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Fuckin’ knew that old bastard was dirty. “He’s at the cabin. He’s expecting me alone.”
“No way, Prez.” Hound shakes his head.
“You remember the place. You’ll need to park at the bottom and go up the backside of the mountain. I’ll ride up alone. Gotta play this shit smart and safe.”
He gives me a chin lift. I dial East to update him on the situation. “How is she? Grudge called and asked to meet.” I relay the details of the phone call. Wylla Mae is shaken but trying to stay strong. East wants to meet to ride with us, but there’s not enough time, and I’m not waiting. “I want this done. Let’s roll.”
We put our knees to the breeze. Each mile of pavement bringing me closer to Alexa. Closer to finishing this business with Ruthie once and for all. Letting her go was a mistake. Trusting Grudge to do his God damn job was an error that I’ll never repeat. He’s going to ground, but I’ll give the honor to East. I got a score to settle with my cunt of an ex-wife.
I signal for Hound to go up the other side. Not taking any damn chances. I go through the creek and up the dirt path Grudge’s old man called a driveway. At the top of the path I pull up next to Wylla Mae’s jeep. Stole her kid and her car. Scummy son of a bitch. I get one foot off my bike when a gunshot fires.
“That’s far enough,” Grudge yells from the porch. “You alone?”
“Just me and the fucking turd I got in my pocket. The fuck you think. You see anyone else?” Stupid fuck.
“Toss your weapon out.”
“Look, man, I did as you asked. I’m here. Alone. No weapon. Where’s my Old Lady and grandkid?”
“You can have Alexa if you do what I want.”
“What’s that?”
“Ruthie and me need money for our fresh start.”
“You’ve got to be shitting me.”
“Paid my dues to the club. I think I’ve earned a little kickback.”
“Only thing you’ve earned is a bullet in your skull.”
“No money. No bitch.”
“How much?”
“Three hundred.”
“Thousand?” I have to bite back my laughter. He knows the club doesn’t have that kind of cash laying around. All our shit is tied up in property and the guns we run.
“That’s right. For her, me, and the kid.”
Now he’s really starting to piss me off. “You and I both know you won’t leave this mountain alive.”
“I’m ready to go to hell if that’s what it takes for Ruthie to get what’s hers, but are you ready to send Alexa there with me?”
Fucking hell. Where’s Hound? I need to keep this fool talking. “Let me see her then we can talk money.”
“Bring out the bitch,” he hollers over his shoulder, right at the time I see Hound crouched at the left corner of the cabin. He gives me a nod then points to the cabin before disappearing again. He’s going for the baby. Alexa’s rescue is on me.
The front door opens, and Ruthie drags Alexa out by her hair, they have my pretty girl bound at the wrists and gagged. I flex my fists. I’ve never wanted to hit a woman, but Ruthie makes me want to pop her right in the damn mouth to knock her fuckin’ teeth out.
The baby cries and Ruthie turns her back on us. Alexa shoves up off the porch using only her legs and throws her shoulder into Grudge sending him toppling down the stairs, travelling with him. He loses the shotgun as Ruthie cries, “They’re taking the baby.” I rush forward, planting my foot on Grudge’s neck while taking possession of the shotgun. I don’t give him any chances. I aim at his head and blow the motherfucker to chunks. His brain matter splatters all over Alexa’s face and my pant leg.
Ruthie tries to run but trips over a rock, going down face first in the dirt. I grab her up by her hair just like she did Alexa, but I’m a lot rougher about it.
She looks up at me with dirt and tears streaking her cheeks once I get her facing me. “Please, James. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. All I wanted was a baby. I’ll go away. You’ll never see me again.” She hiccups, looking bewildered. “I’ll do anything. I miss Rochelle. I want a baby. I don’t have anything or anyone. Please I’ll leave you and Alexa alone.”
“No you won’t. You’ll just keep on with more of your lies and bullshit. You’re done for. Turn around and get on your knees.” I shove her down. I press the barrel of the shotgun against the back of her head.
“Please, James. Don’t. You don’t want to hurt me. I gave you Rochelle. You promised me for better or worse.”
“Stop your sniveling. It’s pathetic.”
“At least look me in the eyes. Don’t be a coward.”
I look back to see Hound putting the baby in the jeep. I need to see to Alexa and blowing this bitch’s head off would be too easy. “Come on.” I jerk her back to her feet.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
I snort. “Don’t thank me, cunt. I’m still gonna fucking watch you take your last breaths. Only thing that will make me happier is finally marrying the woman I really love and starting our life together. Keep an eye on her.” I shove Ruthie into Hound and tend to my woman. “Let’s get you cleaned up.” I remove the bandanna that’s tied around her mouth, use it to wipe some of the shit off her face, then work on releasing her wrists from the rope they bound them with. I carry her inside the cabin and put her in the shower clothes and all.
Alexa says nothing and I dial East. “Got’em. Tell my girl she’ll be holding Mila soon. Yeah far as I can tell. Right. See you soon.” I end the call and shift my focus back on Alexa.
“Can you find me something to wear?”
