Leaving Henley behind while I handle loose ends is the last thing I wanted to do. But when a lead came in on the piece of shit driving the black car, I could only focus on one thing. Payback.

With Doc and Jinks along for the ride, we hop in my car and head toward the state line to scope out a strip club called Rain. The place is a shitty dive on a dried-out highway, outside the city limits. The moment we pull into the lot, it is clear our leather isn’t welcome. Def Leppard is blasting while two girls in gold bikinis grind on each other on the center stage. Pool tables are tucked away in a private corner, with a smaller stage on the opposite side for chicks who want to see if they can work a pole better than the paid professionals.

“Bartender’s dealin’,” Jinks says, jerking his chin to the fat fucker behind the bar. “I’ve seen at least four hand offs in the last fifteen minutes.”

“You think Merc knows this shit’s sittin’ in his backyard?” Doc asks, nursing his beer.

Laughter from the pool tables catches my attention the second the music dies down. Looking up, I spot the reason we’re here. Travis Wheeler. The guy looks smaller in person than he did in the photos Jinks managed to dig up on him. Dropping down into a chair, he pulls a waitress into his lap. She shrieks, her tray filled with glasses and empty bottles falling to the floor. Glass breaks at her feet, scattering all over the concrete floor.

“Let go,” she yelps, frantically swatting at his hands.

“You’re a goddamn cocktease, Adria,” he growls. “That stops tonight.” Tightening his arm around her waist, he squeezes her tit through her black t-shirt with the other until she cries out.

“Please stop!” Her cries become more urgent.

“Motherfucker,” Jinks seethes, shoving out of his chair. “I’ve seen enough.”

“Yep,” I bite out, pushing to my feet. My fists ball at my side as I stare down the piece of shit I came here for. “Let’s get this done.”

“Fuckin’ finally.” Doc leaps out of his seat like a damn spring. Shaking his hips, he struts toward us, a smile spreading across his face. “Time for the shit kickin’.”

Keeping my temper in check, I size up Wheeler and the people around him. The bulk of his crew are oblivious to what’s about to go down. Most of them either too drunk to see me coming or riding out a high that dulls their give a damn.

Either way suits my ass just fine.

The guy is skin and bones with dark circles framing his bloodshot eyes. His arms are covered in fresh track marks, and from the smell coming off him, I’d bet he hasn’t showered in at least a week. The guy’s greasy ass black hair is pulled back in a ponytail, and he is rocking a wicked case of meth mouth that makes my goddamn stomach turn. He gropes the girl, laughing, when she begins to cry. My blood fucking boils. Killing this son of a bitch would be a public service.

“You Wheeler?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Who the fuck wants to know?” he tosses out, not even bothering to look at me.

“Hear you’re the guy to talk to about an extermination problem.”

His head snaps up, eyes hardening, as he stares me down. He nods. “Hang out and have a beer on me.” Thrusting against the chick’s ass, he smirks. “I’m busy breakin’ in the new girl.”

“Let her go,” Jinks grounds out, stepping beside me. Raising his shirt, he flashes the gun in his waistband to Wheeler. “Now.”

Wheeler’s jaw ticks. Dropping his arm, he shoves her into the floor. “I don’t know who the hell you think you are,” he barks, standing to his feet.

Grabbing a pool stick from the rack on the wall, I crack my neck from side to side. The last thing I want is Jinks putting a bullet into this bastard. Even if he deserves it. Bullets could mean cops, and cops showing up right now would ruin everything I have planned for this worthless fuck.

“I’m the one callin’ the goddamn shots, asshole.” Before he can respond, I swing as hard as I can. The stick cracks across his face, snapping in half the second it makes contact. Wheeler yelps, the force knocking him back into the chair so hard it flips backward and slams to the floor. “Get the girl clear of this shit,” I say to Jinks, who moves into action before I even finish the sentence.

“Sonuvabitch!” Wheeler barks, rolling onto his stomach on the floor. Pushing up onto his knees, he cups his face, blood seeping between his fingers. “What the fuck’s your problem, asshole?”

Doc laughs. “Clear out,” he barks, shoving two of Wheeler’s guys back when they start to charge our way. Like father, like son, he flashes his gun. “This is a private party.”

Yanking on my black leather gloves, I look to Jinks. Hoisting the girl into his arms, he looks fucking murderous. “Tell the prick at the bar it’s closin’ time. Let him know, he wants to get loud about it, he finds out how flammable edible glitter and crank can be.”

“Gotcha.”

“Watch the front!” Doc yells to Jinks. “You know the drill, kid.”

Grabbing Wheeler by the throat, I yank him to his feet. Slamming his back against the wall, I tighten my fingers until his eyes nearly bug out of his head. “Who paid you to take out Henley Wolfe?” I ask, barely able to contain the rage roaring through my veins.

“Who?” he heaves, gasping for breath.

