Kings of Decay (The Winston Brothers Duet #1)

24. Pearce

Chapter twenty-four

Pearce

O h fuck, he was done for now.

I watched a switch flip in Ainsley's head as he whirled towards the drunk idiot. Ainsley wasn't usually as violent as me, but even he had his triggers. And by admitting he knew something, that drunk guy had just signed his death certificate.

The guy, Derek, stammered, his whisky-fueled bravery suddenly faltering. "Nothing," he said, throwing up his hands. Blood streaked his chin. "She's yours," he added.

Ah, well, that was his first mistake. It wasn't just about Willow now.

My gaze slid to her. She was standing frozen in her tracks, trembling like one of those little dogs that movie stars like to put in their purses.

Her eyes met mine, her brown eyes round and glistening with tears. Did she want me to save her, or did she still think I was the enemy in this situation?

I could save her now, and still be her downfall later.

A smack echoed in the silence as Ainsley punched the drunk again, sending more teeth flying. "What do you know?"

"I know the same thing everyone else does!" Derek spat blood as he spoke. "You act like you don't leave an evidence trail a mile wide, but everyone knows. I bet the trooper knew too, and that's why you fed him to the wolves."

My brother and I exchanged a glance. We didn't need to say anything to understand each other.

"You think you can get away with it?" Derek slurred, laughing a little hysterically. The liquor was really getting to him now. "Think again. You'll rot in hell for what you did."

Ainsley's mask of indifference slid over his face. I only saw this face when someone was going to die. I knew it well. He grabbed Derek by the collar of his jacket and ripped open the truck door. "Why don't we go talk somewhere more private," he hissed as he shoved the protesting drunk into the back seat.

Willow made a move for the door, but I grabbed her easily. "Come on, little mouse. Don't you want to see how it turns out?" I chuckled thickly, taking in the scent of her vanilla shampoo. She smelled so good, so innocent and sweet. It was intoxicating.

Willow whimpered, struggling against my grip.

"Nuh-uh, you're not going anywhere," I said, holding her tighter.

Ainsley nodded to me and got into the driver's seat of the drunk's pick-up. He stomped on the gas and tore out of town, leaving a shower of snow behind him.

"Why are you doing this?" Willow asked, quieter now but still determined to escape.

"Just for the hell of it, Willow." I planted a kiss on her cheek before shoving her into the Jeep and following Ainsley out of town.

***

We caught up with Ainsley deep in the woods near one of the lakes. It was a good place to fish in the summer if you didn't mind getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, but I hadn't fished since I was a kid.

"Please, please let me go," Willow whimpered. "I don't want to be here. I'm going to get fired. I need to be at work."

"You think any of that matters, now?" I laughed and pocketed the keys. "Darling, you're about to get a first hand education of how things go up here in the north."

Willow's eyes went wide. She was pale and shivering.

"You cold?" I asked, feigning concern.

She couldn't speak, only shook her head.

Ainsley motioned to me through the window to hurry up. He had Derek with his hands tied behind his back on his knees in the snow.

Blood surged through my body. The monster in me was ready for a kill. It thrashed and chomped at the bit inside me, begging for release. I turned to Willow. "Come on, darling."

Willow could only whimper as I dragged her out of the Jeep.

Derek was sniveling on the ground, his face swollen and purple.

"Not so brave now, are you?" Ainsley sneered.

"Please, let me go. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."

"Hmm," Ainsley tapped his chin. "Didn't mean what?"

"I won't tell anyone about Sarge, I swear!"

Ainsley squatted down beside him, tightly gripping the back of his neck. "How do you know about the trooper?" Ainsley asked, his voice low and dangerous. He tightened his grip on the back of Derek's neck.

Derek whimpered, his eyes wide with fear. "I saw it. I saw you push him off the cliff on the road," he said, his words coming out in a broken rush.

Ainsley shrugged nonchalantly. "No one will believe you."

"You think so?" Derek spat out a mouthful of blood. "Eventually, the two of you are going to get caught. If not me, it'll be someone else."

The monster inside me stirred. I wanted to kill him, right there and then, for speaking the words that had been burning inside of me. "You're right, it won't be you, old man, because you're not leaving here."

