Page 45 of Bruiser's Reckoning

“You didn’t think you could get away from any repercussions for what you attempted to do last night, did you?” I snarl, stepping closer, drawing a knife from its holder attached to my thigh. “You thought you could buy my woman, have her brother killed, and you wouldn’t pay for it?”

“Do you know who I am?” Gabriel questions, getting to his feet. The whore in his bed clutches the sheet to her chest. “I could have you killed for this. Is that puta worth dying for?”

“That woman is my ol’ lady. She’s worth every damn thing,” I answer. “You and most of your men are already dead, Gabriel. If you tell me what I want to know, I’ll make your death easy as I did theirs.”

“I’ll tell you nothing,” he spits.

“I was hoping you’d say that,” I say, grinning and throwing the knife, hitting my target. That target being his leg. I didn’t want him to die quickly, and he won’t. That blade I saved just for him. It’s coated in a cone snail’s venom I’d gotten off one of my contacts. Stuff is deadly. Cone snails are one of the most poisonous sea creatures and worth the money I spent on the vial.

Gabriel stumbles to the bed as the whore scrambles off the bed and out of the room.

“Now, you can either tell me who in my club is helping you, or I can make your pain all the more uncomfortable,” I say closing the distance between the two of us. “You’re already dying,” I inform him and grip the handle of my knife in his leg and yank it out, making him shout in agony. “This blade was coated just for you.”

“You can’t do this to me,” Gabriel grinds out. “I’ll make sure you die for this.”

I throw my head back and laugh, shaking my head before sobering. “Gabby, buddy, you’re the one who will die tonight. You nearly killed my woman with what you pulled with Johnathan. I don’t give a shit why you killed the other bitch, but you won’t get away with what you did to her. The pain you caused my woman is what you’re paying for.”

Thrusting the knife in his hand, I twist it, digging farther into the mattress. I leave it planted there and pull another knife from its stealth. “Ready to tell me who the traitor is?”

“I’ll tell you nothing.” Sweat beads down Gabriel’s face, and it has nothing to do with his previous activities.

“Okay.” I shrug and press the tip of my knife into his eye socket, not too far, I don’t want him to die just yet. I just want to take his sight, well, to dig the eye out in an excoriating way. I do the same to the other while he bucks and tries to fight me away. But the bastard, no matter how much power he holds, is nothing but a puny weasel.

“Ready to talk yet?” I ask once I’m satisfied both eyes are out and dangling. “Or you want more pain?”

“What is it you want to know?” he pants.

“Who do you have in my club that’s a traitor?”

“I have no one in your club. It was a debt owed to me by someone associated with the club. They are the ones who did this for me.”

So, it wasn’t a member of my club. That’s good to know. Hammer will be happy to hear this.

“Name?” I demand.

“William Burnts.” The name rushes past his lips. I’ve never heard the name, but I’ll get Cy to look into it.

“Appreciate the help, Gabby boy. I’ve got one more thing to ask. Why Gwyneth?”

“Her mother, real mother, was a beauty. My father wanted her, but she rejected him. The woman who raised her found out I was interested in purchasing her when Johnathan put her picture up for bid. She made a deal with him and then with me. The puta thought she could cross us both and get away with it. Gwyneth would have been mine. A rare beauty who would birth a daughter I could use to seal a deal with the Cintron Cartel.”

Well, fuck.

Everything seems to be coming full circle now, isn’t it?

Done with the bullshit, I plunge the knife into Gabriel’s body stomach and step back. Now, it’s time to finish the job.

It sucks that the whore is here, but it’ll have to be what it has to be. I’m not taking her with me or helping her escape. For all I know, she’ll be in on it with the rest of them.

With quick work, I set everything up I need to blow the place up and make my way outside.

I don’t bother sticking to the shadows this time. I stalk out of there and pull out the lighter I found while setting everything in place. I grab some dry grass and light it on fire before dropping it where the flames will lick and spread, moving toward the house.

Turning my back to the flames, I walk away, knowing my job here is done. If he’s not already dead, the fire will kill Gabriel and anyone else who doesn’t get out of there in time.

By the time I get to the shore, the house is engulfed in flames.

I allow a grin to spread across my lips. No one gets away with harming those who belong to me. I won’t back down from killing anyone who gets in my way. They call it a reckoning for a reason, and I’ll destroy those who dare come between my woman and me.

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