Page 36 of Wrath

“Fine, I’m on my way.” I give in to curiosity and slip my boots back on.

Everythin’s silent when I get there, one of the other cages is parked up by the back entrance and is the only sign that anyone else is here. I pity the poor fucker that’s earned the punishment I’m here to serve. It’s been a long time since I’ve been let loose, and being summoned on such short notice has put me in a realbad mood. It’s hard to believe that just over an hour ago I was kissing my girl good night. Now, I’ve been dragged here to make some sorry-assed fucker bleed.

I swing open the back door and when I see Cliff, Mac, and Rex all gathered in the corridor I frown.

“All of ya here, and ya need me?” I shake my head, these fuckers really are lazy. “So, what we dealin’ with?” Being back here’s already got me in the mood for causing some pain. My only concern is the fact it’s these three who are behind it and I’ll put my money on what they want me to do, not being a club decision.

“How long ya been prospectin’ for now?” My dad stands in front of me. “A little over three years,” I remind him. My probation period must be the longest one in Dirty Soul history.

“Bout time ya made the cut, don’t ya think?” The smile on his face almost looks like a proud one and the fact that Mac and Rex both look pleased for me sets me a little on edge.

“What the fuck is this?” I shake my head, knowing that whatever it is, the stakes are high. Dad knows how much I want the cut, and I know how hard he’s tried to hold me back.

“This, son, is your initiation.” He moves forward and slaps me on the shoulder. “I’ve been harsh on ya, but only because I see somethin’ special in ya. You're clever, you’re one helluva fighter; there's just one thing you gotta work on.” He wraps his arm around my shoulder and walks me to the door of one of the side rooms. Rex grins at me as he flicks open the door and when I step inside and see a hunched-up figure curled up in the corner, I immediately freeze when I see it’s a female. She’s shaking and sobbing and the long, dark hair that hangs over her face prevents me from seeing what she looks like.

“No women or kids, that’s a club rule.” I look back at my father, starting to panic

“Sometimes, when ya really wanna make it, rules have to be broken.” He smiles at me and when Mac flicks on the bright UV light above us it almost blinds me.

“Are ya gonna explain what the fuck this is? Because I’m tellin’ ya, right now, I ain’t fuckin’ up no female.” I let ‘em hear the anger in my voice as I look between the three of ‘em.

“Lift ya head, pretty girl.” Dad’s lips pick up into a smile as he gestures his eyes back over my shoulder toward the victim on the floor, and when I turn around and she does as he tells her, my heart stops beating.

“Eden!” Her wild, scared eyes stare back at me and she shakes her head, desperately begging me to do something. I hear the scrape of metal come from behind me and when I look back around, I see Mac has bolted the door.

“This is gonna be the most valuable lesson you’ll ever learn, son.” The man who calls himself my father chuckles as he grabs himself a chair and takes a seat.

“I won’t hurt her, and I won’t let any of you hurt her, either,” I say it loud so she knows it too, and all three of ‘em look amused as they stare back at me.

“Just try to stay calm. I’m here now,” I call over to Eden, refusing to back down. I’m so fuckin’ angry I got the adrenaline of an army coursing through me. I know for sure that can take all three of these fuckers on.

“You’re takin’ this too far,” I warn my father, hoping that he’s gonna back down.

“Son, I’m doin’ this because I want ya to succeed. This club needs ya workin’ to your full potential and ya can’t do that when ya got a female inside your head. They make ya weak, they have ya questioning all your decisions. You’ve let this pretty, little girl get too close, now it’s time to make your choice.”

“There is no choice. I won’t fuckin’ hurt her and I’ll die before I let any of you,” I warn him…again

“Oh, son, that’s not what we want ya to do.” He moves over to Eden, grabbing a fist of her hair and making her squeal as he uses it to raise her onto her feet.

“Get yourfuckin’hands off her!” I rush toward them and when my dad starts to laugh, all I see is pure fuckin’ evil.

“We brought ya here to show this girl a good time.” The way he grips each side of her cheeks and squeezes so her lips pout, makes me shudder.

“Get the fuck off her,” I growl.

“C’mon, ya know how to do it right, or do ya need Uncle Rex to give ya a demonstration?” He laughs.

“It’s not happenin’.” I shake my head at him, feeling my chest heat with enough rage to ensure there’s nothing left of these three cunts when I’m finished with ‘em.

“That’s a shame because, one way or another, this girl’s gettin’ fucked tonight. Remember what I said the other day about makin’ choices? Well, this one’s yours. It can either be you, or it can be them.” Cliff looks to the back wall where Mac and Rex are now standing with smug-as-fuck grins on their faces,

“They’ll have to go through me first,” I tell him, doing everything I can to avoid looking at Eden. Cliff’s right about one thing, sheismy fuckin’ weakness and right now, only my strength is gonna save her.

I raise my hands and get ready to fight, I’m more than happy to kill these fuckers. Rex looks me up and down and laughs as he moves toward the door on the other side of the room.

“You think it would be just us three?” Cliff laughs with him as I watch Rex open the door, and when three brothers from a different charter and two nomads step inside, I feel my heartsink. The one I recognize from our Nebraska charter slides a set of brass knuckles onto his right hand, and when I see a bat wrapped with barbed wire in the hand of the guy standing beside him, I feel all my anger turn to fear.

“Aaron,” Eden’s voice whispers from behind me.

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