Silence creeps in, thick and heavy. Elyna — no, fuck, it’s Temperance now — demanded the right to spank all of us in revenge for what we did to her. She doesn’t just want to draw blood. She wants to humiliate us, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t understand her..
Fang turns to Bones, jaw tight. “I’d like the record to reflect that I blame you, Prez. Fully. My ass will never forget this.” He groans. “I’ll take the hit, but I’m not happy about it.”
Bones doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t twitch. Just sits there like a statue carved out of granite, arms crossed, some of the wounds Temperance gave him still seeping blood through the gauze.
“If you don’t understand why she blames the entire club, too, and not just me…” His voice is calm. Icy. “Then you should sit this one out.”
Fang lets out a long breath, and drops his head. “I understand,” he mutters, voice small. “Of course I understand.”
Then Mindfuck pipes up, because of course he does. He can’t help himself.
“I’m man enough to take a spanking for the Prez’s love life,” he says, deadpan. Then his eyes go wide. “Wait — fuck. That came out wrong.”
He scrubs a hand down his face. “You fuckers know what I mean. We deserve it.”
There’s a beat. And then, one by one, the heads nod in silent, guilty agreement.
We watched. We let it happen. We deserve it.
Bones leans forward, arms braced on the table. “That’s settled then.”
Meeting adjourned. In a week, we’ll be marching toward our execution. With our pants down.
That fucking paddle should be classified as a torture device. I can still feel its sting.
I want to go home. Toher. Why the fuck did Temperance have to trash our bikes too? I don’t want to sleep here. I can’t stay here. Not… without her.
I need to borrow a ride.
Fuck, I’m fucked. I’m in deep.
This is bad. This isreallybad. I’m getting too attached. What the hell am I doing?
“You ok?” Bones’ voice cuts through the dark.
He’s stepping out the back door of the clubhouse, walking onto the deck with measured steps, looking like death itself.
“Yeah,” I say, tone clipped. Not convincing at all.
He watches me for a beat. “What do you need?”
I sigh and straighten up. “A ride. I need to go home.”
“Take a cage,” he says. Then pauses, as if weighing his words. “It’ll be… painful.”
The corner of my mouth lifts. “My need to sleep in my own bed outweighs the pain, Bones.”
He nods once, his expression serious. He thinks he knows why. And a few months ago, he would’ve been right. But not now. Now, it’s not space that I need. It’s Adora.Fuck!
Another breath escapes me as I glance up at the night sky. Everything feels heavier.
“She won’t forgive you,” I say quietly, the words falling like lead.
His voice comes back raw. “I can’t believe that.”
I turn to him and stare him dead in the eye.
“The kind of pain she’s carrying? Maybe this revenge shit will take the edge off. But it won’t disappear. Not completely. She might forget for a few hours. Maybe even days. But it comes back.” I clench my jaw. “Italwayscomes back.”
