Anger started to bubble over inside of me. These men. Men whom I respected. That I wanted to be a part of thought I’d betrayed them. And from Cruz’s lack of words, he thought so too.
“Go ahead and kill ’em,” Tommy said from the chair, his head up and more alert now. “He’s a traitor.”
“I’m not a fuckin’ traitor, you piece of shit.” I pointed my finger his way. “I’ll fuckin’ kill you for this if these guys don’t do it before me.”
Tommy started chuckling again. “You’ll be dead before me.”
As much as I didn’t want to believe him, Rhys came to flank the other side of Cruz. Three badasses right in front of me. This was going to be bad.
But I’d take whatever they dished out. Whether I’d walk out of here or not was another story all together.
To the right I heard Tug’s voice. “My son believes in this man.”
“Yeah, well your son’s judgment hasn’t always been the greatest,” Jacks threw in.
There was an entire history between Micah, Jacks, and his now woman Emery. Lots of twists and turns down that road. Jacks did not like Micah and let it be known to anyone who listened.
“You know I’m not that man anymore,” Micah said to Jacks.
“Right,” Jacks replied.
“This isn’t between Jacks and Micah right now, so knock it the fuck off,” GT growled and the two stopped the bickering. GT’s gaze came to mine. “You a fuckin’ agent? Comin’ in here to fuck us over?”
“No, sir. I am not. Never would I go against this club. Never would I tell its secrets. Never would I throw anyone here under the bus. I have never nor would I ever work for the fuckin’ ATF.”
Tommy chuckled. “Whatever. You’re so full of shit. You came to me wanting to take the Ravage MC down. Too bad it’s not gonna work out for ya.”
“Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me?” Micah said, Deke moving in front of him as he started to move my way. “Man,” Micah warned, but Deke crossed his arms over his chest.
Deke might have stopped his progress, but he didn’t stop his mouth. “Fuckin’ Tommy is lying to get shit stirred up around here so we forget about the bigger picture. Think about it. Really take a fuckin’ step back and think. The man has been by the Ravage MC’s side since he came to the clubhouse that very first time.”
With Katie. That was the first time I saw the little spitfire.
Katie. Fuck me. I needed to get out of here to at least talk to her one last time. Not to mention she would know something was very wrong when I didn’t show up to pick her up from work.
This shit couldn’t be happening.
28
KATIE
“Come on.” Dryerson gripped my arm hard and pulled me off the couch to the door.
“You’re hurting me,” I told him, and his grip tightened even more. I tried pulling away but didn’t have any luck.
“Shut the fuck up and get to the SUV,” he growled, opening the door. No one was in the corridor, but I didn’t know what I would say if someone was there. Hey, my boyfriend just turned psycho, and I have no clue what is going on? That about summed it up.
Dry brought me around and opened the door for me, then literally lifted me in the seat before slamming the door shut. Then he hit the automatic locks which was odd. He was literally getting in the vehicle. Why would he lock it beforehand?
The beeps went off while he opened his door then the doors locked again.
I moved my hand to the handle and pulled. It was locked. “Why am I locked in here, Dryerson? You’re really scaring me.”
“You should be fuckin’ scared, and stop calling me Dryerson already.”
Wait. What?
“Do you want me to call you Ben instead?” My voice was not strong at all. This entire scene was breaking me in a thousand pieces. The man I loved was doing this. To me. Why?
He fired up the SUV and put in reverse then drive, taking off.
“Just stop fuckin’ talkin’,” he ordered.
Something was really wrong here. He wasn’t acting anything like the man I’d fallen in love with. He wasn’t patient and kind. He wasn’t loving or caring.
For the first time in a very long time, I sent a prayer up to God. Please help me. I don’t know what’s going on with Dryerson, but I’m terrified. Please help.
29
DRYERSON
“Tell ’em how you set the bomb to go off in the warehouse. You know the one the entire club was supposed to blow up in.” Tommy kept running his fucking mouth, and I was losing my shit.
My fist clenched. If I did nothing else tonight it would be to remove this man’s tongue.
A crunch followed by a wail of pain came from Tommy as Nox slammed the hammer down on Tommy’s foot. Unfortunately, it wasn’t his mouth to shut him the fuck up.
“You got anything to say?” GT asked me, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Other than that motherfucker is lyin’. No.”
GT took a small step toward me, and I braced for the impact that didn’t immediately come.
Tommy spat out, “Just like going on the roof instead of goin’ inside the warehouse. More protection.”
“You lyin’ fuck,” Micah clipped back. “I’m the one who suggested the roof. Dry had nothing to do with that decision. It was all me.”
“Dryerson,” Cruz said, his tone monotone and even, not giving away any of his feelings. My guess was he was about to deck me.
I looked him dead in his eyes, letting him see down to my soul. I was no motherfucking traitor.
We stood like that for long moments, and it felt as though he was deciding my fate.
Would I live or would I die?
Would he allow me to see the light of day or would this pit turn into my coffin?
Only fuckin’ regret I had was not getting to spend my life with Katie. To grow old together and have a family.
But I would not waver. I would not show a single emotion. What would be, would be.
What I didn’t expect was for Cruz to lift his chin at me and turn around, giving me his back. Or giving Tommy his full attention. Which one I wasn’t quite sure yet because GT and Rhys were still at Cruz’s side, glaring at me.
“Teeth,” Cruz ordered. Both Deke and Rhys turned to one another, nodding.
Fuck. Were they going to pull out my fucking teeth? I told the truth; there was nothing else to get out of me.
Rhys started coming my way, but I stood tall. Soon Cooper and GT would hold me down. I’d fight, and all hell would break loose. Ending with me on the ground in a pool of blood.
I never took my eyes off Rhys. When he turned and moved to Tommy, opened his mouth and pulled out a tooth with ease, I didn’t know if I felt relief it wasn’t me or confused about what the fuck was going on here.
“Motherfucker!” Tommy screamed, spitting blood at Rhys. He punched Tommy in the stomach, causing more blood to spray out and for Tommy to gasp for breath.
“Tanner’s gonna be pissed she has to deal with blood again. For that, I’m takin’ another.” Rhys didn’t stop. He did exactly that, and this time Tommy got smart and didn’t spit more blood at Rhys.