Jackson (MC Sinners #7)

24 – Serenity

“ Y ou know,” Hound stalks the room, knife in hand, a scowl twisted across his features. “I was convinced Jackson would show up, but it seems his club holds more value for him than his Ol’ lady. A real shame.”

I clamp my lips tight, refusing to give into his provocations.

Walker has already shared the plan with me, and I’m certain Jackson is on his way. He'll make sure I get out of this hell. Hound’s grasping at straws, desperate because his thinly veiled threats have failed, leaving him without a clue how to get what he wants.

I’m enjoying the fact that the best option he has right now, is to sit in here throwing pathetic threats in my direction, hoping I’ll break and give him something. He won’t get that from me, not when I know how close freedom is, how close I am to being back with my family.

He won’t be taking that away from me.

Not again.

“Think another toe might persuade him? Or maybe a finger this time?”

He turns his attention to me, flaunting the knife menacingly.

I remain silent, glaring at him, my lips curled.

“Tongue-tied, girl? Perhaps I should send that to him, too.”

Swallowing the lump lodged in my throat, I fight not to react. I can't give him the satisfaction. He paces the room, continuing on his little rant, like he’s some sort of leader about to take his troops into battle. He’s pathetic, and very soon, he’ll know just how much.

“He believes he’s smarter than me, but what he doesn’t know is that I have eyes everywhere. He’ll have no choice but to do as I’m asking. I’ve ensured it.”

This fool thinks his own son is on his side. My heart races, anticipating the moment his world shatters. Watching everything he thought he was going to get collapse will be priceless. Gerard will finally face justice, Ciara can return to school, and my name will be cleared. Then, maybe, we can all move on.

“He is smarter than you,” I murmur, more to myself than to him. “So much smarter.”

He has no idea the lengths Jackson will go to for his family, for his club, for anyone he loves. The person who dares take that from him, will only end up six feet under.

“We’ll see about that, won’t we?”

We will.

“Mark my words, Serenity. When this is over, you'll regret the day you ever dared to take my club away from me.”

This fucker actually thinks Hogan’s club was his. Hogan didn’t care about anyone, and if it came to it, he would have thrown Hound in front of a gun to save his own life. Hell, his own daughter meant nothing to him and here I am, listening to a man who seems to think he had some kind of family.

He never had a family.

He never will.

I snort. “It was never your club. You were just Hogan’s whipping boy. He didn’t care if you lived or died, he cared that everyone was doing what he wanted. If it came down to it, he would have watched you die and stepped over your corpse to carry on his way.”

Fury blazes in his eyes. He storms over, grabbing my hair and slamming me against the wall. I scream out in pain, struggling to steady myself, even as I long to collapse. The chilling steel of the knife presses against my throat, his eyes burning with unbridled rage.

He’s close to breaking.

Deep down, he’s terrified because Jackson isn’t bending to his will, leaving him with no control.

But he doesn’t realize one crucial truth—he will lose.

“Go ahead,” I growl. “Kill me. You’ll never get what you want. If you end my life, he’ll hunt you down, strip everything from you, and make you suffer until you’re begging for death.”

He snarls, pressing the knife in just enough to make the skin sear.

“I’ll kill you,” he vows, his voice trembling with rage. “And when I do, I'll savor every second.”

The door bursts open, forcing Hound to release his hold. He whirls around to see Walker stepping inside, wearing a mask of indifference. He plays his part well in front of his father, even fooling me for a minute. He stares through me, as if I’m invisible.

“What do you want me to do with this blubbering idiot?” Walker asks.

Reluctantly, Hound steps away, allowing me a silent sigh of relief.

“Lock him in here with her. Let them reacquaint.”

Hound throws a nasty smile my way before striding out, Walker trailing behind without a backward glance. Moments later, Gerard is hurled into the room. I grit my teeth, figuring it would be him, but praying it wasn’t.

This man is the reason I’m in this nightmare.

I thought Hound might make a deal with Gerard, not keep him captive, but here he is.

Gerard must still be rejecting whatever twisted offer Hound is presenting.

“Sit in here with her for a while, it might change your mind and you might reconsider our offer,” Walker mutters, shooting a fleeting look my way before locking the door.

Perfect.

Now I’m stuck with a deranged killer.

What could possibly go wrong?

THE AIR IS RIPPED FROM my lungs as I face Gerard, my arms thrashing, body convulsing, desperately trying to escape his clutches. I knew he didn’t want to be trapped here with me, but I didn’t anticipate the bastard would actually try to kill me. Sure, I might deserve it, considering the string of vicious slurs I hurled at him while he glared from across the room, but seriously, he had me locked up.

He’s utter filth.

