Page 40 of Tormented By Regret

“He's more loyal than you think,” Jameson responded. “Start from the beginning.”

“Ronald Hargrave and I had a run-in about sixteen years ago. I slept with his girlfriend, and he came after us. He snapped, and like a madman he wanted revenge. But he never got it back then and he was put in jail for carrying an unlicensed weapon and for assault.”

“And he escaped recently?” Jameson asked.

I nodded, knowing he knew more details than he let on.

“What happened, Lee?”

His voice changed as he said my name. He'd never said it before, but I could see in his features, that although he was pissed, he was still empathetic to the fact I had just lost someone I once loved.

I looked at him and couldn't help it. I broke. “He killed her. He stalked her, raped her, and sliced her throat as she begged for mercy.”

I dropped my head, sadness and rage enveloping me. I felt him place his heavy hand on my shoulder. “He's a fucking sociopathic killer.”

“I'm sorry, brother.”

I pushed back any resentment, swallowed the tears that threatened and raised my head, looking blankly up ahead.

“He wants Whisper.”

Jameson's hand tightened on my shoulder. “Does Macabre know?”

I shook my head. “I've kept it to myself, until I was able to speak to you.”

“Where is he?”

“I have no idea. According to the news reports, the killer is nowhere to be found. Hoax hasn't been able to locate him either.”

Jameson nodded, going back to his pacing. “We've got enough crazy psychos batting for us, then he ever will for himself. We'll find him.” There was deadly intent in that statement.

“I'm calling Church in the morning. Be there.”

I stared up at him. “That's it?”

“Yeah, that's it.” He started to walk away but I stopped him.

“No punishment, no pay back for your plane?”

He took a step back and arched his brow. “First off, you weren't manning that plane, Bandit was. Now that fucker, on the other hand, owes me a fucking plane. You've just lost someone that I understand meant a lot to you, and you did right by bringing Macabre's sister back. She'll be safe here. So as far as I’m concerned, no punishment needed…for now.”

He took a step closer, eyes darkening, voice lowering. “But if you break code again, I'll not only strip you of your colors, but I will also have every one of your brothers beat the living shit out of you. Understood?”

“Yes, Prez.”

“Now go fucking take a shower cause you smell like shit, Powertrain.”

As he disappeared out the door, I released a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I knew what Jameson was capable of and I never wanted to be at the other end of his wrath. I'd seen his work, torture was something he loved to implement on his enemies, I could only imagine what he'd do to those he loved when they betrayed him.

I'd gotten lucky, so I kept my mouth and wandered up to the rooms upstairs. I lived off the grounds in town but tonight I needed to stay close. I went past one bedroom, then the next, knowing that Whisper would be in the last one down the hall, right across from where I'd be. Because there was no way I was leaving her alone now. She was stuck with me, like it or not. And as I stood there, staring at the light under her door, I vowed to die for my pretty lunatic.

POWERTRAIN

Avoiding Whisper was harder than I thought and ignoring her was fucking fatal. We'd share looks from afar, but there was no way I could get near her without one of the member’s noticing something. I wasn't allowed to touch her. None of us were. And yet I had, and I yearned to touch her again.

I was seated at one of the tables in the corner, cradling a beer bottle I still hadn’t had the satisfaction of drinking, when Goshawk slid into the seat in front of me. He reached out, stealing the beer from me and taking a long swallow.

“You got it bad for the girl, don’t ya?”

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