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“And after that?” I ask, already knowing the answer, but also knowing that the men need to hear it.
“Then we fucking retaliate!” Rocco roars and the men whoop aggressively, stamping their feet or thumping a surface nearby with their fists.
A glance out the window of Dante’s office shows Zoe and the Cruz Cunts looking at us in curiosity, and Rocco must notice too because he declares church closed and opens the door, leading the men out.
“Listen up.” Rocco announces, gaining everyone’s attention, and the Cruz Cunts stop what they are doing and huddle together, while the men spread out and take seats at tables.
My feet carry me to Zoe, and hers do the same, coming to me in a hug as we meet halfway as Rocco starts talking.
“There’s nothing I can say to make what’s just happened right, other than, we fully intend on making sure the Reapers are paid back, tenfold.”
To that, some of my club brothers whoop aggressively again and thump their fists on the tables this time. Zoe stiffens at hearing it, drawing her head away from my chest to observe the room.
“Tomorrow, we will have a memorial for our fallen. We will take the time needed to grieve our loss, but also to celebrate their lives. Sasha, Slayer and Gunner will get a true Cruz Kings send off, and we will honor them tomorrow and every day after that by making them proud and ensuring we seek vengeance for their deaths.”
Once again, the men in the room whoop and thump on the tables, and Zoe shifts closer.
Glancing down at her, I press my finger under her chin and lift her head to see the pure exhaustion in her eyes, along with the internal pain she carries. I want to take it away from her, but I don’t know how.
Rocco explains the memorial will start mid-morning, and then reiterates the new sleeping arrangements to everyone.
I zone out, my thoughts with my broken brother still sitting like a zombie in Dante’s office, and I drag my gaze from my princess to lock onto the shadowed figure I see through the office door.
Slasher.
Shit. He’s a fucking mess.
“Princess,” I whisper, dragging my gaze back to my girl. She looks up at me expectantly, waiting for me to continue. “I need your help.”
“Of course.” She nods, straightening as she releases my arm.
“Slasher hasn’t moved since we arrived. He’s covered in his brother’s blood. I need to get him to the strippers’ locker room to shower. I’d do it myself, but I think the situation needs a woman’s touch.”
Her brows shoot up. “You want me to shower Slasher?”
Frowning, I shake my head, but then nod. “Can you see if Alana is up to helping? Between the three of us, we should be able to get it done. With any luck, he’ll wake up from his shell-shock and do it himself.”
Nodding, Zoe reaches up and presses her lips to my cheek, before slipping away to find Alana.
The moment Zoe steps away from me, Cain steps too close for comfort, something that takes a while to get used to, but that’s just the way he is. Uncaring of one’s personal space.
“Your guest downstairs has been made as uncomfortable as possible. Can I peel his skin off yet?”
A few floors below us is the Diamond Crew’s basement, which is Cain’s domain, where we have the only Reaper left alive. We found him injured hiding in the bushes across the street just down from where Slasher was saying goodbye to his twin, waiting for the cops and fire crew to leave so he could get to safety. Unfortunately for him, we found him first, and Rocco called Cain who turned up with our van to bring our new prisoner here.
“No. No peeling his skin off yet,” I answer Cain. “Has he said anything useful?”
“Not really.” Cain shakes his head. “So far he’s cried a lot. Asked for his mommy. Not real good at holding his bladder, so I hate to see what happens when we really get started.”
If only Gunner was here. He’d be able to make him talk.
Gunner was skilled with a knife. I don’t know where he learned it, but it came in handy when trying to get people to tell us what we wanted to hear.
“I want some time with him before you have your fun. Just keep him alive. We’ll make him sweat it out for a day or two and then see how willing he is to talk,” I say to Cain, who grins wickedly.
“Alrighty then. If that’s all, I’ll show you fuckers where the mattresses and blankets are that we brought in for you. Unfortunately, we don’t have any bedrooms here, so you’ll all have to bunk out in the main room together.”
“That’s not a problem. Maybe show Rose and the girls. Tex can help.” I offer, before clapping him on the shoulder. “We appreciate the refuge, man.”
