Viper's Kiss (26 page)

thirty-four.

Blaine pulled the last knot as
tight as he could. Vin was completely strapped to the surgery table. Restraints
across his shoulders, his stomach, and his legs. A balled up towel was stuffed
in his mouth to keep him from screaming. But Blaine planned on taking that out
of his mouth before he started to work on Vin. Blaine wanted to hear and feel
and remember every last scream Vin had to offer. He wanted to watch Vin
’
s neck strain as he screamed.
Hell, maybe with a little luck Vin would burst his vocal chords.

“
Now
what?
”
Nate asked.

“
I
want you to take Jessa out of here,
”
Blaine said.
“
I need my
time right now with him.
”

“
You
don
’
t want my help?
”
Nate asked.

“
No,
brother.
”

Blaine sat in a chair next to the
surgery table.

Nate walked around and put a hand
to Blaine
’
s shoulder. He
leaned down and kissed the top of Blaine
’
s
head.
“
I
’
m sorry for what he did. But we
saved Jessa. Remember that, brother. We saved your family.
”

With that said, Nate exited the
room.

It was quiet.

Deathly quiet.

Vin stared at Blaine. His eyes were
glazed with tears. Blaine wasn
’
t
sure if Meghan and Janey cried before Vin killed them. If he tortured them at
all. Or if he just burst into the house and started pulling the trigger.

Blaine stood up. He took a scalpel
and put it to Vin
’
s
forehead. Vin started to kick.

“
No,
”
Blaine said.

He pressed the blade into Vin
’
s skin and twisted.

Vin screamed a muffled scream.

Blaine took the blade away. Blood
gently dripped to right side of Vin
’
s
head.

Blaine then put the scalpel to Vin
’
s chest, right at his heart. He
pressed, twisted, and watched blood seep into his shirt.

“
That
’
s what you did,
”
Blaine said.
“
You shot Meghan in the head and
Janey in the heart. They did nothing to deserve it.
”
Blaine put the scalpel to Vin
’
s throat.
“
You fucking piece of dirt.
”

Vin kicked and screamed.

Blaine took the scalpel away and
put it on the counter.

“
You
don
’
t get it that easy,
”
Blaine said.
“
I
’
m
going to go slow. Fingers to the first knuckle. Then your toes. Then I
’
m going to remove kneecaps, just
to do it.
”

Blaine stood up. He looked down at
Vin. In his mind, everything he knew started to play out. Working the streets,
stuck between right and wrong. Meeting Vin and always knowing how dangerous the
man was. Guilt then punched Blaine in the gut. He had a chance to push Meghan
away but never did. He had gotten drunk and picked a fight with her. He did
everything to convince her to leave. He even gave her a bag of money and told
her to go. Take Janey and find a small town to start over in. Meghan accused
Blaine of fucking someone else. She even threw Jessa
’
s name into the fight. Which was kind of strange
and eerie, considering how everything played out.

When they talked again, Blaine
opened up to Meghan. He explained his job was dangerous and that he wanted
nothing but the best for Meghan and Janey. Especially Janey. Her father had
been some street punk that got Meghan pregnant and took off. The guy ended up
murdered before Janey was even born.

That day, Meghan told Blaine the
best way to save herself and Janey was to be with Blaine. It was a touching
moment. Then Meghan gave Blaine two rings. Engagement rings. That
’
s what Meghan had done with the
bag of cash. She bought herself a diamond ring. And one for Janey. So Blaine
asked Janey for permission to marry Meghan. On the outside, it looked wickedly
romantic and so sweet. Blaine on one knee, offering Janey her own ring to wear,
as a promise that Blaine would always take care of her.

On the inside, Blaine hated it. But
Meghan made it clear that if he wasn
’
t
all in, then he would never get to take care of Janey. Meghan promised Blaine
full adoption, Janey changing her last name, everything.

And Vin took it all away.

Blaine felt a tear slip out of his
eye and he wiped it away. He stared at the tear on his finger and then made a
fist and punched Vin in the face. He then started to punch him, over and over,
wondering how many hits it would take to kill a man.

Let
’
s find out
…

Blaine landed ten blows before Nate
came into the room.

“
What
did I tell you?
”
Blaine
snapped.

“
It
’
s not about this,
”
Nate said.
“
Just wanted to let you know that
we got the car. The prospects took it to the warehouse. It
’
s full of guns. Deep trunk,
brother. And cash under the seat. Half a million.
”

“
Good,
”
Blaine said.

“
It
’
s all worked out, Blaine. Like
we said. The MC took out all of Eight Under. Using their own guns. It
’
s a mess out there. But it
’
s not in Frelen.
”

Blaine nodded.
“
Even better.
”

“
Just
wanted you to know. We did it, brother. So take your time here. There
’
s no rush.
”

Nate shut the door.

Blaine looked at Vin. His eyes were
swollen, face bloody.

“
See
that?
”
he asked Vin.
“
You lose now. And my club
…”

Blaine closed his mouth. He turned
his back on Vin.

