Chapter Twenty-Six
Harley
“ W hat are they doing?” I ask Cade as I come up next to where he is sitting in one of the lawn chairs by the unlit fire pit. He looks relaxed for once as he leans back with his legs spread wide, clad in sweat pants and a black t-shirt that’s tight against his chest.
“Ryker was racing cars with Jayce and made a comment about how fast he can run, and now Jayce is making him race him over and over again.” Cade chuckles.
“How long have they been going?” I grin, watching Ryker try to catch his breath as he runs laps around the yard with a very hyper Jayce.
“About an hour. It wouldn't be so bad if Ryker and I hadn’t just come back from our run.” He sits forward and wraps an arm around my waist, yanking me down into his lap.
I swing my legs over the side of the chair so I can look at Cade and see Ryker with Jayce. “How many miles?”
Cade hums quietly as he takes a drink of his water. “About six. Is there a reason you worked out again today?” He uses his free hand to tug on my wet braid.
“How do you know I worked out again?” I raise a brow at him. “Maybe I just showered.”
Cade chuckles darkly. “You can’t hide things from me, baby girl. I know you were working out again and you showered to pretend you weren’t. How bad are you hurting right now?”
“I’m not hurting.” The lie flies out of my mouth before I can stop it. I don’t even know why I lie when it’s clear he sees right through me.
He cocks a brow. “Want to go run with Jayce then?” I don’t respond, just pinching my lips together, hoping this conversation will end. I know I have to talk to them soon, but I just don’t know how. “When are you going to stop working out multiple times a day to avoid whatever is going on in that mind of yours?”
“Have you thought any more about tattooing?” I ask, changing gears, hoping he will just let it go for now.
He huffs, clearly seeing what I’m doing. “A little. I think it’s something I need to at least try for myself. I just have to find a place to do an apprenticeship.”
“I think it’ll be good. I’m glad you are at least going to try. Are there any places around here?”
Cupping the back of my neck, he says, “I found one, but I haven’t reached out yet. I will soon.”
“And have you thought about what you want to do with the club after you’re done with your prospecting year?”
Cade squeezes the back of my neck. “Why are you asking so many questions?”
“I just want to know what you are thinking about things,” I say softly, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
He narrows his eyes at me but doesn’t give me a chance to say anything, because Jayce and Ryker come running over. “What the hel–I mean, what the H E double hockey sticks has this kid eaten today? I swear, he is on drugs.” Ryker pants, putting his hands on his knees.
Axe and Presley come over from where they were talking with some others on the back patio. “Mama!” Jayce screams and runs over to her. “I’m on dugs.”
Ryker’s eyes widen. “That’s not what I said!”
“What’s double cocky stick?” Jayce asks as Presley scoops him up and walks away, fighting back a laugh.
“What are you telling my kid, Ry?” Axe crosses his arms but smirks.
“It was Cade, not me,” Ryker says.
“Agent Ball, Rage’s contact, is pulling in now. Ready to do this?” he asks all three of us.
It’s been a tense few days waiting for his arrival. I know Grayson has been double checking almost every day, like now, making sure everything is right and nothing can be connected back to us.
We all head inside and find Grayson and Nerds waiting at a table, a laptop in front of them. I wander over to Grayson and wrap my arms around him from behind. “Everything is going to be good. You got this,” I whisper.
“Thank you, beautiful.” He exhales heavily and turns his head to the side so he can kiss me. “Love you.”
“Love you too.” I smile and give him one more chaste kiss before backing away straight into Cade and Ryker, who are standing behind us.
Colton walks into the main room with a man of the same height with salt and pepper short hair. He’s clean shaven and wearing a full suit, his deep brown eyes assessing everyone in the room as he moves with Colton, heading straight over to sit across from Grayson and Nerds.
“Afternoon.” He tilts his head at them. “I’m Agent Ball. I’ve asked Sugar to keep this short and sweet. I don’t need to know anything about you. I just need you to tell me what you found and give me a flash drive with the information. You will be put down as an anonymous source in the case I will open.”
Nerds nods. “We became aware of some offshore accounts linked to a sex trafficking circle. Everything we have found is on this drive.” He slides the drive across the table. “You’ll find account information, the people who opened the accounts’ information, where the money was coming from, where money was being sent to, and so on. Do you need more from us?”
“No. If we have issues with this drive, I will contact Sugar and get more from you all, but less is more here. We are aware of the sex trafficking ring running for decades around here; this could shut it all down.”
“Finish shutting it all down,” Grayson mutters.
