Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Doc

New Year’s Eve…

The clubhouse is packed, wall to wall bodies grinding and bouncing to the heavy beat blasting from the speakers.

Flashing lights strobe across the room, casting shadows on the rock and wood walls.

Leather cuts, tight dresses, tattoos and piercings everywhere I look.

It's New Year's Eve and the club is throwing one hell of a party to kick off another year of raising hell.

I grab a beer from the bar and scan the room, taking in the familiar faces of my brothers and their ol’ ladies mixed in with the fresh meat, the club girls looking to hop on the back of a bike for the night.

My eyes land on Sera across the room and I freeze.

Even in the dim light, I can see her eyes are glassy, those pouty lips pursed into a frown.

Something's not right.

I weave through the crowd toward her, ignoring the loud nature of everyone around us.

When I reach her, she doesn't even glance my way, just keeps staring off into space with that troubled look on her face.

"Hey, something going on?" I ask, leaning in close so she can hear me over the thumping music.

She doesn't respond for a long moment.

Then she turns to me, sadness etched on her beautiful face. "My grandpa didn't show up. He was supposed to be here tonight."

I know how much that old man means to her.

He's the only family she's got left that's worth a damn.

I put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into my side. "You wanna go check on him? Make sure he's all right?"

Sera nods, searching the space for her man.

In the strobe lights, I catch Turmoil's eye across the room.

He sees the look on Sera's face and makes his way over. "What's up?" he asks gruffly.

I give him the rundown. "Her gramps didn't show. We should go make sure the old man's okay.”

Turmoil nods. "Yeah, good idea. Babe, let’s go see how your gramps is. Who knows, that ol’ bachelor could have a couple of ladies over."

It warrants a laugh from Seraphina, but it isn’t a genuine one.

She’s worried and we can all see it clear as day.

As we head for the doors, weaving through the party crowd, I have a bad feeling twisting in my gut.

Something isn’t right.

I just hope the old man didn't fall and break a hip or some shit.

The last thing Sera needs is more pain in her life.

I swing my leg over my bike, Mandy climbing on behind me.

Sera hops on the back of Turmoil's.

We take off into the night, the Vegas lights blurring by as we roar down the highway, heading for the old man's gated community.

I grip the handlebars tighter, jaw clenched, as that sense of dread deepens in my bones.

We pull up to the sprawling mansion and there aren’t any lights on.

Odd, I’m certain he probably has a light or two on out front, or even in the back at all times.

I cut the engine, head swiveling, taking a hard look at the place.

It's too damn quiet.

There’s not even any staff bustling around.

"Doc..." Mandy's voice is tight with worry behind me as she climbs off the bike.

I'm already striding toward the front door, Turmoil and Sera on my heels.

I don't bother knocking, just test the knob.

It's unlocked.

The heavy wood swings open with an ominous creak.

Sera calls out, her voice echoing in the dark foyer. "Grandpa?"

No answer.

Turmoil pulls his gun from his waistband. I do the same. "We'll check it out," I mutter to the girls. "Stay put."

Of course, Sera doesn’t listen for shit.

She pushes past me, heading straight for her grandpa's study.

Mandy hurries after her.

"Fuck," I curse under my breath, exchanging a dark look with Turmoil.

We prowl through the mansion, scanning the shadows, on high alert.

Then Sera's blood-curdling scream rips through the heavy silence.

We sprint for the study, hearts pounding.

I stumble to a halt in the doorway, Turmoil slamming into my back.

Sera's on her knees, wailing in agony, Mandy's arms around her.

I stare at her gramps, or rather what's left of him.

He's slumped over his desk, blood and brains splattered on the wall behind him, deadeyes staring at nothing.

Bile rises in my throat as I holster my gun.

Turmoil rushes over to his woman.

He drops down next to Sera, gripping her shaking body, pulling her into his chest.

She clings to him and Mandy comes over to me, sad-filled eyes that hurt for her friend.

I know things are fresh, but we have to act. If there are others here, we need to get them help. “Did you find anyone else?”

Instead of answering me, he turns and gives me a sorrowful expression.

Turmoil's ashen face tells me everything I need to know—the rest of the staff didn't make it either.

This was a fucking slaughter. An act of war.

And I got a sick feeling the bloodshed is just getting started...

"I—I can’t believe…" Mandy murmurs, dragging a hand over her face. "I can’t believe someone would do this to their own family."

I meet her gaze, jaw clenched.

It doesn’t matter if you’re blood or not in situations like this.

Sometimes, power gets to people’s heads… and it obviously has with Sally.

Sera's sobs have quieted, but she's still trembling in Turmoil’s arms.

He strokes her hair, trying to offer some semblance of comfort.

God, I don’t think any of us will be able to ease her pain.

Mandy is the voice of reason, her eyes wide and haunted. "We need to call the cops,"

She staggers to her feet, wiping at her tear-streaked face with shaking hands.

"No," she says, her voice like shattered glass. "No cops."

"Sera..." I start, but she whirls on me, eyes blazing with a fury that takes my breath away.

"This was her ," she spits, each word dripping with venom. "My mum. She did this, and I will not have the bloody cops getting to her arse before I do!"

Turmoil steps forward, placing a gentle hand on Sera's shoulder. "We'll find her," he promises, his tone low and deadly. "We'll make her pay for this."

Sera nods, a single tear slipping down her cheek.

"Where's Alfred?" she asks suddenly, her voice barely a whisper.

Alfred was the butler, a loyal man who served her grandfather for decades.

He was like family to her.

Turmoil grips her hands tightly. "Sera..." he starts, and even though his voice is gentle, I can see the grimace on his face.

I know he doesn’t want to break anymore horrible news, but she needs to know.

"Sera... Alfred… along with the rest of the staff were found in the kitchen…”

His voice trails off, but Sera urges him to give her more information. “How? How did they die?”

Turmoil swallows hard, looking into his ol’ lady’s eyes. “Execution style, bullets to their heads. It was quick.”

A gasp wrenches from Sera’s throat.

She stumbles back against the wall, her face pale under the overhead light.

"They did that too?" She asks, her voice trembling with rage. "They killed them all as well? They had no part in this. Absolutely none."

Yeah, no shit.

I don't say it aloud, because she doesn't need to be told the obvious right now.

Instead, I put my arm around Mandy's waist as we watch in silence.

Sera's gaze is wild as she looks between us, something dangerous and unhinged glinting in her eyes.

"She'll pay for this," she seethes through gritted teeth. "She'll fucking pay."

No arguments here.

The room falls into a morbid silence again, the violence that had been committed here just hours ago looming over us like a dark cloud.

I start thinking about what needs to be done. “I’ll call Damon, get him to send some people out to take care of the bodies. Sakura can sign the death certificates and get all of that sorted.”

Mandy narrows her eyes and looks at Sera. “Wait—with your gramps dead… what does that mean for you both overturning the businesses, getting your mom out of them?”

Sera looks at Mandy, and if looks could kill, this would be it. “It all depends on his will. If he left the shares to her, she’d have the majority. If he changed his will recently and left them to me, nothing would change.”

God, I know Sera had a plan to turn things over with the businesses as a way to fuck over her mother.

I pray to God that her grandfather left everything to her, because if not, Sally will have yet another way to screw us.