Chapter 37

Iggie has been attendingtherapy sessions for a full two weeks. He has an appointment later today and I hope it's as good as their first. He seems to really like this Holly woman Shank recommended.

While he's in his session, I have some business to attend to. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and while most people are preparing to celebrate with loved ones, I'm preparing to end the two cunts who dared touch what's mine.

Susan and Nancy.

"What are you doing today?" Iggie asks as he slides on his t-shirt and jeans.

He deserves my honesty, especially after what happened the last time I withheld information from him and put him in danger. Though it's not my fault, I refuse to be the source of any more pain for him. "I don't want to go into the holiday with those cunts still breathin'. Today is the day. Viper and I will deal with them while you're talkin' with Holly."

"You can't do that without me! I want to be there." His teeth are clenched as he speaks, and I know I've upset him.

This is for his own good, though. He doesn't need to see me murder someone. Watching his dad get shot has already affected him so much. I was waiting for him to see if he needed that closure. But now that his anxiety is so bad, I don't think watching another life leave this world is the right thing for him.

"No. You don't need to see them again. Plus, we aren't together. I still have hope we will be again one day, and watching me take a life might ruin that. You'll see me differently. I'll be a monster."

He takes a step toward me, his hands firmly planted on his hips, and shoots me a piercing glare. "I deserve to face them. To confront them on my own terms. I won't interrupt and if it gets too much, I'll leave, but please don't just tell me I can't."

Goddammit. This man has me by the balls. It's safe to say that they are essentially his. "Fine. I don't like it, but I don't want to hurt you or be the cause of any more issues. You can come. But, Iggie, I'm serious. If you start feeling overwhelmed or can't handle it, just leave."

"I promise."

I cup his face and stare into his haunting eyes. "Promise me that when you see me in there—when you see what I'm capable of… you won't think less of me. I may be a monster, Iggie, but for you, I'll always be the hero."

"I know, Steel. You're not going to scare me."

"Okay," I whisper before leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on his forehead. "After your session, come find me and we'll go together."

I step out of the room, leaving him alone to get ready for his appointment and gather his thoughts. Our argument cut it close to his time, so I head out, sliding my cut on in the hallway. Walking to the bar, I take a seat next to Pistol and shake my head. "Get me a drink, Daria."

"Sure thing, baby." She bats her lashes at me, but I ignore her. Daria is harmless, but she's always so strung out on blow, she can't remember who actually wants to fuck her or not. If I didn't owe her cousin a favor, she wouldn't be allowed to be a whore for Hell's Mayhem.

I prefer our whores to be drug free. They want to get drunk and party with us, cool. As long as their shit gets done and they do what they're here for, I don't mind. But I don't like when they partake in the harder shit. We sell it but don't do it. And I'm hoping with Element opening soon, we won't have to sell it much longer.

Iggie finds me an hour later, still at the bar, my fingers tracing the condensation on the cold glass as I slowly nurse my drink.

"I'm ready."

Without a word, I nod, get up, and head out to the shed.

He follows me through the backyard to the hidden shed shrouded by trees in the back corner of our property. Holding the door open, I let Iggie step inside and then shut it, moving in front of him so I can investigate the scene first.

Nancy and Susan dangle from the rafters, their limp bodies swaying gently in the air.

Iggie gasps and freezes next to the wall. "Are they even alive?"

Viper emerges from the shadows. "That's my specialty. Best you don't ask questions you don't really want answers to."

Viper's eyes glint with sadistic pleasure as he approaches his helpless victim, his footsteps a slow, deliberate cadence that echoes through the silence.

Susan's wrists are bound tightly above her with fraying rope. Her breath comes in shallow pants as she hangs there, eyes closed. Blood trickles from the cuts and bruises that mar her skin, evidence of the brutality she has endured.

Viper circles Susan like a vulture circling its prey. With a flourish, he produces a gleaming knife from the folds of his cut.

"One… two… Viper's coming for you." Viper's voice is a low growl, dripping with venom. "Three… four… you're a delusional whore."

Without warning, he strikes, the blade slashing through the air with deadly precision. Susan's piercing screams fill the shed.

Viper's movements are methodical, each cut a deliberate act of cruelty. Blood flows freely from her wounds, pooling on the floor beneath in a macabre form of art.

"Please," she coughs and blood pours from her mouth.

