Chapter Twenty-One
King
LEAVING brYNN BEHIND is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my life.
The last thing I wanted to do was walk away from her after just getting her back in my arms.
However, until Jerome is dealt with and I know he will never come for my girl again, I can’t sit by and do nothing.
With a high chance of him still being in the rundown shack where he held my woman hostage, I know this is our window to get our hands on him and make him pay for the years of pain and fear he’s filled Brynn with for most of her life.
I wasn’t lying when I said I needed to do this for her.
Knowing my Kitten the way I do, she’s going to need that reassurance when she’s having bad days.
If I weren’t to come with the rest of the guys today to take care of the stupid fuck, she’d never be completely sure he was taken out and will never stalk her again.
That’s something I can give my girl knowing I can’t take the pain and fear away from her.
The only thing I can do is fill our lives with a million new memories for her to erase the space Jerome has occupied for so long.
For each horrible memory he’s given her, I plan to replace each with a good one she’ll remember for the rest of our lives.
My dad is driving my truck as I sit in the back seat with Scathe and Jinx while Blood rides in the passenger seat.
I tossed my dad the keys as soon as I left the clubhouse because I know there’s no way I can drive again right now.
My thoughts are consumed with getting my hands on Jerome and making him suffer.
When I’m not thinking about him, Brynn fills my mind as I remember the look in her eyes the second she saw me.
The relief and love shining bright as she ran to my arms.
We’re followed closely by my uncle Killer and the rest of the trucks, SUVs, and bikes following us.
Venom is in the lead of our convoy with Hawkeye and Shield riding with him.
Venom slows down and pulls off to the side of the road.
I know deep in my gut this is where they found my girl.
This is the spot where she took her life in her hands and stepped in the middle of the road to get a bunch of guys she knew nothing about stop to help her.
Brynn risked her life to get away from Jerome because she had no way of knowing if the guys would help her or hurt her more than what had already happened to her.
Brynn is so fucking strong and hearing her tell us what happened while she was gone only makes me realize exactly how strong she is.
Not that I really had a doubt in my mind about it.
Yes, she’s had her breakdowns during this whole situation, but no one in her shoes wouldn’t be expected to remain calm and collected dealing with the information she’s been given over the last several weeks.
Most of the women in my life would have been the same as Brynn.
She grew up never knowing each day if she was going to have to go into lockdown or anything else.
However, anyone else would have been a pile of mush hiding in the corner as they rocked themselves back and forth.
Brynn took every single hit like a champion and got through each day the best she could.
We all climb out of the trucks and gather around and wait for Venom, Vault, Blood, and Slim to talk before addressing the rest of us.
I look around the area for any signs of the way Brynn was moving.
Knowing she was only in a bra and pair of panties, she’s not going to leave many tracks behind.
Unless she fell repeatedly or purposely left tracks behind, there’s no way to tell which way she came from until the four Presidents turn to face us.
“When we came up on Brynn, she was walkin’ this way,”
Venom informs us all as he points in the opposite direction of the way we were just driving.
“I’m thinkin’ the shack she was held in is gonna be along this road, deep in the woods with nothin’ more than a driveway to alert us to where it’s located.”
“I agree.
We’re all gonna head out and go back the way Brynn was comin’ from.
Valor is gonna send a photo of the car you need to be lookin’ for to Venom and Blood who will distribute them to their men.
Be on the lookout for that car and if you decide to walk down a driveway, don’t fuckin’ go alone.
Fox and Killer will be with Kingston, Blood, Scathe, and Ace.
We don’t ever let family members work together like this, but these are special circumstances and if anyone is gonna find this motherfucker first, it deserves to be them,”
Vault states, looking at the large group of men before him as I look to each side at the men standing with me.
I’m surrounded by my family and Brynn’s.
My dad and uncle are on one side while Scathe and Ace are on the other side.
None of them are going to let me out of their sight because they know I’ll take off on my own in order to get retribution for my girl.
