KEEPING MY EYES closed so I wouldn’t have to see the horror that laid before me, I breathed through the bile that wanted to escape my mouth. Why? Why me? What the hell did Ripper want? What could he possibly get out of this? He was my dad’s club brother. Someone who I considered family. I had known him my whole life and now he wanted me as more? This didn’t make sense. Not at all.
My eyes slowly opened, landing on the aftermath before me. Bodies littered the floor. Blood sprayed the walls and ground beneath me. I didn’t know who they were. I couldn’t even tell if they were male or female but what I could see was that they were wearing leather cuts. Even though I recognized those cuts, I refused to believe they belonged to my dad and brother or anyone else in the crew.
Pushing to my feet, I shuffled over to two of the bodies that sparked of familiarity. I needed to be brave. I needed to know who they were. I also needed to see if they had anything on them that I could use as a weapon.
Kneeling in front of the first body, I patted it down. My stomach churned. I knew. I just knew who it was. Lifting the flap of the jacket, I reached into the inner pocket and pulled out the picture. A sob escaped me, my eyes blurring. “Daddy.”
Using the end of my shirt, I wiped the blood off of his face until his features stared up at me. My dad laid there. He didn’t move. He didn’t jump up and tell me he was only kidding and that he wasn’t actually dead.
I pushed him, slamming my fists against his chest and cried. My body wracked with sobs. The last conversation I had with him was him warning me. He knew. He had to have known. He was telling me to get out, but I didn’t listen until it was too late.
“Oh, Daddy.” I cupped his face and placed a soft peck on his forehead. Remembering the photo in my hand, my breath hitched. It was a picture of me when I was a little girl. I was on his shoulders, both of us with big smiles on our faces. But now that would never happen again.
Suddenly, the door swung open revealing Ripper. He smirked, closing it behind him and leaned against the wall opposite me. “I see you found my present.”
“What the hell do you want?” I asked, my voice coming out more like a growl.
“You, Zillah. By my side. At my feet. Tied to my fucking bed.” His eyes darkened. “I don’t give a shit how. I will have you. Whether you like it or not. Defy me and the boy and Catch die.”
I breathed a sigh of relief that they were still alive. “Why? If you’re trying to run shit, why haven’t you killed them yet?”
“Because I need them as leverage.” Ripper shrugged. “I’m also trying to think of a fancy way to take them out.”
I shivered, swallowing the bile that had risen to my throat. “Why did you have to kill him?” I didn’t know who the second body was but every sick and twisted thing inside of me said that it was Kian lying before me.
“They were getting in the way. I warned your father.” Ripper started pacing back and forth. “I told him this would happen. I wanted to partner up with him. Hell’s Harlem have been that way for years. Trying to make a better name for themselves and shit. Fucking please. Taking that kid was just an added bonus.” He laughed. “My men were smart with that shit. I never even thought of it myself.”
“You weren’t satisfied just being a member?” I screamed. “You had to kill him too. You know you were next in line to be VP. Once Kian became president. You know that. And Hell’s Harlem have nothing to do with this. Sammy has nothing to do with this.”
“Well, I guess I’ll be president now.” Ripper sneered. “Won’t I?”
I glanced at the other body.
“Take a guess who that is. I’ll give you one chance.”
My eyes burned, a lump forming in my throat. I lost my family. I had no one. These men didn’t actually care about me. They only stayed away because of my dad and brother. And now I was fair game. A slice of fear shivered down my spine.
Tray, please come for me. God, I hoped he was okay. And Catch. He probably hated me even more now.
“Tell me who that is, Zillah.” Ripper’s deep voice pulled me from my thoughts.
I crawled over to the other body, placing a hand on the still form. It shifted beneath me, but it was so sudden, I wasn’t sure if I felt it or if I was dreaming. Either way, I wasn’t about to let Ripper know that this body could very well still be alive.
“Say it, Zillah,” Ripper demanded. “Tell me who it is.”
I wiped some of the blood off the still form’s face, my heart jumping to my throat. “Kian,” I whispered.
“I’m sorry. Who is it?”
“Kian,” I said louder that time.
“Yes, Zillah,” Ripper purred in my ear. “It’s your brother.” He opened his vest, revealing a knife sticking out of his side. “It seems this was left for you.” He grabbed my hand, placing it on the butt of the knife.
My eyes widened. “No.” I struggled against him, trying so damn hard to pull my hand away but Ripper was too strong for me.
“You see, Zillah.” Ripper squeezed my hand so hard, the bones beneath the skin rubbed together.
I whimpered.
“I happen to know your brother is still alive but how do you think he would feel if it was you who killed him?” Together, we pushed the blade deeper into Kian’s side.
He grunted, his eyes popping open.
A sob escaped me. “Please stop.”
“No.” Ripper moved behind me, holding my hand on the knife with both of his. “I want to fucking break you. I want you so mentally gone that you’re a shell. Then it’ll be my job to fill that emptiness.”
“Please stop. Let him go. I’ll go with you. I’ll do anything.” I just wanted this to end.
“Oh, you’re right. You will do anything but first we have to get rid of everyone who could possibly get in the way.” Ripper pushed my hands, forcing me to shove the knife deeper into Kian. “Together, we’ll kill your brother and then Catch. We’ll leave the boy for last. Or he’s young enough, we could train him. I could train him to be fucking lethal.” Ripper kissed the side of my head. “How does that sound?”
Tears rolled down my cheeks. “Please stop.”
Blood spurted from my brother’s lips, his skin becoming ashen and gray. His dark eyes met mine.
“I’m so sorry,” I sobbed. “I’m sorry. God, forgive me. Please forgive me.”
“Do it, Zillah,” Ripper coaxed. “Come on, baby girl. You got this. Kill him.”
Bile rose to my throat, my heart racing. “Say that again.”
“What?” Ripper’s hot breath fanned over my head.
Kian stared up at me, a knowing glance in his dark eyes.
“Say it again,” I repeated, firmer that time.
“Kill him.” Ripper circled his arm around my middle, holding me back against him.
Taking a deep breath, I forgot everything and let my rage take hold. Blood pumped through my veins. In a quick move, I slammed my head back against Ripper’s face.
He shouted.
I pulled the knife from Kian and shoved it into the side of Ripper’s neck.
“Fuck.” His eyes were wide as he fell onto his side.
I yanked the knife free and stabbed him again. Blood splattered on me, all around me but I didn’t care. The metallic liquid coated my tongue, but it only gave me the drive to keep going.
I jumped onto Ripper’s chest and shoved the knife back into his neck. Pulling it out of him, the knife slipped, cutting my palm but the slice of pain only made me go on. I slammed it back into his neck.
With him dying beneath me, I leaned down. “You forgot who raised me. Who taught me. My father. My brother. You. You’re a stupid man if you think I’m going to submit to you just because you tell me to.”
“Zillah.” He coughed, blood coating his lips. “How …”
“I was trained by the best.” I kissed his cheek. “I loved you like an uncle, Ripper.”
A large shadow loomed over us.
Ripper’s eyes widened, landing on the person now standing behind me. “You’re supposed to be dead.”
“I probably should be,” my dad said, his voice rough. “Zillah?”
I waited.
“Finish him.”