by C. A. Rene
Their arguing is giving me a worse headache and I groan as I try to open my eyes.
"Blur?" I hear Tommy and I exhale with relief.
"Are we good now asshole?" I ask him and savour the sound of his chuckle. I thought I would never hear that sound again.
"Sorry but I'm not sorry." He laughs and again it's like music to my fucking ears.
"You never are. Did you make me ugly?" I reach up and hiss when my fingers touch my tender cheek.
"Impossible." He says as he brushes the hair off my forehead.
"If you want to keep that hand intact, I suggest you remove it off of her." I hear Vin say, his voice promising violence.
"This one is serious." Tommy says and I can tell he's trying to hold in laughter. "You went and found your exact double in a dude."
"Right?" I say to him and smile.
I look up at Vin as he presses the cool cloth against my cheek. "Thank you."
"Is there a sign up sheet somewhere? I think it's my turn to get you in that cage." He looks serious but I can hear the humour in his voice.
"Don't threaten me with a good time, Greene." I start to chuckle but the movement causes my vision to swirl.
"It's time to talk, Ember." Tommy tells me and I nod slowly.
"Where have you been this entire time?" I ask him. "Were you here?"
"No," he lifts the hair off his head and I see the long jagged scar running along the side of his scalp. "This was a long recovery. I had short term memory loss and my speech was affected. Jenna had me placed in a facility that specializes in head wounds and serious brain trauma. It still took a year to recover."
"Why didn't you try to contact me?"
"Because my memories of that night were baffling at best. I couldn't place timelines and yours was the only face I could remember. For a while, I believed you were the one holding that gun. After a few months, my memories started to clear up but not enough. I remembered you didn't shoot me but you were the reason I got shot. I was angry," he shrugs. "Still am."
“And your memories now?”
“Like Swiss fucking cheese but that final hit in the cage, watching you being knocked out and falling to the mat, unsettled a lot of things in my brain.” He smiles and his eyes look clearer. “It’s not the first time I’ve knocked you out and for a lot less, too.”
“Like for the last slice of pizza?” I snort.
“Or because you took a dangerous job.”
“Or when I stole your skateboard.” I wiggle my eyebrows.
“Yeah! Then sold it to some kid!” He exclaims.
“Because he needed it more than you!” I argue.
“Guys,” Vin interrupts. “As sweet as this is, we have pressing matters to get to.”
“Right.” I nod. “So, I’m guessing you know who your birth father is?” I ask Tommy.
“Yeah, looks like we both come from the same town.”
“My blood and Vin’s blood flows in your veins.” I tell him quietly and then relay the story of his heritage as best I can.
“So, we’re all cousins.” Tommy says and Emmett bursts out laughing.
“No.” I say vehemently. “You and Vin are cousins and then you, Emmett, and I are separate cousins. Don’t lose that in one of your Swiss cheese holes.”
Tommy throws himself back in his chair and lets out his true belly laugh and the sound makes me tear up. Emmett and even Vin laugh along. It’s almost too good to be true.
Finally, when the laughing stops, Tommy’s face turns somber.
“My bio dad is a fucking corrupt cop who likes to help distribute child porn and kill people in his spare time. Now it all makes sense.” He shakes his head.
“What makes sense?” I raise my brow.
“Why I was taken.”
“There’s more,” I cringe. “Tell me you haven’t fucked Marlana.”
“God no.” He shakes his head. “She’s a great friend, but not even close to my type.”
I deflate with relief and both Emmett and Vin laugh.
Tommy looks from them to me and his eyebrows smash together in thought. “What am I missing?”
“You share the same mother.” I bite my lip and count to five before saying, “I killed her, too.”
“Marlana told me. She also said her mother was a bad person.”
“She said that?” Vin asks, clearly as surprised as me.
“Yeah, something about raping a kid and helping a rapist? Fuck, it’s sad that these people are my parents.”
“I will be killing your father, too.” I say quietly.
“What the fuck are you? The Terminator?”
“I’ll be back?” I say in the worst Arnold Schwarzenegger impression.
“You’ve become harder, if that’s even possible and you’ve jumped from beat downs to full out murder. But, something in here,” he points to his head. “Is telling me I can trust you completely. If you think you should kill him instead of a courtroom handing him a sentence, then I’m with you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” he smiles at each of us. “We’re family.”
36
“Wow.” Tommy whistles when I press my thumb to the scanner by the front door. “I knew you were rich, but this is rich-rich.”
“I thought the same shit when I first got here.” I chuckle and lead him inside.
“Am I staying in the garage?” I hear Marlana’s snarky voice and roll my eyes.
“Don’t fucking tempt me, bitch. I hate that you’re here but there’s literally no one left to watch you.” I tell her.
“Looks like you’re having my old room.” Emmett tells her. “It’s across from mine, Adri’s, and Travis’ room. So enjoy that.”
“I still can’t believe I’m about to meet my first throuple.” Tommy says and I snort at him.
I lead him over to my aunt and uncle’s old room. I know I said I never wanted it used again but the thought of Tommy being in there settles something in my soul. Like it was meant to be that way.
