Chapter Twenty-Four
Parker
Out of all my bad ideas, this is definitely up there among the worst. Mainly because I actually like Spencer, and I know that Grinder is obsessed with him. But my need to make sure these gangster, kidnappy fuckers are dead is slightly higher than my need for self-preservation.
I mean, watching Grinder in action also has everything to do with it. So, here we are, approaching what appears to be a weird town hall building thing with several surrounding cabins. Are they like a cult? I wonder if they’re the sexy kind.
The van from this morning is parked haphazardly in front of the largest building, and several bodies are scattered all around the place, their blood soaking into the dirt beneath them.
“Close your eyes, Spenny. Put your hand on my shoulder and we’ll play follow the leader.”
“Paramedic, remember? I’ve been called to crime scenes worse than this and my best friend spent a few months torturing her brother in my basement. So I think I’m good.” He chuckles behind me, and he just made himself a hell of a lot more interesting, too.
“I’m gonna need details on that torturing thing because you either mean Mac or Kincaid, and both of those women are badasses.
The who the when the what the why…ooh, that can be our drive home chat.
And I can tell you about the time I chopped a man’s fingers off and shoved them up his arse because he thought it was okay to grope me. ”
“It was Mac. And sure. I have some pretty cool paramedic stories, too.” He chuckles.
“What’s the weirdest accident you’ve ever been called out for?
” We continue walking, slowly, around the edges of the property toward the large town hall building.
I’m assuming that’s what it is because it looks way more official than the rest. It could well just be a large house, but either way, it’s where the screams are coming from.
“There were six dogs, a rattle snake, and a table full of desserts.” He keeps his voice low as we get closer to the building.
“Now that sounds like fun.”
“It really wasn’t.” Pausing, he holds me back as we reach the front door and looks me in the eyes. “Don’t die.” The sincerity in his gaze makes me smile.
“Like a shadow, yeah?” I grip his arm, reiterating my earlier demand, and he nods once.
If my knee wasn’t fucked up, I’d attempt to kick the door down just to look cool, but alas, I’d just end up hurting myself more. Instead, I try the handle and it opens with ease.
The screams are more like cries of terror and far louder than before, now that we’re inside. I lead Spence through the hallway and pause again at the entrance to the kitchen.
“Ready?”
“No.” It’s clear to see why Grinder has a hard-on for this man. Even in the face of danger with zero murderous skills, he’s not shying away.
The kitchen door is a swinging one, which makes me giddy as I finally separate myself from Spence to stand in front of him. Obviously, there’s a height difference, so I’m not exactly the protection he needs, but the bad guys won’t get within an inch of him. I’ll gut them all for even trying.
I whack my elbow into the door, making it swing open, and what we find is nothing short of a massacre. It’s fucking beautiful.
The woman crying hysterically in the corner is staring at the bloody mess on the no-longer-white tiled floor. I recognize her from that night at the club.
“S’up, boys?” I wave the wrench at them, holding back my giggle at the shocked look on their faces.
Shade apparently bathed in blood because he’s covered as he looms over the bloody mess on the floor, his breaths heavy. Hoops is sitting on the edge of the large kitchen table with my brother, Sledge, beside him, both of them with their arms folded across their chests.
“Is someone gonna kill that noisy cunt in the corner?” I glance around, spotting another dead man slumped in one of the chairs. “And where the fuck is our man?” Nobody here seems worried at all, so I’m forcing the panic rising in my chest to go the hell away.
Hoops doesn’t move but he does give me a half-smile, which is better than nothing because that man’s picture is next to the word stoic in the dictionary.
“There were some runners. Grinder and Boner went to play tag.” He says the word tag like he can’t quite believe he’s saying it before shaking his head.
“And we have a rule about not killing women, so she gets to go free.” He turns his stare toward the woman, who has calmed down a little now, but she’s still hysterical and pissing me off with the stupid noise.
“Harold…oh, baby, nooo…monsters…” More wailing.
“Shade, you good, brother?” Hoops finally stands and steps toward Shade, whose breathing has begun to even out as he slowly raises his head and nods.
“There’s one more.” Shade closes his eyes and leans into Hoops for a brief moment. It’s cute as hell, but blink and you’d miss it because Shade is now glaring at the woman. “Where is he?”
Still wailing like a banshee, she glances around the room before she finally clocks me. Her eyes widen and everything stops, the silence suddenly deafening as I grin. Slow and wide.
