Chapter 3
One week later…
My chest puffs out with pride as I leave the chapel. The vote happened, and it all passed. I’m the new vice president of the Oath Keepers MC.
Cain got his vote and patch showing he’s the new club Enforcer. The vote then moved to 2 Piece also, even though he wasn’t in church today. The brothers voted him on as the new Sergeant-at-Arms. He was already pretty much handling any kind of weapons deals we’ve had and working alongside the Road Captain, Smiles, coordinating the runs to transport our weapons business we have going. He’s done a great job so far and deserves the recognition.
Prez said he’d call him in the office later to discuss it with 2 Piece and make sure he’s good with it, but as far as everyone’s concerned he already has the spot. I couldn’t be more pleased with how everything turned out today. I’m a little surprised it went over so smoothly, but I’m not gonna complain one bit.
I head outside to get in a quick smoke. Sometimes when I get excited or deal with getting rid of a really bloody body, I’ll have a smoke. I don’t do it nearly as much as I used to or Cain will bitch at me about my health like he has a damn vagina between his legs.
The back door of the club closes behind me and I walk straight into 2 Piece going to town on Sadie. He’s yelling at her about seeing Twist again. Being her big brother, it’s eating him up inside that she and Twist have been getting really cozy lately.
Sadie takes off past me in a rush, heading inside the club, appearing a little embarrassed that I caught the tail end of their conversation.
“Calm the fuck down, brother.” I place my hands on 2 Piece’s chest, trying to get him to take a few breaths. He knows Twist wants his little sister, and it’s been driving him nuts all week. I don’t know what exactly happened this week to set him off more, but he’s been like a goddamn bear toward people and a few are starting to get sick of it.
“Fuck that, man. My sister is already pregnant by God knows who. Twist needs to stop sniffin’ around Sadie. He’s no good for her, we all know it. She’s had enough shit to deal with, she don’t need to be dealin’ with fuckin’ Twist of all people.”
“Look, I get that it’s your sister, but you gotta let her make her own decisions. Ever since you guys came back from Cali, he’s been taking care of her and that babe.”
“I don’t give a mother fuck. I take care of her.”
“Yo, it can’t be like that anymore. You have Avery. She needs to be taken care of first. You might not wanna hear this shit, but Sadie is a fuckin’ grown ass woman. Back off some, brother.”
“Are you fucking kidding?” He barks, looking like he’s ready to head-butt me.
As soon as Cain steps through the club door out back, he’s beside me, probably from hearing all of the yelling. We must be getting loud if people are hearing it inside. “Look 2, maybe just cool the fuck down some, bro.”
“You two are un-fuckin’-believable,” 2 Piece growls. “Especially you.” He shoves his finger into my chest harshly, emphasizing his point. “I figured that out of everyone, you’d be the one to have my fuckin’ back the most.”
“Fuck, man,” I shake my head. “Of course I have your back. I also have to think of the club though, not just about you and Avery.”
2 Piece flings his arm out. “Is that what this shit is really ‘bout? I have her cunt, but you don’t?”
Cain looks at me and shakes his head, “Not ‘bout to get in the middle of this shit here, bro.” He grumbles and walks to the picnic bench. He steps up on the seat to sit on the actual table part. The brothers won’t want any part of this fight if they hear what’s going on. I can’t blame Cain for stepping out of it.
“You know that bullshit isn’t true.” My eyebrows raise as my temper starts to build. Just because I wear a smile on my face toward him sometimes, don’t mean that a fuckin’ demon don’t still live inside. Trust that shit is still there, just waiting for the wrong motherfucker to piss me off enough to let him come out and play. “This has nothing to do with her ass.”
“Oh no? It ain’t ‘cause I get that pussy every night? Funny ‘bro, I see the way you fuckin’ look at her.”
“For fuck’s sake, 2 Piece, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I suggest you clean that shit up real quick. You’re not only bein’ a fuckin’ prick to your brothers, but now you startin’ to disrespect a little lady that damn well don’t fuckin’ deserve to have no one talkin’ ‘bout her like that.”
“You suggest, huh? I get it that you’re the fuckin’ Enforcer and all, but last time I checked, I wear a fuckin’ patch too. Doesn’t that count for shit anymore ‘round here?”
