My arms opened wide, and I hugged Tawni as Zane rushed into the two of us. I held them both as tightly as I could, refusing to let go until Tawni laughed and Zane remarked that I was already far too clingy.
Looking around the common room, I noticed that it was packed with all my brothers and their ol’ ladies. Patriot had an arm wrapped around Naomi’s shoulders as she cradled Yeva. His happy gaze met mine, and we nodded, both content in ways we never believed possible.
Nylah was sitting on Rael’s lap as he leaned back on one of the leather couches. Grim held Trish as she rested her head on his shoulder, and he lightly rubbed her stomach. Bodie and Sasha were walking the length of the room as she groaned, pausing every once in a while to catch her breath. Lucky was staring at Cindi as she clutched her belly and shook her head. Both women were due any day now. There would be a lot more babies at the Crossroads soon.
Plenty of reasons to fight to protect our home against any enemy or threat.
I released Zane and Tawni pressed a kiss to my lips before joining Nylah. Zane plopped down next to Shadow, and the prospect dared him to play Call of Duty on the Xbox. Exorcist and Mammoth were shooting a game of pool as Diablo flirted with Sasha’s friend Gina.
Even Papa showed up and strolled over to the bar, causing a ruckus with one of his wild tales. The older man didn’t come around as much as he used to, and we all missed him.
Grim pressed a kiss to Trish’s forehead and then left her side, strolling over to me as I ticked my chin in greeting.
“Jigsaw started digging. He’s just about finished. Sent me a text about ten minutes ago. You ready?”
I nodded, following Grim through the clubhouse and out the back, walking across the desert sands and tumbleweed until we reached the far end of the property. Three graves had been dug behind the auto repair shop we ran as one of our legit businesses. Propped against the building were the three men I waited seventeen years to have my vengeance on.
“I think they’re deep enough they won’t pop up if it dares to rain,” Jigsaw observed with a chuckle.
“Deep enough,” Grim agreed.
“Got that casket in the last one?”
“All set up just like you wanted.”
“Thanks, brother.” I walked over to the first guy and kicked him in the stomach. “Remember me?”
He shook his head, trying to talk, but the rag in his mouth wasn’t allowing much conversation. “You decided it was funny to jump an innocent man and his girlfriend on Halloween night. Didn’t know that I’d come back from the dead and hunt you down, did you?”
He squirmed against his restraints. All three had their wrists and ankles held together with zip ties.
I hoisted him up and walked over to the first grave. Dropping him in, I watched as he screamed through the rag, twisting around in the dirt. “Don’t worry. Once you die, the devil will welcome your wretched soul.”
Jigsaw picked up his shovel and began piling on the dirt and sand as I moved to the next guy. “You. Remember me?”
He nodded, slumping back against the wall. There wasn’t much fight in him, and I knew he resigned himself to the fate he deserved.
“You tried to rape my woman. For that, you get special treatment.”
His eyes widened as I grabbed him and tossed his sorry ass onto the ground. I pulled out my hunting knife and sliced at his belt, yanking down his pants. The knife slid through his dick as I slashed, severing the limp flesh from his body. The rag in his mouth strangled cries of pain as I tilted my head back and howled with laughter.
My Reaper was enjoying this as much as I was. I’d searched a long time for these guys and never knew what had happened to them. They simply disappeared, and I didn’t know why until I saw Sid with the Russian at the Clown Motel. They left the U.S. and joined the Black Market Railroad. Returning to Nevada was a poor choice.
Tugging out the rag, I stuffed his severed penis in his mouth and then tied the rag back, delighting in the fact that he seemed ready to puke. Hoisting him up, I dropped him into the second grave. Jigsaw began piling dirt and sand on top of him next, and I turned to Sid Bullard, thrilled this moment had finally arrived.
“Hi, Sid. Or should I say Rattler?” Amused, I folded my arms across my chest and scoffed at his tattoo. “Didn’t make you any safer from me.”
“What did?” he asked, speaking as I tugged the rag from his mouth.
“Getting your tattoo and running away to join the Russians. Nothing will save you tonight. You’re a dead man.”
He shrugged. “I still got to shove my fingers in Tawni’s cunt. Still licked her skin with my tongue. Not a fuckin’ thing you can do about the fact that I broke through her ass before you did.”
Rage blinded me for a moment, and then I stood, silently vowing to make these next moments hurt.
“She had the tightest ring, you know. It was fucking heaven to shove my dick in her ass.”
Grim roared for him to shut up, but I held up a hand. “You didn’t fuck her, Sid.”