Now, though, he’s got me pinned against the wall, his grip unrelenting, eyes blazing with a rage that chills me to the core. I’ve seen what this man can do, yet I never thought he’d choose to try and end my life. Not here. Not now. If I’m going down at his hands, I’ll damn well come back to haunt someone.

Grinding my teeth, I muster what’s left of my energy, driving my knee hard into the soft spot between his legs. His roar echoes as he releases me, stumbling back, eyes bulging and hands flying to protect his jewels. Pathetic scumbag. If I could cut them off, I would. Just to see the pain in his face as I took away what he thinks makes him a man.

I lean down, snatch up the rusty pipe in my grip, and wave it at him.

It’s probably useless, but damn it, I’ll use it if necessary.

“This might not do much, but I could jab it into your eye, let the rust crawl into your brain, you pathetic scum.”

“You’ll pay for this,” Gerard snarls, hands still covering himself.

Oh, I’ll pay for it? Haven’t I already paid for it? This man took me away from my family by having me thrown in prison, then proceeded to try and get away with it, and is still doing so. He’s a monster, and soon, he’ll be right where he belongs.

“For what? Please, enlighten me on my crimes.”

“If not for you and your damned club, I wouldn’t be here.”

The nerve of him.

I throw my head back in a harsh laugh. “You have to be kidding. You’re a damn murderer. You slaughtered an innocent girl, maybe more. And you’re seriously blaming me for your predicament?”

His eyes blaze dangerously. “I’ll savor every second as I squeeze the life out of you.”

He charges at me, and I scramble back, dodging his attack. He’s lethal, I know he could kill me, but I won’t let him put it over me. With a swift kick from my good foot, I catch him in the back as he pivots, hurling him forward. A loud crunch fills the room, what part of him I connected with, I don’t know but it was enough to send him away.

He roars, head snapping back, eyes drilling into me.

He lunges again, catching me around the waist just as the door bursts open and Walker strides in. A gun in hand and an unsettling void in his eyes, a chill runs through me. It’s a look that signals that he’s about to do something I won’t like. He levels the gun at Gerard and thunders, “Get off her.”

Gerard releases me instantly, hands raised. “She was trying to kill me.”

The nerve of this man.

I can’t focus on him right now. Instead, I focus on Walker.

“Walker,” I say cautiously. “What’s happening?”

His eyes lock with mine, a careful smile curls his lips. “I’m sorry, Serenity, the plan’s changed. I can’t let either of them live. I just...I can’t have him in a world that I’m breathing in. I’ll never be free, and neither will you.”

My eyes widen.

Gerard gasps.

Walker turns the gun on Gerard, aims it right at his forehead, and fires.

Blood splatters from the back of Gerard’s head, and then he falls to the ground.

Just like that...he’s dead.

Gone.

"Walker," I whisper, my body trembling with shock. "What..."

His eyes meet mine, and they're so sad it breaks my heart. Walker is a good guy. Sure, he might have tangled himself up in some dangerous and illegal things, but deep down, he has a good soul. That soul has been tarnished by Hound; years of abuse have slowly stripped away every piece of who he is.

I feel that.

I know exactly how that can shape who you are.

"I can't just have them in prison," Walker tells me, his voice shaky. "That isn't enough, Serenity. Hound will find a way to kill me, and this bastard will find a way to bring you down. I can't live with that."

"You'll go to prison," I say softly, taking a step toward him. "Don't you see? Now it'll be you."

He smiles brokenly at me. "When I was five, Hound tried to teach me how to fish. He got so angry because I couldn't get it right. I couldn't cast the line correctly, couldn't do anything he asked, because I was five . He decided the only way I'd learn was to teach me a lesson, so he hooked me. He actually cast his line at me, and the hook lodged in my skin. I was five ."

My heart breaks in two.

"When I was twelve, he wanted me to join the club and start learning the ropes. My mother wouldn't allow it. She had managed to keep me away from him for most of my life and did everything to keep it that way. He came over and beat her so badly that she ended up on life support. She didn't make it."

I press a hand to my mouth, overwhelmed with pain so familiar, I want to wrap my arms around him.

"I got out of there, stayed away from him, did everything I could to free myself from the monster who sired me. When he got locked away, I finally felt free enough to live my life. I got into trouble, I was so messed up, and then when he got out and tracked me down, I thought maybe I could use him to help me out of that trouble. Then I met you."

A tear rolls down my cheek. "You don't have to do this for me."

"I'm doing it for both of us. Prison is a holiday compared to the life I'll have to live if Hound survives."

I know he's right.

I've been here before.

I open my mouth to speak, but the door swings open, and Hound steps in.

This is it.

Life or death.

A choice is about to be made.