Page 129 of Golden Atonement

“Oh yes, you will.” The man laughed as he looked at one of the other men. “Because if you don’t, I will let Walter fuck youin the ass until you submit. Then he’s going to tear into that girl and make you watch.”

I don’t know when it happened, but the second I felt tears streaming down my face, I knew there would be no saving me. Even in her drugged state, the girl feared the other man as she scooted closer to me. We were both about to be forced to do something neither of us was ready for. I may be the son of a biker, but I was only fifteen. I had never even kissed a girl before. What they were asking was sickening.

It was then that I knew I was in hell.

Minutes, hours, days went by. Every second blurred into the other. All I knew was that the horror of what I had done had ingrained itself into my soul. The man named Walter had his fun with the both of us until neither of us could stop ourselves.

To end the pain, we finally did what they wanted.

Shaking off the memory, I slowly lowered my gun and sat back down as I tried to get my heart to slow. My demon was raging, clawing, demanding to be let out. It had been years since I thought about that motherfucker. The vile nature of him still sent a shiver of dread coursing down my spine.

Leaning forward, Sinclair whispered, “You were not the only victim of his. What he did to you was nothing compared to the hell he put Thena through. He was an extremely violent man with unnatural sadistic tendencies. He suffered for days before I ended him. You see, Maxwell, you and I are a lot alike. We come from similar backgrounds, and I need your help.”

Looking at the man, I whispered, “You want me to find Thena?”

“Yes.” He nodded. “You help me find her and I will help you with Montana.”

“How do you know about that?”

“You will learn that there is rarely information I don’t know regarding the underworld.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then I will wish you well and part ways. The choice is yours,” Sinclair said, getting to his feet. Buttoning his suit jacket, he added, “I will give you twenty-four hours to make your decision. Should you choose to part ways, I wish you nothing but happiness, Maxwell, and congratulations on your new baby.”

Saying nothing more, I sat there and watched as the man left the hotel restaurant.

It was late when I walked into the Gentlemen’s Club, along with Bullseye and Massacre, only to be greeted by a blur of blonde hair as it hurled itself right into my arms. I hugged her tightly as she squealed. “Oh My God! You are here!”

Setting the woman down on her feet, I grinned. “Can’t come to the city and not see my favorite Italian chick.”

“How long are you staying? Is Remi with you?”

“Only for a day, and Remi is at the hotel with Sandman.”

She frowned. “Then you’re here on business.”

“Oh, beautiful, you know I’ll always make time for you.”

“Get your fucking hands off my sister,” a familiar voice said from behind me. Turning, I held onto the woman and smirked. “Can’t help it if she prefers me to you. What are you doing here, anyway? Thought you retired?”

“So did I,” Giovanni groaned. “The Italian Council got word there was a meeting tonight and asked me to sit in.”

“Well, at least the Bloodletter isn’t here.”

“I’m here,” Fedorov growled from behind me and added, “Now get your hands off my wife.”

Quickly taking charge, Illyria extricated herself from my arms and said, “This way, gentlemen, the meeting has already started.”

“Fucker,” I sneered, following Illyria as she escorted us to the meeting room. “I was only hugging her.”

“Go hug your own wife.”

Before I could say anything more, Illyria opened a door and said, “Montana, you have some unexpected guests that have arrived and are requesting, or should I say, demanding to sit in on this meeting.”

Not giving Montana a chance to respond, the beautiful woman stepped to the side as Giovanni Valentinetti and Maxim Fedorov, along with Vladmir Ivenok, walked into the room. However, when I walked in behind them with Bullseye and Massacre, I smiled at the fucker sitting at the table as he stiffened, then groaned. He reached for his phone, quickly typing something before sitting back in his chair, saying nothing as I took a seat at the other end of the table.

“How’s the leg, asshole?”

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