“Wow ground floor suite.” He whistles again.
“This was my Aunt Debra and Uncle Scott’s room.” I open the door and step inside. “They died last year, actually they were killed by your father.”
“Shit.” He groans and looks around. “Are you sure you want me in here?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“I can see why you would want him dead, among other reasons.” He nods.
“Yeah.” I point to his private bathroom. “Get cleaned up because miss Jenna Talia will be here shortly.”
“Jenna Talia, wow.” His eyes widen. “I’ve never said her name like that before, is it some kind of joke?”
“I fucking wish.” I start to leave the room and call back, “I could deal with more jokes in my life.”
I head upstairs and hear Emmett and Marlana bickering down the hall. I ignore it and head to my room instead. Vin is sitting on the bed, staring down at his hands, and shaking his head.
“What’s up?” I ask him.
“I need this to be it.”
“What are you talking about?” I kneel in front of him.
“Like the final fucking showdown, Em.” He looks in my face and cringes. Yes, it’s a mess of bruises from my very best friend. “I don’t want my whole life-our whole lives-to be like this.”
“I can’t guarantee there will be no other battle to fight. I won’t ever lie to you like that. But I will say this, I promise you Vin that after this, my sole focus will be on you and our family. I want nothing more.”
He sinks to the floor in front of me and gathers me up into his arms, “my soul is tired, it just wants to grow old with you.”
I kiss him softly and press my forehead to his. “Let’s go wait for Talia, Travis, and Adri to get here. Then the only planning after this is for our wedding.”
“Really?” His green eyes brighten.
“I promise.”
“I’m g
lad to see the two of you worked things out.” Jenna looks from me to Tommy.
“Will there be anymore supposed to be dead people popping up?” I ask her as I eat my chocolate muffin.
Adri chuckles, “or like alive people that should be dead disappearing soon?” She looks straight at Marlana.
“Anal Ram is here to stay, for now.” I wink at Adri.
“You lot really were meant to be together.” Talia says as she shakes her head.
“You can’t fake this chemistry.” Emmett flutters his eyelashes.
“Anyways,” I watch as a smile ghosts her lips. “We’re set right? My men will take out the guards around the house. That means you have ten minutes-fifteen tops-to be in and out. Is it doable?”
“Yes.” I nod and look at Vin.
“Yeah.” He agrees.
Tonight, it’s going to be Vin and I infiltrating Moore’s little hideaway. After much complaining from the others we explained that Vin should be the one to take him out. Tommy doesn’t care either way and Travis wants to make sure everyone is safe at home.
“You sure you don’t want to meet your father?” Vin asks Tommy.
“I’m sure, I’d rather forget I even came from him. Someone so evil should never be acknowledged.”
“We could talk about evil fathers for days, right Trav?” Vin asks Travis.
“Yeah.” Travis nods.
He’s been lukewarm towards Tommy but only because he fucked up my face. Adri is just grumpy to have Anal Ram in the house and we’re all just anxious to see this final chapter close.
“Oh!” I snap my fingers and point to Talia. “Since getting me out of jail was such a breeze, I need you to get Rodney Jones out. Watkins was a racist piece of shit and locked up a first offender as if he was a lost cause.”
“I wouldn’t say it was a breeze, but I will see if we can get him some community service and set him on the straight and narrow with proper opportunities.”
“That would be nice.” Travis adds.
“I think we got it.” I nod to Talia. “Question, what do we call you? Abuela? Abuelita? Nana? Grandmother?”
“Oh dear.” She rolls her eyes and it’s like Aunt Debby is back and listening to one of my rants.
“Nonna!” Emmett yells and we all burst out laughing.
“Jenna is fine.” She waves us off but she’s smiling.
“Jenna Talia it is.” Emmett rubs his hands together.
“You may want to bring back the Laurann.” I tell her. “You’ve given him unlimited ammo.”
“I guess I have some making up to do.” She shakes her head. “I’ll let him keep it.”
Vin and I leave them at the kitchen table to bicker and talk. Tommy needs to meld in with us and there’s no one better to do it than Emmett, he’ll bring Travis on board and the rest will be easy sailing.
“Are you doing your makeup?” Vin asks me.
“You bet your sweet ass.'' I reply and head into my bathroom. “This may be the last time.”
I’m applying the white to my face and I realize I’m ready to hang this shit up. I want to finally experience this world around me without it being tinted by the colour evil and watch as life blossoms in crystal clear purity. Do I deserve it? I don’t know, some days I think yes but then there are those dark, dreary days when all I see are the souls of my victims as they wander around me.
I’ve walked a highway of pain in my few short years on this Earth and I can only hope my bloody tasks shine with good intentions. I hope once this highway comes to an end that I can begin my travels onto the road to redemption. I don’t care how rough the terrain or how narrow the path, as long as I can see my ending being worth the journey.
I need my pain to be worth the journey.
37
I can already see the men dropping like flies around the house.
“Are you ready?” I ask Em and grin when she snorts.
“Baby, this is my nine to five.” She giggles and gets out of the Mercedes.