We’re interrupted by a throat clearing as Prez walks up behind us. “2 Piece, have you looked at Ares patch lately, brother? You’ve been in this weird fuckin’ funk, you been too busy to notice fuck else. As of the vote this mornin’ this here is the new vice president of the Oath Keepers MC, and you are out here talkin’ to him out of your fuckin’ ass. I don’t know what’s goin’ on with you or if Avery has anything to do with it, but you need to fix your shit brother and congratulate your VP.”
“Avery ain’t got a motherfuckin’ thing to do with this. It’s about Twist chasin’ after my fuckin’ baby sister. I warned every motherfucker at the table to leave my sister alone.”
“I hate to say it, but that’s between Twist and Sadie. We don’t need no fuckin’ drama around here, 2 Piece, and you need to get your shit straight with Ares.”
2 Piece clenches his jaw but nods. At least he remembers to show the President some respect. I don’t know what’s gotten into him. He never acts this way toward me, and I have no idea what the fuck to think of it.
2 Piece turns, still angry, but walks away. As he passes the picnic table he glares at Cain. “The fuck you lookin’ at, bitch boy?”
“Bro, I’ll fuck you and that little attitude up real fuckin’ fast,” Cain spits back, and I rush to the table to break up the huge disaster about to happen. Cain will fucking murder 2 Piece with his fists if he gets angry enough.
“Yo, 2! Calm the fuck down!” I glare, standing in front of him with my muscles fully flexed and ready for who the fuck knows at this point.
His eyes flare, and he shoves into my chest angrily.
I can’t help myself; I grab him by his throat with one hand, lifting him off the ground. Growling, I storm forward until his back slams into the brick wall of the clubhouse. His blue eyes widen in shock when he makes impact and the air whooshes out of his mouth.
I hold his taut body against the wall, one of my forearms pressed into his chest, the other wrapped tightly around his tattooed neck.
Leaning in close to his ear, I feel his hot breath panting against the side of my face. “Calm. The. Fuck. Down,” I hiss. I can’t help taking in a deep breath as I’m assaulted with his smell.
For fuck’s sake, I’m going to Hell for being so fucking turned on right now. I adjust, moving my legs a little, so no one can see my rock hard dick straining against my jeans. If I had my way right now I’d fuck him so goddamn hard, he wouldn’t be able to walk for a week straight, then I’d shove my dick in his mouth to teach him not to talk to me like he’s lost his ever loving fucking mind.
After a few minutes, he takes a deep cleansing breath. His body finally relaxes a little, shoulders deflating. His sapphire-colored eyes glance to me, hurt and confusion awash inside his irises. He gazes at me as if I’m the one who has betrayed him, but all I’ve done is craved to have him.
“Everything will fucking be okay,” I mumble, attempting to show him some compassion, but I suck at that sort of thing. He blinks, the shutters coming up and he nods.
“Yep. My bad. Guess I should say thanks for calming me down and bake you a fuckin’ cookie now.”
I release him, backing away. I get it. He’s pissed, and I probably embarrassed him by manhandling him, but I’m fucking done with his little attitude.
Cain comes to stand beside me, and I silently beg my dick to go down. Cain knows I’m kinky and shit, that I like other things sexually. I’m closest to him, and I don’t want him knowing ‘bout the shit I really struggle with daily.
2 Piece shakes his head, staring at the ground, then meets Cain’s gaze. “Sorry ‘bout that, Cain. Didn’t mean to get so fuckin’ heated. I know this ain’t your shit an’ all.”
“Look, it’s cool, bro. I’d probably flip the fuck out if I had a sister I pretty much raised, dating an outlaw biker too.” Cain brushes it off and fist bumps 2 Piece. I guess he would be the most understanding, as he goes crazy and fights people quite frequently.
2 Piece nods, clearly still distracted and straightens his clothes out, quickly taking off to go inside the clubhouse.
I take a deep breath, sighing and glancing back at the Prez to find him staring at me curiously. Shit. I hope he didn’t catch anything more than what Cain did, but I have a feeling he just figured out something. Prez is way too smart and observant, part of the reason why he makes such a good President to a bunch of hard ass bikers.
“What was that all about, Ares?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.” I play it off, shrugging. I know what it was, though. He’s pissed at Twist and with the crazy tension between 2 Piece, Avery and me since the last time we were together. It’s making all three of us a little irritable.
