Astrid
I knew my man wasn’t thrilled that I was here to watch and, more than likely, knowing myself, to participate in the punishment of Cherisse and Radley.
There was no way they got to walk away unscathed.
In Cherisse’s case, I doubted it would be death.
However, when it came to Radley, I wasn’t sure.
I was deciding whether I could reconcile it in my mind if he were killed. I was leaning toward yes.
As we stood together outside the large storage building, he explained what it was and the extra surprise inside.
We were standing further away from the others, who were huddled together talking.
As much as the Marauders would love to attend, Jinx had surprised me when he told the Punishers to enjoy themselves.
They planned to hang out and start drinking early.
Oh, and to assist in the setup for the long weekend.
Jinx teased the Punishers. He said, surely, seventeen of them, plus me, could handle two turds.
The Punishers jeered and warned them to wait until we returned. The levity made me chuckle.
“Baby, what’s gonna happen to the two of them when you’re done with them? Are they walking away, or is this the end for them?” I asked softly.
He sighed. “Hell, babe, don’t ask me that because I don’t know. They conspired to hurt and possibly kill you. On top of it, Cherisse held one of our employees hostage and was prepared to more than likely kill her. It depends on what we discover during this chat.”
“Will pain be inflicted during this chat, regardless of whether they confess their true intentions? Or do so quickly?”
His answer to that was quick and straightforward.
“Yes, there will be punishment involving pain. That’s a given.
Are you still sure you want to be here with me?
I don’t want you to walk away from this believing your man is a monster, even though I can be in the right situation.
Anyone harming you is one of those instances, Fury.
If I’d lost you today, I would’ve burned the world down to avenge you. ”
His tense expression bothered me. I lifted my hand and ran it up and down the side of his face.
“And I would do the same for you, Jamie. Let go of the fear. They’re not innocents.
Let’s get this done, and then we can be alone.
I find myself craving alone time with my man,” I told him before snaring his mouth with mine.
Mayhem responded with vigor and passion. I moaned when we were broken apart by Reaper, calling out for us to join them. Mayhem held me close as we rejoined his brothers. They smiled and winked.
Following them inside, I saw it was like any storage building.
They had a variety of what appeared to be parts and machinery stored here.
We wound through the racks and piles until we came to a door.
It had an electronic digital code lock. There was a keypad and a fingerprint scanner.
Reaper entered a code, then placed his thumb on it to be scanned.
A soft click signaled it had been released.
Pulling the door open, we descended into what I thought was a basement.
However, I discovered something different instead.
“This compound is part of what used to be an old Army installation. When it was put up for sale, the club snatched it up. There are two bunkers. We built a storage building to disguise both, and they have locks like this. You’ve seen the safe room in the clubhouse.
Technically, the other bunker can also serve as a safe room.
We added the one in the clubhouse in case it wasn’t possible to make it here,” Mayhem explained.
“Who do you expect you have to hide from to warrant these?” I asked.
“Probably no one, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Plus, if society experiences a breakdown in government and other services, people will kill to get what others have. We prepare for any possibility.” Maniac was the one to answer me.
I knew he was right about that. Have an emergency, and watch how your fellow man would change. I saw that when my squadron was captured.
“I get it,” I replied.
It was further into the bunker that I saw the setup for what was, without a doubt, a persuasion center, interrogation room, or whatever name you wanted to call it.
Six cells lined the two longest walls. In the center, along the ceiling, was a track, and on it were multiple wheels with hooks attached.
The hooks could be lowered to the desired height, and from them hung manacles.
You could move them to where you wanted on the track.
As I stared at it, Lash gave me a tasty bit of information as I took it in.
“This whole thing here is the brainchild of your man and Crusher. Makes you wonder about them, doesn’t it?” he asked with a grin.
“Is that true?” I asked Mayhem.
“Yeah, it is. This part, the layout is ours, but the tools, if you will, were contributed by all of us.”
