“Who is this?”
“My name is B—”
The phone is ripped from my hands. Looking up, I find Alan standing over me, seething, as he presses the phone to his ear. “Who is this?” he snarls.
Judge must not answer him, because he repeats the question three more times before he throws his phone across the room.
“Who the fuck did you just call?” he roars, shaking me by the shoulders.
I don’t say a word. It doesn’t matter, because I’d done it. I’d called Judge, and now he knows where Priest is. Now he can save him and the others, even if it’s too late for me.
Alan’s face is red with rage as he rears his head back and slams it into my face. The entire world fades away with a crack. I sink into the darkness, knowing I might not wake up this time, but I’d done what I could, and it was worth it.
PRIEST
My body screamsin pain with every move I make. I don’t know how long it’s been since Boo last came to my room, but if I’m judging by the meals delivered to my room, I’d say it’s been three days now.
The bleach blonde woman delivering my one meal a day appears to be in her mid-twenties, but she looks rough, aging before her time. Her face is lined with slight wrinkles, and her make-up is far too thick. She looks painted lady. She’s trying too damn hard.
The first couple of times she came, I was too weak to say anything. The last beating those bastards gave me had done some serious damage. Ribs are definitely broken. And if the bruise growing on my side is any indication, I have internal bleeding. My time is drawing near, and I know I won’t survive another beating.
Footsteps approach from the hallway. I watch the door, praying it’s Boo coming this time. It’s not.
The woman steps up to the bars, pausing when she notices me watching her. As if I could get out of this bed to get at her if I wanted to.
Satisfied I’m not going to charge at her, she pushes the tray into my cell and turns to leave.
“Boo,” I croak out, my voice thick and cracked.
The blonde stops in her tracks, her eyes flashing to mine. “What did you say?”
“Where’s Boo?”
The woman studies me for a moment, her eyes calculated and cruel. “Not sure you’re supposed to know her name, asshole, but that bitch got what was coming to her. She won’t be back.”
She says this with an air of satisfaction, as if she hadn’t just delivered the news that nearly stopped my struggling heart.She won’t be back.What does that mean? Did they kill her?
I know I’ve already fucked up by saying her name. Blondie’s right, I shouldn’t have known that, and Boo will pay for my error.If she’s even alive to make that payment.
“What did they do to her?” I ask, attempting to push myself into a sitting position, and failing. Pain rips through my abdomen, and it takes every ounce of strength I have in me not to scream in agony. But I won’t. I won’t give any fucker here, including this evil bitch, the satisfaction of hearing the pain they’ve caused me.
Blondie doesn’t answer at first, her eyes assessing my reaction. Finally, she grins. “What’s the matter, Preacher? Did Boo turn you on? Did she fuck you like she fucks everyone else around here?”
Her words attack my mind like acid, burning visions of Boo being raped over and over again because I’d asked her to help me.
Blondie steps forward, close enough to touch if I were able to get up. “Boo’s gone now, but you’re in luck. You get me.” Her hands come up to her breasts, fondling them through her shirt. “I can fuck you much better than Boo ever could. You want me to fuck you, Preacher?”
I gape at her in horror. How is this real? I’ve come across countless men in my life who had no conscience or goodness in them, but until now, I’ve never met a woman so vile.
“Tammy,” Big Dick snaps from down the hall. “Get the fuck out of here. Now.”
Winking, Tammy drops her hands and breezes past Big Dick without a care in the world.
“You should know we found your clubhouse,” Big Dick says, leaning against the bars. “Friend of mine is there now, watching their every move, and your stupid club doesn’t have a clue.”
Hopeless defeat crushes against my chest like a lead weight. Big Dick found the clubhouse, Boo is mysteriously missing, and I can’t even sit up, let alone rip this motherfucker’s head off.
Big Dick’s face splits into a grin. He knows he has me. He knows this news is tearing me apart.