A sick feeling rolled in his stomach, and all Wolf could think about was getting Taz’s attention off Crystal, and the only way to do that was to get it on him.
“Taz! You motherfucker. Why don’t you come over here and show me what a tough guy you are? Come over here so I can spit on that fucking DK cut of yours!”
That got the man’s attention. He lifted off Crystal.
“Well, look who woke up.”
Taz staggered to his feet, grabbing up a bottle of whiskey and taking a slug. He moved toward Wolf, and the flames illuminated his face. Wolf saw his milky eye, the drooping eyelid and left side of his face where it looked like his cheekbone had been caved in, which made the left side of his mouth droop as well. Taz had previously been a very good looking guy. At least, he had been before Cole beat him half to death one night. None of them had seen Taz since that night, but obviously the beating had caused permanent damage.
“You’re one ugly motherfucker now, Taz. Bet the girls puke when they get a look at your face.”
Taz let out a sick laugh. “Well when I get done with you, pretty boy, no woman’s gonna look twice at you. I’m gonna cut you up so bad, they’ll run screaming from the room.”
Wolf watched as Taz pulled a knife from the sheath at his hip and moved closer. Wolf’s eyes lifted over his head to meet Crystal’s terrified gaze. He tried to will her to run with a look, dying inside because he wanted to shout it to her, but couldn’t without tipping off Taz. Then he heard a chain rattle and saw the glint of metal and realized her ankle was chained to another tree.
Jesus Christ, no.
Wolf’s eyes searched the site, trying to come up with a way out of this as he hung there, swinging slightly with every twitch of his body. His arms and shoulders burned like they were on fire from supporting his weight. His only thought was that if he could get his legs around Taz’s head and get him in a headlock, maybe he could choke him out. But first he’d have to kick that knife free and hope Taz didn’t have another weapon on him. Even if Wolf did manage to choke him out until the asshole passed out on the ground that would only leave them a few moments before he probably came around again. And Wolf was strung up, and Crystal was chained to a tree. Where would that leave them?
The knife flashed out, slashing across Wolf’s abs, and a searing pain exploded through him. He hissed in a breath, determined not to scream. He mustered all his strength and kicked out trying to knoc
k the knife from Taz’s hand, but hanging there like a pendulum, he just didn’t have the force he needed. He only ended up pushing himself back to swing from the rope.
Taz laughed his maniacal laugh and slashed again and again. Wolf tried to defend himself with his legs, but soon they were slashed over and over as well. He could hear Crystal’s screams over Taz’s laughter. Finally, Wolf realized Taz had stopped slashing, and Wolf now hung there, swinging, blood pouring down his chest and legs.
Then the knife came flickering into his line of sight a moment before a searing slash cut across his jaw. And this time Wolf couldn’t hold back the scream of pain.
Taz chuckled. “Now we’re getting somewhere.”
Crystal screamed, begging him to stop. Taz ignored her.
“Bet you’re wondering what this is about. Wondering why I got you strung up. Now I’ll admit there ain’t no love lost between our clubs. But this isn’t club retaliation. This is personal.”
“Personal? What I’d do to you?”
Taz nodded his head from side to side as if mulling that over. “Not exactly what you did, more like your VP. But I know you were there the night he did this to my face.”
Wolf watched him point to the left side with the tip of his knife.
“I think I owe him a little payback for this.”
“Is that what this is? Payback?”
“Your VP’s a hard man to get close to. He’s always surrounded. Always got guys on him.” Taz grinned. “But I have my ways of hitting back. Like burning that fucking whorehouse to the ground.”
“That was you?” Wolf bit out against the pain.
“Yeah. Didn’t see that coming did he? Your VP thinks he’s so fucking smart. He ain’t so smart.”
Wolf tried to laugh, but fuck if it didn’t hurt like hell. “And yet, you haven’t been able to get near him.”
“Well…if I can’t get near your fucking VP, I’ll just have to take my revenge out on you, won’t I?” He shrugged. “I figure one Evil Dead member is as good as the next. Right?” When Wolf stayed quiet, Taz continued taunting him. “What’s the matter, cat got your tongue? Maybe I should cut it out for you.”
He laughed his maniacal laughter again, and Wolf gritted his teeth, his body shuddering with pain.
“Not such a tough guy now, are you? I’ll let you in on a little secret, when I’m done with you, I’ll send your brothers a message letting them know where to find your body. Maybe I’ll tack a note to you. Tell Cole that this is what I plan to do to his wife.”
Taz began his slashing again.