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“What were you planning on doing?”

“Well, I haven’t really thought about it. It still seems so far away.”

“But it’s not, Matthew.” Mama breaks in.

“I want some place safe for them to go. I want a place where I can go and get away from all of this. It’s either going to be here in one of the clubhouses or off club property. Those are my options. I feel that we’ve kept those houses empty for years now and there needs to be life brought back to them. But this is your MC and I’m going to do what you want. I’m not going to go against your wishes by opening up a house when that’s not something that you want.”

“I think it’s a good idea.” Cut agrees.

“You do?” My mother and I both question.

“Yeah. I think things are going to be changing around here for the better and it’s time to open those houses back up. No more living scared.”

“And you? Are you going to practice what you preach? Are you going to bring your wife home and start a family here?”

“There isn’t a place I’d rather her be.” He takes his foil wrapped burrito and walks out. I look at my mother and she’s standing there smirking at her success.

2 weeks later

“We got him.” Cut pushes through the doors of the garage.

“What?”

“Louie Sr. We got him. Junior just delivered him to the warehouse. It’s time.”

It’s time. Fuck me. After many weeks of nothing, Louie finally came through on his promise. A promise that I never thought he would keep. I wipe the grease from my hands as my mind races with the things I want to do to that man. There has never been so much revulsion, hate, and loathing for one person. He ripped my family apart and I’m going to take pleasure in shredding the life from him.

*****

“I called Lick. He’s going to meet us. I want him there, just in case.” My brother says from the driver’s seat. “The girls are supposed to be held up at the house. Bubba suggested we get them as far away from the club just in case this is a setup. I figured that is the safest place since I’m sure it’s not known to many people. Lily is there with them. Bubba said he will stay there, for protection.”

The adrenaline courses through my body as I watch the city pass by. My fists continue to clench with anticipation. I feel the strain in my muscles and I welcome the pain. The wind whips through the cab of the truck as my brother drives us out to the old warehouse. The same warehouse where my sister and father’s lives ended. This is Diablo’s territory. That fact doesn’t sit too well with me, but it’s the way it has to be. Louie promised us there wouldn’t be any interruption, no retaliation for us to be in their territory.

When we pull up to the old metal building there's a calm in the air. The heat of the day has been replaced with the setting sun. The breeze blows and I can almost feel the presence of my sister. I pray it’s because she’s here supporting me and not because she hasn’t been able to move on from the place where her life was so brutally taken from her.

“You going to be able to handle this?” I give a jerky nod. “Hey.” He places his hand on my arm. “I want you to know that I didn’t have any of the other guys involved in this because I felt this is something we need to do. This isn’t about the club right now. It’s about you, me, and the loss we feel as a family. Not as an MC. This right here has never been about the MC.” I nod again, unable to form words. “This is it, Matthew. This is the day you let go of all the shit you’ve been living with for the past few years. It’s right here that you let dad and Sienna rest. This is the day that you let it all go, no more holding on to the past..”

I turn and face my brother. He looks so much like my father. This has burdened him just as much as it has me. We’ve both reacted in our own ways, but he’s right, it’s time to move on. “It’s time for both of us to stop living in fear.” He nods in agreement.

Cut pulls on the gigantic metal door. The screeching of the metal as it rolls along the pavement send chills up my back. I’m the first to step into the warehouse. Cut shuts the door with a slam. The lock slides into place, securing us inside. My eyes scan the large area. I purposely avoid the figure off to the side, but I know he’s there. I can hear his muffled pleas of begging coming from behind what I’m sure is his taped mouth.

The location is almost how I’ve seen it in my nightmares. Huge metal beams make up the structure, plastic covered sky lights draw what little light is left from the sun into the building. Large hooks hang from thick chains. This was once used as an old slaughterhouse, it seems fitting now. My feet brush against the concrete as I step further in to the building. I swallow back the emotion as I picture what my sister must have gone through in here. My eyes survey the ground, looking for any sign of my sister. Years have passed and I know that it’s not logical to see any evidence of her. Maybe I just want a sign from her that what I’m about to do is what she would have wanted.

Breathing deep, the scent of must and mildew enter my lungs. This place reeks of death. I roll my shoulders as I feel my brother come up behind me. He bumps my shoulder as he continues his stride to the piece of shit strapped down to the chair. It’s then that I finally allow myself focus my attention on Louie, Sr.

I come up behind my brother. He’s leaning into Louie, his hands on the wooden armrests, whispering something into his ear. I’m not able to make it out, but by the thrashing of Louie, I’m sure he’s just told him what’s to come. I scan the area and see a double hook contraption. I follow the railing that it’s attached to and noticed it’s just about where I need it. “Pull him over there.” I point to where I need my brother to help my place Louie.

Once we reach where I need him, I stalk over and grab the rusted hook. I release the lever on the wall making the hook release its tension. I pull the hook with me as I continue back to my brother and Louie. The metal bounces against the concrete with a clanging sound when I release it from my hand. Louie’s eyes dart to the tool, his throat bobbing as he swallows.

His eyes tear from the tool, to my brother, and then they land on me. I’ve never really looked closely at this man before. We were always told to stay clear of him and his club, but growing up in the same town there were many times when our paths would cross. His dark brown eyes focus on my mine. He studies me. I’m sure trying to figure out what I have planned. The beads of sweat gather on his skin, his nostrils flaring above the silver of the duct tape. I lean in, making sure I’m eye level with the man who killed my sister. “Are you ready to die, motherfucker?”

“Are you worried?” Jenni asks me.

“Of course I’m worried.” I whisper. Rubbing my belly. I’m twenty-seven weeks. Today is the first time I’ve felt her kick and I haven’t had a chance to tell Sin yet. He’s been busy working in the garage and the days of me sitting there waiting on customers is gone. He doesn’t want me on my feet all day. He doesn’t think I need my back can take it.

My eyes are locked on Bianca who has been overly quiet since we were taken to Lily’s house and told to stay put. Bubba is outside taking watch. I’m not sure where everyone else is. I don’t know if this is a group effort or if this is something that Sin and Cut are doing on their own. “Do you think this is a setup? Do you think that that Louie Jr. guy will go against his word?” She asks, this time in a hushed tone.

“I hope not.” I rub my hand over my stomach. I push a little hard to see if the baby will move, knowing that she’s there kicking around gives me a little peace when I’m internally freaking out. I don’t know why the moved us. I always felt the safest at the club. Even with the lack of members there now, I would never think that anyone would be able to breach the safety of the walls.