There was no fucking way they checked the entire cabin thoroughly. It wasn’t a big place, but it was big enough that it should’ve taken longer than sixty fucking seconds.
“I thought you said the kid was here?” one of the men asked.
I saw a flash of annoyance at being spoken to like that by one of his underlings cross Vendetta’s face. He shook it off and muttered, “They’re probably gonna meet us here.”
Dumb fucks.
Walking straight into an ambush whichever way you looked at it.
Vendetta yanked me up the stairs and pushed me inside, closing the door behind us. “Let’s get comfortable, asshole. I want your brothers to know I mean business when they show up.”
“You want to hide behind me like a little bitch, you mean.”
His grip tightened but he said nothing. What was the point without an audience?
A soft creak sounded in the dark cabin, and I knew it was the small laundry room where I last touched Chloe. Seconds later the woman herself appeared, pale and terrified but determined. And beautiful.
Fuck! What was she doing here, and where were my club brothers?
Vendetta sucked in a breath, which confirmed that he hadn’t expected her to be here, despite whatever he’d been told. “You fucking bitch.” He shook his head, but his smile was wide. “This is even better than I thought.”
She ignored him, her green eyes trained on me, a hint of worry crinkled her eyes at the corners. “Pike, you’re alive!” she exclaimed. “Are you okay?”
I shrugged. “Been better.”
Her small smile made me feel a million times better. My ribs as well as my other aches and pains were forgotten. “Good. I was worried.”
“Aww, how fucking sweet,” he spat out the words angrily. “This is my show. Where the fuck are they?”
Chloe’s eyes widened innocently. “Rest of who? It’s just me.” She was so believable I almost believed her.
“Bullshit,” Vendetta snapped. “The deal was this asshole right here, for the little girl. Where is the brat?”
Chloe stiffened at his words, but she pulled back that anger, at least visibly. “Not here. I’m the one you want. I was the one who killed Marcus. And Victor.” A small smile lifted her lips, but it never reached her eyes because she was playing a role. She was fucking with Vendetta.
“Bitch,” he shouted and shoved me away. “You killed my brother!”
She nodded slowly as if she didn’t care. As if she didn’t have nightmares about what she’d done just as much as what had been done to her. “I did. It was him or me and for the first time in that hellish relationship, I chose myself.”
She began to pace, and I was mesmerized by the transformation. This wasn’t the meek little mouse I’d met months ago, this was something else. Chloe was fiery and cunning, she was badass as fuck as she slipped into her roleseamlessly. “He was abusive,” she shook her head and paced. “No, he was cruel. He beat me. He tortured me. He raped me.” She stopped and glared at Vendetta. “I’m glad he’s dead and I’m not sorry.”
“Chloe,” I shouted instinctively the moment her words cut through the air. I knew what she was doing, she was goading him, and I couldn’t stop her. She had no idea how volatile this asshole could be. While I was sure we had backup, I couldn’t risk her getting shot before my club brothers were ready.
She shook her head, another small smile played on her lips. “I didn’t think I’d be able to do it. I was sure that was the night he would go too far and kill me. Hell, I wasn’t even trying to kill him when it happened, which is my only regret,” she shrugged. “He attacked while I was doing the dishes and instinct took over.”
Vendetta was frozen with a mixture of disbelief and fear. He didn’t understand a woman so powerful, as wicked as any man.
“And you know what Vendetta?” she smiled again, this one was creepy as hell with just a hint of malice. “I got it. As I watched him stagger backwards and fall to his knees, gasping and gargling in pain, I finally understood Marcus. I thought he hated me, and I’m sure he did, but his cruelty wasn’t about that. It was about the thrill he got out of being so despicable. Watching the life fade from his eyes was a goddamn thrill and in those moments before he died, I finally understood my husband.”
Vendetta vibrated with fury and before I knew what was happening, he shoved me to the side and lunged for Chloe.
My heart slammed against my chest as I scrambled to get to my knees and struggled to get to my feet. Before I stood up, a gunshot rang out. I froze, almost terrified to look at what had happened. Finally, I risked a look to my left, to Chloe and I waited for her to fall, for a spot of red to spread across her chest. But Chloe held the gun.
And it was Vendetta who staggered backwards, shock and pain written on his face.
Another shot rang out from somewhere outside the cabin, followed by a scream.
It sounded like the cavalry had arrived and was dealing with the rest of the Ghost Riders. About fucking time.