Viper only smiles. "No thanks. You touched what wasn't yours. Tried to force your daughter on someone who doesn't even like pussy. She ain't even that good lookin' to turn a man straight."

"Doug maa?—"

He cuts her off. "Don't lie to me or I'll cut your tongue out. You killed Doug ‘cause he couldn't get on board the crazy train. Turns out that pussy wasn't quite good enough to get him to turn on his son. Go to hell, you psycho cunt."

And then, with a final, fatal stroke, Viper delivers the killing blow, the blade plunging deep into Susan's chest with a sickening thud. Her cries fall silent, her body slumping against her bonds as the last signs of life slip away.

I turn to check on Iggie, and he's leaning against the back wall. One hand over his mouth, the other holding his stomach. "Remember what I said. You can leave."

He stays rooted to the spot, determined to be brave. "I'm okay. Go on."

It's my turn now. Viper may have gotten to play with Susan as his reward for caring for them over the last two weeks, but Nancy is mine. Viper steps back next to Iggie in case he needs someone, and I loom over Nancy, my face a mask of cold determination.

I slap Nancy once, causing her to slowly open her eyes. "Wake up. It's time."

"Mom?" she asks, turning her head slowly.

"Mommy is gone." Viper laughs.

A pathetic sob leaves Nancy and I withdraw my belt from the loops of my pants, the metal buckle glinting ominously in the dim light. Nancy's eyes widen in terror, realization dawning on her like a bolt of lightning.

"I only wanted him to love me like I loved him."

Without warning, the first blow falls, a savage strike that has Nancy crying out.

"He's not yours to love. He is mine!"

I strike her again, each blow a cruel reminder of her powerlessness. Blood flows from the wounds where the buckle hits her instead of the leather, staining the floor beneath her.

But I'm relentless. There is no mercy.

It's time to send her straight to hell. I draw my gun from my cut and pull the trigger. The deafening roar of the gunshot shatters the silence. Nancy's body jerks violently as the bullet tears through the flesh of her chest, her screams echoing through the shed like a banshee's wail.

She gurgles briefly before her head lolls forward.

I sheath my weapon and move to Iggie. "Are you okay?"

"I'm good, actually. It wasn't as bad as I thought. The blood made me queasy, but I'm okay. They deserved worse."

My cock hardens in my pants. What a little secret psycho I'm in love with. We took it easy on the bitches because he's right; they did deserve worse. But I didn't want to scare Iggie more than necessary.

"Viper, can you take care of them?" I ask, nodding to our deceased guests.

"I got it, Prez."

"Thanks, man." I grab Iggie's hand and lead him out of the shed toward the clubhouse.

The night air is cool against our skin, a stark contrast to the heat of the shed. As we enter the dimly lit interior, I guide him to my room without a word.

Iggie flops down on the bed and scrolls his phone while I head to the bathroom.

Peeling off my blood-stained clothes, I step into the shower, letting the hot water wash away the grime of my deeds. With each drop that cascades down, I feel a sense of purification—a cleansing of both body and soul.

Once I"m dried off and dressed in fresh clothes, Iggie and I head to the bar. The familiar scent of cigarettes and alcohol envelops us as we take a seat, ready to unwind after the night"s events.

We discuss our plans for Christmas Eve tomorrow as we sip our drinks. With no family obligations weighing us down, we decide to spend the day at the club, surrounded by our fellow members who, like us, have no family ties to attend to. It may not be traditional, but it"s our own version of holiday cheer.

Kiki blasts out of the kitchen with two plates in hand, setting them down in front of us. "I prepared you a Christmas Eve Eve dinner."

"Hey!" Marni shouts as she comes from the kitchen with two more plates.

Kiki rolls her eyes. "Fine, we made dinner."

We sit at the bar in a line, eating the chicken and dumplings the girls made while chatting amongst ourselves.

"Kiki." Iggie wipes his mouth with a napkin. "Can you take me to town tomorrow? I want to get Steel a gift, and a few others, too."

"Duh." Kiki shakes her head, laughing, like Iggie has lost his mind.

I reluctantly agree to let Iggie go without me, but I'm sending Trucker along to keep an eye on the two of them.

As we finish our meal, I look at the man to my left and feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, there's a chance for us to find happiness together, despite all the pain and darkness that surrounds us.