Page 60 of Praying for Thunder

Piercer resorted to begging. “Please! I need her! Look! I’m finally smiling again!” His lips trembled in a forced smile. “I’ve been miserable!”

“You?” His almost black eyes twitched. “Not getting laid by a slut made you ‘miserable’?” His head reared back as if not trusting his ears. He tapped his chest. “Not the man who didn’t know if his son was alive or not?”

Piercer exhaled. “No. Again, you misunderstand me—”

I jerked when a bullet rang out, shooting Piercer in the right leg. My ears rang. My eyes strained to comprehend what had just happened, but sure enough, blood started oozing through Piercer’s jeans as he writhed on the floor. “Fuuuuuck!”

Onus squatted in front of him, his leather cut stretching over his immense back. “This,” he dug a thick finger in the wound, “is nothing compared to the pain of losing a son.”

Piercer, sweating profusely, nodded repeatedly. “Okay. Okay, Onus. I understand completely now.”

“Ah!” Onus stood, gleaming at the successful message. “He understands now!”

The surrounding bikers seemed relieved, all exhaling and nodding.

Onus’ smile dropped away again and was replaced with a deadpan glare. He faced Piercer and instructed, “Kill. Her.”

“No!” I tried to break free of the man holding me still.

Adoringly, and with trembling hands, Ani covered her mouth, silently begging me to do the same. But why? They were speaking of a death I couldn’t survive. “Ani—”

Attempting to not draw attention to herself, she raised a hand for me to stop.

My eyes welled. My jaw locked. My body shook.

Her little hand rested against her chest as she mouthed, “I love you.”

As I silently pleaded with her, I could feel my youth being sucked away and—like Onus’ smile—replaced. Something foreign stirred inside me. I whispered to her, “No.”

It’s eerie to sense loneliness coming. Not one man in the small cabin meant an iota to me.

Defeat was already in Piercer’s voice as he pleaded, “Don’t make me do this.”

Piercer had controlled Ani and me for days. He lost that control as soon as his brother stepped through the door.

God help me, evil is cold.

Onus was matter-of-fact as he discussed my Ani’s demise. “You did this to yourself, brother. You didn’t include the club on your road trip. We could have all been implicated had you failed.”

Piercer, holding his thigh, appeared deflated. “But, I didn’t fail.”

As if his successful ‘lesson’ had been pointless in the end, Onus shook his head. “So, no one is looking for her?” He glared out of the corner of his eyes.

Piercer said nothing.

The President’s lips flattened as he shook his head again. “You really didn’t think the Royal Bastards wouldn’t be searching high and low, spreading word about a kidnapped ‘Old Lady’?”

Piercer looked away.

“Tsk.” Onus paced slowly. “I see. You didn’t put the club before your dick.” His tongue pushed against his inner cheeks. “The worst part, Piercer? They are also searching for this boy.” Onus stopped in front of him. Stared. Then… boomed, “My motherfucking boy!” He spun and was now screaming at me. “I just shot my brother! Do you know what I will do to anyone you care about if I lose you again?”

I sniffled and backed into the man behind me. “N-No, sir.”

What did he do next? He smiled. “Let’s hope you never have to find out.”

Swallowing, I nodded. He didn’t have to shoot me like he did Piercer for me to understand.

Rolling his neck, he faced Piercer again. Then he tossed a blade into his lap.