Agent Ball’s eyes widen slightly as he stands swiftly, his lips tilted in a tiny smirk. “Perfect. Thank you for your time.”
Once he is gone, I toss my arms up. “That’s it?”
Axe laughs from where he was standing at the far end of the table. “Yes. He will stretch the law. He knows we had more involvement in this, but when it comes down to it, less is more with what he knows. He got highlights from Sugar, so now, he will handle the rest.”
Grayson takes a big breath, and Ryker steps forward, placing his hand on his shoulder. “That’s it. You did it. Now, we let it go and hope for the best outcome,” Ryker tells him before glancing at me. “And you.” I feel a warm presence press up against my back.
“You need to get this started with the Wilsons. They have been down there for days now. No more running from this. Get your revenge, take back your power,” Cade murmurs in my ear.
Letting my eyes fall closed, I take a deep breath and nod before glancing around at everyone. “Okay.”
Grayson, Ryker, and Cayden follow me out to the shed, a silent yet strong force at my back guiding me to do this.
Just let go, Harley. Let it out. Do this for your mom. For your dad. For you.
Swinging the door open, the bright overhead light makes me blink a few times. We’ve left the light on since they have been down here. They’ve been left hanging unless someone was letting them use the bucket to piss or shit, and they were given water and one slice of bread each day.
I didn’t want to be the one coming down here, so I am forever grateful all the guys in the club have been helpful and willing to do it for me.
“Good afternoon, Mother and Father ,” I sneer.
“Harley, dear, please let me down. You don’t want to be like me,” Tammy pleads with me, her chest heaving as her make up begins to run down her face, making her look imperfect for once.
Cade shoots past me and punches her in the gut, hard enough that she swings. “Don’t fucking say shit like that to her, or I will cut your tongue out.” He says darkly.
Well, shit. That’s hot. Glancing at Richard, who has been quiet this whole time, he just stares blankly at me, not speaking.
Knowing what I want to do first, I whisper in Ryker’s ear, “Can you get the bucket Stone used and fill it with water?”
“Are you sure?” He searches my face.
I nod. “Yes.”
Ryker leaves to get what I need, and I spin back around, asking Cade to help me get Richard down to the ground and bind his hands behind his back. Taking a deep breath, I glance between the two of them. “You didn’t break me. You tried and you failed, over and over again. But I can break you. I will break you. I will destroy the perfect facade you have had for years, expose you for the weak bitch you really are.”
“You’re in control,” Grayson murmurs from behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist. It’s then I realize my entire body is shaking as I finally get to say all the things I have thought about, as I finally realize Tammy didn’t break me.
A fresh wave of tears fall as I clutch Grayson’s arm, looking between the two pathetic messes in front of me. Richard has his head bowed, but Tammy is staring me down, pinching her lips together like she is fighting everything in her to keep her mouth shut.
I will break that stare. I will make her lose what power she thinks she still has.
Ryker comes back into the room and sets the bucket of water down in front of Richard, who gazes up at me and shakes his head. “Don’t, Harley.”
Fury courses through my veins as I storm forward and grip the back of his head before shoving it down into the bucket. He flails and tries to move, but being bound and left hanging for days has made his muscles weak.
After about thirty seconds, I yank his head back out of the water. Water splatters everywhere, mixing with the stream of tears falling down my face. “How does it feel? Does it feel good? Do you still feel fucking powerful?” I dunk his head again, holding it longer this time.
When I pull him back up again, my chest is heaving as I sob. “Do you feel yourself getting close to death? Are you craving it yet? Have you had enough? I won’t stop until you feel what I felt, the moment you give up completely. I hope you hope this time, it’ll be just long enough that you won’t breathe air again, that whatever is waiting on the other side is better than this.” I dunk him again.
And again.
And again.
Pulling him up again, I let go, not meeting my guys’ eyes as I say, “One of you take over. Don’t let him catch his breath for too long in between.”
“Alright, little flame, I got you,” Ryker says, walking up to me and tilting my chin with a finger. “Revenge never looked so fucking good.” He grins down at me, wiping away my tears before completely devouring my mouth. He kisses me like he hasn’t done it in years, taking control and holding me hostage as I completely give in to him. By the time he pulls away with a small nibble on my bottom lip, I can’t seem to catch my breath.
He winks as he steps back, and my body involuntarily sways towards him. “Just reminding you that you’re still here babe. You aren’t lost in there.” He taps my head before walking around me and going to Richard. “Alright, Richy. Let’s play.”
As I move over to Tammy, she shakes her head at me. “Don’t fucking say anything, or I’ll gag you,” I snarl. “You’ve done enough talking over the years, and now it’s my turn.” I walk over to the counter and grab the first knife I see.
