Looking down at me, he put his pouch of chew back into his front pocket. “Let’s go make a Sinner wish he had never crawled out of his bitch of a mother’s cunt.”
We threw our Kevlar vests on, secured our guns and extra clips.
Deep. Slow. Breaths.
My hands wouldn’t stop shaking.
Here goes nothing.
“Ready?” Red glanced over at me before descending the porch steps.
“Fuck yeah. I’m ready to make this fucker pay.”
It was going to be a little under an hour’s ride through the back country, almost into Tennessee, and it was just going to be Red and me, which put all of my senses on high alert. The air was crisp and it was a clear, full moon night. We curved and weaved through the mountainsides until we got to the end of a long dirt road. Red signaled and we both pulled off the road.
“We’ll leave the bikes here. Apparently, he should be alone, but if he isn’t, I’ll cover you while you tie him up and we’ll get him out here in no time.”
“When’s the van showing up?” I had just assumed that once we had the scumbag, there would be a getaway vehicle.
Red shook his head. “It’s just us, kid. Just follow my lead, I’ll walk ya through it.”
We hid our bikes in the unruly brush right off the road, then, as quietly as possible, we hoofed through the thicket. The front porch light blared bright, lighting up the front steps to a wraparound porch that graced an older-than-hell farmhouse with weeds and vines growing over most of it.
I tapped Red on the shoulder. “I’m counting at least two mulling around in there.” The shadowed figures were posted up at a table in what looked like the kitchen. They were in a fucking fishbowl; it was going to be like shooting fish in a barrel.
He pulled our target’s picture out of his pocket. “This is your guy. Leave the other one to me.”
In unison, we checked our clips, took our safeties off, and got ready for battle.
Red nodded, motioning me to get a move on. “Around back,” he ordered, and I started to head for what I was hoping was the back door.
The back step complained under my boots as I tried to be as quiet as possible. Red pointed over to a window next to me that was slightly open. Carefully, I lifted it up enough for us to climb through. All of those nights sneaking into the Hellock house were starting to pay off.
We tiptoed through the hallway to the kitchen. I flicked the light off as I made my way into the small room after picking out which one of the two was my target.
Grey flannel shirt.
I kept repeating that in my head while his buddy in white was invisible to me.
Right as he was starting to jump out of his kitchen table seat, I grabbed a fistful of his flannel, slamming him back into his wood chair, pulling the hammer of my gun and resting it right on his buzz cut temple.
“Easy old boy. There’s a few ways we can handle this,” I whispered in his ear as Red yelled at the other guy, who he had up in the air being choked by a metal wire. Trickles of blood started to stain his white collar.
“Calm the fuck down motherfucker or I will let this wire slice you from ear to ear.”
The guy thrashed and choked until Red yanked harder, slicing the dude’s neck wide open. I kept my eyes and attention locked on my guy while his dude gurgled and squirmed next to my feet. It was the first time I had ever watched someone bleed out like that and it took everything in my power to keep it together. Yanking up the grey sleeves, Red zip tied the guy’s hands while I kept my hand on him and my gun waiting.
Our target’s raspy voice echoed in the small space, “You fuckers just made the biggest mistake of your life.”
I quietly laughed in his ear. “Funny, you’re the one on the wrong side of this gun.”
“Or is he?” I heard a strong voice behind me and a hammer being pulled back right next to my ear.
Bang!
My ears started ringing instantly as I got sprayed with warm, sticky chunks and the Sinner fell right on top of his buddy, who was finally no longer gasping for air. His gun clinked to the floor as Red shoved his back into his waistline. It was the fastest display of drawing I had ever witnessed and I was thanking my lucky fucking stars that Red was that good with his weapon. Two seconds more and I would have been the one on the the ground with a bullet hole through the side of my skull.
“You no good, fucking bastards!” The target started to trash around in his seat, keeping his eyes trained on his fallen brothers laying at his feet.