“On it.” I leave her to finish washing off and pilfer through the cabin. There’s a suitcase of Ruthie’s shit next to the bed. Bitch has been hiding here. I know Alexa don’t want to wear a damn thing of Ruthie’s, but she can’t afford to be choosy right now. Back in the bathroom Alexa’s stripping out of her wet, ruined clothing, and I hand her a towel and the jeans and t-shirt I confiscated. “Put this on. East and Wylla are coming for you and the baby.”
“What are you going to do with Ruthie?”
“You really want to know?” She nods. “Setting this place up to look like a Meth house gone wrong. Ruthie will burn with it.”
Alexa goes pale but makes no comment.
“C’mere.” I stroke the bruise forming on her jaw and she winces. “Grudge do that?”
“Yeah. I’ll be fine.”
“Makes me want to blow his head off all over again.”
“I’m afraid that’s impossible.” Her lips meet mine. I kiss her hard, deep, and fast. “Get dressed.” I slap her ass and go back out to check on the baby before I grab Alexa and fuck her in the bathroom.
Hound has Ruthie tied to a tree with the rope that was used on Alexa’s wrist.
“How’s Mila?”
“Sleeping.”
“Didn’t know you were good with kids.”
He shrugs. “Got nieces and nephews.”
“All right, man. Need to stage the scene. Grab the prospect. You two load the van. Want it to look like a Meth lab, brother.”
“You good here?”
“East’ll be here soon, and I got Alexa. Come back at nightfall.”
Hound gives me a chin lift and jogs back the way he originally came from. There’s not much traffic out here but one never can be too careful.
“I hate you,” Ruthie seethes.
I look straight through her as if she’s not sitting here. She wants attention, but I’m not wasting another breath on the lousy bitch.
“You won’t get away with this. You’ll go down. You’ll see.”
Alexa walks out the cabin and goes straight to Ruthie. No words pass from her lips she straight up rears her fist and lets it fly at my ex-wife’s face. Not once but three times. Ruthie cries as blood drips from her nose and split lip. “First one was for taking my grandkid. The second was from me, and that third one was for Wylla Mae.” My crazy assed woman doesn’t stop there. She grabs her by the hair then spits in her face. “You’re nothing. After today James nor will I ever think of you. We won’t speak your name. No one will. You’re dead.”
Ruthie laughs. “He used to fuck me before he’d come to you. Hope you liked tasting my pussy all these years.”
“Maybe but whenever he was inside you, he was thinking about me. It’s the only way he could get off. We’d laugh about it behind your back.”
“Fuck you,” Ruthie spits out.
“Yeah. My man is gonna take me home later tonight and he’s gonna fuck me hard while you burn in hell.” Alexa smirks and blows Ruthie a kiss.
“God damn, pretty girl, you’re damn sexy when you’re pissed.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, but I need you to stop getting kidnapped when I leave you alone.”
“Oh fuck off.”
“Gimme’ that smart mouth.” I pull her in for a kiss, squeezing her ass, not giving a damn that Ruthie is watching. Let the cunt enjoy the show. “Just so you know she’s full of shit. I haven’t had my mouth anywhere near her pussy since I first tasted yours.”
Alexa rewards me with her smile. “You sucking up to me.”
“Nope. Just wanted you to know that I reserved that for you.”
“Hmmm,” she muses. “I don’t want to talk about the past anymore. I’m ready to plan our wedding. Don’t think you’re getting off easy. I want the fairytale.”
“Whatever you want, babe. It’s yours.”
“Good.” She kisses me again.
East and Wylla Mae come flying up the hill in his truck. He barely has it in park before my daughter is jumping out and rushing toward us. “Where’s my baby?”
“Right here.” Alexa opens the back passenger side door of the jeep. “She’s fine.”
Wylla checks over her daughter then stares at me with tears burning in her eyes. “Thank you, Daddy.” Her arms swing around my neck and her lips hit my cheek. “I love you.”
“Love you too, princess.” I give her a pat on the back. “You and your mom take the jeep back to the clubhouse.”
“I’m not leaving till that bitch is dead,” Alexa says.
“Me either,” Wylla Mae digs in. “I’m tired of her hurting our family.”
“Guess you do take after me more than I thought, but its best if you aren’t here. Anything goes sideways I want it to land on me. None of this shit touches you.” I release her. “Go on. Take Mila out of here. You too, East. Get them to safety. You got a family to think about. Your mom and me got this. Ruthie is our problem.”
“You sure, Prez?”
“Isn’t this sweet. Look at you one big happy fucking family,” Ruthie smarts off.
My daughter storms toward her. “You’re poison. You’ve always been toxic. I’m not a violent person but you deserve whatever you get. I would say I hope my father cuts out your heart, but you don’t have one. You’re hollow.”
“Let’s go, baby.” East guides her toward the driver’s side of the jeep. “You good to drive?”
“I’m fine.”
“Let me know when you make it to the clubhouse,” I tell him.
“Will do, man.” East starts toward his truck then turns back around. He stalks toward Ruthie. “Didn’t get to kill Grudge,” he mutters then unsheathes the hunting dagger he keeps strapped to his boot. Ripping open Ruthie’s shirt, he stabs her in the chest, carving out the shape around her heart. She screams, but he caps a palm over her mouth. “Guess you have a heart after all.”