Page 39 of True Bastard
It had been three motherfucking days since the bitch left me gasping for air like a whimpering pussy on the fucking floor, with my dick clutched in my hands. Sitting in church, I adjusted my seat and then growled when I heard Wanderer chuckle. “Something wrong, brother?”
“Fuck off,” I sneered.
“Bitch has got a killer knee.” Cobalt, the club’s treasurer, smirked. “That’s for damn sure.”
“Fucking felt it and I was across the room,” the club’s attorney, Heretic, commiserated.
“We fucking done talking about Firestride’s dick?” Morpheus groaned as he glared, pointing his finger at me. “You got what you fucking deserved. I fucking told you this would happen.”
Vortex, the club’s secretary and resident kiss-ass, nodded. “Yep. Sure did, Prez.”
“We’re done talking about my fucking dick; we’re done talking about the bitch that kicked my balls up into my throat. And we’re done talking about her, period,” I growled, my words ripped from my throat with equal parts anger and irritation.
Church, usually a symbol of brotherhood, felt like a cage, the hushed reverence a mockery of the war raging within me. Every word spoken about Kyllian, every smirk, every knowing glance,was a fresh wound, reopening the raw agony of our encounter. I’d brought her here, to this life, this world of violence and consequence, and now, she was the one suffering.
The weight of Morpheus’ judgment settled on me, heavy and suffocating. I knew he could see my pain, my regret, and he wielded it like a weapon, a reminder of my transgression. The Brotherhood, bound by loyalty and a shared thirst for retribution, had no room for sentimentality. Kyllian was a victim of that retribution, an unwilling participant in a world she had no hope of navigating, and I had gambled with her life and the club’s interests for a fleeting moment of something I couldn’t even define.
The thought of her, of the fear in her eyes, of the undeniable spark that still burned within her, was a constant ache, a dangerous distraction from the hardened reality of my existence. I had promised myself I would make her understand the rules, the consequences, but she had shattered them, leaving me as broken as she was.
“Well, now that the bitch is gone, we can get back to business.”
“Shut the fuck up, Morpheus,” I snarled, my words a guttural rasp torn from my throat as I turned to glare at the motherfucker. “She’s gone because of your order.” My voice, rough with a weariness that went bone deep, was a poor attempt to mask the churning vortex of guilt and regret that had consumed me for days. They saw it, of course—the war raging inside me, the battle between the hardened Bastard they knew and the fragile man she was uncovering. They saw it too—the crack in my armor, the weakness that Kyllian had exposed. I could see the truth in their eyes, from Wanderer’s smirk, Cobalt’s commiseration, Vortex’s smug affirmation—they were a symphony of accusation, each one a testament to my transgression.
“No, she’s gone because you didn’t have the fucking balls to stand up for her,” Cerberus spoke when no one else did. “We may be the Brotherhood of Bastards, Firestride, but everyone in this club was given a choice to join, including you.”
“Bullshit!” I roared, slamming my hand down on the table. “Morpheus ordered me to do it!”
“No, I ordered you to bring her downstairs. I said to make sure she understood the consequences of her entanglement. What transpired downstairs was all on you. I just followed your lead,” he clearly stated, leaning forward in his chair. “You wanted to prove to yourself that you could control her, and you failed. I told you to be careful, that your kitten had claws, and if you weren’t careful, she would scratch you.” He smiled, leaning back once more, and then added, “And, brother, did she ever.”
Inferno added, “He’s right, Firestride. We all warned you to tread carefully, but you insisted you could handle her. You can’t tame a wildcat, brother, and live to tell the tale.”
My jaw clenched, their words a bitter accusation echoing in the charged silence. He was right. Morpheus had given the order to bring her downstairs, to initiate the lesson, but the escalation, the brutal culmination of that lesson, had been all me. I’d wanted to prove my control, to break her will, and instead, I’d shattered something within myself. The smug smiles of my brothers, the knowing looks that passed between them, were a constant reminder of my failure. I had introduced a vulnerability into the Brotherhood, a weakness that had been ruthlessly exploited, and now, Kyllian was gone, a casualty of my own flawed judgment. The weight of it was a physical ache, a constant throb that overshadowed the lingering pain in my groin.
I met Morpheus’ gaze, my own burning with a mixture of defiance and a dawning understanding of the consequences. He had warned me, lectured me, and now he had the proof of my failure.
Ending the conversation, Inferno looked over at Nano and asked, “Tell me you found the motherfucker who killed Kaycee?”
The resident computer geek and tech guru groaned. “No. I’m sorry, Inferno. The RCPD was hopeful the sick fuck left evidence at the new crime scene. But like Kaycee, the fucker wore a condom and wore gloves. All they know is that he’s using a Colt.45 to kill his victims before he desecrates their bodies.”
“Any connection between the two victims besides the sick fuck?” Scythe asked.
“It’s weak, but Kaycee and this Keely Johnson are both from Birmingham, Alabama.”
“That is weak, brother,” Wanderer stated.
“It’s all I’ve got until the fucker kills again.”
“In other news, shit is heating up in Nebraska. The Death Dogs have parked their mangy asses in the Silver Shadows’ backyard. Looks like war is on the horizon.”
Cerberus stiffened but said nothing. We all knew Cerberus’ son was a brother in the Silver Shadows. The big lug cared for the boy, even though he stayed away.
“And I’ve just learned that Reaper’s on the move again.”
Everyone groaned.
Cerberus chuckled. “What the hell is that little pissant up to now?”
Wanderer looked at Morpheus and cautiously said, “It seems that Massacre has gotten himself into a bit of a tricky situation in Diamond Creek.”
