Kirill growled low in his throat. “Scars you gave to a four year old Fallon.”
Lionel now looked a bit upset as this all seemed to sink in finally. “I never hurt a child!”
Kirill sighed in absolute disgust. “You can stop with any denials. Her nightmares tell us that you did scar her. You beat her. And I shall now beat you.” He looked over at Pride. “He is mine. You can have Spider.”
Pride looked angry. “The fuck! Spider is a God damned worm!”
“Yes, Mr. Pride,” Yuri interjected. “He is, but according to MC Law, he is YOUR worm. It is up to you and your MC to judge him and carry out his punishment. Is it not?”
Pride let out a sigh. “Yes, it is.” He turned and let out a whistle.
All the Kings of Wrath men came up to stand in front of him.
“Ohhh fucck!” Spider whined. “Lionel, we need to get out of here. NOW!”
Pride ignored his shouting and motioned to the ring. “This piece of shit as you know is Spider, Logan Rinc. He has been with us for a long time as a brother in Kings of Wrath. But in that time, he has betrayed us in the worst ways. I assume you all saw the evidence that Cosmo gathered?”
The men all looked angry as each nodded their heads.
“So, this is a makeshift Tribunal,” Pride continued. “You all know of his multiple crimes. The murder of my woman, Joanie and attempted murder of my daughter. Not to mention, selling us out to the Shadows and wearing our emblem while beating old men to death, and attacking my fully grown daughter just recently.” As Pride spoke his voice rose to a shout, “She almost bled to death today in fact, from a bullet he set in motion.”
“What?” Lionel yelled as he turned to Logan. “You killed my Joanie?”
Again, ignoring the shouting, Pride finished, “And I ask... what say you?”
The men of Wrath all raised up their arms straight out. Then opened their fists to make a thumbs down. Ten of them, including Candyman, Cosmo, Rage and Teacher.
A terrified scream rent the air.
The men all turned to the ring.
Lionel had his brother in a chokehold from behind, as he was a large man himself and strong. “You mother fucker! You knew she was mine. You fucking knew!” He turned Logan’s neck and a grisly cracking sound echoed out in the now quiet gym.
Pride raised his hands up in disgust. “Well fuck, that is just perfect. Fucking perfect!” He looked enraged. “I didn’t even get to kill him!”
Kirill patted his arm. “That’s okay. You can give Boo away at our wedding.” He climbed up into the ring.
Lionel was breathing heavy as spittle ran down the corner of his lip. He looked wild, insane with rage. He dropped his brother’s limp body and stepped back. He studied the man who just entered the ring. The man was larger than he was and that was saying something. He paused to gaze around.
Outside of the ring and all around it, stood many men, all shoulder to shoulder. Some were Kings of Wrath men and some were Russian. They blocked any exit.
Lionel turned and faced the large Russian.
&nb
sp; “Now you face a man, not a scared child,” was all that Kirill said as he stepped forward.
Lionel lunged at him, fists flying.
Kirill ducked the fists and came up kicking Lionel in the jaw.
He flew a few feet and skidded along the ring floor.
Kirill stood and waited.
Lionel sat up and swiped the blood from his lip. He knew he was outmatched. “I refuse to fight you!” he shouted.
The men around the ring booed as if they were an audience that was surely disappointed.
Kirill motioned to him. “Stand up.”
Lionel shook his head and scooted to the corner.
“Be a man. Lionel!” Pride yelled.
“I am. I’m a smart man. I can see that he wouldn’t murder a defenseless person!” He shrank back and poured on the act. “Please? Don’t kill me! PLEASE!” he begged like a little kid.
Kirill narrowed his eyes at him. “You refuse to fight?”
“Yes! I cannot win! You will have to commit murder!”
Kirill sighed and shook his head. He turned and gave a nod to Felix.
Felix grinned at his little brother. “You owe me hundred. I told you he would wuss out!” He then tossed something into the ring.
Lionel was busy sniveling and crying, but he peeked over to see the big Russian kneeling down to get whatever the other man had slid into the ring. Lionel bolted up and rushed across the ring, at full speed, taking the large man down.
Kirill went head over legs and then sprung up onto his feet with a loud growl.
Lionel laughed. And then came at him again. He rushed across and Kirill quickly stepped aside as Lionel flew through the ropes of the ring.
The burly men there caught him, raised him up, and tossed him back into the ring.
Lionel again, began to snivel and cry as he rolled over.
Kirill let out a long breath of revulsion. “You have to cheat to win. Yet, I give you this last chance to stand and face me.”
Lionel shook his head and rocked back and forth in a fetal position like a blubbering baby. “Nooo, you will have to just kill me!”
“So be it,” Kirill said and bent down like before.
Lionel sniffled and looked up. His eyes widened.
“Da, little girl.” Kirill sneered. “Fight or receive the beating you gave to my woman.” He raised a long whip up and snapped it.
SsssS....WHAP!
It came within an inch of touching Lionel. “STOP! You cannot do this!” he pleaded.
Kirill looked calm. “She promised to be a good girl, remember?”
Lionel stared at him with wide eyes.
“Yet, you whipped her.” Kirill seethed.
SsssS....WHAP!
The whip lashed Lionel’s face and he screamed as blood gushed from the cut.
“Then you did it again!” Kirill tossed the whip out again.
Lionel shouted in agony and turned over, covering his head.
Kirill kept talking, “As she cried and you tore her skin open...YOU DID IT AGAIN!” The whip lashed out.
The screaming from Lionel grew, as did the lashings.
Kirill spoke no more, as the whip did all the talking now.
Over and over, the whip came out to lick a little more life from Lionel Rinc.
Then Lionel’s screams finally ceased.
Blood ran along the ring floor as Kirill suddenly stopped.