Scathe and Ace might not know me very good yet, but they can see the wild look in my eyes with every passing second that gets us closer to Jerome and the place he held Brynn hostage.
“Let’s fuckin’ get out of here,”
Blood calls out, waiting for us to make our way over to him.
Our small group takes off as the rest of the guys give us a few minutes to get ahead of them.
They’re not standing idly by doing nothing.
Several groups are walking close to the tree line for any sign that we’re going in the right direction.
Again, they’re not gonna find much of anything.
Brynn might have been out of it and not known what she was doing, but I believe a part of her would know to tread light and not leave any clues behind that Jerome could follow once he got up from her knocking him the fuck out.
It takes longer than I’d like to admit to get to the first driveway.
We look down it and can’t see what’s at the end from the road.
With a look at everyone with me, a silent decision is made to go down the dirt track and see what’s at the end.
We can’t afford to overlook anything and risk Jerome getting away from us.
Spreading out, we slowly make our way closer to the house.
It takes longer than I’d like to admit to get to the end of the driveway and find a rundown shack that looks as if a strong wind would knock it down.
Sitting just in front of the shack is the car Jerome stuffed my girl into the trunk of.
“That’s the car,”
I state, my voice hard and cold as I don’t take my eyes off the sight in front of me in order to catch any possible sighting of Jerome trying to escape.
My dad pulls out his phone and sends a message letting everyone know that we’ve found the place and are preparing to go inside.
We’re not going to wait for everyone to join us because that gives the stupid fuck more time to get away from us.
Scathe and I make our way up on the porch while my dad, uncle, Ace, and Blood surround the rest of the house so there’s no chance of him getting away.
Looking at Scathe, with a nod of my head, I kick in the door and Scathe goes low to make sure he doesn’t get hit by a stray bullet Jerome might fire off.
We make our way slowly inside.
I motion to the right and Scathe heads that way with me following him.
There are only a few doors lining the hallway as we open each of them.
Every room is empty until we come to the last one.
Laying in the middle of the floor, groaning and just coming around is Jerome.
I’ve seen more than enough pictures of him to know without a doubt this is the man we’re after.
His eyes slowly blink open to find Scathe and myself standing over him.
“What the fuck?”
he stutters out, his voice rough as if he’s gargled cups and cups of rocks and gravel.
“Where’s my girl?”
“Your fuckin’ girl?”
I bark out, my voice full of contempt and rage as I bend down and lift the stupid fuck off the floor by his neck.
“She was never your fuckin’ girl.
Brynn is my girl and that will never change.
Brynn will be my ol’ lady, wife, and the mother of my children.
You will never touch her again and I can guarantee you she’ll live the rest of her life free and not thinkin’ about you for a second longer.”
“You’re wrong! Brynn is my girl,”
Jerome says, his voice fading almost to nothing with my hand wrapped around his throat.
“No, she’s not.
You’re a sick fuck who wanted my daughter when she was still a damn baby.
She never once tried to seduce you or make you believe she wanted you at all.
Brynn was a child and only wanted to live her life free and without havin’ to worry about some sick fuck stalkin’ her and makin’ her feel unsafe in her own home.
You’ve violated her in more than one way and we’re gonna make sure you never get close to her again,”
Scathe growls out, his voice harder than I’ve heard it up to this point in our short acquaintance.
“Lies,”
Jerome shouts out, as I release him from my hold and let Scathe drag him out of the room as more men enter the small shack.
“This stupid fuck is already spewin’ his shit about Brynn and their so-called relationship?”
Ace asks, walking in the shack followed by his dad and my family.
“Yeah.
Callin’ her his girl,”
I grind out, my voice lethal now.
“That’s fuckin’ priceless.
Brynn has never been yours, Jerome.
She’s in love with the man standin’ before you and will spend the rest of her life at his side.
He’ll protect her, love her, make her feel safe every single day of her life.
