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Fuck. I’ve never heard truer words. She’s that for me, too. She makes me want to be a better man.
I pull her to my chest, and we stand wrapped in each other’s arms while Stretch gets Gunner tied and onto a chair, and shortly after, Slasher, Titch and the Cruz Cunts start walking back through the clubhouse doors.
Everyone is silent as they take in our captive, the Cunts taking a wide berth while my brothers glare at him, ready to claim their piece of his punishment.
“Princess,” I rasp quietly against Zoe’s ear, gaining her attention. “I have to enforce our club punishment, followed by the execution. I haven’t had a chance to fill you in on what happens, but if you want to leave, no one will mind.”
Easing back to look into my eyes, Zoe shakes her head. “I was forced to be the judge and hand out a sentence when I was with the Reapers. I’ve already seen an execution and I may not know what’s about to happen, but I’m here for it, Gray. I won’t leave this room until he’s dead.”
Warmth rushes through my chest. There’s no doubt Zoe Miller was put on this earth for me. I may have had a handin corrupting her soul, but she owns that corruption like it’s always been rushing through her veins.
“Then let’s finish this.”
With a sharp nod, Zoe rolls her shoulders back and we separate to stand side by side, facing our club and the traitor.
“Eddie Gunn, you swore an oath to this club of which you’ve broken through acts of deceit, betrayal, and treason. Do you have anything to say?”
All eyes are on Gunner as he sits slumped in the chair, his face swollen from my beating, but even behind his bushy beard, we can all see his fucking smirk.
“Just get on with it,” he rasps, the words nothing but fuel for the anger everyone in this room has toward him.
“Cut his clothes free,” I order, and it’s Munroe and Sully that step forward, shredding every bit of fabric from his body, not bothering to be careful not to nick him before pulling him up to stand.
No one shies away from staring at his pathetic naked state. The humiliation of it is part of the process, and even though Gunner’s expression doesn’t show an ounce of shame, the way his toes curl on the timber floor is a dead giveaway that his bravery is nothing but a façade.
I glance to Slasher, who is a ball of fury to my right and give his shoulder a nudge with mine.
“You wanna do this next part?”
His eyes dart to mine, wide with what can only be excitement, and he nods.
“That’s okay?”
“Yes. After what he took from you, it’s yours if you want it.”
Nodding again, Slasher watches as I point my thumb over my shoulder.
“Mini blow torch is over there.”
He disappears from my line of sight, and I turn back to my club.
“Eddie Gunn, for the acts you have committed against this club, we strip you of your membership.”
Slasher steps into the center, and Sully spins Gunner so his back is to the rest of us, showing us his large Cruz Kings’ skull head tattoo, and the jagged cross that’s been struck through it, most likely with a knife.
With a click, Slasher ignites the mini blow torch and doesn’t waste a second, hovering the blue flame over Gunner’s flesh as he starts to burn off the ink only loyal members of the Cruz Kings have the right to wear.
The smell of burnt flesh engulfs the space as Gunner releases a howl of pain, and I realize having this ceremony inside was a bad fucking idea. Tex is on it though, quietly darting around to open windows and doors before turning the overhead fans on to help move the stench out faster.
Risking a glance at Zoe, I see her still standing tall with her shoulders back as she watches on, not shying away from the brutality of what Slasher is doing while Sully and Stretch keep Gunner on his feet to endure his punishment.
I turn my eyes to the Cunts next, noticing them standing just as tall as their Mama as they too watch on, and even though this is a pretty fucking sick ceremony we have to perform, I’m fucking proud of my members and how they have rallied to watch out for each other and not complained when the hard shit has to happen, like burning our club skull head off our traitor’s back.
Slasher finishes up, glaring at Gunner as Sully and Stretch shift him around to face everyone again. Then he spits in our former club member’s face.
“Watch your back when you get to hell. Slayer is waiting for you.”
Tears start then from a couple of the Cunts at the reminder that Gunner is responsible for Slayer’s death, plus so many more.