“Y-you!” Her boney finger points or waves around at me. I think she’s aiming for a point, but her trembling is turning it into a weird waggy finger thing.
“Spence, go and stand beside my brother. You’re his shadow for a few minutes.” While I speak, my eyes remain on hers.
“And what if I protest?” Sledge feigns offense.
“You won’t.” I blow him a kiss, but my gaze doesn’t falter, and I hear Spence huff a laugh from behind me before he moves over to Sledge at the kitchen table.
Hopping forward, I crouch down in front of the woman and twirl the hammer in one hand. I feel like an Avenger because my leg with the dodgy knee is straight out to one side and my wrench hand is on the floor to help my balance.
“My friend, Shade, asked you a question.” I tilt my head and raise my brows in expectation.
If her eyes were any wider they’d be popping out. Quite comical, really.
“Ah man, we shoulda brought Ninja and Bandit, then I could be all cool and be like ‘rat’s got your tongue’.” I laugh at the image and I hear Spence chuckling quietly, too, but the others…I have no idea because my attention is focused on this woman.
She is responsible for what happened to me, and what happened to Shade…which was way worse. So if Shade says there’s one more person and she can help, then she will motherfucking help.
“Please…I’m sor-s-sorry…”
“I’m going to speak slowly because dumb cunts like you find it difficult to understand. So…where. Is. He?” I have no clue who “he” is, but Shade seems certain and I’m going with it.
She shakes her head and tries to back further into the cupboards behind her.
“Who?”
“Are you an owl now?” I mimic the way she’s shaking her head and laugh. “Hoo. Hoo.”
“Vic.” Shade’s voice is deep, growly, and if my vagina didn’t only get wet for Grinder, I’d definitely jump on that.
“There ya go. Vic. Is that your daddy? Did he leave you behind? Aww. Poor baby. So, let’s try again, shall we?
” I stroke the wrench down the side of her face.
“Where. Is. Vic?” I back off a little and sit on my arse, because my Avenger pose is beginning to make my core ache…
and that’s already bruised from the beating I took this morning.
“I-I-I…I…”
“I-I-I…” I mock. “For fuck sake. Do you know where he is or not?”
The way she shakes her head in response and the look in her eyes makes me believe her. I’m good at sniffing out liars and this woman isn’t one…not in this moment, anyway.
“Fine.” She’s pissing me off with her whimpers and shit. And it was her stupid jealousy over her bodyguard that started all this crap, sooo…
Twirling the hammer one more time, I thrust the claw side into the side of her head and the spray of her blood goes fucking everywhere. I pull it back and go again, then…ohmygod…one of her eyeballs actually pops out and I laugh.
I’m a little curious why her dad left her behind. After all of this, he just left her here? But mostly I don’t give a fuck.
When I’m done, I look around at the others. All four of them are wearing amused smirks on their faces and I’ve never felt more at home. Although, Grinder being here would make it fucking perfection.
“What? You said you had rules, but I’m not beholden to those rules…” I hold up my least bloody arm and grin. “One of you southern men gonna help a girl up?”
Shade steps forward and supports me, lending me his strength to stand so I don’t have to put pressure on my fucked knee.
“Thank you, kind sir.”
“No…” He laughs at my southern accent attempt and I shrug.
“Fair.”
“Let’s round up the brothers.” Hoops takes the lead and we all follow, heading out of the definitely not a town hall. It was obviously just a big ole house.
In my head, I think I was picturing some shifter romance novel where they all live in the woods and rally around one main hall for their town meetings and shit. Whatevs.
“Bear, where’re the others?” Hoops’s voice carries across the outside space.
“Grinder and Boner are still playing in the trees, Psycho went to find them. That’s gonna be fucking messy.
Kincaid and Crow have gone to get the cleaning supplies and a couple of vans.
I sent Diablo back with them because he’s wasted and needs to sleep it off.
Hopefully he doesn’t total his ride on the way home.
” Sighing, Bear’s shoulders relax a little.
Then he spots me and his brows rise. “They found you.” He smiles, a real, genuine smile, and it’s stunning.
I give a twirl, followed by a curtsey. “Actually, you all drove straight past me and Spencer found me.”
He frowns.
“I’ll explain it all another time. What Spence and I really need is to find our man.”
Rolling his eyes, Bear huffs a laugh.
A voice yelling out makes everything, including my heart, stop in an instant.
“Man down!”