Chapter Thirty-Three
She’s Worth It
Royal
Pain seared across my bloodied back. My shirt stuck to me in places from the dozen cuts and superficial stab wounds my father had gifted me. He’d threatened to kill me, death by a thousand cuts, but she didn’t know that.
And I didn’t dare do anything to tip my hand. I’d convinced them my loyalty belonged to my family, so all I could do was walk out of the barn with them.
We climbed into the van, all three of us and Birdman started it up. The vehicle rolled all of five feet, before it lurched and came to a stop, the engine making a funny noise before it went silent.
“What the fuck?” he mumbled, lifting his hand up to stare at the dash. “Are you fucking kidding me? Your stupid ass didn’t put any gas in before you left town?”
I sighed as Kingston began to shout back at him and all hell broke loose.
“There was a gas can near the barn,” I recalled, but it didn’t stop their fussing.
I hurried to the barn and leaned down, making a good show of raising one can and shaking it, before grabbing another. There were four in total.
“I need you to trust me,” I said, as loudly as I dared. “I know you think I’ve fucked you over, but I need you to believe me. I will not forsake you, Kennedy.”
“Shut the fuck up,” she growled.
“I love you, and I’m gonna prove it to you. I swear. I’m going to prove it in a way no one can deny,” I promised, jerking the gas can up.
I hurried back toward the van before she could lash out and alert anyone to our exchange.
“It’s a trickle, but shit… We gotta do something,” I told them, hefting both jugs.
We were lucky if we got a gallon out of both of them combined, but I convinced them to give it a try, and we eventually ended up back on the road.
Every curve sent another blistering wave of pain across my back, but I gritted my teeth and suffered in silence.
“If you get any ideas, I’ll fucking kill you myself,” Kingston promised, when we pulled up and parked at the tavern.
“Fuck off,” I grunted, as if it had been the last thing on my mind.
Everyone was standing outside. A few of the guys were smoking. Everyone looked our way, when they saw the three of us approaching. I could feel someone’s gaze burning into me. When I looked toward D-Man, he seemed to be looking through me, as if the bastard were telepathic or something.
“Where is Kennedy?” Forty asked, when we drew near enough that he didn’t need to shout.
“She’s put up,” Kingston gloated.
“Tell them the truth,” I pressed, not taking my eyes off D-Man.
Kingston laughed and my father stepped between us.
“Tell them how you killed Paxton, tried to kill Kennedy, and all of that because Birdman wanted you to fetch Forty’s patch so he could stitch it on his chest.” I didn’t really think they’d let me get it all out, but no one moved an inch.
I could feel Kingston’s rage boiling on the other side of our father, who was staring at me like I was the most worthless thing on the face of the earth.
“Bird,” D-Man urged.
Kingston shot toward me, rabid and eager to shut me up.
We were past words. Everyone knew it.
There was no coming back from what they’d done, or my telling of it. I didn’t think, I didn’t try and debate, I reached behind me and took out my gun. He tackled me as I did so, bouncing the barrel off his chest just as I pulled the trigger.
The bullet exited out the top of his head, and he dropped as quickly as we’d collided.
“Jesus!” Preach yelled.
“Holy shit!” one of the prospects exclaimed.
“It’s true,” I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, my gaze shifting toward Forty, though I didn’t know how to look him in the eye anymore, “Your daughter is at the old Horten place off highway fifty-one.
He was going to use her as leverage to force you to walk to your own execution, then he was going to kill her in front of you.
Forty licked his lips, but rather than saying anything, he simply nodded at his sergeant at arms.
D-man started toward me, and I squared my shoulders, ready to accept my fate.
“You have one chance. If you do it, we’ll bury them both and forget everything.” He paused to let the offer sink in, “But if I have to do it for you, you’re gonna stand trial for that…”
My attention shifted over toward Kingston’s unmoving body before I met my father’s gaze.
I swallowed hard, but it wasn’t a matter I had to think on, “Bullet is too fast for him. It’s a waste of good ammunition. I can’t kill my own father. I–”
I knew I shouldn’t give a fuck, but my chest was physically hurting and the idea of murdering someone I once craved attention and affection from made each breath more of a struggle than the one before.
“I can’t,” I whispered. “I’m sorry.”
D-man nodded and sighed, “That’s a shame. He didn’t have the same resolve where your mother was concerned.
His words hit me, and I had to brace myself before glancing my father’s way. I knew D-Man wouldn’t joke about a thing like that, but it still killed something in me to see my father’s indifferent, unapologetic gaze staring back at me.
It was the last exchange we’d ever have. In truth, it was as much as I’d ever gotten out of the man I knew as father.
He’d gambled, and he’d threw it all away.
“I love your daughter, Forty,” I admitted, as sirens pierced the night, “You tell her this was the only way I could prove it, by being the only accountable asshole out of the whole damn bunch. Tell her not to look back. And for fuck’s sake, tell her to spread her wings and fly, would you?
You can’t keep her hostage in this cesspool.
She deserves better than you or I could ever give her. ”
I’d never seen Forty so torn. The rage I’d expected just wasn’t there.
“Drop the gun,” Forty quietly urged, as the sirens became deafening.
I tilted my head, knowing he’d understand some day.
“Roy, drop the fucking gun.” He tried to sound authoritative, but his voice cracked with emotion.
D-man’s rigged posture relaxed a little.
“This is me,” I whispered.
“Drop the fucking weapon and get on the ground,” a voice called from the distance.
And I did.
I dropped the gun and stared down at my brother’s lifeless corpse.
I approached them when directed, turned around when ordered, and didn’t fight them when they put the cuffs on.
When they jerked me off the ground, I saluted Forty with my chin, “Tell her that’s how much I love her.
She’s in a barn behind an abandoned house off highway fifty-one in a tiny little place called Vera.
It’s the place before the curve as you’re entering town. ”
He didn’t say anything, he didn’t have to.
We both knew she was worth it, and we both knew what brotherhood truly meant.