Page 36 of Prince of Pain

Mom chuckled, grabbing my arm and steering me towards the cage where another guy stood beside it with his hands tied, terror on his face. “Ry, this is?—”

I didn’t let her finish.

“No thanks. I’m not throwing hands at your victims,” I said sharply, intending on walking away until her next words stopped me.

“Even if I told you this asshole has a long list of child abuse cases and raped a sixteen-year-old girl last month? He’s on our kill list, so feel free to beat him to a pulp. Doesn’t matter how badly you hurt him.”

“What happened to the girl?” I asked as I glared at the man, already tugging my shirt over my head. I’d throw hands with this piece of shit to get some of my mood out since he was going to die anyway.

Maybe it would sate the stupid desires I was having.

“Surgery and being treated for PTSD. She’s only recently gone home,” Mom said bitterly, opening the gate to the cage. “Hey, you two. I think you’ve knocked enough sense into each other today. Get out, I need the cage.”

Maddox scowled at me, but Zane grinned, tilting his head. “I say you let the prince have a few rounds with me. I’ll fix him.”

“Zane, out,” Mom repeated, waiting for them to leave the cage before motioning for me to step inside. She removed the guy’s restraints and shoved him in after me before shutting the cage, giving me an encouraging smile. “Have at it.”

The guy trembled as I shook my arms out and cracked my neck, his eyes going wide as I stepped closer. “Please! I didn’t mean to?—”

I slammed my fist across his face so hard that his nose cracked, his quiet begging turning into desperate cries as I hit him again and again. My knuckles burned but I kept going, taking all my frustration and anger out on him.

Apparently, I was entertaining everyone because I could hear cheers of encouragement coming from multiple people as I beat the hell out of this dude, blood coating my hands and spraying my face as we ended up on the ground with me pulverizing his face until it was unrecognizable.

“Thousand bucks says he kills him and freaks,” Zane said loudly, and Mom told him to fuck off, letting me work out my aggression until arms grabbed me and pulled me off the guy. His breath was weak as he choked on blood, the adrenaline pumping through my veins and making me fight against whoever had me.

“Enough, Ry,” Hunter ordered in my ear, my body sagging after a second. I wasn’t about to throw hands with one of my dads. “Feel better?”

“A little,” I panted, wincing as my hands started to sting. “You got anyone else stashed in the basement for me?”

He chuckled, tugging me towards the gate. “Not today. Let’s clean you up.”

My limbs were like jelly as he led me out, and I stumbled as Maddox suddenly threw a fist at my face.

“Maddox!” Hunter barked, but Maddox ignored him and got in my face.

“You and me need a few rounds too.”

“Not happening,” Hunter argued, making Maddox snort.

“Why not? You let me fight Zane all the time.”

“We don’t care if you kill Zane,” Mom deadpanned, and Zane rolled his eyes.

“Aw, thanks Aunty Rory. Feeling the love.”

“Don’t call me that, you little shit. Don’t you have people to terrorize and graves to dig?” she threw back, his eyebrow lifting in challenge.

“Don’t you?”

She fumed silently for a moment before pointing at Maddox. “You leave your brother alone. Go clean up, you’re on a job tonight.”

“He’s out of control, Mom. Snapping at dumb shit and?—”

“I’m fucking handling it. Do as you’re told,” she warned, ignoring Zane’s snicker as he gave Maddox shit on the way to the bathroom, and Mom turned to me with a softer expression. “If you feel uptight and angry, then you call me, and I’ll find you a human punching bag. Skeet told me you’re dealing with some shit. I didn’t ask what it was, and he didn’t tell me, but all you have to do is say you’re losing it, and I’ll have you throwing hands at someone before you can blink. Don’t lock it away, Ry. I mean it.”

She walked off and left me with Hunter who took me into the office, a deep sigh leaving him as he motioned for me to sit on the desk. I sat, waiting for him to be the first to speak.

“You doing okay?” he finally asked, and I couldn’t stop the chuckle that slipped from my lips.

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