Page 85 of Raze

“So you're big enough to make the call but you can’t watch.” The slimy prick laughs at her.

“Don’t you fuckin–”

“Raze!” She shouts over me. “Just shoot him.” She focuses on Kane and puts on her bravest face.

“Or he could put the gun in your hand and you could do it yourself. I won’t be the first guy you’ve killed.” Kane tips his head and smiles darkly.

I don’t know what the fuck he’s talkin’ about but it takes me off guard. I stop myself from wondering what he means and focus on what’s important.

“This guy doesn’t deserve a bullet, Pey.” I look at her sadly. “He needs to pay for what he did to you.” I put a shot in his knee and send him to the floor with Sonny, giving her a chance to change her mind. Then, I move my stare toward Sonny’s hunched-over body and force his head back against the wall.

“So, what’s your story?” I ask, flicking my eyes between him and Kane in case he tries anything.

“Everyone knows my story. I’m the club kid who never had a dad. But we all know that ain’t true. There’s only one man at the club who could have been my father, one man who had thoughts as fucked-up as the ones I get in my head when the lights go out. It’s kinda ironic that we’ve ended up here.” His eyes are cold and disconnected as he looks up at the ceiling.

“Cliff.” I’ve always had my suspicions, but the boy’s played a clever game, I see Cliff in him now.

“The funny thing is, I’m more like my father than any of the kids he chose to raise. It wasn’t him that killed that girl who Grimm had to come from Colorado to help cover up. It was me, and I’m not gonna lie to ya, Raze, I really liked how it felt.” I don’t know what the fuck he’s talkin’ about but I’m still disturbed by how it sounds.

“I’ve been prospectin’ for the Reapers since Cliff took me to their clubhouse last year. He knew what was comin’ for him and he knew I’d never fit in once he was gone. He wanted me to have some security.” Sonny looks proud of himself, it’s almost as if he’s forgotten I’m holding a gun at him.

“Are ya tellin’ me Cliff was workin’ with the Reapers?” I check I’m hearing him right.

“For the past year, yeah. It was his idea for them to set up another charter close by. He knew when his takedown came the club would be weak and the Reapers could take over Long Beach.” What he tells me may come as a surprise, but it doesn’t shock me, nothing does when it comes to Cliff Adams.

“Do you know where he is?” I ask a simple question that seems to get right under his skin.

“He’ll come back for me when he’s ready,” he snarls at me. “He only took Willow because he knew she was weak. He left me here so I could make something of myself with the Reapers.”

“Well, I’d say from the position you're in now, that like most other things he got that wrong.” I press the gun to his head.

“You're not gonna kill me, Raze.” He shakes his head and starts laughing hysterically. “Everyone goes on ‘bout what a good, loyal man you are, you wouldn’t break my mother’s heart like that.” He smiles up at me like he’s invincible.

“You broke your own mother’s heart when you put your mouth on my girl’s pussy.” I pull the trigger and Kane screams when chunks of Sonny’s brain splatter all over the side of his face.

“You're crazy!” Kane breathes heavily trying to compose himself.

“I’m crazy?” I laugh at his accusation. “You’re a sick, weak little fuck who got his kicks from hurting his sister.” I crouch down at him and screw the barrel of my gun into his temple.

“You're not gonna let him kill me. Peyton, you love me.” His eyes flick across to her helplessly.

“I hate you,” she tells him. “I hate you for all you did and what you were going to do to me. Raze is right, you deserve more than just a bullet, but I don’t want to spend a single moment more of my life with you in it.”

“Close your eyes, darlin’,” I tell her, keeping mine focused on her brother’s.

“Raze, I need you to make it quick,” she begs me. “I wanna go home.” She better mean back to the club because that’s where she belongs. I don’t care what happened in her past or how she ended up with me. I’m never gonna let her go again.

“You can’t kill me. She doesn't know what she wants. She’s in shock. If you pull that trigger, she’ll never forgive you. You will always be the man who took me away from her.” He tries to save himself and I look over to her smile sadly while I wait for her to close her eyes, and when she does I look back to Kane and smile.

“That’s somethin’ I can live with while I’m keepin’ her warm at night.” I wink, putting a bullet right into the center of his forehead.

His body falls on top of Sonny’s and I don’t waste another second of my time on them. Rushing to Peyton, I place the gun on the nightstand and take her head in my hands.

“It’s okay, you can open ‘em now, it’s over,” I tell her, kissing the top of her head before I start to untie her.

“I can’t, I’m too scared,” she admits, keeping them scrunched up tight.

“Listen, you have nothin’ to be scared of anymore. They’re dead.” I take her face in my hands again once I’ve freed her. “I’m sorry. I’m so fuckin’ sorry that I reacted how I did back at the club.” I kiss her lips and hold her so tight I feel us both shaking.

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