The cartel would come looking. They
’
d know about Eight Under getting
wiped out. Vin missing. Maybe they
’
d
blame Vin, right? Vin took the guns and money. But the cartel would search.
They
’
d come to the MC over
and over, waiting to find a crack and then rip it open. The MC would never be
in bed with the cartel. But they would want to know what happened to their guns
and their cash.

Blaine gritted his teeth.

Think bigger, brother. Think
bigger.

Slicing up Vin would be good for
Blaine. It would be good for Jessa, too.

Blaine pushed from the table and
walked to the door. He opened it and saw Jessa standing a few feet away.

“
What
’
s wrong, brother?
”
Nate asked.

Blaine stared at Jessa.
“
Go get Vin off the table. I have
a plan.
”

Blaine rushed to Jessa and scooped
her up.

Jessa started to weep.

Blaine felt another tear fall from
his eye.

It was over now. It had to be over
now. The past was done. It was gone. It couldn
’
t
return. The proof? Because in between Jessa and Blaine was the future. Their
future.
Their baby.

***

Blaine leaned against the trunk as
two black SUV
’
s approached.
They turned sideways and the backdoor of one opened. A man climbed out with two
towering men behind him. They were equipped with machine guns and looked
totally okay with killing anyone for any reason at all.

“
Arms
out,
”
the man yelled.

“
Do
it,
”
Miller said.

Miller, Gaige, Shay, and Blaine
listened.

They were then patted down, their
guns taken and put on the ground.

The man then stood there, looking
at each one.
“
We
’
ve never conducted business
before.
”

“
Never
had a need,
”
Blaine said.
“
Until bodies started piling up
in our town.
”

“
What
the fuck does that have to do with us?
”

“
You
’
re missing some guns and money,
aren
’
t you?
”
Gaige asked.

The two men lifted their guns.

“
Hey,
”
Miller said.
“
We
’
re
trying to help here.
”

“
What
’
s your name?
”
Blaine asked.

“
Pick
one,
”
the man said.

“
I
’
m going to call you Ed then.
”

“
Fair
enough,
”
Ed
said.

“
You
were selling weapons to a man named Vin. He was using those weapons to rebuild
a rival crew. They were pushing hard into town and bringing heat on our club.
”

“
If
you tell me you took our guns and cash,
”
Ed
said,
“
I
’
m going to have my men shoot
you. Then I
’
m going to cut
out your eyes and keep them. Then you
’
re
going to be buried in a shallow grave. Then I
’
ll
piss on the grave.
”

“
You
see the car I
’
m leaning on,
”
Blaine said.
“
I have something for you.
”

“
I
don
’
t do games,
”
Ed
said.

“
Neither
do we,
”
Miller said.
“
Our MC wants nothing to do with
your cartel. We keep separate. We know you have deals and run-ins with other
clubs around here, that
’
s
fine. But this ends now.
”

“
How
much is Vin worth to you?
”
Blaine asked.

Ed
smirked.
“
You mean besides skipping on
orders, payments, and fucking with my family?
”

“
That
’
s exactly what I needed to hear,
”
Blaine said. He moved from the
trunk and then opened it.
“
Here
you go,
Ed
.
”

Vin was in the trunk, alive. He was
tied up. Blaine sacrificed his need to kill for the greater good of the MC.

“
You
did this?
”
Ed
asked.

“
We
took out Eight Under,
”
Blaine said.
“
No more
business there. But this guy has his hands everywhere. He owes you. He owes us.
He owes a lot of people.
”

“
Consider
this a peace offering,
”
Gaige said.
“
Before there
’
s any beef between us.
”

“
I
’
ll consider it,
”
Ed
said.
“
Now where
’
s my fucking guns and money?
”

Right on cue, a car came forward.
One of the prospect
’
s drove
the car right up next to the motorcycles.

“
There
are your guns and cash,
”
Blaine said.
“
You can check
all you want. You can count all you want. It
’
s
all there.
”

“
Fuck
me,
”
Ed
said.
“
This is really a gesture.
”

“
No
more wars,
”
Miller said.
“
Not near our town.
”

Ed
looked right at Blaine.
“
You
’
re the one running this. What
’
s Vin mean to you?
”

Blaine stepped forward, almost
bumping chests with
Ed
. The two men lifted their guns and had then
pointed right at Blaine.

“
Vin
killed my family in cold blood. He put a bullet through my fiancee
’
s head. Then he put a bullet
through my stepdaughter
’
s
chest. He served no time for it. I moved on and found someone else to love. She
’
s carrying my child right now.
He tried to hurt her and my unborn child. I had him strapped to a table, ready
to take him apart. Literally. I stopped. For you,
Ed
. For you.
”

“
That
’
s some sick shit. But I
’
ll take it.
”

Ed
then offered his hand to
Blaine. They shook hands. As did Shay, Gaige, and Miller.

They broke up and Miller slid a
hand to Blaine
’
s neck.
“
You did fucking amazing,
brother. You have no idea what you just did for the club.
”

“
I
love you all,
”
Blaine said.
“
I
’
d do it again.
”