A bloody, ripped open Lionel laid utterly still at the corner of the ring.
Dropping the whip, Kirill turned to meet Pride’s gaze. “Now, you can have him.” He then lifted the ropes and left the ring.
Conclusion
A week later... Lake St. Catherine
Boo got out of the SUV and looked around at the dock and the lake. She let out a long, happy sigh. This was where she loved to be. This was home. She was much better than a few days ago. Her strength was back and at least Kirill let her walk everywhere by herself now, instead of carrying her everywhere. Wow, that had been embarrassing.
Fred and Henry waved at her from their deck chairs.
She cheered and rushed over to the old men. “Oh, Henry! Are you okay?” She bent down and hugged him.
He nodded, as the bruises on his face were now yellow but fading. “They took good care of me. Why, someone even paid my hospital bill!”
Kirill stepped up beside her and nodded at the two men.
Fred rolled his eyes. “We know who... that’s all I’m sayin.’ ” He gave Kirill a nod back.
Boo nodded, as she knew Yuri and Kirill had done that, paid for the hospital and his care. She looked around at the docks. “Where is Joe’s boat?”
The old men went quiet.
“Well?” she asked as she braced her hands on her hips and gave them the evil eye.
They shrugged.
Turning, she looked up at Kirill. “Do you know where my boat is?”
He nodded.
She stepped over to him. “So where is it?”
Kirill extended his arm out to the dock and pointed.
Turning, she noted the very large boat she had seen when they had driven up. “That is not my...” She whipped round. “You didn’t!”
Kirill’s eyes sparkled. “I did. I bought us a new boat. I named it Boo.”
Her hands dropped from her hips. “B-but that was my boat! It was all I had left of Joe!”
Kirill sighed and said, “And it will always be here.”
She raised her gaze up to meet his.
“Yes,” Fred piped up. “We got it docked across the way, Boo.”
She shook her head. “Well, I don’t like it. I mean you just up and...” She sighed.
“Well, you are free to do as you like,” Kirill stated. “I only want for you to be happy and if this doesn’t do that—”
Boo held her hand up, cutting him off. “Now, just wait a minute. I will make up my own mind. Thank you very much.”
Kirill gave her a slow nod. “Go and look. Then if you wish, I can have it towed back to New Orleans.”
She looked troubled. “But how will you live here? Don’t you live in New York?”
He smiled. “I did live there yes. But the Bra...Our group has changed a bit, so my boss Nikoli has new security and I chose to be here with my brother, Kosta. It is just a 30 minute drive to the hotel where I will do most of my work.”
“You do not have to pussy foot around us, Kirill,” Fred stated. “We know who your group is.”
“Yeah.” Henry rolled his eyes. “Like we’re dumb or something!”
Kirill stared at the two men. “I would never think that. You are family to my woman and as such, you shall always be revered and honored by me and my family.”
The two older men sat up straighter and puffed their chests out with pride.
Boo laughed at them. “Oh, man! Now, everyone is gonna see them swaggering around the docks!”
All of them laughed.
Boo turned and looked at Kirill. “Wait here. I will take a look and let you know.” She went up the dock.
Kirill nodded to her as he stood and clasped his hands together in front of him, calm and soothed.
The two older men peered up at him with raised brows.
He looked down at them and their sour expressions. “What?”
“She tells you to sit and you do?” Fred exclaimed.
“Yeah, it’s like you are Monster now or something.” Henry scoffed in disgust.
“Yeah, it’s like you’re whipped!”
Kirill winced a little at the whipped remark but he stared at them and chuckled. He then took a few steps closer and squatted down in front of their chairs. “Let me tell you a secret.”
The two old men leaned in eagerly.
Kirill whispered to them, “I would do tricks, roll over, run to her when she calls me. I will give her the world and all she has ever dreamed of having. I will agree with anything she wants. But when we are alone, she is mine, her body, heart and soul. This is how it works when a man like me h
as the woman that was made just for him.” He winked at them and stood.
The two old men had their jaws hanging open. They had nothing else to say... apparently.
Boo came running off the deck and over the dock, her light silver hair blowing wildly as she cried and laughed at the same time.
The three men all stared at her in concern.
Boo rushed across the sand and jumped into Kirill’s arms, hugging him and kissing him all over his face. “Oh, my god! Oh, my God!” she exclaimed. “I love it! I love it!”
Kirill held her squirming happy form in his arms.
She went on, “The galley is like a movie set kitchen! I mean it would make Gordon Ramsey blush! Then the beds are huge and the bathtub could fit three people!”
Kirill nodded as she talked on and on while he carried her up and onto the dock.
“I-it has hanging plants inside,” she gushed. “Flowers everywhere. I have never seen dishes so elegant and the pans! And where did you get all that food!”
As he boarded the luxury boat’s deck while carrying his woman in his arms, Kirill turned and gave the two shocked old men another wink. He mouthed, “So whipped.” Then carried her below decks while heading for that large, soft bed.
Author of the bestselling, award winning Bratva Brothers and Satan Spawns/Sin’s Bastards MC Series...
I live in a small town (population495) in Wisconsin. From my deck, I can see the Mississippi River on one side and the bluffs, where eagles live and nest on the other side. I live with my husband Dave and dog Buddy. My two children are grown and I have two grandchildren. I love to watch people and that has helped me with my writing. I often use people I watch as characters in my books and I always try to give my characters some of my own values and habits.
I love to create characters and put them in a troubling situation then sit back and let them do all the work. My characters surprise even me at times. At some point in the book, they take on a life of their own and the twists and turns they create becomes the story. Of all the stories I could write, I found I like suspense/thrillers the best. I like to keep my readers guessing until the very end of the book.
