Page 80 of Sweet Revenge
Then he laughed.
My body jerked in surprise, and Bear lifted his head, his eyes wide when they locked on my father. I heard Ritz swear under his breath before Snake spoke again.
“Fuck, I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.” He smiled maniacally and saw Bear’s arms stiffen, knowing at any moment he was going to have to snap free of his cuffs.
“There’s new blood in charge now, fucker!” he yelled, but I wasn’t sure if it was aimed at me or my father who lay writhing on the ground.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the man by the door reach around his back, and I knew immediately who he was going to aim for. I jerked my wrists and felt the cuffs give way right before I lifted my arm and shoved Pop to the ground. The gun sounded but only seconds before the man shooting it, dropped to the ground, right where he stood.
Then all hell broke loose.
I slammed my body into Snake, throwing him backward, but he didn’t drop his gun like I’d hoped. I heard the sickening crunch of bone smashing bone beside me, but my focus couldn’t waver. Throwing my weight at him again, I tackled him to the ground, pulled my fist back, and slammed it into his side, feeling a rush of pleasure when I heard his ribs crack. Grabbing his wrist, I slammed it onto the ground, finally causing him to drop the gun, and I punched it with my fist, sending it flying across the concrete floor. I pounded my fist relentlessly into his side, taking a few hits to my ribs from the other side while he tried to fight back, but he couldn’t. His wrist was limp, most likely broken, and it was obvious he hadn’t had the fight training I’d had growing up. He was nothing without a gun in his hand, and I planned to take advantage of that. I pulled back and slammed my fist into the side of his face, satisfied when his skin busted open and blood poured from the cut.
I continued hitting him where I could, relentless in my quest for justice, at least the only kind of justice I could serve. Every hit was for my mother, for Maggie, for everyone who had ever suffered at the hands of men like him.
Men I despised.
When he stopped moving, and his arms fell to the sides, I finally stopped and noticed the room around me was silent. My eyes immediately found my father lying across the room with Bear standing over him. He was beat to hell, but still conscious, and part of me was pissed that I hadn’t had the chance to take him out. I looked up at Bear who lifted his chin, and I understood. He’d taken care of it for me, gave him the beating he deserved so I could take out the bigger threat and not the one we expected it to be.
I slowly stood and looked around the room. A room now filled with my brothers. My eyes skimmed over Tank and Skinner leaning against the back wall, their arms crossed over their chests. My eyes dropped to the man on the floor, face down, the back of his skull blown open and knew Pike had saved Pop’s life. My gaze flicked across the room and landed on Pop who stood next to Ritz near the front door. His left arm was bloody, and he had Ritz’s shirt wrapped around it while he held it close to his chest.
I nodded my head in the direction of his arm. “How bad?”
“Just a graze,” Pop said. “Thanks to you, boy. You hadn’t pushed me, that fucker was heading straight to my heart.”
I swallowed hard and nodded when Ritz stepped forward. “If you guys got this, I’m taking him to Kat.”
Bear looked at Tank. “Outside clear?”
“Yep. There were five, some outside the door, couple on the perimeter. We took them out before they saw us. Pike snagged the one guarding the door before we approached.”
“Take the SUV and Skinner with you,” Bear instructed Ritz before turning his attention back to Tank and Skinner. “Pull around your bike, Skinner. Me and Gunner will ride back on yours and Ritz’s.”
Ritz nodded and turned, helping Pop out the door. Skinner brushed past me, but I called out to him, stopping him before he made it through the door. “Thanks, brother. You earned your patch here today.”
His eyes flicked around the room. “I’d have done it to these fuckers without the promise of a patch.”
“That’s exactly why you earned one.” Bear slapped him on the shoulder. “Help Ritz get Pop fixed up and home.”
“You got it, Prez.” Skinner replied before jogging out the door to catch up to Ritz.
“We got this.” I looked toward Bear who was facing Tank. “Tell Pike we’re clear and to get the hell out of here. Take the other prospects with you. Scatter for a bit. Maybe show up at Hanks with Pike for a beer.”
Tank saluted and left through the door at the back of the room. “Understood. See you back at the clubhouse.”
My eyes flicked over Bear and Bull, the only ones left standing with me in this damn clubhouse, and I felt a sense of relief fill me.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
GUNNER
Looking at my father, beaten and laying on the floor in front of me, I realized I felt nothing. He had never really been my family. He had never wanted much to do with me unless I was shooting, and even then, it was only for bragging rights. My family was my mom until it became my brothers both in the MC and outside of it. My family became everyone I could count on to be there in both the good and the bad times. The people who stood beside me to fight for what we believe in, and the friends who made it possible for me to move forward by not holding my past against me.
But more than anyone, my family had become Maggie.
Fuck, I loved her. I loved her in a way I never thought was possible. And looking down at my father, and I knew he never loved my mother like that. I would die before I let anything happen to Maggie, let alone be responsible for it.
I shook out my hand, glancing over at Bear who was standing beside me, where he always was. He pulled his gun from the back of his jeans and held it out to me. I slowly reached out and grabbed it, feeling its heft in my hand like an old acquaintance. I spent years holding a gun, being trained to be the very best as a warrior for his army of abusers and killers.