“Shut up.” I kicked his shin.
“Fuck.” He spit onto my boot. “I will have you both fucking tortured and strung up by your empty ball sacks for this.”
“You can try.” Red pulled his chew out form his pocket, beefing up his lip. “You good, son?” After tying a bandana as a gag around our hostage’s mouth to finally shut up his yelling, Red patted me on the back while wrestling our target to his feet.
I gave Red the thumbs up then followed him out the front door and down the gravel driveway as we dragged the reluctant Sinner behind him.
Red fumbled through his saddlebag, tossing a long rope to me. “Tie that around this fucker’s ankles and then to your bike.”
I did as I was told. The dude kept thrashing and wailing pleas for help in muffled tones.
Red tied up his arms all the way to his shoulders, connecting the other end of his rope to the back of his bike. My blood ran cold. I finally figured out what Red and Abel’s plan for this guy was, and it was going to be a gruesome sight.
Kicking him in the stomach a few times, Red yelled and spit on the Sinner. “We’re going to teach you fuckers once and for all to never mess with the Unacceptables ever again.”
I made sure all my knots were perfectly secured.
“You ready to play a little tug of war in the gravel?”
“Ready when you are.”
The Sinner started screaming even louder. It was ear piercing listening to a gagged person pleading for their life, but there was no turning back. This was happening and I was going to have to suck up how physically ill the thought of literally tearing someone in half was making me.
My gut clenched as I turned the key and felt my Harley rumble between my legs. I gunned it, my bike lurching forward and then spinning the tires trying to fly down the road toward the house we’d just dragged the son of a bitch out of. Gravel peppered the dude and flew out from behind my back tire as his yelling pierced into the calm night air. Then all of a sudden his body gave way and his upper half trailed down the road behind my bike for a few seconds.
I threw out my kickstand, hopping off my bike before I hurled all over it. I yacked in the bushes as Red trotted down the road to me.
“Nice work, kid.”
I coughed a few times before standing upright again. “Thanks, I guess.”
“Most fuckers wouldn't have gone through with it.”
I wiped off my mouth with my cool leather sleeve. “I ain’t one to back down from anything.”
Red snorted. “Good to know. Now let’s get this SOB back home.”
We put gloves on and used big black trash bags to get what we could of the dead Sinner off the road.
Red pulled out his burner to call Abel. “It’s done” was all he said before tying up his bag and securing it to his bitch seat. He motioned over to me. “Let’s ride out. They’re waiting for us.”
“What about all this shit?” I pointed to the blood and puke that was scattered around this grisly scene.
Red spit onto the gravel road. “That ain’t something to concern you, son. It will be handled. Don’t you fucking worry about minor shit like that.”
It was nearly three in the morning by the time we pulled up to the shop where Abel and the rest of the guys were waiting.
My dad rolled the garage door behind Red and me as we rode into the darkened shop where I spent most of my days. Abel strode over to me while I killed the rumbling engine, grabbing the trash bag from the back of my bike with
gloved hands. “I’m proud of you, son.”
I tried to hide how shaky my knees were. “Thanks.”
Holt walked up to me with a change of clothes and a bar of soap. “Go scrub down in the back. We’re going to clean up your bike. Other than your cut and Kevlar, burn everything you're wearing in the fire Jesse has going out back. I think he’s making s’mores if you’re hungry.”
I grabbed the shit out of my old man’s hands. “I could use a fucking beer.”
Holt opened a Rolling Rock and handed the green bottle over to me. “You earned it for sure tonight.”
“What are you going to do with him?” I looked over at Abel, who was wrapping the trash bags in more plastic and shoveling them into a black chest.
He grinned over at me. “It’s going to be a special delivery for our friends over in the east.”
I went out back and stripped down to my boxers. Walking over to Jesse, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing went he smiled, chocolate smeared all over his face and his eyes bloodshot.
