Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 49589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 248(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
“And you’re a fuckin’ bitch, lady! Mind your business and bad shit won’t happen to you.”
Pain grabbed Grayson’s arm and wrenched it upward at an angle. Grayson’s scream was shrill and long. And oddly satisfying.
“You’re about to find out why they call me Pain, Grayson.”
The crunch of bone echoed through my living room as Grayson screamed again, his face contorting in agony. Pain had dislocated his shoulder with terrifying efficiency, like he’d done it a hundred times before.
“That’s just the beginning,” Pain whispered, his voice eerily calm. “Names. Now.”
“Fuck you,” Grayson spat through gritted teeth, though his nerve was crumbling fast.
Pain’s hand moved to Grayson’s fingers, bending one backward until another sickening crack filled the room. I winced despite myself, bile rising in my throat. The sound was like nails on a chalkboard, sending unpleasant shivers over my skin and down my spine.
“Roberts and Johnson know about most of your crew,” Pain said conversationally, as if discussing the weather while he systematically broke one finger and then another. Each snapping of bone was accompanied by screams that became more and more shrill each time Pain broke something. “But I want to make sure we get everyone. There are two hundred and six bones in the adult human body. So, this can go on for a long time. Or…” Pain grinned as he let the pause linger. “You can start talking.”
Grayson’s resolve finally shattered. “Meyers, Donovan, Wilcox,” he gasped out between pained breaths. “They’re the main ones.”
“Didn’t ask for the main ones, Grayson.” I jumped when another Pain snapped another bone in Grayson’s hand. “I want them all.”
Three bones and his other shoulder later, Grayson lay slumped on the ground at the corner of my house. Thank God the place I rented was in the middle of nowhere. Otherwise, I was certain the neighbors would have called the cops. It wouldn’t surprise me to hear an approaching siren. I’d had to swallow back bile more than once. Each time a bone snapped it set me on edge until Pain dislocated his other shoulder. Then I’d had to stumble around the corner and vomit.
“Is he… dead?” I wasn’t sure how I managed to get the question out, but I knew I did because Pain answered.
“No, honey. Not yet, anyway.”
“What do we do?” Now that the shock was starting to wear off from one trauma, the adrenaline in preparation for the coming battle was threatening to make me sick again.
“We need to get out of here,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “Knuckles has some of the guys from Iron Tzars comin’ to help us out. They’ll take care of the body and clean out your presence.”
I nodded, my mind racing as I tried to process everything. “Where will we go?” I ask, hating the tremor in my voice.
“The Iron Tzars are gonna escort us safely to meet Kiss of Death.”
“Motorcycle clubs?”
“You remembered.” He looked pleased I’d recalled that. It was nauseating how much I soaked up the implied praise. “Yes. The Tzars are going to bring us into Evansville where we can eat and shower. Knuckles has a crew coming to Evansville to bring us to Nashville.”
I took a deep breath. “This is moving so fast. I don’t know what to do.” I was trembling now, my voice wobbling with every word. I didn’t like this feeling at all. I wasn’t an indecisive person. In this case, my head was telling me one thing, but my gut another.
“I know, honey. But do you honestly think you’re safer staying here?” His voice was kind, gentle even, but I knew he had to be aggravated. I was hesitating when he’d just rescued me.
“Right,” I muttered. “Good point. How about we reevaluate when we get to Evansville?”
To my surprise, instead of being irritated or impatient, Pain gave me a lopsided grin any rogue would be proud of and nodded his approval. “I can work with that.”
It wasn’t long after that when the distant rumble of approaching motorcycles filled the air. Three bikes and one black Ford truck pulled down my driveway.
The night was still hot and muggy, the summer not showing any sign of relief. A really tall, heavily muscled, bearded man climbed out of the truck, his movements fluid despite his size. He nodded at Pain before his gaze shifted to me, assessing but not threatening.
“Nadine, this is Brick. He’s the vice president of the Iron Tzars in Evansville,” Pain said, his hand coming to rest lightly on my lower back. That simple touch sent a current of electricity through me that had no business existing in this moment of crisis.
“Ma’am,” Brick said with a respectful nod before shifting his gaze to Pain. “We need to move quickly. The boys will clean up the trash and make sure there’s nothing left.” I had the feeling he actually meant something other than the obvious, but I wasn’t about to say anything. Two other men were already heading toward the house, carrying large duffel bags that I desperately did not want to know the contents of.