Brick (Brutal Chains MC #2)

Chapter 16

Sixteen

Brick

We were not prepared.

I should've known something was up when Daly and his goons started filing out without so much as a threat in my direction.

I should've fucking known.

The first bang that went off filled the small train car with a high-pitched squeal and thick smoke, causing all of us to drop to a crouch for cover. The next bang was short and to the point.

That bang was a sound straight from my very own nightmares.

I stand frozen, horror gripping my heart as Luna rushes to Wendy's side. Time seems to slow as she kneels beside her sister, who is curled on her side, still tied to the chair. The sight of the bullet wound in Wendy's head is a nightmare I can’t fully comprehend. Blood trickles down her temple, pooling on the floor like a dark omen. I know, deep down, I know she isn’t going to make it.

Luna’s frantic cries pierce through the chaos, her voice raw with desperation. “Wendy! Please! Help her, Brick!” She shakes her sister gently, tears streaming down her face. The anguish in her eyes mirrors my own despair. I want to rush to them, to do something, anything, but my legs feel like lead.

Wendy mutters something, her voice barely a whisper, “I’m so sorry... I love you, Luna. It’s not your fault.” Each word is a fragile thread, weakening with each breath. Luna holds her tighter, rocking her back and forth as if she can somehow will her sister back to life. “Don’t leave me… Luna, don’t forget me…” Wendy’s voice is fading, and I can see the light dimming in her eyes.

“Hold me tighter, I’m so cold,” Wendy murmurs, and my heart shatters at the sight. Luna’s wails cut through me like a knife, a sound so full of pain and loss that I nearly collapse under its weight. I want to reach out, to tell her it’s going to be okay, but the words stick in my throat.

I feel Hook and Light at my sides, their hands steadying me as I teeter on the edge of despair. But even their support feels inadequate against the storm of emotions raging inside me. I can’t watch this. I can’t let Luna see me break, not when she needs me to be strong. Yet, every anguished cry from her lips pulls me closer to the brink.

The blood continues to trickle from Wendy’s wound, a stark reminder of the grim reality we’re facing. It seeps slowly, pooling on the floor like a dark promise of what’s to come. I feel sick, my stomach churning as I try to process the scene unfolding before me.

“Luna, please...” I finally manage to say, my voice cracking under the weight of my own helplessness. “We need to?—”

But I can’t finish. Luna’s cries drown out everything. “I’m here, Wendy! I’m right here!” she screams, clutching her sister as if she could hold onto her life. The desperation in her voice is haunting, echoing in the empty space around us.

Wendy’s breaths grow shallower, her body growing cold in Luna’s arms. I want to scream, to rage against the world for this injustice, but all I can do is watch. I feel the tears welling up, blurring my vision as I take in the scene, the two sisters, bound by love yet separated by this cruel fate.

“Don’t leave me!” Luna cries again, her voice raw with grief, and it cuts through me like a jagged blade. I can’t bear it. I can’t bear to see the light leave Wendy’s eyes, to watch Luna’s heart break right in front of me.

And then, with a final shuddering breath, Wendy’s eyes flutter closed. The silence that follows is deafening. Luna’s wails fill the void, each cry a raw, visceral expression of the pain that echoes in my own heart.

I want to move forward and hold Luna, but I can't move. It's only then I realize that I've fallen to my knees.

I failed her.

The one other woman in my life who put all her trust in me, and I failed her.

Almost as quickly as it filled the room, the smoke evaporates, leaving this gruesome image in front of us.

No one moves. No one chases after Daly to retaliate. We are all standing there, listening to the pain gush out of Luna as she rocks her now-dead sister in her arms.

There's nothing I can do. I can't take this pain away, no matter how badly I want to.

Tears burn the back of my eyelids, and for the first time in years, I feel like I'm about to lose it emotionally.

I was sure that we would have this in the bag. That Daly would realize he was outnumbered and try to bargain with us. Instead, he pulled a fast one on us. On me.

"Brick, we need to move." Hook leans forward and whispers in my ear.

I know it's the truth. There's no telling what Daly is going to do now. His plan is no longer viable, and I'm sure he's about ready to take his fight to his real target, the rest of the Seven-oh-Sevens. That could mean there are people ready to come for us too.

Slowly, I crawl over to where Luna is and wrap my arms around her.

"No, no! It's not over. She's not dead! She's just sleeping. Help me, Brick!" Luna turns her eyes on me, and it kills me to watch the panic and anguish settling deep in those beautiful hazel orbs.

"I'm so fucking sorry. I'm sorry," I whisper over and over as I continue to try and pull her away from her sister.