“Hey, Ryder. Your dad got some killer smoker today. You need to fucking hit this.” He tried to pass me his joint.
“Naw, thanks though, man. I need to get cleaned up. Burn this shit for me?”
He took my jeans, shirt, boots, and leather jacket from me and my heart hurt a little; I was going to miss that jacket.
“Yeah, sure thing.” He tossed everything onto the open flames while gritting the rolling paper in his teeth.
I had never been more relieved to wash a day off of myself in my entire life. Even though I hadn’t gotten any of that dude’s blood on my skin, I felt fucking covered in it. I scrubbed and scrubbed at my skin, rinsing off with the hose only to do it again at least ten times.
After toweling off and putting on fresh clothes, I felt only a touch better. I knew that your first murder stayed with you for life. I had been warned, had heard the stories, but nothing had prepared me for the sound of a man’s last breaths while his blood gurgled from his slit throat or the horrifying screams of a man pleading for his life knowing he was about to be torn limb from limb. That shit was going to fucking haunt me.
Chapter 6
Raine
I checked my phone right when I woke up. I still hadn’t heard from Ryder since he’d left the bar the night before.
Deep breaths.
He’s fine.
It’s just club shit.
I was doing a miserable job of not worrying about him. I had barely slept, but I knew better than to blow up his phone. No bitch, not even the president’s daughter, was allowed to act like a stage five clinger; it wasn’t a thing, and it would show everyone that I wasn’t as okay with Ryder being an outlaw as I had let on. I was even surprised myself. I never worried about my dad. He always came home. He never broke that promise and I trusted that he wouldn’t, but I was so scared Ryder would not be able to guarantee his own safety. It was my cross to bear and Ryder was fucking worth it.
I shot off a quick “good morning” text to him and then forced myself to get out of bed. Still in my pajamas, I groggily made my way down to the kitchen where I heard my stepmother already banging around, cooking.
“Hey Crickett?” I walked into the kitchen and saw her putting a few racks of ribs into the oven.
“What is it sweetheart?”
I pulled her in for a hug. “I never said thank you for helping me with the whole Dad-Ryder situation.”
She laughed a little. “Oh, honey. Sometimes you just have to remind those stubborn men of ours who is really the boss around here. Want some cocoa?”
I took a seat at the dining room table, like I used to do when I was a little girl, waiting not-so-patiently for the warm chocolaty goodness that was about to trip me down memory lane. She plopped a couple of marshmallows in each of our mugs after basting the ribs.
I took in a deep breath of the sweet aroma. “This is exactly what I needed.”
She smiled at me. “Good. How’s everything been with Ryder?”
After wiping off my hot chocolate mustache, I beamed. “He’s amazing. Even through all the stress of work and the club shit he can’t really tell me about, he still is sweet and caring.”
Crickett smirked, rolling her fingertips around the edge of her mug. “Sounds familiar.”
“What does?”
“The way you’re feeling now is how I still feel about your father. He’s my soul mate.”
I swooned at her words; they gave me so much hope. “Being in love with someone that loves you back is the greatest euphoria on this planet.”
Crickett grabbed my hand and intently looked into my eyes. “Love is the ecstasy that makes sense of this crazy, fucked up world we live in.”
I nodded. “I couldn't agree more.”
Right then Collin game trudging into the kitchen, sniffing around the stove. “Ribs for dinner?”
Crickett got up to start fixing a cup of cocoa for her son. “I had to figure out some way to get you to come straight home after practice at least one night this week.
Collin hooked an arm around Crickett’s. “Oh Ma, you don't have to bribe me.”
I started laughing. “Um, yes we do. What was the last meal you ate at this table with us?”
My little brother grabbed his chin, pretending to be thinking really hard, then shrugged. “All right, maybe y’all have a point. I promise tonight I will leave practice without even showering in the locker room and will be home in time to devour a full rack of those suckers.”
