Page 45 of Devil's Vengeance

But he didn’t move. Didn’t lift his gaze off the floor. He accepted his punishment without a word.

Croy stepped forward, fisting Chase’s hair to force his head back. “Tell her why you aren’t fighting back. Go on. Tell her just how fucking deep you dug yourself into a hole.”

Chase flicked his gaze toward me and away again. He gritted his teeth, his familiar scowl in place, and he didn't speak to me. He spoke to Croy instead.

“What do you want me to say, Prez?”

Croy answered him with a fist to the face. If Clink and Brewer weren’t holding on to him, he would’ve hit the ground from the force of it.

“Playing stupid isn’t gonna get you out of this, son,” Nevada said, his voice stern. “You better come clean before you make things worse.”

“Come clean about what?”

I knew it was the wrong thing to say the minute it came out of his mouth. And he didn’t get away with it. Croy jerked his chin at Clink and Brewer, who hauled Chase to his feet, then he laid into him over and over until Chase was gasping and his legs couldn’t hold him up anymore. Lacey turned me around at one point and I let her because I couldn’t watch them hurt him anymore. I squeezed my eyes shut and just waited for it to be over.

The hallway went quiet aside from Chase’s gasping breaths. I glanced over my shoulder, choking back a whimper at the sight of Chase bleeding on the hallway floor. His torso was already turning black and blue. It was a miracle he was even conscious after all that.

“Lacey. Tell Chase about your phone call,” Croy demanded.

I whipped my head around to look at Lacey. She glared at Croy, unhappy about him dragging her into whatever was happening. It wasn’t until Brewer snapped at her that she spoke up.

“Answer ‘im, baby.”

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “I got a call from my uncle. He was being approached by a new crew around here. They said the Devil’s Disciples were going to be wiped from the map and he’d need to work with them to keep doing business in the area.”

“It’s our relationship with Lacey that persuaded Ruiz to call us to give a warning. Can you guess which crew called him?” Croy growled.

That actually seemed to confuse Chase. His brows drew together and he shook his head slowly. “I don’t–” He swallowed and tried again. “Nothing I did involved the crew. It’s personal.”

“Personal how?” Croy demanded.

Chase shook his head, denying them, but I couldn’t take watching them hurt him anymore. I knew he’d hate me for it, but I couldn’t risk him dying to keep the story to himself. Just as Croy raised his fist again, I darted forward before Lacey could grab me.

“Wait!”

I had a knife to my throat and someone’s hand in my hair before I could move. I froze with my hands up, my heart hammering in my chest.

It was my involvement that got Chase moving. He fought against his crew’s hold, trying to get to his feet.

“No! Don’t! She didn’t do anything! Leave her alone!”

Croy ignored him, turning to face me again. He stalked closer, the look of pure hatred written all over his face. I realized really fast how stupid I was to run up on one of these guys. I could only blame my need to protect Chase from himself.

“I asked you once who the fuck you were. You better answer this time.”

CHAPTER 28

MARIAH

I knew better than to argue. “M-My name is Mariah Williams. I’m a librarian. I was in the truck of kidnapped women that was almost trafficked. Lacey and Chase saved my life.”

He glanced over my shoulder at Lacey for confirmation. She made an irritated sound and I heard her heels approach before the knife was pulled away from my throat and she grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the man. Reaper. I was warned to stay away from him. Now I knew why. I hadn’t even heard him move.

“She’s not lying. She showed up at a club party a few weeks ago to thank me for saving her. We’ve been hanging out ever since. She’s not dangerous.”

Croy looked unconvinced, but didn’t advance again. He narrowed his eyes on me. “What the fuck are you doing here then? A librarian doesn’t belong here.”

If it were any other situation, I would’ve expected Chase to crow that he was right. He didn’t speak. He was staring at us, real fear written all over his face. All because of me.

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