“Sounds like someone’s havin’ issues with their memory,” Doc chimes in, hitching his ass on the far corner of the pool table.

“He’ll talk.” Punching him hard in the stomach, I let him fall to the floor. Wheeler wheezes and heaves like a little bitch. “Won’t you, Travis?”

“Fuck off,” he hisses, spitting blood onto the floor. “I don’t know shit about that bitch.”

“Wrong answer, dumbass,” Doc chuckles as my boot connects with Wheeler’s face.

Jerking him up by his shirt, I throw him onto the pool table. Landing on the black felt with a thump, he curls into the fetal position. Taking in the room, I can’t help the satisfied smile that spreads across my face when I see that the place has cleared out in record time. Snagging half of the broken pool stick off the ground, I bring it down hard on his knee. Bolting upright, he wails. “Start talkin’,” I warn, pressing the sharp edge into his side. “Or I start makin’ holes.”

“Fuckin’ genius.” Grabbing Wheeler’s face with both hands, Doc yanks him back down, his head bouncing off the table. “Whadaya think, VP? Shish kebob an eye?” he asks, shrugging his shoulders. “Or a nut?”

“Who says we’ve gotta choose?” I fire back, jamming the stick through his right thigh.

“Ah!” Wheeler screams, flailing on the table like a fish out of water. “Fuck!”

“Hurts, doesn’t it?” Wrapping my fingers around the stick, I twist. A rush of adrenaline rolls through me when he screams. It steadies my focus and keeps me in check. It feels good to unleash rage I have kept buried on someone who deserves it, but I also have a job to do. “Guaran-fuckin’-teed you won’t be runnin’ down any more women after tonight.” I twist again. “I hope the high was worth it, because you’re gonna pay for every bruise you put on what’s mine. Every drop of her blood, every tear she tried to hide from me.” Grabbing his chin, I lean in close, soaking up the fear and pain filling his eyes. I smile wide. “You’re gonna feel all that.”

My fist connects with his ribs, stealing what little breath he was managing to drag in through the pain. I don’t let up. Not until I’m sure they’re broken. I want him to feel everything Henley did. And then some. This motherfucker will regret bringing his ass to Milford that night if it’s the last thing I do.

“I’d start talkin’,” Doc suggests when I step back and shake out my aching hands. Walking around the side of the table, he grabs the other half of the broken pool stick from the floor. Tossing it to me, he braces his hands on the side of the table, staring down at the now silently sobbing man. “Only way you walk out of here alive.” Chuckling, Doc taps the pole sticking out of his leg. “Right. Sorry. Guess you won’t be walkin’.”

“Fuck you,” Wheeler chokes out.

“I’d try that again,” I warn, whacking him in the side of the face with the stick. “Who sent you to Milford?”

“Go to hell,” he grunts, spitting at me.

“You have no idea what hell is, Travis,” I say calmly, the darkness I work so hard to control digging its nails in and slashing its way to the surface. The man that stays calm and collected is losing his edge, and I can’t be held responsible for what happens when the balance shifts and the monster I work so hard to keep buried wins out completely. “But I’m more than happy to send you there. First fuckin’ class.”

“You won’t kill me,” he challenges arrogantly. “I’m no good to you dead.”

“No good to us alive either, asshole.” Doc’s tone turns cold and unforgiving. “Worthless bastard just filled an order that came down the pipeline. Grunts don’t get access to the top of the food chain.” Pulling out his gun, he presses it to Wheeler’s temple. “I say put a bullet in his head. We hit his place, do the same with his crew, his family. Flush the bastards out like rats.”

“No,” Wheeler croaks, his arms flying up. He breathes deep, his entire body shaking. “Had a call come in a few months ago. Dude wanted some chick followed up in Milford. I took the job. Couple weeks ago he left a note in the money drop. Upped the ante. Wanted to send a message. Scare her.”

“Scare? You nearly fuckin’ killed her!” I roar, grabbing him by his shirt. “I’m gonna want that contact info.”

“Never called from the same number twice,” he blurts, his eyes wild and frantic. “The drops were never face to face. Said his name was Reed.”

“Reed?” I ask, yanking him upright. “Just Reed?”

“Yes,” he gasps. “That’s all I know. I swear.”

“That wasn’t so hard, was it Travis?” Satisfied that I’ve gotten all there is from this shithead, I force the other end of the pool stick through his opposite shoulder. His screaming turns into heaves. “We’re done here.” Tired of his whining, I knock him out with a punch to the face. Taking the keys and wallet from his pocket, I grab a half-empty bottle of vodka from the table beside me and splash the contents onto him and the blood covered felt.

“What now?” Doc asks, fishing his smokes from his pocket.

Throwing the empty bottle against the wall, I toss Doc a pack of matches I grabbed from the bar when we came in. “We burn this shithole to the ground.”