Page 34 of Brutal Sinner

The bullet bounces close to my ear and then one shot brings him down screaming, as the bullet rips through the hand clinging onto his gun. It falls as he stumbles, and I kick it away, grabbing him by the neck and slamming his face against the pulpit.

Ryder lowers his gun and shakes his head.

“Fucking bad move, reverend. Fucking bad move.”

He reaches my side and casts his hard, disapproving stare at the man shivering in my arms and says in his deadly voice, “Just so you know, you are no man of God. If the devil controls anyone around here, I’m looking at him.”

He fixes him with a withering glare and says in a voice laced with vengeance, “Finish the job, soldier, and make it count.”

As his heavy wooden boots tread the path out of here, Reverend Peters screams, “You won’t get away with this! The Lord will strike you down. You are sinners and you will pay with your soul.”

Ryder merely laughs and says over his shoulder, “I’ll take my chances in the afterlife, reverend. Save a place for me in hell.”

As the door slams behind him, for the first time in my life Reverend Peters looks at me with fear in his eyes as I growl, “From one sinner to another, it’s time to pay for your sins and guess what, I’m going to make sure it’s brutal.”

CHAPTER19

FAITH

Relief, love, fear, and hatred are all battling for control as I am escorted from the church with a real fear for the man I’ve left inside. Not the reverend, definitely not him, but when a shot rings out, I scream and try to head back in.

The scary man holding me says firmly, “Not happening, darlin’. You’re going to trust that man of yours and wait for him to do his job.”

“But?” The tears run down my face as the other man says kindly, “He’ll be fine. Sinner is a bad-assed motherfucker who is like a cockroach. He’ll always survive.”

“Watch your filthy mouth soldier, there’s a lady present.” The other guy growls and I’m shocked when the other guy says gently, “I’m sorry, darlin’, I apologize.”

It’s as if I’m in another world as I stare in disbelief at the sight before me. The town is surrounded by men who scare the shit out of me, all wearing the exact same leather jacket that Jonny was wearing.

“Don’t be afraid, darlin’.” A husky whisper in my ear comforts me. “We look like shit, but we only have your best interests at heart. Nobody will be hurt unless they deserve it.”

I catch sight of my mom and dad, and the expressions on their faces confuse me. Dad is angry. It’s obvious as he stares at me as if he wants to shoot me dead himself. But it’s mom’s expression that builds my tears. She is half smiling and looks so relieved it surprises me. She stares at me with a small smile and, if anything, appears happy for me. I’m so confused and as I glance around, I notice that one person is missing.

I can’t find my best friend anywhere. I see her parents staring at me as if I murdered her somehow, and I wonder what’s happened.

However, there is no time to think about it because suddenly, the bikers start moving among the crowd, grabbing the townsfolk’s weapons, and piling them in a heap on the ground. One by one, they search the people of Heaven and disarm them of their weapons. Shouting at them to lie on the dusty ground with their hands above their heads.

I watch my own parents shoved to the ground and if I’m not mistaken, the heavy boot that connects with my father’s body was a deliberate move, causing the men beside me to chuckle softly. “Good one, Maverick.” They shout out to a scary-looking guy with the jaded eyes of a man who’s seen it all before.

The scary guy with the snake tattoo growls, “Man, I wish I had five minutes alone with that bastard.”

The other guy nods. “Fucking disgrace treating his daughter like that.”

I can’t take it all in and stare open-mouthed as the people I grew up with, lie on the ground at the mercy of the bikers and then I turn as the door to the church opens, and a guy that immediately questions everything I’ve ever done in life steps out with a rough, “Is the area secure?”

“Yes, sir.” They all shout, and he crosses over to me and says with a gentle twinkle in his eye.

“Then we wait.”

“Jonny?” I say in a hoarse whisper, and he shares a glance with the men and grins.

“Let him have his fun first, then we’ll head over to pick up your baby.”

“Really.” I can’t quite believe this is happening, and he says gently, “I have a daughter too and there is nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her safe. We are here to be the family you deserve, darlin’ and you have nothing to fear from us. Either of you. Mind you…”

He grins at the men beside him. “We can’t help you with your other problem.”

“What problem?” I’m confused, and he jerks his thumb in the direction of the church.

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