Leaving Cassidy’s bedside was the hardest thing I’d ever had to do, but I was on a mission. After dropping the Bronco off at my house and checking on Mikey, I got my motorcycle out of the garage. I rode to the barn like I had hundreds of times before, but this time was different. I had never felt bloodlust like I did in that moment. The thirst to find the fucker who shot Cass and slice him from ear to ear was all I could think of as I threw my kickstand out and made my way in to meet with the men who were going to help me get my vengeance.

“Are you sure you know where the safe house is?” I asked Buck in the chapel room, sitting at the table with my former club.

Bear handed me my old mug with three fingers of whiskey as he took a seat next to me.

Buck nodded over to the guy across from me. “Walsh checked it out and the van is sitting right out front.”

“We’re all in this with you, man. For Cass!” Ryder held up his shot glass to me before shoting down the amber liquid.

“I knew as soon as that shipment got dropped off at the warehouse that something was going on with the Renegades. I hope they’re ready for this war.” I wanted every one of their damn heads on a spike.

“We’re going to make this right, brother.” Buck tried to reassure me as he handed me a sawed-off shotgun before slamming the gavel down. “Let’s go teach these fuckers that they messed with the wrong outlaws.”

“How’s Cass?” Bear asked as we walked out of the room.

“Out of surgery. Doc said she’s going to be fine. The girls are staying with her.”

“Good to hear. Our women are just as close as we are. They’ll take good care of her.” Ryder gave me a quick hug before we began our preparations.

We were armed to the teeth, covered in Kevlar, ready for the mission that awaited us. The brotherhood consumed me as each man prepared for battle. I had walked away from them, but within a moment’s notice they were ready to defend my family, without question.

“I just want to say that whatever happens tonight, I love you all and appreciate what you’re about to do for me.” It was sappy but true and needed to be said.

“We love you, brother, and we protect our own.” Buck straddled his hog before letting the engine roar to life.

Ryder and Bear hopped into our extra van, ready to follow us to the house. They waved to me as the lights turned on.

Right then, I knew I had just pretended to leave the Unacceptables. I hadn’t truly left the family—I still worked with them, still safeguarded their shipments, still treated them like family. It was true: once you’re in, there really is no getting out. I had only given up my spot at the table but not the brotherhood. The tattoos still stained my skin, and the association was still rooted in my heart. It felt right riding with my pack, flying down the road.

It didn’t take long for us to get to the safe house.

Walsh walked over to me, leaning against the back of my bike. “From what I could tell, there are at least five guys in there. We’ll cover both the back and front doors, and you get to make the call on who lives and dies once we’re in.”

Buck and Mac were standing next to us and they nodded in agreement. We had fifteen men with us, and I loved when the odds were in our favor.

“Give us a thirty count then bust through the back door. Mac, Buck, Ryder, Bear, you’re with me in the front. Let’s let them think we only came to talk for a minute. I wanna fuck with them for as long as I can.”

“Aye, brother.” Buck slapped me on the back. “It’s good to have you back for this one.”

“It’s good to be back.”

Kicking in the front door, I fired one shot into the air. “Hello, boys,” I yelled as the five of us strode in.

Guns drawn, one of the Renegades yelled, “What the fuck is this?”

Bear walked in front of me. “We got word that some of you boys decided to spray down a party we were having over at the Lewis Plantation this evening.”

Ryder laughed a little. “Now we had our woman there, our family. That’s just bad form, gentlemen.”

Right on cue, the rest of the Unacceptables burst through the back door.

“We don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.” Darvey’s hands flew into the air.

“Don’t fucking lie to me! My wife had to have a bullet pulled out of her side because of the shit you motherfuckers decided to pull.” I pointed my gun right at his face.

All five of the Renegades pointed their side arms at me as the rest of the Unacceptables walked in.

“Not a good idea, boys. Drop them,” Walsh demanded, and the men did as they were told.

“He’s mine.” I motioned to Darvey, and everyone nodded.

Walking over to the sniveling rat bastard, I put the butt of my shotgun to his temple. “You have the fucking balls to sell pills to my brother, shoot my wife, and then you fucking lie to my face about it?”

He put his hands higher in the air. “We were just trying to scare him. He’s been dodging us to avoid making his payments for weeks.”

“That feels like a confession, boys,” Bear chuckled, a dangerous fire lit in his eyes.

“This relationship is over. You dealing drugs in our town is fucking done.” Buck growled from across the table as Mac shot one of their members in the temple. “I thought we could trust you. Shame on me for thinking scumbags like you could ever be trusted.”

“Holy fuck!” Darvey yelled as he tried to scramble to his feet.

I shoved his shoulder down. “Don’t even think about it.”

I pointed to the other three guys and without a word, they were taken out one by one by Bear and Ryder.

“Just think of that as collateral damage for dealing drugs. It’s a very dangerous business,” I whispered in his ear.

“That was my brother, man,” he groaned as tears started to roll down his pitiful face.

“Yeah? I lost my brother while he was fighting for our country overseas. He would put a bullet in your skull right here for being such a piece of shit that pisses on the freedom you get from living in this country.”

“What do you want to do with him, boss?” Mac asked, holding rope in his hands, just waiting for my orders.

“Tie him up and get me some pliers.” A devilish simper spread on my face as I formulated my torturous plan.

“Oh, this is going to be fun,” Ryder remarked as he leaned against the counter.

Tying him to the chair, Mac looked over his shoulder at me. “Can I take a few teeth?”

“Let me get a few licks in first, brother.” I took the large pliers out of Walsh’s hands before letting the metal connect hard with Darvey’s jaw. “Gotta loosen it up a bit for you.”

Darvey screamed in agony with every blow.

“You’re never going to be able to sell another damn thing or ride that pretty bike of yours ever again. Gag him, shut him the fuck up,” I bellowed as the guys did what I asked.

His muffled pleas for salvation fell on deaf ears as he whimpered and moaned.

“This is for Nate.” I took my sidearm and shot through his right hand. “And this is for Cass,” I roared as I shot through his left.

Handing the pliers to Mac, I gave him a quick wink. “Have fun, but save the tongue for me.”

Darvey struggled, trying to thrash his head from side to side while I held his bloodied skull in place for Mac. It was sick to see the pleasure we were taking in the torture, but it united us.

After about ten teeth were ripped from his gums and tossed on the floor, I took the pliers back and retrieved my buck knife from its sheath in my boot.

Gripping the end of his tongue, I sliced through it slowly. Tears rolled, snot dripped, moans emanated. I threw the severed tongue onto his lap. “This is for every mother who’s had to bury her baby from an overdose you caused. Now you get to live knowing pain like theirs.” I turned to the rest of the group as they stood in silence, watching the gruesome show. “We’re done here.”

Buck put his hand on my back. “You good, brother?”

“I will be once Cassidy is back home,” I responded before heading back to my bike.