“What are you doing?”
“Taking a picture so when I want another one and you need convincing, I can show you.”
“I won’t need convincing.” She smiled softly, staring back at him with love shining in her violet eyes.
Shade took the baby, dressing him as Lily finished her makeup and brushed her hair. When he was finished, he buckled him into the carrier which would slide into the base already in Lily's car.
“Ready?” he asked, holding the door open with the carrier in his hand.
Lily picked up the bright blue diaper bag with a big picture of Elmo on the side.
“Did Sex Piston pick the ugliest one she could find?”
“That’s not nice,” Lily reproved him. “I think it’s cute.”
“I’m not carrying it, ever,” Shade warned her. “Get another one.”
“No, it would hurt her feelings.”
The ugly thing is going to disappear, Shade determined as they went out.
“It’s beautiful outside.”
Shade smiled as he walked her to the car and placed the car seat inside.
When John started to cry, Shade expertly slid his paci in his waiting mouth.
“You’re giving him that too much. He would have stopped when I started the car. You’re making him a paci baby.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that, is there, my man?” Shade bent down, kissing his son’s soft cheek before closing the door and turning to his wife. “You need me to follow you to work and pack him in for you?”
“No,” Lily said exasperatedly. “I can manage. I’ll take him into the store, and then Rachel can watch him when I go back to the car to get his bag. Satisfied? I carried enough that I can leave it there and bring it home once a week to refill.”
“Good. I won’t have that little fucker staring at me all the time,” Shade said, glaring balefully at Elmo as Lily placed the bag in the backseat before getting in behind the wheel.
Shade bent down, kissing her mouth. “Drive careful.”
“I will. I’ll see you tonight. Evie and King want to keep him tonight. I think they’re worried about the Friday parties corrupting him.” she teased.
“Angel, if my son takes after me, then the Friday parties are going to be the least of our worries.” Shade stood.
“If our son takes after you, he’ll be fine. I can’t think of a better man I would want him to be like.”
Shade had to look away from Lily to blink several times before saying gruffly, “I love you.”
“I love you, too. Now I have to get to work. I’m late.”
Shade laughed, shutting the car door. “Later.”
Lily waved as she pulled out onto the road to town while Shade stood still, staring until the car was out of sight.
“Ready?” Viper asked, coming out of the factory followed by the rest of The Last Riders.
“Yes.”
* * *
The brothers formed their circle in the clearing as the brothers from Ohio who had asked to attend out of respect for Razer pulled into the hidden area. The original members waited as they walked the mile to the clearing.
Shade stared at the harsh expression on Razer’s face. His friend had waited patiently for this day to avenge his wife.
When the brothers from Ohio took their places, Cash untied the man who had been bound to a tree. Cash jerked him forward mercilessly, pushing him into the circle before removing his blindfold and untying his hands, uncaring about the scream of pain coming from his infected hand. Viper had refused to give him any relief other than making sure he wouldn’t die of blood poisoning before they could kill him.
Saul Cornett stared defiantly, arrogantly believing God was going to save him.
Viper took a step forward. “Saul Cornett, you have been found guilty of crimes against The Last Riders, and your judgment is death.” Viper’s cold voice was loud enough for all the brothers to hear.
“Razer and Shade, he tried to kill your wives. Razer, he tried to kill you. I determined Razer has the right to go first, but Shade holds Razer’s IOU, and he’s using it to go first.” Viper stared at Shade in disapproval.
Shade kept his face impassive as Viper stepped back so he could take his place in the circle. Shade ignored Razer’s angry glare as he stepped forward, staring into Saul’s eyes.
Raising his fist, he smashed it into Saul’s face. The old man then held his face as blood gushed from his broken nose.
“That’s for Lily. I wanted you to feel that before Razer killed you, because there’s not going to be anything left of you when it’s my turn.” Shade stepped back into the circle.
“I give Razer my turn!” Shade yelled.
Razer stared back in surprise before his eyes narrowed on Saul. Stepping forward, hatred blazed from his face as he spat on Saul.