“Perfect. Now get your ass in gear. I don’t want to have to explain another tardy to your homeroom teacher.”
“Yes ma’am. Bye.”
Collin hugged both of us and marched out the front door with his book bag and football crap in hand.
“We really have an incredible family, don't we?” I looked up at Crickett as my words washed a sweet smile onto her face.
“We have the best fucking family in the entire world.”
“I couldn't agree more.”
My dad’s loud footsteps started making their way down the stairs.
“Mornin’.” He kissed Crickett, grabbing a coffee cup out of the cupboard.
“Morning, babe. I didn’t even hear you get in last night.”
He breathed through his clenched teeth after his first sip of caffeinated mud. “Had to take care of some shit.”
I got up and kissed my dad’s cheek. “I gotta get ready to open the bar. Is Holt going in for the morning shift?”
Abel shook his head. “Honey, I need you to cover Holt’s workload today at the bar.”
Crickett glanced over at him. “As long as the four of us have fucking family dinner together like you promised.”
“I can make that happen.”
Crickett started to follow me up the stairs to get ready to go in with me. “There better be a damn good reason why I have to work on my day off.”
I started to walk into my room. “Hopefully it’s not too serious.”
Sympathetic eyes landed on me. “If there was something wrong, your father would have told us.”
I nodded, gripping the doorframe. “Yeah, you’re right.”
Shutting the door to my room, a sigh of relief finally came when Ryder’s name flashed across my screen with a text.
Ryder: Good morning gorgeous.
Me: Hey babe. Long night?
Ryder: Not too bad, a late one but nothing too eventful.
Me: All right then. I’m getting ready for my morning shift. See you later?
Ryder: You’ll see me soon. I need a cold one to put a little pep in my step.
Me: Okay. See you shortly then.
Ryder
I had no idea if seeing Raine while my thoughts were all jacked up from the night before was a good idea or not, I just needed to be close to her. An uncontrollable desire to just be in her presence was all consuming in that moment.
Crickett was stacking glasses behind the bar while Raine wiped off the liquor bottles and put them down into
her speed well.
“Hey ladies.” I took my seat right in front of Raine.
Crickett took one look at me and shook her head. “You look like hell, Ryder.”
“Huh, gee, thanks.” I took the beer from Raine as she stared at my sunken eyes.
“Didn’t sleep well, did you?”
The concern on her face broke my heart. “Just tossed and turned a bit, ain’t no thing, babe.”
After a few long swigs of my beer, I started to relax a bit. Right at noon, Raine hit the open sign and took a seat next to me, waiting for her real first customer of the shift.
“So, can you tell me what really happened last night?” she asked in her honey-coated voice, right in my ear before kissing my cheek.
I sucked in my lips while shaking my head.
She huffed and shifted on her stool. “I figured. Can’t blame a girl for trying.”
I forced a smile. “You got me there.”
Crickett came from the back office with a look of satisfaction shining bright on her face. “All right you two, get the fuck out of here.”
Raine and I glanced at each other and then back to her stepmom.
“Didn’t you hear me? I said to get gone.”
“What about my shift?” Raine started to make her way back behind the bar.
Crickett shoved Raine’s purse in her hands. “I just told Keira to come in and cover for you. She’s the new girl, let her pay her dues a bit.”
I hopped off my seat. “Fuck yeah. Thanks Crickett!”
“Don’t mention it. Now get out of this fucking bar before Abel catches wind and makes me change my damn mind. And I better see the both of you for dinner tonight at six sharp.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll have Raine back by then, don’t you worry.”
She giggled a little. “Oh, sweetheart, if I was worried, you wouldn't be going anywhere with my daughter.” With a wink, Crickett shooed us away.
Having Raine gripping on to me as we sped down the road was the most soul-cleansing thing in the entire world. Feeling her hold on tight while my bike grumbled under us made my dick twitch to the point of my zipper fucking killing me.
The Unacceptables Series Box Set Page 14