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“Wish you’d come looking, baby,” Dakota added, and paused as Smoke knocked at the door. When Dakota called to come in, Smoke stuck his head in and threw him a bag. Smoke snuck one smug look at the two of us and disappeared before Dakota could bellow. Somehow, I guessed Smoke would head straight to Chance to report back.
“Did you find a family?”
“No, I stayed in a children’s home until I aged out. It wasn’t too bad. I made a brother and sister there, but they weren’t you or your parents. Lost them both in a drug overdose when I was in my early twenties. They couldn’t cope with what they’d suffered. Fuck Janey, I tried to get them straight. Broke my back doing so and failed. That’s what my life has been, one long list of failures.” The pain in Dakota’s voice broke me.
“No, it hasn’t,” I exclaimed.
“Yeah, it has. Failed Mom, failed Tom and Beryl, failed you, failed my brother and sister. Just one long list of failures ending in my last failure of recognising and saving you.”
“I should have told you who I was, but I dug my heels in when you didn’t recognise me,” I admitted.
“Yes, that Revers stubbornness has always been a curse!” Dakota laughed.
“Ain’t it just!”
“Tell me more, Janey; I want to know everything. Boyfriends, friends, how you’ve lived. I’m thirsty for knowledge.”
“Okay.” I took a bite of the sub and prepared to lay down my sad brief history. Somehow, I knew Dakota wouldn’t judge me. Just as I wouldn’t criticise Dakota when it was my turn for questions.
Chapter Four.
Pyro
Pyro watched Janey sleep. They’d talked into the early hours of the morning, and she’d finally dozed off. Pyro had sent Magic a text asking him to cover Janey’s shifts for a few days while they worked out what to do. Jesus, Janey Revers was in his bed and full of beauty and light despite her suffering.
Pyro had listened as she described her childhood, regretting with bitterness that he’d not been around to see Janey’s teenage moments. Pyro loathed that Janey had dealt with Tom’s death alone and afraid, and he hadn’t been by her side. They may have only been friends for three years, but they’d bonded tighter than a duck’s ass in that time. At first, Pyro thought a lot about them in the children’s home, wondering why the Revers had disappeared from his life. He’d resented them for a few years until he’d broken into the office and discovered his file. Pyro had read with disbelief that there was a court order stopping them from seeing him. Of course, the paperwork didn’t mention the potential adoption.
Pyro’s back twinged, and he closed his eyes. After the fire, he’d spent ages recovering. Janey and her parents had been his one constant. Pyro’s father had run after the murder of his wife and attempted homicide of his son. He’d been caught over a decade later before receiving life. The old bastard was still alive, rotting in his cell, and Pyro had no relationship with him at all. Tom Revers had been more of a dad than Pyro’s own flesh and blood for those few short years.
Pyro watched as Janey burrowed down in his quilt and murmured in her sleep. A smile crossed his lips as he watched her. Janey Revers, the first and only girl he’d allowed himself one hundred percent to care about. Pyro had listened intently as Janey explained she’d dated on and off but never had a proper relationship. Pyro already knew she was his. It had been foretold when they were children, even though Pyro did his best to forget her. Being brutally honest with himself was something Pyro advocated. No point in deceiving himself.
He’d admired Janey then, and when she’d disappeared, he had forced himself to move on. The pain of grieving for his mom and what his dad had done had scarred Pyro in more ways than one. Back then, losing the Revers made little sense, and Pyro had protected himself the only way a scared child could. By pretending they did not exist. But as a man, Pyro saw everything he was meant to and knew he’d loved and still worshipped Janey. Even if she returned to the uptight librarian. But that wasn’t the real Janey; that was a persona she’d created to survive. The real Janey was Bunny, he just needed to encourage her to be herself.
The world was a cruel place for someone with Janey’s large heart, and Pyro completely understood why she’d donned armour to protect herself. Pyro felt the pain that Janey’s existence had been a lonely one. Instead of love and laughter, she had been alone. Janey had lost herself in survival. Pyro planned to make sure Janey didn’t lose herself again. Bunny was the real Janey, and he intended to nourish that. Pyro’s eyes closed as his mind whirled.
???
Justice
Justice watched as the woman struggled against her bonds. Another disused building, another asshole who’d escaped the law through a legality. This bitch had abused her four children, killing the eldest aged seven and scarring the other three, aged five to two, for life. Justice cocked his head; she was beautiful and undoubtedly used that to cover her activities. But her soul was dark and her heart stone. Justice bet he’d only burn one toe before she confessed everything.
The bitch’s looks obviously meant more to her than her children. Those poor babies who’d now be raised by strangers or left in a children’s home. Scarred physically and mentally, Justice felt anger deep in his gut. While he sought vengeance for any victim, the youngsters burned him the most. They were innocent, couldn’t defend themselves, and were often helpless. This bitch in front of Justice may have the face of an angel but was a demon, as dark as Lucifer himself.
Justice stepped out of the light and flicked his lighter. He’d already doused the woman in gasoline and placed wood under her chair to make sure she burned. Frightened eyes came to him, and she squealed against her gag. Her brunette curls were a mess, and makeup streaked down her face. Justice paced forward silently before stopping in front of her, flicking his lighter on and off. Her gaze widened in fear, as no doubt she could smell the acrid scent of the gas. Calmly, he yanked her gag down.
“Who are you? Why are you doing this?” she shrieked. Justice leaned forward.
“This is for your children. Two ways of doing this bitch… no, don’t interrupt; you won’t like what happens if you do. One, you confess straight up how you abused those kids. Or two, I torture the fuck out of you and get my confession that way. I’m not opposed to either idea, but it’s what works for you,” Justice sneered. The woman began babbling, and Justice allowed her a few minutes before sitting at her feet and yanking her foot forward.
“What are you doing?” She gasped, wrenching it back.
“Plan to burn your toes off one by one until you agree to confess what you did. Told ya there were only two ways.” She screamed and begged him as he separated her toes and doused the little one in gasoline. Before he even lit the flame, she agreed to confess everything she’d ever done to her children. Justice rose to his feet and moved to the camera facing her.
“One warning. If you scream you’re being forced to confess or that your confession is false, you will die. And not quickly, I shall burn fingers and toes from you. Then shove hot rods through your eyes before moving on to other parts of your body. Before you pass, all you’ll feel is pain. Do you understand me? Now I want a detailed statement of everything you did to your children.”
The bitch swallowed hard and agreed. Justice flicked the camera on and began the live feed as the woman finally admitted her sins. Two hours passed before she wound down, her voice hoarse from talking. Justice ended the filming and flipped a match at her. He walked away as the bitch burned to death, ignoring her screams.
???