“I’ve seen the marks on my wife’s body. You made her stand on fucking nails when she was just a little kid, you sadistic bastard. Is that why you stayed overseas, because they let you beat the crap out of their kids? Times were changing too fast for you here, with the sheriff watching every move, weren’t they?”
Saul’s eyes went to Knox who stood in the circle, wearing his uniform.
“I bet you thought the new sheriff would let you slide back in, but you had to take your time to accomplish that, and Brooke gave you the perfect opportunity. Tell her Shade said hi when you see her in Hell!” Razer held his hand out to Viper who handed him a large stick. Shade saw that nails had been hammered at one end until the points came out the other side.
Razer walked behind Saul, swinging the stick at him like a baseball bat, striking him on the back. Saul fell to the ground, crying out and begging for mercy, but Razer ignored him, swinging the bat over and over until his back was covered in blood.
“I need a doctor!” Saul screamed. “Help!”
“You need a fucking doctor after you convinced a woman to die in agony instead of taking a pain pill? Where was your compassion, you fucking asshole? Get his damn shoes off!” Razer yelled.
Shade stepped forward, pulling the man’s tennis shoes and socks off before stepping back.
Razer brought the stick down on his feet repeatedly, only stopping when they were a bloody mess and Saul was unconscious.
“Throw some water on him,” Viper ordered.
Knox stepped forward, tossing a bucket of ice-cold water on him. He came to, crying as Razer stepped back in the circle, his eyes still blazing with hatred.
Viper stepped forward. “He passed out, so it’s someone else’s turn. Shade, you gave yours to Razer; it’s my turn now. I hate the bastard, and as much as I want my turn, I’m giving it to you, Razer.” Viper stepped back in the circle.
Razer stepped out of line, going to Rider’s truck and taking out a box. He carried it back inside the circle and took off the duct tape before he kicked the box over, spilling the contents onto the ground.
“Shit!”
“Fuck!”
Several more obscenities followed as the brothers took several paces backward, widening the circle as two rattlers slid out of the box.
Saul began screaming when their tails started shaking. He swatted at them as one struck his arm and the other struck his face several times.
When one would have slithered away, Cash stepped forward with a metal pole, slipping a noose over its head. Using a boot, he placed it back in the box before grappling the other one then placing it back inside the box, as well. He then packed it back to the truck.
Shade watched as Cash carefully taped the box closed again then saw Rider’s worried gaze. The brother didn’t want those mean fuckers getting loose on the ride home.
“Aren’t you going to pray to be healed?” Razer snarled. “You didn’t give a shit when you let your own daughter be bit every fucking year. You didn’t take her to the doctor once when she was a kid. She didn’t even have medical records until she was pregnant!” Razer squatted down next to him, watching the poison take effect. “You’re g
oing to die knowing the pain you put Beth through.”
Saul’s eyes rolled to the back of his head as Razer stepped back in line.
Viper stared down at Saul mercilessly. “Train.”
Train stepped forward. “Razer can have my turn.”
“Mine, too,” Lucky called out.
“He can have mine,” Knox said.
“Damn, you all are taking all the fun out of it. He can have mine,” Rider complained.
Razer left the circle, going a few feet away to pour gasoline onto the wood which had been placed at the bottom of a large pit. Taking out his lighter, he took off his do-rag, setting it on fire then throwing it into the wood. Flames soared from the pit.
Razer walked back to Saul, picking him up from under the shoulders then dragging him toward the pit and dropping him at the edge. Reaching down, he felt for a pulse.
“I’m going to give you the last prayer you’re ever going to hear.” Razer looked up at the bright blue sky. “I pray to God there’s enough left in you to feel this, you son of a bitch!” With that, Razer kicked him over the edge and into the fire.
Shade stepped up to him, placing his arm around the brother’s shoulders. Razer’s chest was heaving with unspent rage.
“Go home to your wife and kids,” Shade stated over Saul’s screams. “I’ll take care of this.”
Razer nodded, turning to leave, but then he spun back. “You used all your IOUs to get them to give me their turns, didn’t you?”
Shade remained silent, staring back at his friend who had stood by him through the years while he had denied to himself that Razer was as close to him as any blood brother.
“Thanks, Shade,” Razer said huskily.
“Anytime, brother.”
Chapter 95