I had to call the morgue. Christ, I didn’t even know how Vulcan had died. But I needed to hold him, tell Vulcan I loved him, and thank him for everything he’d done for us. Vulcan had given us unconditional love and treated the twins as his own blood. We’d had a good life together, and an evil asshole and lazy policing had cut it short.
‘We’re sorry, but your husband and a friend were found murdered.’
The words repeated in my head. They’d no idea what I’d lost. Their sympathy was meaningless.A friend. A friend was discovered murdered, too. Kanon. I yanked my cell out and punched in Aster’s number. It rang out, and I redialled.
“They died together,” Aster whispered, sounding as devastated as I felt. Screams erupted down the line. Aster’s pain was tangible. Grief-stricken, I closed my eyes as my scream finally erupted.
???
The weather matched my mood. Pouring rain and a storm breaking overhead. That didn’t bother me. Lately, I found I didn’t care for much. Aster and I walked behind the coffins being carried towards the church by brothers I knew were good. Eight of them in total. Not even half of the club. Kanon and Vulcan were two more innocent brothers murdered by the asshole president. Ten in total.
If Torden showed his face here, I’d put a bullet in his head. Luckily, Torden stayed away. Lars and Laila shadowed me, grief bowing their bodies. Aster’s five sons gathered around her, all shell-shocked like us. Seven kids and two widows, the latestvictims of Torden. He’d pay. I wasn’t Vulcan’s wife for nothing. Today, however, none of that mattered; it was about honouring my husband. Tragically, I was saying goodbye to the man who deserved to grow old with me and watch his grandchildren be born. Vulcan wouldn’t ever see his legacy.
The coffins were placed on their biers, and I stared at Vulcan’s with grief and bitterness. He shouldn’t be lying there today. Neither should Kanon. There was nothing here for me anymore. Lars and Laila senior had died in a car accident three years ago, and subsequently Vulcan was gone. I didn’t know what to do next. Aster remained in a stunned trance she’d yet to emerge from. My friend had crumpled and was lost. Our families need my strength, and Aster needed me.
Six weeks later.
I smiled as Torden stared in shock.
“Vulcan’s whore? Not his old lady, or worthy of respect. Just a slit, yes? Think differently now?” I snarled over the barrel of the shotgun.
“You’ll pay for this,” Torden growled.
“No. Because the police are raiding the club. All your fuckwit brothers are being arrested, and there are bags of evidence. The cops failed Kanon and Vulcan, but theNational Enhed for Saerlig Kriminalitet(National Special Crime Unit) hasn’t. The rot is being removed from the Torden Hingste even as we speak. I gave them everything Kanon and Vulcan had collected.”
“But you called and warned me!” Torden spat.
“Yup. To ensure I did this for Kanon and Vulcan. Asshole, I loved my husband. Vulcan was my world, and you stole him from my children and me. They’re going to miss so much, and that’s on you. Did you believe you were invincible? I’m about toshow you how untouchable you fuckin’ are.” I fired, lowering the barrel, and hit one of Torden’s knees.
The blast almost severed Torden’s leg, and he screamed, hitting the ground. Without hesitation, I shot the second and then placed the shotgun down. Torden could scream as much as he wanted; nobody would hear him out here. I yanked out my gun and knife. Vulcan would be shocked to see me now.
Torden was going to pay for destroying my future with the best man I had ever known. With a grin, I began to work. I’d seen Vulcan’s body and Kanon’s. What Torden and his happy gang of assholes had done was etched into my brain. Torden would feel every cut, stab, slash, and bullet Vulcan and Kanon had.
???
“Torden paid?” Aster whispered as I climbed into bed next to her. I wrapped my arms around her and held on tightly.
“Oh, hell yeah.”
“Kanon and Vulcan are avenged. You made Torden suffer?” Aster pushed.
“Yes. Believe me, the asshole died screaming. I worked for four hours.”
“That’s good. Can you remember promising Kanon and me you’d take care of the children if anything happened to us?”
“Nothing’s going to happen to you, but we’ve gotta make a decision about things.”
Aster stirred slightly. “Huh?”
“What’s left here? Kanon didn’t speak to his parents, and Lars and Laila Senior died. All that remains is us.”
Aster nodded and turned away in my arms. She was sinking deeper into depression, and I feared I was losing her. Guess I would be making the decisions now.
February 2025 - twenty months later.
Once more, I stood in the freezing weather, numb beyond belief. Unlike Vulcan’s and Kanon’s funerals, this time there weren’t many mourners. Jesper and Henrik clung to me, desperate to understand, and I couldn’t help them. At nine and ten respectively, how did I explain how cruel life was? In the space of two years, they’d lost their mother and father. All they had left was me. And I’d no intention of letting them go.
At twelve, Jerrik didn’t give a shit who saw him clinging to Laila. Jerrik needed comfort, and Laila was providing it even as she dealt with her own grief. Oskar, the eldest at sixteen, stood with Lars, and they sandwiched Viggo, thirteen, between them. Asper had given up on living. Depression had taken her, and nobody had been able to breach it. The twins were bereaved of everything: grandparents, father, aunt and uncle. Aster’s children had lost their parents.
