Page 10 of Malice and Surrender
I had no idea how he still had that much puke in his system. I’d asked Mutt earlier if the other guy’s name was Jeff, but he didn’t get the joke and said, ‘No, it’s Vic.’ No one watched good comedy these days or had a fucking sense of humor.
“Snake man, I’m so sorry. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know. Name it, and it’s yours. Just please don’t kill me,” he said as I tossed the head like a ball over the steel beam and tied it off so that it swung slowly back and forth like a grotesque piñata. This had been a lot messier than planned, but when I got them here, and they had a saw…I mean, who can resist that? It was fucking kismet.
“Why?” I turned around to face Mutt.
“W-why w-what?” he stammered.
“Why shouldn’t I kill you? I mean, I already know when your guns arrive if I wanted them. I already know it was your crew that tried to hijack our last drug shipment, and…” I held up a bloody finger. “I also know that you’ve been trying to take over areas that used to be the Reapers’ and then claiming that it had always been yours. Those belong to the Lost Souls, and we are not fans of thieves or liars.” I smiled wide and made sure to curl up the corners of my mouth like I was the goddam Joker. The wide-eyed look as the guy pissed himself was exactly what I wanted.
The movie was just getting to the good part, where the guy cut off his own foot, and I stared at the screen for a moment as those screams filled the room.
“I swear to you, I had nothing to do with any of that. I mean…I was part of the crew that tried to hit your shipment, but I only did that cause I was ordered to. You know what it’s like when you have a boss you need to answer to,” he pleaded. “Come on, man. I didn’t want to. In fact, I told them it was a stupid idea.”
Mutt wasn’t wrong. He was mid-level at best, and not following orders would’ve been a death sentence. But he chose to be in an MC and do their bidding, which was the other side of the coin. If we planned on taking over the Weasels’ network and area, I would’ve gone after the leader, not Mutt. We just needed them to know that we saw the crap they were pulling, and we wouldn’t take any shit. Attacking and taking over areas caused other issues you never saw coming. It was better to keep the devil you knew as your neighbor than the one you didn’t know at all.
“I believe you,” I said, and he slumped against the wall and smiled. “But it doesn’t mean I’ll let you live either.”
Mutt’s face paled once more. “What if you keep me alive so I can give Rip a message for you?”
“A message? What is this high school? You wanna pass a love letter for me while you’re at it? Maybe draw dicks and tits all over it.”
Mutt looked confused. It was official. I was never going to make it as a stand-up comedian.
“I just thought I could relay the message not to mess with you guys or your shit, and I can be the voice of reason at meetings. Or I can join the Lost Souls. I mean, I never wanted to be a Weasel,” he offered, nodding his head enthusiastically.
I marched across the floor, weaving my way around the puddles of blood, and with each step, Mutt shook harder. Shake, little Mutt, shake. I lived for that look now. Roach said that Chase had set loose the devil inside of me, and he was right. After fifty, I lost count of just how much blood I’d spilled in the name of the Lost Souls. So much that I craved it a little too much.
In all fairness, I’d been on the path already. A few people in the pen met their fate at the end of my blade. No matter the group or the member, they gave me a wide berth when I walked down the hall. I remembered all too well the day I killed Red and forced Big Dog to lick my shoes. Those were memories that warmed the furthest reaches of my blackened heart.
Squatting down, I stared at Mutt, his eyes wide and frozen in place like a fucking gecko. I waved my hand toward the far concrete wall.
“So what you’re saying is, using your blood to write the message, don’t fuck with L.S., isn’t going to cut it?” I leaned my elbows on my knees and felt the blood dripping off my hands. “Hmm?”
Mutt swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he did. I could almost see the mice in his brain running on little wheels as he tried to think of something to say.
“I’m waiting for an answer,” I drawled. “Preferably, one in the next minute.”
“Um…they aren’t very good at reading.” Mutt accentuated each word slowly.
My lip curled up before I laughed, and Mutt followed suit. His tone was more tense, with good reason.
“You know, that is the funniest shit anyone has ever said to me. Probably accurate too.”
Technically, I didn’t have to kill both. I didn’t even have to kill Vic. My orders were to scare The Weasels into backing off—the how was left up to me. I glanced at the glowing red clock near the television, surprised to see it was already ten in the morning. After they left the beach, it took me exactly four hours and twenty-two minutes to capture the two men and kill Vic. Even with a hard night of drinking, the club would be coming around soon, and as much fun as a shootout with them would be, it wasn’t the brightest idea.
The seconds ticked on as I thought. Mutt’s eyes followed me like a wary, beaten animal. I pushed to my feet and marched over to the industrial sink with the harsh-smelling orange soap. Washing my hands and scrubbing under my nails before I wiped off my leather jacket. At least it was the morning after Halloween. Riding home looking like I was part of a horror movie would seem normal. Drying my hands off, I made my way to the exit.
“Where are you going?” Mutt called out.
My brow arched in his direction. “What? Do you want me to stay?”
“Um…no, but are you coming back?” His voice was hesitant.
“Do I have a reason too?”
“Nooo,” Mutt said, drawing out the ‘o’ and making me smirk.
“Then I guess you answered your own fucking question. Make sure you hold up your end of the deal. Rip better step back and leave the Lost Souls’ areas, or I will be back, and I won’t just make a spectacle of one of you. I’ll slit every single one of your throats while you’re sleeping.”
