Page 47 of Massacre
Chapter Seventeen
Massacre
Standing in her room, I looked out the window at the surrounding landscape. Life was different here in Nebraska. Calmer, quieter, peaceful and for the last five years, this place was all Amber had known. Everyone here loved her. Her brother was here. Parents for however long they stayed. She had made friends, roots, and here I was, wanting to take her away from everything she built.
I know I said I wouldn’t force her, and I wouldn’t, but there were ways of persuading her. I hated myself for even thinking of it, but there was no fucking way I was leaving this state without her.
I pressed my forehead to the cool glass, letting the hush of the Nebraska plains settle over me. The sky was wide, an endless, faded blue that made every ache in my chest feel both impossibly small and unbearably sharp. How could I ask her to trade this—for what? The life I led was all shadows and uncertainty, loyalty and violence braided together so tightly it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. Amber had woven herself into this community, this gentle place, and I was a walking storm threatening her calm.
Still, there was no universe where I could walk away. I had sealed my fate years ago, even if it tore me apart. I needed her, needed the way her presence smoothed the ragged edges of my soul. Maybe it was selfish, but love was rarely anything else.
A soft knock sounded behind me. I turned to find Remi leaning in the doorway, her eyes concerned, but her shoulderssquared. “I know that look, Massacre. Whatever you are thinking, don’t do it,” she said quietly, stepping into the room. “There is still time.”
“He knows what she looks like, Remi. He talked to her. Laid hands on her because of me.”
“You don’t know that. It could have been someone else.”
I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “Who? The other Russian dude who just happened to be in the area? Come on, Remi. You know it was him. He hurt her because he knew it would hurt me. Plain and simple.”
“Alright. So what if it was him? Handing yourself over to him won’t fix anything and it will piss your brothers off.”
“I can’t have her hurt anymore because of me.”
“She won’t be. That’s why we are here.”
“You can’t promise that, Remi,” I stated. “You of all people know shit can happen.”
“You’re right, I do know. But I also know that the Golden Skulls are downstairs. Each and every one of them has sworn to protect Amber with their lives. My husband included. Do you know how rare that is that an entire club, brothers who are married, would lay down their lives for a woman who doesn’t trust our way of life?”
“I know,” I whispered.
“I love you, Massacre. I consider you one of my closest friends, but if you do this, I will never forgive you. I thought I lost you once already. I won’t mourn you a second time.”
“Neither will I.”
The second I heard his voice, I looked up to find my brother glaring at me. “I figured you were planning something stupid.”
“It’s not stupid,” I grumbled.
Reggie huffed. “If you came up with it. It’s stupid.”
I shot him a glare. The familiar mix of resentment and affection bubbled beneath my ribs. “I love you too, Reggie.”
“Shut up, Dwayne,” my brother snapped. “You aren’t going anywhere. I mean it. If I have to pull rank, I will.”
“I’m the SAA, brother. You are just the secretary. I outrank you.”
“You don’t outrank me.” The bossman himself grinned menacingly as he leaned against the doorjamb.
“Or me.” King glared at me from behind him.
Pushing off the door, Reaper shook his head. “Because of you, I now owe fucking Ink a hundred bucks. You see, that fucking idiot bet me you were up here planning something stupid. I told him you were just packing for the trip home.”
“Boss,” I muttered, taking a step back as he walked toward me. “It’s the only way she’ll—”
“I’d zip-it if I were you,” Reaper sneered, getting right in my face. “Because if you tell me you were doing it for her, I’m gonna gut you from dick to pie-hole. I didn’t travel all this fucking way so I could watch my fucking stupid ass brother surrender to some fucknut with a grudge. I don’t fucking care what stupidity you have rolling around in that barren fucking brain of yours; forget about it!”
Reaper’s words hit me like a punch to the gut, but I refused to back down. “You don’t understand,” I growled, my eyes narrowing. “I can’t just stand by and do nothing. He knows who she is, and he’s not going to stop until he kills her. He wants me!” My voice shook with a mixture of anger and fear as I thought of Amber dead because of me. “I have to do this. For her.”