He’s been doin’ it since he met her and that won’t change movin’ forward,”
Blood says, walking up to stand right in front of Jerome and reaching out to grab his face so he can’t look away from him.
“I should’ve fuckin’ killed you instead of lettin’ you leave all those years ago.
Now, you’ll get the fuckin’ beatdown from her man and the rest of us before you take your last breath.”
“No! You can’t do that to me.
Brynn won’t last if I’m not in her life,”
he pleads, his delusions still pouring out as he looks around at us for one person who will take his side.
I don’t say another word as Blood steps back.
Lashing out, I punch him directly in his face and watch as the blood starts to flow from his nose.
I don’t pause as my rage takes over and I continue to punch the sick fuck in the face, head, neck, and anywhere else I can land one on him.
No one stops me as I get out all the rage and fear that’s been filling me over the last day while she was missing.
I don’t stop until I’m physically exhausted and can hardly lift my arm to land anymore hits to the stupid fuck who’s whimpering, groaning, and pissing his pants.
Taking one last hit, my fist lands against his jaw and I hear the unmistakable sound of it crunching under the force of my punch.
Stepping back, I let Brynn’s family step up and get in their hits.
Jerome doesn’t say a word.
I’m pretty sure I broke his jaw.
Blood steps up next and absolutely destroys the vile piece of shit in front of us.
He takes out all of his rage and the guilt weighing heavily on his shoulders for not ending this bastard's life when all this first came to life.
When he’s done, Ace steps up and lets loose.
Everyone else remains standing around us, but no one wants to get their hands on Jerome.
They’re letting the men closest to Brynn end his life and beat the hell out of him.
My dad and uncle are at my back as we watch Ace step back and Scathe step forward.
Scathe circles Jerome’s body and eyes him with nothing more than contempt and pure loathing.
With a nod of his head, Kian and Deegan step forward and lift the prone body from the floor.
Scathe doesn’t bother beating the twatwaffle in front of him.
There’s really nothing left he can do to do any damage to his body.
Instead, he pulls out his gun and moves even closer to Jerome.
“You’ve taken advantage of the sweetest girl I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowin’ in my life.
You’ve destroyed her sanctuary and made her feel unsafe every day of her life for longer than she ever deserved to feel that way.
Then, you had the balls to fuckin’ kidnap her and make her feel terror she never should’ve felt for even a split second.
You’ve made a man feel as if he’s unworthy of my girl because he was workin’ and not there to protect her as he promised.
This man is questioning every aspect of his relationship with my daughter because he feels as if he failed her.
Now, you’re gonna die by my hands.
My daughter will know peace for the rest of her life and will rebuild her relationship with a man who truly loves her and will do everythin’ in his power to protect her the rest of his days.
A man who will put himself in front of a bullet, car, fire, or anythin’ else comin’ her way.
Somethin’ you would never do because you’re nothin’ more than a pathetic junkie who preys on those younger and weaker than him to get what he wants,”
Scathe growls out so low not everyone in the room will be able to hear.
“Rot in fuckin’ hell, you sick fuck!”
Without hesitation, he pulls the trigger and Jerome’s body falls to the floor unceremoniously.
Kian and Deegan do nothing to continue holding him up.
My eyes don’t leave his body as blood pools around him, covering the carpet that’s seen better days.
I don’t take my eyes off of him until my dad and uncle pull me away from the body and out of the shack he kept my girl in.
“How are we gonna get rid of the evidence?”
Venom asks when we’re all back outside.
“Torch the fuckin’ place and let it burn to the ground,”
Blood says, a smirk on his face.
“We’ll leave his body in there and let him burn with the place.”
“I agree,”
Vault speaks up, looking to Slim and Venom for their vote on the matter.
Both men nod their heads in agreement.
Kian and Deegan disappear and return after a few minutes with the van they rode in.
Both Prospects carry cans of gas as they make their way over to where I’m standing.
“Make sure you douse the bed with gas.