Running it down the center of her chest, I slice through her shirt while she tries to pull away. Once her shirt is open, I press the knife into her lower abdomen and scrape it along, blood welling at the cut. She whimpers, and I smirk at her. “Haven’t you always wondered what it would be like to have scars like mine? To be sliced like a fucking piece of meat?” I ponder out loud as I continue to slice up her stomach, slowly working my way up to her chest.
When I get to her bra, I cut through it as she whispers, “Please don’t.” Her eyes pleading with me not to leave her hanging here, partially exposed.
“What? I thought you liked the idea of people being exposed and left with little to no clothing, having to strip down naked in front of other people,” I snarl at her.
Not caring for an answer, I become more aggressive with my slices as I continue to mark up her chest and stomach before moving to her face. When she starts to shake her head back and forth, Cade steps up and holds it still from behind.
I smile at him before cutting into each side of her lips, giving her a large smile. “There. The forced smile you would give to everyone.” I grin at her.
After telling Ryker he can stop, we hang Richard back up soaking wet and leave the shed, the light still blindingly bright while they hang.
When the door shuts and locks, I take a deep breath as my hands start to shake. “How did that feel, beautiful?” Grayson asks.
“I– It felt good?” I grimace.
“Is that a question?” Ryker chuckles.
“No. I mean yes, it felt good. I just… Wow. I don’t know. It’s a lot to take in,” I breathe.
“It’s okay to not have words for it right now,” Cade says, understanding. I nod, not even sure I have thoughts for it either. I felt powerful, but something is just not right.
A few more days of leaving them there with nothing, never knowing when I might return, I finally do.
With a gift.
Richard is half asleep when we enter the room, doing his best to sleep while hanging from the ceiling, so I make him my first target. Walking right up to him, I press the taser to his chest and let it rip.
He screams and jolts, swaying back and forth as he gags and tries to vomit but has nothing in him to throw up.
Moving over to Tammy she begs, “Please don’t. Please, Harley!” I press the taser to the center of her chest and let it rip again.
Continuing to go back and forth, over and over again while they both begin to beg.
When I see the tired, detached look in Tammy’s eyes, I know it’s time.
“So who wants to chop Richard’s dick off? Because I sure as hell am not doing it,” I say loudly so Richard hears.
“No, no, no, no! Just shoot me! Please. Oh God, please.”
I spin back around to face him. “Shut up! Don’t beg for God. If he wasn’t going to save an innocent child from you, he sure as hell isn’t going to save you. Now shut up before I gag you with your own cock.”
Facing my guys once more, I raise a brow as Grayson stands back farther and Ryker and Cayden stare each other down. “Rock, paper, scissors?” Ryker shrugs.
“Fuck,” Cade growls. “Fine. Best of one.”
They go and both get rock. “Aw, well, looks like you can do it together,” I say.
They both glare at me while going over to the counter and digging through the supplies Noah has been bringing down over the last week or so.
Both put on some gloves, and Cade grabs a large butcher knife, approaching a screaming Richard.
“One of you needs to hold him still,” Ryker says.
I raise a brow at Grayson, who sighs and walks behind Richard before wrapping his arms around him and keeping him as still as he can. Ryker and Cade work to yank Richards' pants down.
“I have the knife. You grab his dick,” Cade says.
Ryker glares at him but reaches out and wraps his hand around the head of Richard's cock, holding it level with the ground so Cade can chop it off.
“Oh fuck, I’m going to hurl.” Ryker gags.
“Fuck,” Cade mutters, hesitating.
“Just fucking do it already!” Ryker yells at him.
While Richard continues to sob and yell, Cade swings the large knife down and chops his dick off in one go. The scream that comes out of Richard before he passes out is one I will remember forever.
Ryker goes to set it down, but I say, “Wait. Can we wake him up?”
“Yeah, but I don’t really want to hold a dick while we do,” Ryker snaps.
I roll my eyes. “Hang on. Just wake him up, and then you can shove it in his mouth.
“Fuck, I’m so sorry you are having to hear and see all this,” Ryker says, glancing down.
“Are you talking to your penis?” Grayson asks.
“Yes! How are you not disgusted and freaking out?” He widens his eyes at a calm Grayson.
“I didn’t look. I’m not going to look.” He smirks.
Cade runs some smelling salts under Richard’s nose, and he jolts awake, whimpering and sobbing in pain. Squeezing his jaw open, he gestures for Ryker to hurry up. They work together to shove the dick into his mouth.