I follow her lead and watch her back as we run up the path to the front door. We were assured it was just Moore inside and I can feel the tremors of anticipation flow throughout me. I can see how Em finds this so addictive.
She throws open the door and it bounces off the wall behind it.
“Oops.” She giggles.
The place is dark and there’s a muffled noise coming from upstairs. Like a TV playing on low.
“You think he’s sleeping?” I ask her and she shrugs as she makes her way up the stairs.
“Take it easy, he could have a gun.” I tell her and grab the back of her hoodie.
She slows down and lets me take the lead. Besides, Em has had her fun of blood and torture, it's my turn.
We reach the room with the TV on and the door is ajar. I peer in and see a sleeping Moore laying on the small twin bed. There's a gun resting on a pillow beside his bed. I point it out to Em and watch as she creeps into the room. I head to the foot of the bed and wait until I'm sure she has the weapon safely in her hands.
"Wake the fuck up." I growl into the room and rip the blanket off his body.
He sits up and automatically reaches for his gun. Em knocks it into the side of his head and cocks it.
"Looking for something?" She says, her voice sounding sinister.
"How'd you find me?" He sounds disoriented.
"Looks like you made too many enemies." I tell him. "A few of us decided to pair up to take you down."
"Ahh... Talia." He actually grins. "I didn't see this one coming. When they told me you were released, I wondered how."
"Get up." I order him and watch as Em bites her lip. Is she fucking serious right now? How can I concentrate when I know how wet her panties are right now?
Moore does as we ask and stands from the bed. "Are you here because of what happened to your spic brother?" He has the nerve to chuckle.
"I'm not liking the derogatory words, Chief Moore. Especially knowing your heritage." His body stiffens at Em's words. "Oh? You couldn't see that coming as well? You're my uncle."
"Mine as well." I let my full tooth grin free.
"Twelve minutes." Em murmurs and I know it's time to start.
I take the gun from her hand and point it to the center of his forehead. Then I watch from the corner of my eye as Em withdraws her brass knuckles from her hoodie pocket. I will never forget the first day I saw those in the Precious Blood parking lot.
She slips them on and I watch as her arm rears back and then slams forward into his right cheek. His head snaps to the left in a spray of blood and teeth. I chuckle as I hear the teeth hit the floor with a clink.
"You bitch!" He roars and spits blood onto my girl's hoodie. "I was the one that popped your brother's chest full of bullets. I made him look like a bowl of fucking fruit loops."
"That's good." She nods, her voice calm and void of emotion. "Now we have an excuse to make this as bloody as possible."
I pull the clip out and toss the empty gun on the bed. "No more time to waste."
I grab him by his hair on top of his head and headbutt him. His nose practically explodes on his face, spraying more blood everywhere. Em leans against the wall, watching us as she bites her lip.
Moore falls back onto the bed with a groan. "Hey William," I taunt him with his first name. "Your son consented to us coming in here tonight, knowing we were going to kill you."
"I don't have a son." He croaks as he tries to sit up. "I was nothing but a donor."
"He'll be happy to hear that." Em says as she picks at her nails.
I grab the front of his shirt and haul him back up to his feet. His head is lolling from side to side.
"Eight minutes." Em says.
"Looks like I'll have to cut this short." I hold my hand out to Em and she places her large knife into it.
"There's more of us. Where one of us dies, another takes our place."
"And we'll always be there to cut
you all down." I grit out as I stab the knife into the soft flesh of his belly.
He makes a choking noise, his mouth hanging open, and his eyes widening as I slash the knife horizontally along his abdomen. The warm blood runs out and over my hand, feeling like a lover's kiss.
“Checkmate.” Em whispers.
When I pull the knife out, I stand back to watch as he falls to his knees, and his hands try to hold in his own entrails. I hold my hand up and stare at the amount of blood that runs down to my forearm.
Em strides forward, kicks Moore's body to the side, and grabs my face with both hands. "Five minutes, let's make it worth it."
Then she's on her knees, in Moore's blood and intestines, as she opens the fly on my jeans. I run my fingers down her cheek, smearing her makeup, and decide the blood red colour looks good on her face.
She pulls me out of my boxers and has me in her mouth quickly. I groan at the feel of her mouth around my cock and grab her hair in my fists.
She did say to make it worth it.
I slam my hips forward, hitting the back of her throat, and grin when she gags around me. Her throat constricts and her eyes water, as her tears run through the blood and makeup on her face. It makes me want to paint this picture.
“Let me down that pretty throat, Baby.” I tell her just before I slam back in and moan as my balls slap her chin.
The sounding of her gags and chokes are like music along with Moore’s dying gurgles.
My thrusts become harder and faster, my balls tightening with the all consuming feeling of an orgasm. My orgasms with Em are better than I’ve ever experienced with anyone else.
My fists tighten in her hair as I hear the faint sound of sirens. I thrust one final time and cum down her throat.
My girl sucks it down along with my soul and swallows it whole. It’s always belonged to her anyways.
Epilogue
Ten Years Later…
“Mommy!” Sonja screams from across the yard. “Ivy is being mean!”
“Sonja,” I reprimand her. “You know what I’ll say to that.”