Page 60 of Chef
“You! You were supposed to be saved.”
Sage’s head tips to the side. “Well, thank fuck I wasn’t.”
She doesn’t waste anymore time. She raises her arm, a leather strap in her hand and she brings it down, hard, onto Nathaniel’s shoulders.
“Repent your sins, Nathaniel Mercy,.” she calls out, loud and clear. “Repent andmaybethey will be forgiven.”
She grins as she pulls her hand back, then with perfect precision brings it back down onto his back, just under the last strike.
“Fuck me, how hard is she doing it?” Saint mutters. “She’s already broken the skin.”
He’s right. Blood runs in rivulets down Nathaniel’s doughy back, the skin torn apart. Narrowing my eyes at the instrument in Sage’s hand, it’s then I notice this isn’t any old kink device. Her strap looks to be studded with nasty little spikes. She pulls back and hits again, this time even lower on Nathaniel’s back. And that’s when it hits me. Every strike is aimed to mirror the scabs healing in my back. The long slash that goes from his right shoulder, landing just under his left shoulder blade matches the one I have on my body.
“She’s avenging you,” Loyal says in her sweet voice, eyes on the mess that Sage is making.
I expect her to turn away in disgust, the graphic nature of the scene Sage is painting bringing back memories of her childhood, but she doesn't. Nor does Justice who stands stoic, his face blank as he watches Sage work. Joe has her arms wrapped around his bicep, as if holding on to him will stop him from slipping away into a memory he doesn't want.
“She’s saved me so many times over,” I whisper to Loyal, not wanting to catch Sage’s attention and have her distracted.
“And you’re gonna save her. She’s strong, but she doesn’t need this on her soul.”
“No, ma’am.”
We watch in silence as Sage works. She moves to lower on Nathaniel’s back, tearing through the flesh of his buttocks the way his strap did mine. His hateful words are nothing more than a whimper now and then. His head lolls back on his shoulders, the strength in his legs left him ten minutes ago.
“Stop.” The word sounds broken in the air.
If I’m honest, I’m not sure if it’s Camel Toe Man begging for it to stop, or Nathaniel.
“Please. Stop. I -I repent.” The last words are whispered, barely heard over the sawing in and out of Sage’s breathing.
“Please. Sage. I repent.”
Sage stops mid-swing, her arm hanging limp as she steps up to the man who has been a shadow chasing her her whole life. She leans forward, staring into his tired eyes.
“Funny. Takoda never repented.”
The sound of the leather strap hitting the ground echoes through the room and I step forward, shouldering Vex out of the way to get to my woman, wrapping her in my arms. She doesn’t break, not yet. Instead she holds her head high, gaze moving around the room, locking eyes with each and every brother as they stare back at her with respect. Finally her gaze lands on Dex, our Prez standing strong at the center.
“I’m done.”
Dex nods once. “We’ll take care of it.”
I thank him over Sage’s shoulder, the weight of everything dissipating as if it was never there.
She nods then buries her face in my neck. “Take me home, husband.”
“Abso-fucking-lutely, wife.”
Chapter Twenty Three
Sage
“Mom? I gotta go. I’ve got church!” I say, turning off the speaker on my phone and holding it to my ear.
I don’t need the whole compound listening in to Mom giving me a play by play on Tess’s potty training as I make the walk to the clubhouse.
“You still going to church?” Mom asks.