Richard gags and cries harder, his eyes blank, like he is trying not to be present in the moment. The pain we are causing is keeping him here, though, and I fucking love it.
Grabbing a gun off the counter, I stand in front of Richard while glancing at Tammy. “Anything you’d like to say to your husband?”
“I’m so sorry, Richard. So sorry.” She says it like she truly means it as she stares at him with her heart wide open, her bottom lip trembling. Surprisingly, she holds his eyes the entire time. Raising the gun to his forehead, I say nothing as I pull the trigger and blood splatters everywhere.
Tammy silently cries, her head hanging low as her body shakes. “Fuck, another body to deal with,” Ryker groans from behind me.
Walking back over to the counter I put the gun down and wash my hands in the small sink as I respond, “No. He can stay right where he is next to her for now.”
“Are you sure about this?” Ryker asks, running a hand through his hair.
“Yes, Ryker,” I sigh, tired of going over this with them. We finished prepping things for Tammy to finally get what’s coming to her tomorrow, but I told the guys I needed to speak to her alone. Every time we have come to the shed, they have been with me, and I have no regrets about it.
I love and appreciate them sticking with me over the last week, but now, I need a moment alone with her, and they aren’t thrilled about it.
“Twenty minutes, and then we are coming in,” Cade demands, crossing his arms over his chest.
I roll my eyes at him but nod as I turn around and walk the short distance from my dad’s house to the shed. When I get inside, Tammy barely lifts her head to look at me. She’s pale, half dressed, with dried blood all over her face and upper body.
“I’m not like you.” She raises her head to look at me, her brows lower in confusion, but she doesn’t speak. “I didn’t get some sick satisfaction from all of this. There is a tiny part of me that enjoyed knowing you had to experience even a fraction of what I did, but I didn’t feel amazing every time I left this room.”
“I’m sorry,” she rasps.
“But are you?” I ask, moving closer to her. “Because you have never shown any remorse over the years. You sold your own daughter, you burned a place to the ground with people inside of it, you willingly left me in a place you knew I would be raped and beaten over and over again. You humiliated me and abused me for years, not to even include the trauma you gave my mom.”
“She screwed everything up!” Tammy tries to scream, but it comes out scratchy. “I had the perfect life lined up, and she ruined all of it!”
“I don’t get it. She left. She ran away and never came back. You had plenty of time to fix whatever it was you think she ruined.”
“It was supposed to be you. I had months, months to find her, to find you before you were born and hand you over to him. But she disappeared and got away, and I was left to deal with the consequences.”
“What are you talking about?” I furrow my brows.
“Killer. He wanted you. When he didn’t get you, he took from me instead. She got all the attention. From my daddy, from Killer, from Gabe—everyone loved her. It should have been me! I wanted you to suffer for what she put me through. I didn’t know it would become this game–I loved it. You became my toy,” she cries.
“You are sick, you know that?” I seethe, stepping away from her.
She shakes her head. “I didn’t want you at first, not until I realized how much joy having a toy brought me. I just wanted you to suffer because of your slutty mother. After I had a buyer for you, I was going to use that money to buy a new toy for Richard and me. But you screwed everything up! Everything! We had plans. We knew what we wanted.”
“Fuck,” I cut her off, “You really will never see any logic will you? It’s like you’re living in some alternate fucked up universe. My mom wasn’t a slut. She wasn’t trying to get all their attention. You cheated on Gabe when he loved you. You fucked that up, not her. You can’t just keep someone as a toy or sell people– why am I evening trying to reason with you? You aren’t going to see the truth.” I shake my head. “I hope you enjoy being buried alive with your dead husband tomorrow. It will bring me great joy to sit on top of your grave and breathe fresh air while you are below, smelling your rotting corpse of a husband while gasping for breath.”
I move forward again, bringing us nose to nose. “I hope you see my face when you are suffocating, I hope you think about me and how your perfect little plans all failed because you didn’t win the game, Tammy. I fucking won.”
Turning around, I leave the room as she sobs and yells at me, begging me not to bury her alive.
When I get back to the club, I am shaking with pent up rage, and I know I need to burn it off.
“Woah, little flame,” Ryker says as I come storming towards them. He grasps my shoulders and examines my face before asking, “Fight, fuck, or run?”
“All of the above?” I question.
Ryker gets a gleam in his eyes as he glances at Grayson and Cade before nodding. “Alright, run, then.”
“What?”
“Run.”
“Not this again,” I whine.
“I don’t remember you whining the last time we chased you through the woods. Just add in a good fight before the fuck this time, and I’m pretty sure you’ll be whining in a different way very soon. Now, run.”