“Like hell I will. What the fuck did that monster do to you?”
My husband, my beautiful husband, was bruised and bloody everywhere and I couldn’t stop tears from streaming down my face.
“Baby,” Hatch rasped. “Fuck, please, don’t cry.”
“The only spot on your body not bruised is your dick,” I cried, pushing up out of my chair.
Booker and Mack busted out laughing as Hatch let out a groan. “Sit the fuck down, Sunshine.”
“Why the hell did you let him do this?” I snarled at Mack and Booker.
Booker made his way to me and wrapped an arm around my waist. “Sit down, sweetheart.”
“Don’t you fucking condescend to me,” I snapped. “How the hell did you let it get this bad, Booker? Look at his body!”
“Yeah, I’m not gonna do that, Maisie,” he countered.
“As you pointed out, I protected your favorite part about me,” Hatch tried to joke.
“Not the time, Connor,” I hissed.
“Sit down, goddammit!” he bellowed.
“Okay, maybe both of you need to calm down,” Mack said. “Maisie, take a seat before you pass out. Hatch, let’s get you into this gown so Gina and Katie can get some scans.”
I lowered myself back into the chair with Booker’s help, but I did it with a scowl and a plan to make all of them pay.
They had no idea what they had coming. My husband would wish for the day of dislocated knees, cracked ribs, and bruises once I was done with him.
Katie
AFEW WEEKS AFTER Hatch’s bare-knuckled duel with Warlock, Maisie called an all-hands meeting at the Dogs’ new clubhouse. Members and old ladies. No exceptions. She had Hatch’s full support, although I was pretty sure he’d soon come to regret that. Maisie had sworn to settle the score with the club for their recent acts of treachery and today was the day she’d collect her pound of flesh.
Maisie had instructed every member to drive their family car, truck, or work vehicle to theclubhouse. No bikes allowed. Once they arrived, traffic was directed into a line that almost wrapped around the property line. Then, members were told to park in place and leave their keys on the driver’s seat. Once that was done, they were ushered to their seats in front of the clubhouse. The old ladies then formed a line and stood facing them.
“Thank you for being here this morning,” Maisie began, in a pleasant but professional tone. “I’ve asked you all here to settle a recent matter involving my husband and certain unilateral decisions that were made involving his life and the future of this club.”
Muted grunts and groans rumbled through the ranks.
“While I respect my husband’s authority as president of the Dogs of Fire,” Maisie continued, her tone sharpening. “And understand the need for secrecy in certain club matters, I do not appreciate, and will not tolerate, being left out of the loop regarding any actual life-or-death matter involving members of myfucking family!”
The force and volume of Maisie’s voice was so powerful, I half expected the club members’ faces to melt like the Nazis at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Most of the club, me included, had never seen Maisie unhinged like that. Not even when she’d gone off on Waverly when she refused to lock down all those months ago.
Hatch was seated in a recliner right next to Maisie at the end of our line. He was wrapped in a robe, and looking miserable, which made sense. He was still recovering from some pretty serious injuries and would be spared from participating in some of the day’s scheduled punishments, but not all of them. Worst of all, he’d have to watch his club suffer for his sins. Hatch stared straight ahead. Not daring to react or make a single sound. He knew he was guilty, and he knew Maisie had him and his merry little band of assholes dead to rights.
“Of course,” Maisie continued. “My husband didn’t act alone. He had help and support from you mangy lot, which is why you willallpay. You will pay for the crimes committed against the women of this club, and this family, when you all decided to ditch your trackers and start a bloody fight club.”
Flash raised his hand, looking like a schoolboy, and I fought hard to suppress a laugh.
“Yes?” Maisie asked.
“Some of us weren’t even there.”
“If you had been, would you have said anything to me or would you have backed your President father?”
Flash lowered his hand.
Maisie’s eyes narrowed. “That’s what I thought.”