"No!" Luna rages and smacks me hard in the face once and then in my chest. She swings over and over, hitting me everywhere she can reach. I turn my face, but that's the most I do. If it makes her feel better, she can beat me to a pulp.

"Please. Oh God, please." Her hits hold no weight to them, and soon she's collapsing against my chest.

I hold her tight and kiss the top of her head. "It's over now. She's gone," I whisper as I feel Luna's body wracked in sobs.

Slowly, I get to my feet, pulling Luna with me. I've got to get her out of here. I've got to get her away from this mess.

I turn my head to Hook and Semi.

"We got it, brother. Get her home safe." Neither of them has to be told what to do right now. They know I can't handle it. I can't be the leader they need me to be right now.

Slowly, Luna's sobs stop until, as we are walking to my bike, she is completely quiet. My girl isn't here right now. She's lost in the memory of what just happened.

I get Luna back on my bike, this time putting her in front of me in case she loses her grip and falls. I want to be there to catch her. As we speed down the roads back to the clubhouse, I fight for the right things to say, but I come up empty.

There's nothing I can do.

My helplessness nearly suffocates me.

I've seen people killed before, but I've never seen anything like this. Never felt anything like this.

Once I make it back home, I do a quick check around the area just to make sure Daly hasn't shown up. I don't want to be caught off guard again.

Thankfully, everything looks clear.

Slowly, I walk Luna into my room and sit her down on the bed.

The same bed where just hours ago we were ravaging each other, and I was losing all my cares in her body.

It feels like forever that the both of us are there in total silence. It’s breaking me down. I’m supposed to be the leader of this club, but right now, I’m lost.

For once, I need someone else to take the lead, to shine a light in the direction I need to go. I know I shouldn’t, but I look to Luna.

"What can I do, Luna? Tell me what you need." I kneel in front of her and try to get her eyes to focus on me. She finally looks up, but I can see she's still not all with me. A lonely tear streaks down her flushed face. I want to kiss it away, but I don’t dare. Now isn’t the time.

I’m not sure she’ll ever want me to touch her again. In fact, I’m not sure how she’s even tolerating being in the same room as me.

"I need my sister. Can you do that?" Her words croak through her raw throat.

I drop my head, knowing what she's asking is impossible.

I'm utterly fucking useless.

"Get some rest. Do what you want. I'll make sure no one bothers you." I stand and walk out the door.

Looking around the empty clubhouse, I don't ever remember feeling so alone.

My heart squeezes in my chest, and I know I'm seconds away from losing it.

Quickly, I dash into Church and close the door behind me. Before I walk over to my seat and fall into it.

I suck in a deep breath, trying to calm myself, but it doesn't work.

I try to think of my next steps, but my brain doesn't cooperate. I can't be fucking logical right now. I can't think of anything but my utter and complete failure.

The air in the Church room feels heavy, suffocating. I sit alone at the long wooden table, gripping its edges like it’s the only thing keeping me grounded. Luna’s screams ring in my ears. Her pain is a constant reminder of how I failed her. I close my eyes, but it’s useless; every time I do, I hear her desperate cries.

I’ve let her down. I’ve let the woman I love down, and that realization crushes me. For the first time in years, tears spill down my cheeks, hot and unending. Each sob feels like weakness, but I can’t stop them. I thought I could protect her. It all seemed so simple when this first began. I thought I could save Wendy. Now all I have left is this crushing guilt.

The room feels too small, the walls closing in on me. I can’t breathe. I can’t think. Every time I try to focus, Luna’s wails come rushing back, raw and filled with heartache. It’s like I’m trapped in a nightmare, unable to escape.

I shake my head, trying to push the memories away, but they cling to me like a bad dream. I want to scream, to lash out at the world for its cruelty, but all I feel is the weight of my failure. I press my palms against my eyes, hoping to block it all out, but it only makes things worse.

In a burst of frustration, I jump to my feet. The table looms in front of me, heavy and solid, a symbol of my pain. With a roar of anger that erupts from deep inside, I lift the entire table, muscles straining. I flip it over, the wood scraping against the floor as it crashes down with a loud bang.

The sound echoes through the room, a release of the rage still simmering hot inside of me. I stand there, breathing hard, my heart pounding. I can’t bring Wendy back for Luna, but I can make sure those bastards pay for what they’ve done. A fire ignites inside me, fueled by grief and a need for revenge.

I look at the overturned table, feeling adrenaline rush through my veins. This is my new purpose. I won’t let Wendy’s death be for nothing. I’ll hunt down Daly. I’ll search every last corner of the earth if I have to. I’ll make him feel the pain he’s caused, and I won’t stop until I’ve given Luna the sweet revenge she deserves.