Page 79 of Devil's Vengeance

“What’s going on?”

My sister’s voice near the hallway caught all our attention. I saw Trick’s gaze land on her and his evil smile spread across his face. I launched to my feet, putting my hands up when Trick whipped around with his gun raised.

“Don’t! You’re here for me. Leave my family alone.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Oh no. Fuck that. You fucked with me. Now I’m going to rip apart your whole family.”

“Think again.” Dad’s voice was deadly calm as he pressed the barrel of a shotgun against the back of Trick’s head. Trick froze almost comically, his eyes wide as saucers. His hands came up and my dad snatched the gun away from him, tossing it onto the couch. “Angel, princess, go join your mother and sister. Me and this young man need to talk.”

Angelica didn’t argue, darting across the room to hide behind my mom. Dad pushed against the back of Trick’s head a little, forcing him to sway on his feet.

“Nice and slow. Out the back door.”

“The back?” Trick asked, his eyes darting around for an exit plan. “Why not the front?”

“‘Cause if I kill you, I don’t wanna drag your body around to bury you. Start walkin’.”

Trick let out a nervous laugh, his footsteps slow as they headed for the back door. “This is just a misunderstanding. I’m sure we can discuss this like gentlemen.”

“No one touches my family and gets away with it,” Dad snarled. “I got friends in low places. Friends who would love an excuse to get ahold of a shithead like you. Pretty sure they’d take issue with you being in their territory, too. If I put you in the ground, they’ll thank me for it.”

Why did it sound like my dad was talking about the Devil’s Disciples? I stared in shock as he marched Trick towards the back, his expression calm but deadly. I’d never seen this side of him. My dad was a strong man, protective of his family, but I never saw him ready to kill someone before.

“Now, now, let’s not do anything hasty,” Trick bargained. “Mariah, tell him–”

Dad shoved harder against the back of Trick’s head, causing him to stumble. “Don’t talk to her. Don’t even look at her. You want to keep your head on your shoulders, you never come near my family again. Understand me?”

Trick used the momentum to duck out of the way, lunging toward my dad. Unlike when he tackled me, my dad didn’t so much as sway, instead smashing the butt of the gun on Trick’s temple. It knocked him out cold and he hit the ground with a dull thud.

“Holy shit. Who the hell was that?” Angelica demanded.

Dad looked at me, raising his eyebrow. “I’d like to know that too.”

They were all looking at me, and the lying took its toll. I couldn’t do it anymore. So I told them everything. From how I first met Chase to Trick targeting him through me, to what happened at Riley’s place, all the way until tonight. Mom and Angelica looked shell shocked, but Dad looked pissed. He pushed to his feet and pulled out his phone, dialing a number without saying a word to me.

“Socket. Why the fuck is my daughter part of your crew rivalry?”

Someone murmured on the other end, but we could only hear my dad’s half of the conversation.

“Yes, that’s my fucking kid. Why would he even suggest that in the first place? Uh huh. Well one of those little shits who’s causin’ you trouble just showed up at my home threatening my family. Come get ‘im before I blow his brains out and ruin my floors.”

He hung up, slipping the phone away. When he noticed me gaping at him, he shrugged. “Never was much interested in prospecting, but I’mfriends with a few of the crew. I’ve ridden my old Harley with them before.”

He said it like he didn’t just reveal something absolutely mind blowing. My gentle, easygoing dad was friends with the Devil’s Disciples, a notoriously dangerous biker crew that I had the misfortune of falling into by accident.

After the rollercoaster of the evening, it was too much to process. I sat heavily at the kitchen table, staring at him. “Who even are you?”

“That’s what I was going to say,” Angelica chimed in, sitting next to me. “Are you like an honorary member? Or a hangaround?”

Dad smirked, his familiar smile tinged with something a little more dangerous. He took a step forward, out of range of Trick, which was when I noticed the asshole was moving. I lunged forward, sending my chair flying against the wall as I grabbed my dad and yanked him out of the way. Trick buried a knife into the wall right where my dad had just stood, snarling at us all before he took off out of the front door. My dad barreled after him and lined up a shot, but Mom cried out to stop him.

“James! We have neighbors!”

It made Dad pause and Trick sped away, darting past the bikers who were headed our way. A few spun around to chase him, but I doubted they’d catch up. Trick was as slimy as an eel. He was good at getting out of tight spots. I’d need to stay on guard even longer now until he was finally dealt with.

“Mariah!” Mom called out in surprise as I sank to my knees, exhaustion weighing heavily on me. I just wanted this to be done. I would never read another dark romance again if this crap could just end.

Dad kneeled beside me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. “You’re alright, princess. It’ll be okay.”

---