"Who's Sarge?" Willow asked, her voice shaky. "The trooper they found, eaten by wolves?" Her lips trembled. She looked like she might throw up.

"Wolves work for the brothers," Derek said.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh yeah, we have them trained," I said sarcastically.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Ainsley kicked him in the side, sending him sliding through the snow. His clothes were black and gray with zinc dust. "You just have to keep talking, huh?"

"Maybe if she learns more, I won't have to die alone," Derek’s once defiant smile was now an empty grimace.

Willow made a tiny noise and tried to take a step back.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "Don't you dare think of running, little mouse," I warned. "You won't get far this deep in the woods."

"The brothers are fucking murderers, girl," Derek shouted. "They do it for money and fun. Anywhere the wolves are, they're killing."

"Shut the fuck up," Ainsley shouted, kicking him again. He brought his boot down on the man's face and throat. Slamming his heel into his nose until it was nothing but a bloody stump.

Willow put her hands over her mouth, stifling a scream.

"If she knows, you have to kill her, too," Derek gasped for breath, spitting blood.

I tightened my grip on Willow, feeling the heat of her fear radiating through her trembling body.

Had she become too much of a liability now? She couldn't be allowed to live and breathe, testifying against us.

Ainsley stared at Derek, his eyes darkened by the ruthless determination burning inside him. He had always been plotting and scheming, and this time, he would make sure we got away with it.

"No, no, please. Let me go," Willow begged, her voice pleading.

"We're the judge, jury, and executioners in this town," Ainsley said, kneeling beside the bloodied man. "Tonight, she will live. But you won't be so lucky. You should have thought before you put your filthy hands on her. I might have let you live for talking back, but knowing that your disgusting dick got hard for her, well," he scoffed. "That deserves death row."

The man made a gurgling sound, his eyes swollen shut.

Ainsley punched him one more time, making him swallow his own teeth.

"No, no, don't kill him!" Willow cried.

I pulled her against me, her ass against my cock. I couldn't help but shiver at the feeling of her body against mine. The monster who wanted blood wanted her more.

"Just watch what we're capable of, Willow. And remember it next time you think of us."

Ainsley threw the man into his truck and turned the engine to neutral. "Have a safe trip, buddy!" He laughed, snapping the key off in the hole and slamming the door shut.

The man's desperate pleas could be heard through the crack in the window as the truck rumbled towards the lake and plunged over the edge of the dock. The rusty truck disappeared in the dark water, leaving nothing but bubbles on the surface.

"No!" Willow shrieked.

I held her to me tight, letting her ass rub against my cock. I groaned. "Don't bother, Willow," I groaned. "He knew the punishment for crossing us."

Hot tears flowed from her eyes. "No. No!" She screamed. "You fucking killed him!" She screamed until she lost her voice, collapsing to her knees.

Ainsley threw the key fob into the lake. The bubbles had stopped now. And the drunk's metal tomb was at the bottom of the lake. It'd be years before they found him if we were lucky.

"Why?" Willow whispered.

I crouched beside her, stroking her cheek and kissing her gently. She tasted like heaven. Her salty tears were like ecstasy to me. I tasted her every emotion - her fear, her pain, her helplessness. I wanted more. I wanted to taste all of her. "Shhh now," I said, continuing to stroke her cheek. "He deserved it. He hurt you." I couldn't help but add.

She pulled away from me, her eyes shining with a strange mix of fear and determination. "Why did you do that? I could have called the police."

I chuckled softly, "Ah, sweetheart, you really think the police would care about another drunk miner?" I stood up, towering over her. " We're the people you call when justice needs to be served."

Ainsley joined us, his eyes glittering. He was feeling the same heat I was. The high that came after a kill.

"He wouldn't have..." Willow protested.

"What do you think he would do when he started pulling you to his truck, huh? Have a chat? Take you for coffee?" Ainsley challenged. "Use your head, stupid girl. He wanted your cunt, and he was going to take it by force."

Willow squeezed her eyes shut, throwing her hands over her ears. "Stop it! Stop it! You're just as bad as he was."

"I won't deny that," Ainsley laughed with a smirk. "But the difference is, we're the ones who will win. Every. Time."

I touched her chin, forcing her to look at me. "Don't you see, little mouse? Only we're allowed to hurt you."