Page 111 of Diesel's Perseverance
“He killed my brother! Do you think that’s right?”
“I don’t know the circumstances, but you did what you thought was right to avenge your brother’s death, and now I’m doing the very same thing.”
“No. I have a family.”
“Everyone has a family.”
Diesel put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his Chaparral knife.Click. The blade extended. Cano reached inside his front pocket and pulled out a switchblade. The Insurgents made a circle around the two men and let Diesel seek justice for his brother’s death on his own.
“You asshole! You think you’re better than me because you’re in a fucking motorcycle gang? You’re nothing!” Cano said, rushing toward him, the blade gleaming under the overhead lights.
Diesel crouched down, and right before Cano was up on him, he held his knife’s blade straight and stabbed the asshole in the knees. Cano screamed in pain and dropped down to the floor. Diesel kicked the switchblade out of his hand and then stabbed him in the side. Cano writhed on the floor and grabbed wildly at the biker’s leg. He caught it with both hands, throwing Diesel off-balance, and he landed on his knees, cursing on the way down. Cano slashed wildly until the rigid blade sliced Diesel’s hard flesh. He clutched his arm and felt warm blood streaming over his fingers; his shirt sleeve had morphed from blue to deep red.
“You sonofabitch!” Diesel pushed up to his feet. A hot rush of anger propelled him toward Cano. He could hear his teeth grind, the rush of blood roaring like a freight train in his head. He kicked Cano savagely in his bloody shins, and the man crumpled down to the ground again. Diesel pounced on him and slammed the asshole’s face against the concrete until it was a bloody pulp. “Now you know what it feels like to be scared shitless, don’t you?” He shoved his knee into the jerk’s groin for good measure.
“I didn’t mean to kill him. He’s the one who started it. I liked Freddy. He was like a brother to me.”
“Bullshit! You manipulated and used him, then cheated him.”
“Fuck you! You’re wrong. You were never around, so you don’t know shit,” Cano said as he sat up, his hand wiping the blood from under his nose.
Diesel punched him in the face, and he fell on his back. He straddled the cursing dirtbag, grasped each side of his head, and smashed it against the floor. The sound of bone hitting concrete silenced Cano as blood spilled out from his cracked skull.
“You fuckin’ bastard. You killed my brother!” Rage and anguish came from deep in Diesel’s throat. He tightened his fingers against Cano’s shoulders, and again, the murderer’s skull cracked hard against the surface. A guttural moan ripped through his lips, then he went limp. Diesel gazed into his brother’s killer’s eyes and noticed they were open and glazed over. A thin line of blood trickled from his left eye and the corner of his mouth. Diesel stood up, then kicked the lifeless body hard before spitting on it.
Banger came over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll take care of the body.”
Diesel nodded and grasped his president’s shoulder in gratitude. Smokey, Tank, and Jax had already taken care of the bodyguard; there could be no witnesses.
He shrugged off his shirt and tied it tight around the wound. Diesel figured he would need stitches for that cut. He’d call Viking and see if the Angry Disciples’ doctor could look at him. A sense of relief and satisfaction spread through him. He’d honored Freddy by taking care of the person who snuffed out his young life.An eye for an eye, little brother.
“You better get that cut checked out,” Shadow said.
“I’m gonna see if Viking can get a doc over to their clubhouse and stitch me up,” he answered.
“I’ll go with you, buddy.”
Diesel bumped fists with Shadow, and then the two of them walked out of the warehouse and into the night.
***
The early morningdarkness still lingered when Diesel and Shadow entered the clubhouse. A few of the brothers were passed out on the couches, but for the most part, it was quiet inside the main room.
Diesel looked down at his phone and opened a text. It was Banger saying that everything was taken care of. He responded with a “thumbs up” icon, then deleted the message.
“Everything’s cool,” he said.
“That was fast,” Shadow replied. “You want a shot?” he asked, moving toward the bar.
“Nah, I’m beat.” He ambled toward the staircase, then paused and turned to Shadow. “Thanks, buddy. I appreciate it.”
“Don’t mention it, brother.” Shadow poured a shot of whiskey in a plastic cup and downed it. “I’m going to hit the sack too.”
“Are you getting anxious to get back home?”
“Yeah. I’m missing my ol’ lady and the kids. I’d like to bring the family here for vacation. Brock would love playing in the water.”
“And Disneyland’s not too far away.”
