Page 23 of Under an Endless Moon

Rage and regret coiled deep down in my soul, an ugly red glow that clouded all sight.

Last night when I’d broken into his house, the fucker had laughed in my face when I’d given him the chance to repent. His grin smug when he’d spat at my boots and told me he’d enjoyed it.

So, I gave him no mercy—the same as they’d given her.

One monster down. Six feet underground.

Two more to go.

Gasping for breath, I forced myself to wash, to stand, to remember exactly why I was doing what I was doing. I had to get my shit together.

It wasn’t like this was the first life I’d taken.

It was just the first I’d sought out since I’d ridden with Iron Owls MC. Back when we’d fully devolved into corruption. A stupid piece of me had thought that part of my life was over, but the truth was, it was what had caused this tragedy in the first place.

I rinsed, turned off the faucet, and stepped out, grabbing the towel hanging on the hook and drying myself off.

I roamed out into my bedroom.

Sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows that sat behind the massive bed that was covered in black. The entire place was cool as fuck. Everything I’d ever imagined my dream home would be.

Was struck with the truth that I didn’t deserve it.

That I shouldn’t be here when she’d never made it through.

Still roughing the towel through my hair, I wandered up to where I’d tossed my phone to my nightstand when I’d come in an hour ago.

The morning more than half over.

River

How did it go last night? Are you back? Been worried about you.

I fought the swelling wave of guilt that nearly inundated me as I looked at the text. Like I might look down and there’d still be blood covering my hands and splattered on my clothes. But even though soap and water had washed it away, that didn’t mean I wasn’t stained.

Me

Delivered safe and secure, like I’d have it any other way. She fucking cried and hugged me before I left her there, telling me how thankful she was for what we’ve done. Heroes, all of us.

I tacked on a bunch of winky faces at the end like this was all a big fucking joke.

River

You think she’ll stick?

It was the most dangerous part of what we did. Someone going back. Exposing who we were. It’d only happened twice.

First one had somehow kept her oath and hadn’t thrown us under the bus. Other had ended up dead, and her piece of shit husband had come after us. That choice hadn’t exactly landed in his favor.

Me

Yeah. Like I told Theo—she wants the best for those boys. Could see it in her eyes. The flickers of joy and the hope that had sprouted.

River

Never gets easier, does it?

My spirit thrashed.

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