Page 14 of Savage Devotion
I hold Riot’s gaze with mine.
Riot harshly taps the man’s temple. “He broke the contract, Reaper. Get ready to collect another soul. This one goes straight to hell. You hear me?”
Ares straightens from where he’s leaning on his bike. “Listen to our friend, Riot.” My Russian friend is the size of a bear. When he moves you feel hunted by a predator.
The stinging scent of piss in the air says the dude on the ground thinks so too.
Ares’ crew mimics his position and all stop at the edge of the road all looking on as their brother roars into the night sky. “Fucking asshole, why don’t you just tell me? She dies because of you and I swear to the fucking Heavens above I’ll hunt down every brother you have, every sister. Every fucking kin that shares your blood and make them pay for your sins.”
I’ve known Riot for years. He doesn’t have an evil bone in his body. He is former law enforcement for God’s sake. Killing is ourlastresort, but I think we are all about to meet this man’s limit. And for as long as I’ve known him, he’s never broken a promise.
I can feel my crew coming up behind me. I peer over my shoulder and sure enough, my vice president, road captain, and a couple of my own Savage enforcers mirror the Bratva Savages. We’ve formed the circle of death. No one in. The intended dead only leave after they’ve given up their soul.
I nod at Ares, and he returns the respect. He’s ready for anything that is about to go down.
I turn my attention back to Riot. Red, bloodshot eyes drift to mine. We stand about the same height and have the same build. Going toe to toe with him won’t be fun, but if I have to save him from himself, I’ll take the beating. “I hear you, Riot,” I say calmly. “But you know as well as I do dead men don’t talk, brother.”
“You’re right about that.”
Riot’s head moves up and down so I know he’s hearing his own words and mine but he still drives the butt of his gun grip into the skull of his prisoner.
“All I want to know is where I can find my wife and this asshole wants to squeeze me for another half a mil. I’m done. It’s not the money. It is the principle of the matter. I already gave him seven per our contract. Now I want what is mine. The information I paid for. And then we will talk about the soul he owes us.”
Fuck. That’s not good.
I kick at Riot’s prisoner. “Stop pissing yourself and answer the fucking man. He might let you live.Ifyou talk fast.”
Quivering lips pull back from bloody teeth. I see Riot had a little warm-up time before we rode up.
The dickhead’s hands are in the air as if pleading and showing a little weakness will get him anywhere. “I’m sorry, man. I am. I didn’t know. I just thought you were another client. Genesis’ undertaker didn’t mention shit about you being a Savage brother. The stupid bitch.”
“Now you know, asshole.” I come to a knee in front of him and look the man dead in the eye. “I’ve seen death as it moves over a soul ready to collect. There’s a reason I’m called the Reaper. I suggest you spill your secrets before the devil is the one asking.”
I rise to my feet as Ares walks to the middle of the road and stands opposite Riot and me. Between us, the bastard on his knees quivers in fear as he should.
“We called you in,moy brat, because this man claims to be Savage Reign blood. We thought you would like to look the man in the eye and hear the lie for yourself. When he found out that didn’t save him, he claimed to be Vulture blood.”
I grunt.
“Thought that would leave a bad taste in your mouth.” Ares’ Russian accent is heavy.
“There’s bad blood there for sure,” I answer. “This one is a nomad. Probably crossed paths with the Vulture crew and decided to throw some names around to see what could get him out of a jam.” At least that is the only thing I can come up with to explain how he knows about my crew and the one my family has feuded with since my father stood in my position, but that story and his betrayal is for another time.
Ares brushes his knuckles against his scruffed-up chin, looking like there’s somewhere else he would rather be right about now. But we both know that’s not how club life works. “Agreed,” he says flatly.
I lock eyes with my vice president, and he’s thinking the same damn thing. We share boundary lines with the other motorcycle gang. The Vultures are rotten to the core and a stain on society.
But I’ve seen this behavior before with nomads. They claim one crew or another as blood and then escape trouble never to be seen again.
“You wanna take him?” Riot asks, but I can tell he’s silently begging me to say no. “Or give the word and I’ll take him off your hands.”
Now I know why the piece of shit isn’t already eating metal slugs. Riot would never overstep the line of respect between our crews.
“How bad are his offenses? Is it limited to blackmailing or has he done something else?” He’s not my responsibility but I don’t need another death on my hands if I can prevent it.
Riot taps the side of the man’s head again. “He killed a Savage prospect tonight. A new member I considered a friend. Lied to us. Tried to blackmail me, as you know. That’s three offenses. You take him, he lives. We keep him, we hand out justice the Savage way.”
A fast kill, a faster burial.