I want it fuckin’ burnt to the ground with nothin’ left of it,”
I order them as Deegan nods and disappears inside the house.
Deegan goes to the right while Kian moves to the left.
They go slow based on the time they’re gone until they meet in what was once a decent looking living room.
As they spread the last drops of gas around Jerome’s body, both men drop the cans where they stand before leaving the shack.
Blood steps up and lights a cigarette.
He takes a few deep drags before tossing it inside the shack.
In seconds, it catches fire.
Blood steps back next to me and we watch as the place begins to burn.
Jerome’s body catches on fire and I feel absolutely nothing other than relief.
I can go home to my woman and let her know it’s over.
She’ll never have to worry about Jerome coming for her again.
“Are you ready to get back to Brynn?”
my dad asks me, resting his hand on my shoulder once again.
“I’ve been ready,”
I answer him honestly.
We all turn our backs on the shack as it continues to burn.
Deegan, Kian, and a few other men remain behind to ensure the place burns to the ground and leaves nothing more than a pile of ash.
I rush toward my truck, knowing my dad will drive back to Cedar Bay so I can get Brynn and bring her home to the clubhouse in Pine View.
Everyone that rode in my truck here keeps me surrounded and don’t move far from me.
Even Killer who drove his truck sticks close to my side.
It doesn’t take us long to get to the vehicles and load up.
This time we don’t wait for anyone else to leave with us.
The need to get back to the Wild Kings clubhouse is overwhelming as I sit in the back and let myself think of my girl and only her.
Scathe brings me out of my daze as we pull back into the Wild Kings compound.
My dad parks close to the door and I practically jump out of my truck before he even comes to a complete stop.
Rushing in the main door, I find my girl sitting at the bar with Willow.
They’re talking together as a Prospect stands in front of them.
Brynn turns my way when she hears the door open further.
Jumping off her stool she rushes toward me.
At the last second, she jumps into my arms and I catch her.
Brynn wraps her body around me and I can feel her body shaking as she cries once again.
“It’s over, Kitten.
I promise he’ll never be able to hurt you again,”
I whisper into her hair, pressing my lips against the bandage softly so I don’t hurt her.
“Can we go home now?”
she whispers, not moving an inch as more men come in the clubhouse.
“Yeah.
We need to get you to Pine View so your family can see you and know you’re okay,”
I tell her, as Willow walks up to us.
“Kingston, can you make sure Brynn gets my number? We want to stay in touch,”
Willow asks me with a soft smile on her face.
“Yeah.
Thank you for hangin’ with my girl while we were gone,”
I tell her as Otter steps up and pulls her into his arms.
“We had fun.
And she got to witness me make a fool of myself,”
Willow returns as a blush covers her cheeks.
“Baby, do I want to know what you did?”
Otter questions her, looking down at his wife with nothing but love in his eyes.
“I ruined her lunch and got hit in the head with a sleeve of crackers,”
she informs him as I try to hold back the laughter wanting to erupt.
Brynn isn’t able to hold her laughter back as she cries and laughs at the same time.
Otter buries his face in Willow’s shoulder, but I can see his body shaking with laughter.
We’re not laughing at the girl, but at what happens whenever she tries to do anything.
After saying our goodbyes, I carry Brynn out of the clubhouse and straight to my truck.
My dad and Blood get back in the front seat while Scathe and I get in the back with Brynn still in my lap.
When I try to sit her down between her dad and myself, she refuses to move.
I don’t push her as I sit back and keep her in my arms.
We’re all silent as we make the trip back home where Brynn’s family is waiting for her.
I plan on letting her visit with them for a few minutes before taking her up to our room and getting her in the shower.
She needs to get clean and wash away the rest of the evidence of her being with that sick fuck.
They’ll understand and can spend the day with her tomorrow.
Brynn needs a shower, food, and then sleep.
Rest is going to help her heal and I’m going to ensure she gets everything she needs for the rest of her life.