Page 221 of Under an Endless Moon

She’d been in intensive care for two days, though she was now home safe where she was slowly recovering, though he was sure the wounds these demons had inflicted were going to devastate the progress she’d made. She’d carry them like scars that would drag her back into the darkness.

For a moment, he pinched his eyes closed against the grief of it. His sister stolen from them.

And Raven…

He gulped as he struggled to breathe.

Warring with the love that he was forbidden to feel.

A love that made him no less than a monster. No better than these bastards who hooted and howled, no fuckin’ sweat off their backs.

Otto shucked off his jacket and dropped it to the ground, and he reached over his shoulder and pulled his rifle from its holster.

He checked to make sure it was loaded and ready before he stood and began to wind around the trailer.

Right before a clatter of footsteps rushed up behind him, so fast he barely had time to whirl around right as the butt of a gun was bashed against his temple.

Dropping him straight to the ground.

They dragged him out into the dirt lot and shoved him onto his knees. Blood poured from the wound on the side of his head as fury pulsed through his veins.

Anger that this was it. Anger that he wasn’t going to get justice for Haddie. That he wasn’t going to get justice for Raven.

These motherfuckers were going to get away with what they’d done.

Gideon and his pathetic posse made a semi-circle around Otto where they loomed about ten feet back.

“Been expectin’ you,” Gideon said, amusement in his voice.

Hatred burned through Otto’s conscience.

“You killed my sister, you fuckin’ bastard. Murdered her in cold blood.” His teeth nearly cracked from the pressure he was exerting as he ground out the words.

Gideon tsked. “I wouldn’t call it cold blood. It was coming, after all. You disrespected me in front of everyone at that bar that day. Not that I didn’t hate you to begin with. So fucking high and mighty with your crew. Turning Trent against the rest of us.”

“You thought I was just gonna stand aside and let it happen with my sister? I don’t think so.”

“Yet I had her, didn’t I? Time and again. Slut had a sweet little cunt. It was a shame I had to end her.”

Otto roared, trying to get to his feet, only he sank back down when Gideon lifted the handgun that had been dangling at his side and pointed it in Otto’s direction. “But there was no chance I wasn’t going to make her bleed. After what you and your crew did? Fuckin’ with our bikes?”

It was the ultimate disrespect. Otto knew it. It was why he’d done it.

“You should’ve known that pain would come. It’s been coming all along. Years spent with you getting in the way. I lost the trust of Trent because of you. Lost my chance at every promotion within theclub because he had some kinda hard-on for you. You made me lose the respect of the rest of the Owls, knowing you spat in my face that way. That ends today.”

Rage and grief and sorrow pounded through Otto.

And for one fleeting second, he wished he could go back. He wished he could go back and tell Raven how he really felt. Hold her. Protect her.

Go all the way back and keep Haddie from ever stepping foot into his world.

Maybe never enter it himself.

“Don’t be sad, the rest of your crew will be close behind.”

Gideon cocked the gun, and Otto closed his eyes.

And it was a vision of Raven that manifested behind his lids.

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