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“Now, that’s better,” Anderson says with a satisfied grin. “We can both see eye to eye…literally.”
“What the hell do you want?” I ask again, more calmly this time.
“Retribution?” Anderson replies with a simple shrug. “I plan to get revenge for my forefathers finally.”
I shake my head at him. “What are you talking about?”
“You don’t even know?” he asks with a disbelieving snort. “I guess your father wasn’t as duteous as mine.”
My father died when I was five…but the asshole doesn’t need that piece of information. “He probably thought it wasn’t worth mentioning,” I say with an aloof shrug.
Like I intended, Anderson’s eyes narrow into angry slits. “You don’t get to downplay the issue after what your great-grandfather did to mine. The Grey’s and your family used to be on good terms until your dumbass great-grandfather thought it was wise to fuck with my great-grandfather’s fiancée. He knocked her up before my great-grandfather could do anything about it. To make matters worse, she died during childbirth. It was no surprise that my great-grandfather decided to retaliate by killing your great-grandfather’s sister. It was a messy affair, but we had the upper hand. A fragile truce was established because your family cowered before mine. We agreed to maintain peace, but you’ve got to admit that family feuds don’t just go away. You know…I see you biker boys galavant around the city like you own it, and it always makes my chest burn with anger. You lot don’t even belong here…especially not you, Pocus.”
It’s been a while since someone told me that I don’t belong, but the effect of being isolated is still as excruciating as it was all those years ago. The only difference is that I have learned to hide my emotions over the years.
Despite the sickening twist of my stomach, I keep my face inscrutable.
“You can’t decide who stays and who goes, can you?” I ask with a small snort. “You can only pull petty tricks like the ones you pulled in the past few days.”
“Don’t be mistaken, my friend,” Anderson says with a humorless laugh. “I don’t play tricks. The things I did in the past few days were only to get your attention, and I did. I can make the eviction order go away and have your home with just a word. It’s up to you to maintain whatever treaty our forefathers signed. Are you willing to do anything to protect your people, Mr. Pocus?”
“What do you want?” I ask through gritted teeth, pointedly ignoring his question.
“Evanesce,” Anderson quietly replies while looking directly into my eyes. “Marry your pretty little sister to me.”
“What!”
CHAPTERFIVE
Pocus
My hands are holding on so tightly to the handlebars that my knuckles have gone stark white from the exertion. I’m barely holding myself from roaring like a madman and hitting everything in my way.Evanesce.
He’d mentioned my sister’s name so casually that one would think he’d known her for years or something. And maybe he has. Maybe he has been watching, waiting for the best time to strike. I feel a strangling sensation around my neck, and my chest feels so tight that I can hardly breathe. I’m going at a neck-breaking pace, but I can’t seem to feel the usual thrill that comes with speed. All I see is red…the road in front of me painted in Anderson Grey’s fucking blood. I should have killed that bastard right there in his creepy office. It wasn’t enough that I punched him till his cocky face was covered in his own blood. I should have given in to the bestial urge to snuff his life out.
And he had the nerve to laugh while I hit him.Fucking bastard.He stood down while I rained punches on him even though he could have defended himself. Although Anderson Grey isn’t as big as I am, he could have gotten in a hit or two if he wanted. If I were in the right frame of mind, I would have wondered why he took my blows lying down, but right now, I don’t give a shit about the motive behind that motherfucker’s actions. I only regret that stupid bit of conscience that made me keep him alive.
I finally see the clubhouse up ahead, but even the familiar sight of home does nothing to ease the tightness in my chest. I pull up in my usual spot and kill my motorcycle’s engine. I walk into the house with my knuckles fisted tight, and my teeth gritted hard to restrain the fury clawing at my chest. Blight, Hemlock, Gator, and Crab are bent over a monopoly board while Seer is lounging on the couch holding a newspaper up to his nose. Buffy is making a show of creating one of his ‘magic bombs’ at the bar while Frenchie and Tomb watched on in amusement. They all pause to look at me as I walk into the room with similar expressions of apprehension and expectancy. I suppose Seer has told them about my trip into town. I ignore them all and turn toward my room. The devil in me needs release. And fast.
Seer starts to rise from his seat. “Prez, I….”
I hold a hand up to him and shake my head. He understands my unspoken command. Seer huffs a resigned breath and lowers himself back to the couch, and I continue toward my room without a backward glance.
I barely closed the door to my room when I became overwhelmed by the intensity of my emotions. I let out a hoarse scream and kicked at the nearest object to me; an antique lamp stand that Evanesce gifted when she got back from her last trip to Paris. I look into the mirror, and as usual, my guts twist with disgust at the reflection staring back at me. I hate the man that I see.
I see a coward who runs from the very one that made his existence worthless.
I see a weakling who can’t protect the ones he loves.
I see a fool who can’t even kill the bastard that threatens to rock the foundation of everything he stands for.
I see someone who’s the exact opposite of everything I stand for…everything that I want to be. These men chose me as their leader because they thought I was worthy. They believe I’m strong enough to protect them, but they couldn’t be farther from the truth.
How is it that only I can see the weakling staring back at me?
I throw the first punch. The mirror cracks. I throw another. And another…until the skin on my knuckles shreds. The blood drips from all the cracks in the wall. I keep punching until the image staring back at me is as distorted as I feel inside. Even then, my chest still feels tight, and I feel sick to my stomach. I run into the bathroom and bend over the toilet to throw up.
After I’m done emptying everything from my guts, I wash my mouth and my face. I flush the toilet and return to my room. I lower myself to my bed and drop my head into my hands with a sigh. I feel a little calmer now – and even more pathetic. It’s a good thing I made Evanesce and her boyfriend travel to Vegas the moment the whole issue started. Knix had been excited about a compulsory vacation while Evanesce couldn’t stop sulking.