“I thought y’all were close an’ all?” Cain peeps up.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Prez lightly slaps me on the back. “Son, you know what he means. You, Avery, and 2 have a different sort of closeness. I know Cain is your boy and that you’re family to me, but they are different for you.”
I glance at him, unsure. I’ve never let anyone in on anything remotely close to this. Why would I? So they can make fun of me and shit like my father used to? I remember the lines he used to taunt me with as he beat me. I’ll never forget that surreal day in the cold basement that changed my entire fucking life.
I was hungry that day. I never ate much, being scrawny, malnourished, and abused regularly. Life was awful with my whore of a mother, but at least I usually had some bread to eat.
With my father, however, I stole what little bits of food I could and ate at my one and only friend’s house. If it got too bad, I’d occasionally look in a few dumpsters behind the small restaurant near our shack of a house.
Our creepy, old house was covered in wooden shingles, the white wash paint was worn off in many places, and the wood was slowly rotting away. Weeds and trash littered the yard surrounded with a chain link fence. Not that it mattered. Who’d willingly want to go to a place like that? There were three small concrete steps leading to a shoebox-sized, screened-in front porch. The screens, however, had all been broken and stripped out.
My father liked to sit on that porch and wait for me to come in. Sometimes I could sneak into a back window, but he usually caught me. His scantily-dressed women would come to the front porch, too, and bring him wads of money. I never understood why they would want to come to our house to give money to someone as awful as my father. Wouldn’t you rather give money to nice people?
If the women showed up with little or no money, he would beat them. One nasty looking dark girl came; she was as skinny as me at the time, and he caught her poofy hair on fire when she didn’t give him what he wanted. Her screams didn’t bother me then, though; I was used to all of the screaming, whether it be from me or someone else.
When it was my turn to experience his wrath, I stopped realizing I was even doing the screaming. It’s like I went to a completely different world, escaping and making everything bad disappear. Sometimes when I would bleed a lot, I would imagine I was going to pass out and never wake up again. I wouldn’t ever have to feel the pain caused by him again.
I tried to hide the bruises and cuts. The first time my friend’s dad saw me, he had freaked out. Dom lied and told his dad that he and I had been jumped by some boys at school. I was so scrawny at the time that his dad had believed him.
That was just one of the many times Dom had lied for me. I had been at his house eating dinner right before I came home and it all happened.
I always did my best to be silent and invisible. My father had various “tools” in the basement; some he would use to tie people up to, and others he would utilize to hurt people. I hated that room and did whatever I could to stay away from him and it.
I should have known he’d be there waiting for me. I was sneaking in through the back window close to my room, attempting to be as quiet as possible.
I had just put my feet on the nasty matted old carpet when I was slammed into from the side and shoved into the hallway wall. Old bruises caused pain to shatter throughout my body as I collided with the hard surface.
“OOOMPF!” I let loose an aching gasp, my undernourished body trembling, knowing he’s within ten feet of me.
“Sneaky, sneaky! You thought I wouldn’t smell you, rat?”
He reached out and snatched my midnight black hair. One trait passed down from my mother. He flung my head forward, causing an ache to splinter up my scalp as he threw me to the floor.
Self-preservation kicked in as I began to crawl, screaming at my limbs to move. My fingertips ached as I clawed at the carpet, attempting to move my frail body.
“Get to the basement! It’s time I teach you a lesson about sneaking into my house, faggot.”
He followed me and shoved me with his foot as I crept toward the basement door. I knew if I didn’t go willingly, he would only make it worse on me. I tried to escape the basement trip once before. I’ll never do that again; it’s amazing I even survived.
I crawled as quickly as I could, knowing if I didn’t keep going, he’d kick me…hard. The last time I quit crawling, he’d kicked me a couple times, dragged me to the door, and threw me down the wooden stairs.
Once I got to the basement door, I forced myself to get to my feet. When standing, I now came up to his chin. He hated that I was growing; in fact, the bigger I got, the worse the beatings and “lessons” got. He barely paid attention to me when I was small, save the occasional smacks of his belt for allowing myself to be seen.
I feel the cold metal of the door handle twist against my palm. I know I’m just a few steps from agony, and I feel my stomach churn in dread.
