Patriot (Hades Abyss MC 6) - Harley Wylde Page 0,18
a chunk of skin from over his ribs. “I saw the videos. You knew damn well what you were doing, that she didn’t want you to touch her. I also saw you get off on causing her pain, humiliating her.”
I reached for the branding iron. It had three bars, a throwback to an old ranch in the area. Once it was nice and hot, I used it to mark the asshole’s face. It burned through the flesh of his cheek.
When I’d finished with him, no one would ever recognize him. His teeth were gone, as were his hair and nails. Any tattoos had been burned off. I bagged him up and disposed of the body.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and pulled up my list. Using my finger, I marked off the name Kurt Timms. One by one, I’d take the fuckers out. Maybe after they were gone, MaryAnne’s nightmares would be too.
I tossed my cigarette onto the ground and stomped it out with my boot. I went back inside and ran upstairs to brush my teeth and spray on some cologne, knowing from past experience that MaryAnne would have a flashback of some sort if she smelled the cigarette on my breath or clothes. It was a large part of why I’d stopped smoking. Every now and then, I still craved the nicotine.
When I got back to the living room, she’d hung a few ornaments on the tree. The kitten had already climbed up the bottom part of the tree and tried to swat her while remaining hidden. MaryAnne ignored him and reached for another ornament. I joined her, working on the top half where she couldn’t reach. The next time she hung something on the tree, I snapped a quick picture. She probably didn’t know how many I had of her on my phone. One day, I wanted to frame some of them and set them around the house. I wasn’t sure she was ready for that yet.
From the kitchen, I heard Hatter whistling to the current song on the radio and knew he felt left out. I pressed a kiss to MaryAnne’s temple and went to get the bird. I’d made sure his cage not only could roll easily, but also fit through the doorways. I wheeled him from the kitchen into the front entry and parked him outside the living room. He had a good view of everything and started bobbing up and down to the music while he fluttered his wings.
Couldn’t decorate for Christmas without the entire family present. Even if more than half weren’t human.
Chapter Five
MaryAnne
I didn’t believe for one second the envelope of cash was actually from Sean. I loved my cousin, but he hadn’t exactly been warm and fuzzy toward me since I’d come to live with Patriot. No, the money had to have come from Patriot. I didn’t know why he hadn’t given it to me himself, but he’d been right about me wanting to buy some presents. Not having my own money wasn’t ideal, but I couldn’t exactly go out and get a job. Well, I could. But I’d run the risk of freaking out and getting fired.
Phoebe smiled as I got into her car. “You ready to shop?”
I nodded. “I mostly want to shop for Patriot, but I’d like to get a present for Titan, since he’s allowed me to live at the compound. And I should probably get a gift for my cousin.”
“Trust me, my dad is happy to have you. Besides, I think if you left, Patriot would follow you. That man is completely smitten.”
“Smitten?” I asked. “Does anyone use that word anymore?”
I heard the pipes of three bikes and noticed we were being followed by three patched members. It seemed Patriot had made sure I would feel safe, since he wouldn’t be with me.
“They do if they read historical romances.” Phoebe shrugged. “Seemed like an apt description. Has he said anything?”
“He wants to claim me. Said he’d bring it up in Church.” I twisted my fingers in my lap. “I don’t know why he’d want me. I don’t think I can give him the kind of relationship he needs, but he insists that he doesn’t care if we’re ever intimate. It doesn’t seem fair to him.”
Phoebe cut her eyes my way. “You love him, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I do.”
“Then that’s all that matters.” Phoebe turned on the radio and started singing along with Jingle Bells.
Was she right?
The mall was packed, and we had to walk what