He indicated a row of closed storage lockers.
The area was much larger than where I was held, certainly way cleaner and more sophisticated, yet it made my stomach quiver.
I shoved those errant thoughts away. A hoarse plea brought my focus back to the cells to the right of us.
Movement down on the floor caught my attention.
Cherisse pressed her face to the bars and cried out.
“Please, let me out of here. Tell them to do it. They’ll listen to you.” Her eyes bored into me.
“I could ask them and they might do as I ask, but I don’t feel like it. You caused this, Cherisse. It’s time to face up to what you did,” I said, sternly.
Her pleading expression morphed into an angry one. “Fuck you, bitch. Too bad they found you. I hoped you were dead or forced to spend the rest of your life on your back, servicing men until you died of some horrible disease.”
“Shut your fucking mouth, or I’ll shut it for you,” Mayhem snarled.
“Babe, it’s alright. Nothing she says bothers me. Who’s first? Her?” I asked him.
Mayhem turned to his president. “Reaper, how do you wanna do this?”
“I think we should take Cherisse first. Since she opened her mouth, she’s volunteering,” Reaper said, grinning.
Leaving me, Mayhem and Crusher approached her cell.
Cherisse scrambled to the back corner and huddled there as if that would save her.
She kept shouting no and for them to get away from her, which they ignored.
While they were getting her out, I noted that the cell next to hers contained Baker.
He was watching us without saying a word.
When he felt my gaze on him, he stared at me, and there was murder in his eyes.
He was still restrained and gagged. The spell was broken by the squeal of metal on concrete.
I turned to find a chair being moved into the center of the room, right under the track.
Cherisse was marched to the chair and not very gently shoved down on it. She tried to stand, only to have Crusher take up position behind her and use his massive hands to hold her in the chair. Mayhem moved in front of her.
“As you can see, we were able to find and rescue my old lady. You’re fortunate we got there before that bastard could do more than slap her.
And what do you know, Astrid had him cuffed and gagged when we arrived.
Seems he underestimated her, the way you did.
You tangle with Astrid, and you’ve got a tiger by the tail.
” Mayhem gestured for me to come to him. I joined him.
As I settled next to my man, I slipped my arm around his waist. I caught how the hatred flared in Cherisse’s gaze before she shifted her eyes away from us.
I replayed her words about Mayhem and how she would take my place once Baker got me out of the picture.
The anger that had been deep in my gut began to bubble and rise.
When it reached a high enough level, it would need to be purged. I had the perfect target for it.
“You not only conspired and had my old lady kidnapped, but you hurt a fellow dancer out of pure jealousy. I don’t know where this spitefulness came from with you. Why did you do this?” Mayhem asked.
Cherisse refused to look at him. This angered Mayhem.
“Look at me, goddamn it! Tell me why you would do these things? You’ve been working for us for two years. Other than minor squabbles, I haven’t heard anything about you being vicious and trying to harm anyone. Why now?” he barked.
His tone got a reaction. She lifted her head.
There was an odd brightness to her eyes.
“You want to know why you had no problems before this? I’ll tell you.
I made sure those whores at Eden knew to stay away from my spot and to keep their hands off you!
They knew better than to make a play for you, Mayhem.
“I knew the moment I saw you that one day, we’d be together. I was okay to wait. I knew that despite you sleeping with some of those random women who come to party with your club, you would never be serious with women like them. You’d settle one day, and I’d be there to be your old lady.”
Her gaze swung to me. Her upper lip curled upward.
“But then you brought this bitch in, and she began to think she had a say in what went on at the strip club. She even befriended that other bitch, Aubrielle. They conspired to push me out by giving Aubrielle better spots. You said it was your decision, but I knew she was influencing you. And you were introducing her as your old lady! I couldn’t have that.
I refuse to lose you to anyone. So when I had an opportunity to get rid of both of them, I took it,” Cherisse spat out.