The door opens, and I sit on the first step. I slowly scoot down the stairs on my butt like I always have. It’s the only way I can go down them without him kicking me first and making me tumble down.
With each zing of pain against my tailbone as it connects with step after step, a new wave of panic sets in.
I can’t possibly handle this. My body is too broken to deal with any more; I don’t think I can take anything else. I won’t live this time. I know he’s going to kill me eventually…maybe tonight. Why does he want to hurt me? Why does he hate me so badly? I know it would be easier to just let him kill me than to live day by day in endless pain. I’m young and I shouldn’t ache all the time or worry about chipped teeth or my bones not healing right. I hear Dom’s mom talking to his dad about these things. I pretend I don’t hear her talk, but I do.
I got to go to school while my mom was alive. I didn’t have to stop going until he made me, when my mom was murdered by that fat man.
Discomfort climbs up my back as I collide with another step going down. He’s killing me this time; I can feel it. His desire to take my blood and my life radiate like a fog around him.
I only have one step left…only one more to go. This is it; this is the last step I will go down.
One…oh, no…just one more. My heart speeds up rapidly as if I may have a heart attack and I start to pant as panic sets in. The basement air is cool, but my forehead is covered in sweat.
My head feels foggy as I scan over every surface in the dim basement. I don’t know it until it happens, but somehow I hit my father. I’d made my way to the freezer before he caught up to me.
I remember gripping the hammer and swinging it; each swing colliding with his jaw. He didn’t see it coming. It had never crossed his mind that I’d ever fight back or attempt to escape.
Blinking in shock, I swing the hammer as hard as possible again when he stumbles. I can feel the impact of the hammer connect with his skull—both squishy and hard all at once.
My father falls. His dark eyes like mine widen in shock as he sees me charge for him. Once he hits the ground, I climb over his body, straddling him, swinging the hammer again and again. With each strike, his blood splatters all over my fingers, my hands and arms, my face. Each new blow brings a new spray of the thick crimson liquid, and I can’t seem to stop myself. Over and over, I slam the strong metal into his broken skull. I can feel the hate climbing down my arms, feeding into the frenzy of finishing him until he’s completely gone and can no longer touch me.
I finally stop, my arms feeling beyond heavy and I don’t think I could take another swing if I’d wanted to. Dropping the hammer to my side, I hear it make contact with the concrete floor. The air I’d been holding deep inside my lungs finally escapes in a rush. My chest feels tight and achy and the heaviness soon covered my entire body.
Glancing down, I cherish my stained hands and watch the blood droplets running down my forearms. Instead of being frightened, I rub my hands up and down my arms, coating my skin in his blood as if to empower me. The feeling that washes over me is liberating as I wear the blood of my enemy.
My father no longer moves, but I know I will never be free of him. He terrorizes me in my sleep, and I know he will continue to haunt me in the darkness, even after he’s no longer here. His face is missing; just a bloody slop in place of his once evil expression. His body remains intact, so I must do something to stop him. He can’t ever hurt me again. I have to figure out a way to make it all go away; he has to go away completely.
I gaze around the basement, taking in each of his tools and contraptions of horror until my eyes stop on his miter saw. Perfect.
His big, muscular body is extremely heavy as I attempt to drag him over to the saw that rests on the bottom shelf of his bench table. My arm muscles weaken and hurt so badly, but I keep on.
I shift and pull his body, shuffling in small steps as I watch his blood smear along the basement floor. Nothing is going to stop this from happening. After countless methods of torture and agony, it’s his turn, and I don’t care if he can feel it or not. This is for me, not him.
I drop his ankle, scooting the old saw off the dusty shelf and as near to him as the black cord will allow me to. The extension cord gets me barely close enough to reach his knee. That’s okay. I just move his large body closer.
That’s how it all began…how I became the Butcher.
I started with his ankle, taking one body part at a time. I pushed that saw blade down…the shrill sound…the grinding and smoking as it sliced through his flesh. I can still feel the way the warm blood felt as it sprayed over me.
Dom knows, but not really. He found me that night in the basement. He had never come to my house before, but his father had told him I should stay with them from now. His dad was tired of seeing me hurt, and this was his way of offering me freedom from my father. His father had no idea that I’d created my own stairway to light…to my own escape.
