Page 45 of Hatter

Eddie tensed. “What the fuck did you do?”

“Someone really damn good with computers made sure you were on everyone’s most wanted list for embezzlement of millions of dollars. So, we have all the time in the world, Eddie. Let’s have a little chat.” I picked up the knife he’d used on me earlier. Getting closer to him, I used the blade to cut away the legs of his pants and his shirt. If the man was scared, he wasn’t letting it show. Looked like it would take quite a bit to break him. It seemed he wasn’t quite the pansy ass I thought he was.

“You draw this out too long, and your woman is going to freak the fuck out,” March said.

Eddie spat on the floor. “You mean my little whore? How is she? Still remember all the tricks I’ve taught her?”

My blood boiled at his words, but if he wanted me to end things the quick and painless way, he was mistaken. It only made me want to torture the fucker. I dug the knife into his calf, the meaty part that would hurt like a bitch but not do much damage otherwise. He screamed and cursed at me, nearly topping the chair.

March stepped behind Eddie, placing his hands on his shoulders to keep him still. “Now that’s not nice. I think if our club president wants you to bleed, then you should accommodate him and not try to escape. It’s the least you can do after hurting the woman he loves.”

My gaze jerked up to meet March’s. The asshole winked at me. Had they all realized the depth of my feelings for her?

“But, Hatter, I did mean it when I said you shouldn’t draw this out for hours. Not to mention, we aren’t exactly equipped for a thorough torture session. Make this dumbass bleed, make him hurt, then end it. Time to put Eddie in not only our past, but Jo’s too.”

I nodded, knowing he was right. My hand tightened on the handle of the knife. I carved flesh from Eddie’s legs and torso. Stripping off layers that were thin enough he wouldn’t bleed out anytime soon but would hurt like a bitch. By the time he looked like he’d starred in a slasher movie, he was begging for his life.

“Please. I’ll give you every penny in my bank account. Want a top-of-the-line motorcycle? It’s yours. I’ll even make sure no one tries to chase you out of Warren,” Eddie said. “Just stop this.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so. As to the other stuff, I have someone who can help make all that happen if it’s what I wanted. Now the last one… no worries there. We aren’t leaving Warren, but your father and anyone else not playing by the rules will be leaving town soon enough. Either voluntarily, in handcuffs, or by way of the morgue.” I cut away the rest of Eddie’s pants, and then wished I’d known he didn’t wear anything under them. It was a sight I could have done without.

March glanced down and snorted. “Damn. You put that tiny, crooked thing in Jo?”

The mere mention of what this asshole had done to her was enough to ignite my anger all over again. But March had been right. I needed to end this. Using the knife once more, I sliced the femoral artery, and took a step back, watching as the life slowly drained from Eddie. March came to stand beside me, and we both waited until the man had drawn his last breath.

“And now it’s finished,” March said.

“Let’s clean up this mess,” I said, turning to find the others. “We’ve got a clubhouse to return to and I have a woman waiting for me.”

Cheshire snorted. “Yeah, one who’s going to lose her shit when she sees all the blood on you. Especially since some of it’s yours.”

The night was still as dark as sin, and now the air was heavy with death. I watched my brothers gather around their bikes, ready to get the fuck out of here. The rumble of engines filled the silence, the ground vibrating beneath me as we all started our engines.

“Shake,” I called over the noise, “handle the cleanup, then you and your crew get the hell out of Dodge.”

“Got it, Hatter.” Shake nodded, a grim smile on his blood-soaked face. “I’ll send you a bill.”

“Good man,” I said, giving him a salute. My mind churned, thinking about what just went down. It had all been too easy, but there wasn’t any time for dwelling on that now.

I glanced at Rabbit, who still looked shaken. “You good to ride, brother?” I asked, concern seeping into my voice.

“Y-yeah, Hatter,” he stuttered, trying to sound brave. “I’m ready.”

He’d need some downtime after this. And possibly a therapist. Except I didn’t know any who could listen to this story and not freak the fuck out or have all of us locked up.

“All right, let’s move out,” I said. One last look at the godforsaken building, a reminder of the blood spilled that night, and then, we were gone.

As we rode back to the clubhouse, the wind whipped around us, stealing away the pain. I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling, though, something gnawing at my gut. But for now, I focused on getting home to Jo, to my family.

“Almost there,” I told myself, engine roaring louder. “Just a little farther.”

Chapter Sixteen

Jo

Hatter’s blood, dark and warm, painted my fingers as I pressed the cloth against his arm. His eyes held mine, never flinching from the pain, but something deeper flickered in them. I couldn’t tell if it was trust or a warning. But all I knew was that I had to help him.

“Keep this on,” I said, trying to sound sure of myself. “It’ll stop the bleeding.” Hatter nodded, but he didn’t let go of my gaze.

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