Chapter Twenty-Five

Cullen

The last thing I wanted to do in the middle of the fucking night was sit around at the massive dining table in the Warner bungalow of the Vanderbilt, kicking back drinks with fucking Bruiser from Hell’s Fury.

But I didn’t have any choice.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, but I couldn’t look at it. Again and again, it buzzed. It’d probably be another good twenty minutes before Hart and the rest of the guys arrived. If my message was good enough and they even came at all.

Bruiser pulled open the door on the minibar and took out a can of Heineken. Popping the top, he sucked down a gulp and wiped his mouth with the back of a leather, fingerless-gloved hand. Then he grabbed a bag of chips and poured half of the contents down his throat. A lot of it stuck on his goatee, the gross piece of shit.

I didn’t lower the gun.

“You really know how to live it up, boy,” he said, striding toward the doors to the balcony and looking out. He stopped right in front of the bedroom door. “These are some fine digs.”

“Yeah. Well. It’d be finer without your ugly ass here,” I muttered.

He chuckled. He looked around the room as he drank, his eyes catching on the closed door to the bedroom. The crib shoved against the far wall must’ve escaped his attention. Maybe the crass asshole thought all fancy hotel digs came with a baby bed in the living room. He didn’t say a word, but I knew what he was thinking.

“So?” I muttered. “Talk.”

“Not until you lower your gun.” He leaned over and grabbed a Miller Lite from the bar, sat down and slid it across the table. There were still chips in his beard. “You look like you could use this.”

I didn’t take my hand off the trigger. Didn’t even look at the beer. I sat down at the head of the glass table and put my feet up on it, all the while keeping the gun steady. “I’m good. But let’s get this over with. I’ve got things to do.”

He laughed, pointing toward the bedroom, where Grace was huddled, scared out of her mind. “You have a bitch to do, is that right? Heard she was mighty hot. Cute little strawberry blonde with the nice tits? We’ve got a slew of guys here at the Fury who’d line up for a taste of that.”

Fuck. Of course they’d been keeping tabs on her.

“She give good head? Deep throat that legendary Cullen McKnight cock all the ladies talk about? I bet she does, considering how all the rumors say your ass is whipped. Never thought I’d see the day. That true?”

I ignored him. “Say what you came to say or get the fuck out.”

“Hearts all over the Bay are breaking, boy. Why don’t you bring your sweet little piece out here and ask her if she’ll have you for good, knowing what all us Fury know?” He leaned forward. “That you’re nothing but a little pussy who was neglected by his rock star daddy and who’s always been afraid he’s not good enough?”

A fire that this douche had lit the moment he came in here suddenly started to blaze out of control in my veins. I pressed my finger on the trigger. He had no idea how close he was to a hole in the head.

He crushed the empty beer can in his fist and set it down. “You’re not very hospitable, there, McKnight. Anyone ever tell you that?” When I didn’t answer, he leaned against the door. “All right. I’ll get right down to it. That message we sent was just the beginning. We want you gone. All Cobras, gone from Aveline Bay. It’s Fury territory now.”

That ripped a chuckle from me. “Really? And . . . why couldn’t Slade tell me that in person? Is he too busy? Or too pussy?”

“He’s got other fish to fry,” he said, dismissive. Like there was anyone else bigger in this town than me. The guy was just a pussy. Pure and simple. “But he’d tell you the same thing. We want you gone. Do you understand?”

“Yeah, I understand. You’re Slade’s little whipping boy. And Slade can’t fight his own battles, so what does that make you?” I fixed him with a sly smile and leaned back in my chair. “But I have two words in reply, and you can tell your boss they came straight from me: Fuck you.”

Bruiser’s smile faded.

“The Cobras have been in Aveline Bay way before the Fury ever came to town. It’s our territory. We’re not going anywhere. Fury doesn’t scare us. And I’m sure as hell not going to take orders from a lackey.”

His face tightened. He looked down at the ground.

“Well,” he said, letting out a heavy sigh. “That’s a shame. That’s a real shame. Slade ain’t gonna like to hear that.”

I laughed. “Too fucking bad. Tell him if he’s ever interested in coming to me and talking Prez to Prez, he might have a better chance. Otherwise, I don’t want any of you assholes to waste my time. You’re not worth it.”

He shrugged and dug his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I guess it is too bad, Cullen. I’ll let him know.”

So that was it. Suddenly I was eager to get out of there. Get out and take Grace and Ella far away. The second they left, that’s what we would do. Go someplace else. Someplace safe.

He made like he was going to leave, and I relaxed for a split second.

Big fucking mistake.

He faked me out, turned right while heading left. For a fat guy, he was fast. He grabbed the handle of the bedroom door and busted in before I could take aim. I got off a single shot, the bullet burying itself in the wall as he disappeared from view.

“Shit!” I breathed as I heard the closet door open. I threw my feet off the table, jumping up and barreling into the room. “Bruiser, don’t you—”

I froze in the doorway, the rest of the words caught in my mouth. I was too fucking late.

Bruiser was holding Grace in front of him like a shield, his arm wrapped around her neck. She was sobbing, tears falling down her cheeks, and shaking as he dragged her up against his fat greasy body.

The barrel of his gun was pressed firmly against Grace’s temple.