Chapter 32 Gavin #2
“This won’t change anything! I took them all from you!” he shouted, spit flying from his mouth as he cursed them all.
Gavin looked down into the pit and smiled. Four hungry mountain lions stalked around in circles, agitated, calling to one another as if sensing that dinner was about to be served.
It had taken Marcus and the guys about three hours to lure all four cougars into the deep pit. There had been a few close calls, but Nikolai was surprisingly good at handling wild animals.
Considering the animals’ incredible jumping abilities, they had to find a pit that was deep enough to prevent the cougars from escaping before they were ready. Thankfully, Ace was great with computers.
Ace panned his tablet over the pit, showing their viewers exactly what was about to befall the monster before them.
“As I said earlier, when the police find what’s left of the body, they will just assume that he had been chased by a pack of hungry cougars and fell into the pit below before being eaten alive.
” Gavin turned to face the man who had tried to murder him—twice.
“I know it’s usually you who leaves valentines in your victims’ pockets,” he continued, his voice steady despite the storm brewing inside him.
“But since I’m the one ending this… I thought it was only fitting that I give you one of my own. ”
Gavin hadn’t told Marcus what he planned to do if the vote went their way. He glanced over at Marcus, who stood close to Clive—his face hidden by a thick layer of fabric, but his eyes were visible. And there it was. Love. Concern. Fear. Fear for what this act might cost Gavin.
But this had to be done. This was what he needed to get closure. This was what they all needed.
Pulling the crumpled-up valentine from his back pocket, Gavin unfolded it and glared down at the words that had taken him hours to write.
With the sound of hungry cougars echoing behind him, Gavin began to read his final words to the man who had brought him so much fear.
“To the monster of my nightmares,
You’ve plagued my thoughts and dreams for the very last time. I used to lie awake at night, too afraid to close my eyes, for fear of seeing your murderous face glaring down at me, as you tried to choke the life out of my body.
But not anymore. Now, I’ll be able to close my eyes at night and sleep soundly next to the man I love, knowing that you can no longer harm me. You can no longer hunt or rape or murder anyone else, ever again.
Tonight, I stand for myself and for all those you destroyed—and I’ll watch without mercy as the beasts below tear you apart. Just as you have torn apart so many lives.
It will give me great pleasure to listen to you scream in pain and beg for mercy, right up until that very last breath.
So, on behalf of all those you have hurt, I sentence you to die.”
With that final word, Gavin took a step away from the pit and nodded to the two masked men standing next to the Valentine Killer. They untied him and dragged him over to where Marcus was waiting.
“Is it my turn now to have a bit of fun?” Marcus asked, his identity still hidden under the mask.
The only reason Marcus had agreed to this video trial was the promise that once the sentence was passed, he could have full range to beat the living piss out of the man. It was Marcus’s way of getting justice for all the pain and suffering inflicted on the man he loved.
Gavin found the request so romantic. He never imagined anyone would love him so much that they would demand to take their vengeance on the man of his nightmares.
Smiling, Gavin nodded.
“Good,” Marcus grunted, grabbing the man by the throat and pulling him close to his face. “You tried to rape and murder the man I love. Monsters like you don’t deserve a quick death.”
With that, Marcus punched the Valentine Killer hard in his stomach. He fell over in pain, gasping for air.
“Fuck you!” the man shouted, struggling to stand on his feet.
Marcus kicked him in the face, sending the man flying backward and landing hard in the dirt close to the pit.
“You fucking killed them! All of them!” Marcus growled, lunging at him and landing on his body. He straddled his thighs, then began punching the killer in the face without mercy.
Blood burst from his nose, while sounds of pain mixed with agony spilled from his mouth.
“Please… stop… I’m…” he pleaded as Marcus continued his brutal assault on the man who had murdered so many.
Watching the anger and violence spill from Marcus was intoxicating. Seeing each powerful blow be delivered—all in the name of vengeance for the man he loved—was probably the most romantic thing that anyone could ever do.
This right here was better than being carried off bodyguard-style by the man of his dreams.
There was no doubt in his mind that Marcis really loved him.
Wanting to make sure that the man’s execution was carried out as promised, Gavin decided that it was time.
“That’s enough,” Gavin called out, not wanting to use Marcus’s name during the live stream.
Marcus grunted, then pulled the battered and beaten man up.
Clive teetered on his feet.
“Rot in hell, you piece of shit.” With that, Marcus pushed the man into the pit.
The group rushed forward, gathering at the edge of the pit to watch the remainder of the execution.
Gavin stepped up next to Marcus and slipped his hand into his. Leaning his head against the angry biker’s shoulder, he looked down into the pit and smiled—not with joy, but with the quiet satisfaction of knowing it was finally almost over.
They watched as the cougars began stalking their prey. They circled the man, growling and swiping their paws at Clive’s body. The man turned in circles, watching the hungry beasts as they continued to move toward him.
“Please! Let me up! You can’t do this!” the Valentine Killer shouted.
The fear spilling from the man made Gavin smile. Perhaps now, the Valentine Killer would know the fear and torment Gavin felt, wondering if or when the killer might find him.
Countless sleepless nights. Tossing and turning. Not being able to close his eyes for fear of seeing Clive’s face staring back at him.
That was the fear Gavin wanted his monster to experience.
But there was no mercy to be had. This man had extinguished so many lives in the most unimaginable way possible. The horror and pain that he caused deserved such a violent sense of justice.
“Please! I beg you! Don’t let me die down here like this.”
Anger shot through Gavin. His eyes blazed with fury as he stared down into the pit.
“Just like you let all those poor, innocent men get violated? Then murdered? Alone?” Gavin shouted down at the terrified man. “At least for you, you won’t be alone when you die,” Gavin said with a coldness to his voice. “You have all of us here to watch you.”
Clive looked up at Gavin one last time. The look in his eyes was one that Gavin would never forget.
Regret.
It happened so quickly. Two cougars lunged forward, attacking the top half of the man as he screamed. Seconds later, the other two attacked, greedily tearing away limbs that they coveted for themselves.
Standing next to the edge of the pit, Marcus wrapped his arm around Gavin’s shoulders and kissed the top of his head. It was such a simple and loving gesture.
Marcus would always be his protector, but he was also so much more.
He was his love, his best friend, the man he turned to when he was feeling scared or lonely.
He was a giant, scary biker with a hidden heart of gold.
The love that Marcus had for him and his crew was one of the reasons that Gavin had fallen so hard so quickly.
Kindness and love like that were rare in this world.
Standing next to each other, they both watched as the monster of Gavin’s dreams was devoured by the monsters of the mountains.
Most would have looked away in disgust. But Gavin and Marcus didn’t. They stood side by side, watching with cold contempt as justice unfolded for the victims who would never have the chance to claim it themselves.
One by one, the parents of the victims began to log off. They had finally been given the closure and justice they had always longed for, and Gavin found himself grateful that he was able to give them that.
“Thank you for this,” Gavin whispered, looking up into those gentle brown eyes.
“Anything for you,” Marcus responded, giving him a kiss on the forehead, even though he was still wearing his mask.
His nightmare was over, and he now had a knight in shining armor to protect him against any future threats.