Page 35 of Rattlin' Bones

Chapter 11 Skel

Present—

Nothing worked out like it was supposed to. I told Lacey I’d be back to talk to her father, but I never got a chance. The little ride into the desert changed everything. First, I was horny as fuck. I couldn’t wait to get to my woman. Second, the knowledge that Manic and Creature had picked up the asshole who invaded my home surged a new need through my body. Vengeance.

My cock throbbed for Lacey. My head refused to allow me to leave until I found out how he knew where I lived and why the fuck he arrived with his buddies after I brought Lacey. I’d been watched. That much was obvious.

But who? Why? This felt far more complicated than Luis Diego and a little revenge. Sure, he was probably still pissed when I showed up and ruined his plans, interrupting when he went after the judge and Lacey.

Still, I didn’t buy there wasn’t another motive.

This stunk like club retribution, and the only club we had an issue with in Las Vegas and Tonopah were the fucking Bladed Serpents MC. I puffed on my cigarette as I leaned against the building, needing that shot of nicotine before I took my turn on the prisoner. I let Manic and Creature work him over first. He needed to be worn down, bloodied, and broken when I went downstairs. If he wasn’t? I would finish the job.

No matter what, I was getting answers. I had to protect my woman. Lacey was gonna be my ol’ lady. All that shit that kept us apart? We could work through it.

And the family part? I would figure out a way to make her happy. We could adopt. Look into other ways for her to conceive. I didn’t give a fuck as long as we stayed together.

I flicked the last of my cigarette to the ground, stomping out the cinders, and headed back inside the clubhouse. Maddog spotted me and gestured for me to join him at the bar.

“We haven’t learned anything useful. I’m thinkin’ the asshole down there is savin’ all the juicy shit for you.”

That thought occurred to me, too. It made sense. He came to my house. “I’m going down now.”

There was a massive cellar in this old casino. It had been used for storage in the last couple of decades, but now that we gutted it and placed tool benches and weapon racks down here, it resembled a torture chamber. Chains and hooks were poking out of bins that lined the walls. We even bought a blacksmith forge.

The point was that we had a place to work. And if that included interrogating anyone threatening the club, so be it.

I didn’t waste time being polite when I reached the bottom of the stairs. Manic and Creature had strapped our prisoner to a metal embalming table. His wrists and ankles were pulled tight at the four corners, which left him vulnerable.

I picked up pliers and walked to his side. “Why did you come to my house?”

Silence.

I clamped his nipple and twisted, pulling hard on his skin.

The prisoner howled.

“Why did you come to my house?”

I twisted more, ripping off part of his nipple.

“Fuck! Stop!”

“Answer me, motherfucker, or I will rip your body apart one piece at a time. I’m not as patient as they are,” I informed him, gesturing to Manic and Creature.

“Ratchet,” he blubbered through tears. “He’s at the core of all of it. I’ll tell you everything. I never wanted this shit.”

Why didn’t he cooperate before now? “Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

“I was waiting to tellyou.”

Yeah, I thought so. “Why me?”

“Ratchet wants to tear down this club before it can get started. He’s lookin’ to expand his territory, but the reason he started with you is because of Luis Diego. He paid Ratchet and the club.”

“For?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“The judge, his daughter, and the shit from three years ago. He’s fucking obsessed with making you all suffer.”

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