Released (Devil's Blaze MC #3)(20)

“I know… things.”

“Anything you know, I will discover eventually.”

“About...”

“You’re dead. Nothing you tell me will save you,” I respond, just to make sure he knows I’m not playing his damn game.

“Not asking for that,” he tells me, surprising clear. His swollen eyes start to shut and I know he’s fading. That can’t happen. I walk over to the wall by the entrance and flip a button. The chain and hook slowly lower and, inch by inch, the body descends.

When Pistol’s legs buckle under him, I click off the button and walk over to him. I take the metal chain that’s been used to shackle him and slip it off the hook. His body immediately falls to the ground in a flat thud. He groans. I look over him, surveying what I’ve done to him. Moments like this are fleeting, but they’re when I know I have a little bit of sanity left in me. Moments of clarity when I look at the monster I’ve become behind closed doors and know I can never find my way back. I’m too far gone—too close to the edge.

Pistol’s body is just a huge lump. So many bones have been broken, so many cuts have been made that most of him doesn’t resemble anything close to the man he was before—most notably, his face. I can’t slam my fists into it as often as I want. It takes too long to recover and the satisfaction isn’t there anymore. As a result, his nose is broken, swollen, and there’s a grotesque shade of black that slowly blends into purple around his eyes… eyes that don’t see anymore, or if they do, it’s through a small slit that the swelling allows. I’m pretty sure his jaw has been broken too. His fingers and hands are shattered; that was done prior to me putting him in chains. The most telling area is his ribs and stomach. Bruised over and over, swollen and cut so the red of the blood has dried and mingled into the bruised skin. The beating I gave him tonight hasn’t added to the rainbow just yet. I have a feeling he’s not going to live until it does. Pity.

“What could you tell me that I want to hear? That could possibly make it worth me not hearing you draw your last breath, hijo de puta?” I spit on him with that last insult.

“I have… a sister… who needs protection…”

“Why in the f*ck would I care?”

“Most… of what I did…” He wheezes and coughs for a few seconds before he can continue. “I did to protect her.”

“Blackmailed?” I ask, not believing him.

“Not at first.” I wait for him to finish, his breathing growing ragged, much more so than before. Maybe a rib punctured a lung. “Got in too deep… You… You protect her…”

“Protect the sister of my enemy? Why would I ever do that, cabron? You’re shit out of luck.”

“She’s innocent,” he moans and coughs. Blood drips from his lips. I definitely went too far this time. “Chrome Saints have someone in your club,” he says, coughing again.

Well, now. It looks like the motherf*cker has my attention.

“Who?” I ask, kneeling down to hear his words because he’s barely whispering now.

“Promise you will protect my sister. They’ll kill her…”

“I promise,” I tell him easily. If the information is right, I might send a man out to get her. She might make a good club whore. That’s protection—mostly.

“I need your promise,” he whispers coughing up more blood, and there’s a rattle in his chest. Mierda!

“I want everything. You stay alive until I have it all or I’ll kill your sister myself,” I growl. Betrayal burns in my gut, adding to the misery inside of me, feeding the monster beneath the surface.

“Need… sister…” Pistol wheezes in between each word. His body shaking with the force it takes to get them out.

“Tell me!”

“Viper sent his…”

“His what?” I yell, slapping Pistol’s face to try and bring him around.

It doesn’t help. I’ve gone too far. He’s dead. Motherf*cker! He’s dead! Who the f*ck is the mole? I have someone in my club betraying me besides Pistol. How could I have been so motherf*cking blind? Who is it? Briar? Latch? One of the newer recruits?

How much can a man take before he breaks? I lock it down for now. I need to figure how to deal with this. I’m f*cking tired of everything. The only thing I know for sure is that now I have more than just the Donahue Brothers to destroy.





“I’m Doctor Patton. The club called and asked me to come down. Your brother-in-law said you were sick?”

I’m standing at the door of my room, a little in shock. I just came back from meeting with the ladies. We planned everything out for tomorrow and I’m exhausted. Annie, due to her being pregnant, will be watching Gabby tomorrow and helping distract the men. She’ll enlist a few of the club girls to help, too. The one main concern is Torch. Katie says she can handle it though, so I’m going to trust in her. It’s decided that me, Katie, Sacks, Louise, and Candy will all go. We’ll meet at Sack’s and Briar’s home, and from there, take the truck and boat. Briar told her he’ll be gone most of the day on club business, so that part should work out okay. Louise is in charge of firepower. Her brother runs a pawnshop. Katie gave her a list of what we are looking for. If there’s one thing that Katie and I have done in the last two years, it’s train ourselves in weapons and self-defense.