Money. Oh hell. I turned to Rocket.
“Money, huh? Maybe that should be passed on too, don’t you think?” He snorted, eyeing me warily for a moment.
“Remind me never to fuck with you, woman. Hey, Reacher.”
He moved forward to talk with the men again, and I glanced around us, wishing there was a chair I could sit in with Nixie while this went down. Maybe that was a good thing though. I’d probably look like some twisted Bond villain, sitting in a chair, stroking a furry critter, while evil happened all around me. Or maybe the evil happened long ago, and this was the moment where good would finally triumph over it.
Chapter Eleven
Ireally didn’t fuckingwant her seeing this, but she was a strong woman, and clearly made her own decisions, and that meant it wasn’t my call. I did my best to keep her back as far as possible, staying beside her in case she needed me, but her focus was intently on Has-Been. My fucking strong as hell brother, who was finally taking his justice for something I’d never even known had happened to him. Something I think we’d all figured out tonight, and honestly, I was so proud of every fucker in this room for backing him, standing strong with him, and none of them looking at him with pity or anything like that. They looked at him with honour. With support, and with fucking fire fuelling them to help him take his retribution.
“You’ll both shut the fuck up now and listen to me,” Has barked loudly, and you know what? Those two cunts fell silent, frowning up at him from their chairs as he leaned a little closer. He clearly didn’t want to actually get near them, and that made a lot of sense. I had a feeling others might have to be his fists for this one, and I was more than willing to take his place there.
“You were always going to pay, you know that, right? That cunt, Jacko, might have taken his route to hell already, and I really fucking hope it hurt, but that means the two of you get to feel every second of the pain he was due too. Aren’t you the fucking lucky ones?”
“Look-”
“Pretty sure he told you to shut the fuck up,” Torch snapped at the old fucker, slamming a fist into the side of his face, the dull thud filling the silence after he spoke, followed by the spitting of blood, and low groaning. I fucking loved both those sounds at the best of times, but especially right now. Especially as I watched them bleed for my brother.
Suffering was what they’d earned. I was glad to be here to see Has take revenge, and make them feel every second of it.
“As I was saying,” Has continued, quirking an eyebrow at Torch, “it’s retribution time, fuckers. You preyed on me. You forced me, and abused me. You fucking destroyed me,” his voice cracked then, and I saw a few of our brothers step up closer behind him, backing him, showing silent support, while never touching him. No matter how dumb some of them could be, we all knew that touching him right now would be a bad fucking move.
Both men started spluttering, and trying to deny his accusations, but he stood there glaring at them as they both finally sagged in their seats.
“Ethan,” one of them murmured, “I thought you looked familiar, but you’ve grown so big.”
“Fuck you.”
The man smirked then, obviously realising he had nothing to lose, and choosing to be the asshole we already fucking knew he was.
“You’ll always be ourGolden Boythough.”
“CUNT!” Has lunged forward, kicking the bastard’s chest and knocking the chair back with a crash, and a low groan of pain.
“Remember the plan, brother. Bloody them after the video,” Reacher urged, nodding at Torch and Micro to right the fucker’s chair, as the other asshole shook his head.
“I’m not admitting to anything on a video, and I’m not willing to acquiesce to any of your demands. Release us, or feel the full force of the law.”
The laughter that erupted in the room was bitter, and cruel, while tinged with real humour, because who the fuck did he think he was kidding? The law? They weren’t getting out of here alive, let alone going to the fucking cops.
V leaned closer to me, and despite the fact that she might gnaw off my arm, I wrapped it around her, pulling her against my side. I made sure not to jostle Nixie, who looked alert and excitable at the sudden laughter around us.
“I really think you should wait in the car,” I murmured to V as it quieted again, but she shook her head.
“I can’t. I… I’m invested. I saw how they affected Has-Been, and I need to see him take his power back. I need to see him do what I did, and get his revenge.”
Revenge? I knew she’d left her ex-husband before she moved here months ago, but what revenge did she take? Suddenly I was more than a little aware of the fact that I had my arm around a woman I barely knew, who was definitely more dangerous than anyone realised. Why was that so sexy, though?
“LIAR!”
We both turned to focus on the interrogation going on in the middle of the room, where Torch had one of the men in a chokehold, with a fucking blowtorch hovering over his eye.Jesus.
“This isn’t what we discussed,” Reacher cursed, turning away from them as the man started to scream. Fuck me. Even I don’tlike watching that crazy fucker going at people with those things. Why did he enjoy the smell of burning flesh so much? The sick, twisted bastard.
“Oh my god,” V breathed, leaning closer to me, and burying her face in Nixie’s soft fur. I kinda wished I could do the same, but Torch pulled back before he actually did more than let the guy feel the heat.
“Oh god. I’ll… keep him away from me, and I’ll fucking do it. I’ll say anything,” the man babbled, and Torch chuckled, releasing his neck and patting him roughly on the head.