I worked tirelessly cleaning and scrubbing up the gruesome mess I’d left in the basement, just like my father had made me clean up all of the bloody messes before that. As I sprayed disinfectant and dabbed at the last bits of blood, I wiped them away, and I laughed.
I fucking laughed because I had overcome such torture, that I was awash in his own blood this time, and I was the one still alive.
I moved in with Dom until I was old enough to find the Oath Keepers MC. We never spoke of that night; in fact, he pretended it never even happened in the first place. I, on the other hand, replayed that shit over in my mind every goddamn day of my life, smiling inside at the fact that fucker was dead and gone.
“Son? You okay, boy?” Prez’s gruff voice rouses me.
“I’m not a boy, old man.”
“And I ain’t no fuckin’ old man, so I guess we’re even.” He chuckles.
Grinning slightly, I nod.
Prez was the first person to really draw me out of my shell. He knew what I needed, being young and confused. He could sense the anger inside, the need for blood occasionally to help keep the beast dormant. He would have me fight sometimes, especially with all of the working out I was doing. I bulked up quickly. I was damn near living in the gym when we first met. The lifting and running helped keep me from wanting to slaughter anyone who made a stupid remark or snide comment in my direction. They had no clue the type of person they were talking about, what I had been through, and what I had to overcome in order to survive.
“I was askin’ if you’re all right. You seemed far off for a whole minute. I remember what that glazed look means, Ares.” He grasps my shoulder in an affectionate squeeze. I tower over the older man, but he doesn’t worry. He’s shown me nothing but kindness. “Cain and I know ‘bout you carin’ for Avery and 2 Piece. Maybe you ought to talk to them ‘bout it?”
“Nah, I’m good.”
“This shit ain’t good to hold in, Ares.”
“I’m not discussing this with you or with Cain,” I declare, my gaze shifting between both of them.
Cain studies me, worriedly. “I’m here, brother.”
“Yeah, and it’s my own fuckin’ shit. If my dick shrinks up, I’ll be sure to find you.”
“All right, bro, we get it,” Cain mumbles and Prez nods.
I can’t believe we’re even having a conversation about this, for fuck’s sake. They should know nothing about this. Prez and Cain don’t really have a clue just how much I care for Avery and 2 Piece. At least I hope they don’t.
I believe 2 Piece has feelings for me. I could see it in his upset eyes just now. He’s confused and I need to talk to him about it, but not yet. He needs to calm down.
Once I speak about it with him, I can finally talk things over with Avery and see where her feelings are. I like to be up front and forward with her. Hell, if I even make it as far as getting to talk to her. I can see 2’s emotions bubbling up to the surface, but he’s stubborn as fuck and this could turn into something huge if I don’t approach him carefully.
Fuck I don’t even know the right way to talk about any of this with either of them. I automatically assume they will just accept me into their lives, and I don’t even have a clue if they care about me like I care about them.
I think deep inside, I do mean something to Avery. The way she kisses me makes me feel like I’m fucking flying. I get why 2 Piece calls her free bird; she gives you everything you need and yet you still have a serene feeling of freedom, like flying. Not to mention each time I’m inside her, it feels like fucking bliss.
“So are we havin’ the BBQ to celebrate still?” Cain inquires while rubbing his muscular stomach. Damn dude is always thinking about food. Surprised he isn’t three hundred pounds by now, with all of the muffins and junk he and London are always eating. He can eat more than me, and I’m like five inches taller than the brother.
Prez nods. “Tomorrow we’ll all celebrate! You boys deserve it.” He grins and walks back inside the clubhouse.
“I still can’t believe I got patched Enforcer this morning. To witness you take it off of your cut and then hand it to me was fuckin’ awesome. It means more coming from you, knowing you think I’m up for it. Thank you, brother, I know you had a hand in this.”
“Cain, it was all you. You earned that patch. In fact, let’s take Scratch out. You can break that new patch in and we can scare the shit outta the Prospect.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “Can’t right now. I called London after church to tell her the news. She told me to get the fuck home to celebrate our own way.”
“Ah, sounds fun. Have a good one then. I’m gonna hit up the bar and maybe see if Spin feels like inkin’ me since I dipped out last week at the party.”
“Bet. I’ll see ya tomorrow then.”
“Ride safe, brother.”
“Yep, be easy.”