Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 39540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 158(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 158(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
“Enough to know everything he does is for a reason. He wanted me in prison for a specific purpose.”
“It sounds like you’re saying he deliberately set your sister up for rape and murder.” Cain kept his statement neutral when I knew his insides were roiling. Because mine were too.
“Oh, he set her up to be murdered, sure. But not the rape. I think the rape, when he’d specifically told his men they were to make it a clean kill, was why he let me kill them the way I did.”
“You’re accusing him of killing an innocent, Knuckles. That’s a hell of a thing.”
Knuckles snorted. “I never said my sister was innocent. She deserved the killin’. She was working directly against El Diablo at the time. I tried to warn her, but she thought she could best him.”
“You still got an ax to grind with him?” Cain’s question was more of a demand. I knew that tone of voice often made grown badass Marines piss themselves. I also knew Knuckles wouldn’t be one of them.
“Nah. El Diablo’s a bastard -- and yes, I know your connection to him -- but he’s not evil. Kind of a darker shade of gray, but not evil.”
“So he threatened your team if you didn’t do what he wanted.”
“Yep. Was a stroke of genius, if you ask me. It also put me in a much better position to get revenge with the perfect alibi. Because El Diablo wasn’t the real threat. He was just doing a job he was paid to do. After his contract was up and El Diablo fulfilled his end, he came back to me and we took down the motherfucker in spectacular fashion. Took a few years, but it was worth it.
“While I was in a forced relationship with El Diablo, was when that bastard, Slash and his minions took over Kiss of Death. They killed Dart, our president, and Slash and Rat Man turned my club into a fuckin’ snake pit.”
“If it makes you feel better, we got most of the bastards. Bones and Salvation’s Bane.” Cain rubbed a finger over his lower lip. “Couple of ‘em died pretty hard.”
“I’d hoped you would. Did my best to put ‘em in your path.”
Cain snorted. “Always gotta one-up, huh?”
Knuckles shrugged. “Just keepin’ you on your toes, old man.”
“Was there a point to this fuckin’ story, Knuckles? If not, you’re borin’ me to tears.” Dad wasn’t a good loser even with us kids. Thinking Knuckles had gotten one over on him fared about as well as it would have for one of us.
“Yeah. The point is, all this shit with Gunnar went down just as El Diablo was gettin’ ready to get me out of prison. He knew me and you had a connection, so he told me what was going on and that the youngster over there was forcin’ the issue and pleading guilty. It was mostly done before he could do anything about it. Wrath hadn’t yet joined him, and El Diablo hadn’t had enough of a warnin’ to head things off.”
“What?” I was starting to feel more than a bit betrayed, which pissed me the fuck off. Pippa patted my knee, and her touch helped to ground me.
“El Diablo agreed to get you sent to Terre Haute if I could get you housed with me. I was supposed to teach you how to survive and keep you alive.”
“In return for what?” I bit the question out between clenched teeth. “I don’t like being manipulated, Knuckles. What the fuck?”
“Calm your tits, kid. Your old man saved my life on more than one occasion. I thought for the most part we were even, but you’re his kid. I did what I promised and got you housed with me. I tried to teach you how to not only survive but thrive, and I think you did.”
“And Pippa?”
“What about her? You went after her on your own. Ain’t gonna lie and say I didn’t push you toward her from the moment I realized her mother wasn’t all she claimed to be. I did. That’s when I started showin’ you pictures. It’s why I told you about her when I figured out Beth was the bitch she is.”
“My mom terrified me with stories of you.” Pippa spoke softly. “The only reason I didn’t run screaming from Gunnar when he told me you’d sent him is because I couldn’t. I think the two things that let me accept him as easy as I did were his treatment of me, and the fact my mother was a monster.”
“Honey, trust me when I tell you, she’s gettin’ hers.”
“Was she the reason I got taken?”
Everything in me rebelled at that question. I grunted and pulled Pippa into my arms. “Shut up, Knuckles. Not another word.”
“She asked the question, boy. She has the right to know.”