“Lamb, you just sit tight and unwind,” I tell her, “order another drink if you want.”
Her jaw slacks at my confidence, her eyes flickering as if she thinks I’m completely out of my mind but there’s a heated flush on her throat as if a part of her likes this side of me. She stops breathing when three men join us at the bar and I frown, turning to them.
Hell, they’re some ugly motherfuckers. Now I get where this whole scarecrow thing is coming from.
“Miss. Adelaide Bowen,” they sneer and the bartender pours them whatever disgusting crap they’re drinking. “Long time no see.”
“Hey fellas,” Addie breathes, glancing at me all panic stricken and her hands clutch around my arm. “Would love sticking around for some gossip but...”
“Aint no buts coming out your mouth. Scar says you from now on only say yes.”
My fists clench and I hide the rage. Blood pounds in my temples and I so look forward to end them all. Fuck, I love violence. Especially when giving it to the ones who deserve it the most. My stomach recoils when I think about what would’ve happened if her brother hadn’t been stupid enough to borrow money from the mob. What would’ve happened if I hadn’t come around to collect a debt or what would’ve happened if I had come too late?
And to think I was close to referring the job to one of my soldiers. A soldier could’ve been sitting here if I hadn’t changed my mind last minute and decided to do it myself. Close call. Very close.
“Fellas, that aint how you talk to a girl,” Addie murmurs, glancing at me but I’ve gone still. If I make any kind of movement, I’ll slit their throats right in front of Addie and I know what she asked for in the barn. No violence in front of her.
The men laugh. “Sweet. We never understood why Scar’s so intent on taking your farm and not you but maybe he’s into the whole silence of the lamb’s thing.”
Addie gasps and the need to hurt them burns in me. I’ll show no mercy, no regret.
“Hey Addie,” they ask, “how’s your brother by the way?”
That causes her to lose all control. “Doan you talk about my brother!” Addie shrieks. “Or any of my family, you scum!” Horrified, she slaps a hand over her mouth. “It’s the club s...soda...,” she stutters, “making me talk like a drunkard.”
She drops down from her chair, clumsily and in her eagerness to escape, she causes the men to spill their drinks over their shirts and her eyes flare. Glancing at me in horror, she mimesget outand then she rushes to the ladies while the three little pigs turn to me.
Inwardly I sneer. Fuck, do I look forward to huffing and puffing.
“See that girl walking,” I rasp, nodding at Addie, “the small one who gets drunk on club soda. That’s my woman and you just made her leave.”
The men’s eyes hollow and they look me up and down. “Your woman spilled our drinks, tough guy. Since you’re her little bitch farm boy you should pay for them.”
“Fair enough,” I grit between my teeth, gesturing toward the bartender. “Three girl scout cookie cocktails for the ladies.”
The bartender goggles and the men stir, pushing their chests out and one of them grabs a bottle, slamming it until it breaks so he can use it on me. If that edge punctured a vein of mine it wouldn’t be pretty. Good thing then, it won’t.
I rise to my full height, looming over them and one of them growls,
“Fuck, this overgrown Viking’s looking for a fight.” He raises the bottle, which means he volunteers to go first and I wrap my hands around his throat and twist. There’s a loud crack and I turn to the other two. Sliding my tongue over my teeth, I make a come here motion with my hands but they hesitate, looking at each other before looking at me. Deciding it’s not worth it, they go for the exit but I’m not letting them off the hook that easily.
Choking them, I slam their thick skulls together and their eyes close, their bodies turning into wet noodles and I drop them to the floor. I jerk my head when the bartender reaches for the phone and I sneer,
“Ah-ah. Think again.” I pull my collar down, showing the ink and he swallows, dropping the phone and I drag my fingers through my hair. Job’s not done yet and I pick them up, one by one and position them so it looks like they’re sleeping.
I sit back down on my chair and raise a finger to the bartender. “One more bourbon.” He stares at me, white in the face and I add, “Cleanses the palate.”
And fuck that felt good. It was only natural since death is a natural consequence of insulting a made man’s woman. A girl who’s under the protection of the underworld. My lips pull in a satisfied grin.The look on their faces...
7.
Adelaide
Pacing back and forth, I wring my hands. It was wrong of me to ask Revenge to accompany me to the village. We’re in trouble now and I shouldn’t have run into the restroom like a little damsel, clutching her pearls. Those men scared Revenge. It was obvious from the way he tensed up, he froze in front of them like a chicklet in front of a cobra. It makes me want to take his face into my hands, stroke it and assure him everything will be alright.
I’ll tell him not to be afraid, even though he has a reason to be but I’ll do everything I can to calm him down...oh what am I even doing in here. I burst through the door but stop in my tracks in surprise. Revenge is sitting by the bar with a mild smile on his face and the bartender is cowering on the floor, probably picking up broken glass...
“What happened?” I breathe, staring at the three men lying face down on the bar and Revenge rises.