Kings of Decay (The Winston Brothers Duet #1)

21. Pearce

Chapter twenty-one

Pearce

T wenty thousand dollars worth of damage. Thankfully, the sprinklers kicked on, and the cabin wasn’t lost. Just a lot of smoke and water damage, thanks to some idiot who dumped a hot ashtray in the trash.

I sat sideways on the leather recliner as my father paced around his office, fuming.

“Twenty thousand isn’t so bad,” I said.

My father glared at me. “I don’t care about the money. You know that. I care about what could have happened to you right before the election, no less!”

My heart fluttered unexpectedly. He cared about me?

“I need my boys ready to smash heads. Not in the ICU.”

The flutter was gone. Right. We were his wolves. He needed us to keep the peace.

To maintain his status in the town. To ensure that the rumors of the Winston Brother's dark games didn't reach him.

After the fire had put itself out, the state troopers arrived, and everyone was sent home. Of course, Sergeant Reed was with them, which would only lead to more questions.

Willow's old man came to pick her up. I hadn't heard what he said to her, but I assumed she was in a load of shit based on how mad he looked. Part of me felt pity for her, but the rest of me just wished I could have got my cock inside her before the party went to hell.

I was shaken from the memory by my father slapping me on the shoulder. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Do about what?" I asked.

"Sargent Reed," my father said. "That was the last straw. He's been sneaking around like a dog."

"Pay him off," I said.

"You know he's a man with morals," My father's lips curled with disgust. "I need you to get him off our trail. People are still suspicious about Jim Reese. You shouldn’t have wasted your time with that man. You don’t need the money. People know you killed him."

"And yet no one is going to say a damn thing," I argued, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees. I killed for my father’s business most of the time. Freelance vigilantism was just for shits and giggles.

"Everyone except Reed," my father countered. "You know what to do."

I waited a moment before replying, already feeling my heartbeat quicken at the thought of another kill." I guess that'd be a fun way to spend my Wednesday night."

My father tightened his meaty fingers around my shoulder, his gold ring glinting in the light. "That's my boy."

***

We tracked down Trooper Reed in a speed trap near the highway. The same highway that would be snowed out in a matter of weeks.

Ainsley kept tabs on every law enforcement vehicle from here to Fairbanks. He'd already shut off the trooper's dashcam remotely. When they looked, there'd be nothing but dead footage. Technology was as powerful as a gun or a knife to him.

"So we're going to speed past like bats out of hell, let him pull us over, and be done with it," I said.

Ainsley's hands tightened on the steering wheel. We were driving some old beat-up red truck that we bought for cash. Something that would be hard to trace back to us. Killing troopers was always risky.

"Are you sure you don't want to try talking to him first?"

"What are you, a pussy?" I snarled.

Ainsley glared at me. "You know I'm not."

"Then get going," I said.

My brother put the gear shift into fifth and stomped on the gas.

The rickety truck blasted past the trooper's SUV with surprising speed. The little rust bucket had some power.

Ainsley gunned it, and the engine roared as the tachometer red-lined.

I smirked. "You're having fun, aren't you?" I shouted over the roar of the engine.

He glanced at me, eyes flashing with excitement.

We loved the rush, the adrenaline pumping through our veins.

It was just like hunting. The high we got from it, the power of having someone's life in your hands.

The trooper's lights flashed bright in our rearview mirror, and he quickly gained on us.

We were nearing a narrow turn on the highway, one that would make passing us a risky endeavor. I could see the determination in Ainsley's eyes as he slammed on the brakes.

"Shit!" I cursed as the truck skidded onto the gravel shoulder, the tires kicking up rocks.

The SUV followed us, but it struggled to maintain traction.

Ainsley glanced over at me, eyes wild with excitement. "Are you ready for this?"

I nodded, heart pounding in my chest. This was it.

With a wicked grin, Ainsley slammed the gas pedal to the floor, and the truck surged forward.

The trooper's SUV attempted to follow us, but the narrow road and the loose gravel made it impossible. The SUV flipped into the ditch and rolled to a stop, belly up.

Ainsley slammed on the brakes, skidding to a stop.

We jumped out, looking down into the ditch where the SUV lay crumpled. Smoke slowly rose from the engine, and I could see the outline of the trooper through the shattered window.

“Shit, you think he’s okay?” Ainsley asked.

"I hope so," I said. "I wanted to kill him myself."

We slid down the steep bank to the heavily damaged vehicle.

Reed was alive, but barely. He was bleeding heavily from his head, and his arm was twisted backward. He groaned, blinking and mumbling incoherently.

I knelt beside the broken window.

Blood dripped down the trooper's face as he hung upside down, suspended by his seatbelt. "You," he hissed. His breath came out in frozen plumes.

I couldn't help but laugh. "You finally caught us," I jeered. "I wanted to make sure you knew it was us before you died. It was all us."

"I knew it," he grunted, struggling in vain.

I needed to kill him before he succumbed to his injuries. I'd waited for years for this moment.

I pulled my knife out and plunged it deep into the side of his neck, pulling it sideways and leaving a jagged tear. Blood spurted out onto the glass and snow, and the life faded from his eyes. He slumped in his seat, groaning softly before going completely still.

I stood up and wiped the blade clean on his jacket before pocketing it again. "He's gone."

Ainsley stared at the lifeless body. "What do we do now?"

I looked around, taking in the scene of the crash. There were no other vehicles on the road and no one in sight for as far as I could see.

"Easy. The crash killed him, and no one saw a thing. We get out of here before someone comes along," I said, already starting to head back up the steep embankment toward the truck.

Ainsley shrugged and followed me. We got into the truck and began to drive away at a steady pace, making sure not to draw attention to ourselves.

I glanced at myself in the rearview mirror as we drove away, barely noticing the lack of remorse on my face. I was calm, composed, and detached. I'd taken lives before, but this was different. This was personal. That stupid cop just couldn't leave us alone.

"Hey, you wanna go get some food?" I asked.

Ainsley's laugh broke the tension. "Hell yeah."