Page 61 of Golden Atonement

He didn’t do it to protect his brothers. He knew the brothers could protect themselves.

He didn’t do it to protect me. He knew I was more than capable of taking care of myself.

No. Everything he did was to protect the future.

The kids that would come after us.

He knew from the beginning that the meek would inherit the world and in our case, that meant our kids. Everything he had done has been to protect our children, his brothers’ children, and all the children yet to come. He needed to make damn sure that no other child suffered the way he or I did and as long as there was evil in the world, I knew he would stand between that evil and the kids.

Closing my eyes, I sighed, because I would be standing right next to him, until I took my last breath.

Knowing what I had to do, I looked at the people before me and said, “I have another problem and I need your help.”

“Ask,” Giovanni firmly said, walking over to his wife, reaching for her hand.

Looking at Layla, I prayed she forgave me. “It has to be you.”

Layla took a deep breath and sighed. “Because I can’t be touched.”

I nodded.

“What do you need me to do?”

“I need you to kill George Stone.”

March 8, 2024

Reaper

Hidden in the darkness, I watched her enter the clubhouse. I didn’t want to be here anymore than she did, but like me, we couldn’t say no to the woman we loved. My woman endured more pain, more anguish, more soul crushing torment than either of us could imagine.

There was nothing we wouldn’t do for her.

After Oklahoma, I followed her to Vegas, killing every Satan’s Angel along the way. The more I killed, the more my demon craved, until I was barely hanging on by a thread. As for Sandman, he gave up the ghost and fully embraced his demon. I feared without Sunny, there would be nothing left of him. I didn’t know how much more he could take before he snapped and went off the reservation completely.

My fears were confirmed when shortly after my wife left with Vladmir, several more Satan’s Angels attacked the Nyght Nymphs compound.

Sandman lost it, knowing that Sunny was inside.

The only thing that stopped him from burning the damn clubhouse down was when we both saw Wraith, the President of the Wraith Warriors, carry Sunny out the back to safety. Seeing his Sunny, stopped him dead in his tracks and almost cost him his life when a Satan’s Angel damn near took his head off.

After that, I knew he was done.

I couldn’t rely on him anymore. The man had enough and the only way to save him was to get him back to his Sunshine.

The problem was getting him to agree.

Like me, he was deep in his mind, lost, swimming in a sea of blood and bodies with no way out. It was a vicious cycle, but not unbreakable.

Looking to my left, I watched while Sandman sat on the ground, rocking himself back and forth, muttering incoherently to himself.

He was getting worse by the second.

“Hang on, brother. I’ll get you home. I promise.”

“No home.”

“I’m taking you home.”

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