Page 80 of Jolt's Vengeance

Before Paulie can respond, Widow steps forward.

I'm surprised to see a flicker of something like sympathy in his eyes.

"He's got two young little girls, and a wife, baby on the way," Widow says, his gravelly voice softer than usual. "Dude is tryin' to keep food on the table and lights on, Prez."

I blink, caught off guard by Widow's defense.

This is the same man who just has Paulie strung up and covered in spiders.

But then again, Widow's a father himself.

Maybe he sees something of himself in Paulie's desperation.

Damon's eyebrows rise slightly, considering Widow's words.

I hold my breath, waiting to see how he'll react.

Damon's eyes narrow as he studies Paulie, his gaze calculating.

I can practically see the gears turning in his head.

After a long moment, he gives a slight nod, his stance shifting from outright aggression to something more... considering.

"Okay," Damon says, his voice low and gravelly. "What do you want, Paulie?"

Paulie's eyes widen, a glimmer of hope breaking through his terror.

He licks his cracked lips, swallowing hard before he speaks. "Take these damn spiders off me," he pleads, his voice cracking. "I'll tell you anything you want to know. Just... please."

A shudder runs through me as I watch one of the brown recluses skitter across Paulie's cheek.

The poor bastard looks like he's about to lose his mind.

Damon exchanges a quick glance with Dixon, then turns back to Paulie. "I know about the deal Widow made you," he says, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. "Removing a spider for every piece of useful information you give us. We’ll honor that, since it’s obvious they bother you so much."

Paulie nods frantically, relief flooding his features. "Yeah, yeah, I got it. Thank you, thank you."

I lean in, curious to see what other intel Paulie has up his sleeves.

Damon raises an eyebrow, waiting.

Paulie takes a deep breath, wincing as the movement causes the hooks to pull at his skin. "Okay, here's something big," he says. "The Kodiak MC? They only got one real threat in Vegas. It's you guys—the Reapers Rejects."

Damon's expression doesn't change, but I can see the interest in his eyes.

He nods to Widow, who steps forward and carefully plucks a spider off Paulie's shoulder, crushing it under his boot.

We're the only ones the Kodiaks see as a real threat.

If we're their main focus, what kind of shit are they planning to throw our way?

Paulie's eyes follow the crushed spider, a mix of relief and lingering fear on his face.

He licks his dry lips, wincing as another spider crawls across his cheek.

"There's more," he says, his voice shaky. "Serpent, he's... he's obsessed with one of your women. The biker girl, the one he..." Paulie swallows hard. "The one he gutted."

My blood runs cold.

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