Sins (Havoc of Sins #3)

Epilogue

Simon

A s the clapping died down and the room grew silent with anticipation, I looked around at all the smiling faces. I’d waited a long time for this day. I could hardly believe it had finally come.

“And without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to someone who has dedicated his life so the Potens can one day lead this city.” The crowd cheered, and he held up his hand for silence. I give you the man who will lead us to that goal, the one and only Simon Gable!” He beamed at me and clapped wildly as I stepped up to the mic. I soaked in the moment and shook his hand as he stepped aside.

“Thank you, Salazar.”I held my head high with pride.“Gentlemen, what an honor this is.” I placed a hand on my chest. “When I was younger, I was faced with a choice. That choice was to join the men who wanted to control me or join the men who fought for a purpose.” I slammed my fist down. “That choice came with pushback, and I had to face going to prison for murder.” The crowd was silent. They knew the story, but I warmed to the tale. “We pivoted and played the long game. We made sure my cellmate, a local Potens recruiter, had my back. He wasn’t told the truth about me to keep things as real as possible. That’s the level of dedication our organization has.” I raised my fist again, and Salazar cheered along with the crowd. “The prisons are run by the motorcycle clubs, and I had to play my part well. From there, everything fell into place, and over the years I found myself deeply embedded in the lives of the Gates family. From there, we drew other members in, waitstaff, busboys, head of the hostesses, you name it, a Potens stood tall but silent as we waited for our time to come.”

“Yeah! Our time!” someone yelled. I drew off that energy.

“I know it’s been a long journey, and some gave up their lives for the cause, but not all islost.”I looked around theroom.“Unlike before, I come with a plan that’s been in motion farlonger than the last.” They cheered.“We may have sacrificed some of our members by exposing them to the Gateses and their friends, but it was necessary to gain their trust. They were expendable.” They nodded their agreement. “These things sometimes have to happen for the good of the whole.”

“We’re all in it with you, Simon!” a woman shouted, and I smiled at her as everyone clapped. This was heady stuff, and I was going to enjoy every last drop of it. I deserved no less.

“It will require time, dedication, and strategy, but that’s what ittakes to be on top. And let me tell you,”I slammed my fist down again,“we will not be defeated!”They raised their glasses in the air, and I swung my smile over to Salazar, who gave me asatisfied nod. “We are the Potens, and we have won this battle! We are on our way!”

As I held my fist in the air again, I was jolted backward when an explosion and gunfire tore through the crowd in a roar that morphed the cheers into cries for help. I ducked behind the podium, and Salazar threw himself on top of me.

I screamed my fury. “Who is it?”

“I couldn’t see,” he shouted and held up his weapon, ready to fire.

I grabbed it from him. “You shoot. They’ll fire! Don’t draw attention to us.”

“So, do nothing?” He looked at me like I was crazy. “We’re it, Simon! We’re all that’s left. If they die, the Potens die.”

I grabbed his jacket in fear he’d out us both. “No, let them go. We can rebuild.” Suddenly, the place went silent, and we stared at one another. Salazar poked his head out around the side of the podium then fell backward as a bullet hole appeared between his eyes.

A second later, a hand reached out and grabbed my ankle, and I was hauled out of my hiding place and slammed to the floor. The air was knocked from my lungs, and I fought to breathe. As my vision cleared, I blinked at the dark figures who stood around me. I scrambled backward then cringed as I felt wet flesh under my hands. The massacre was all around me; blood and death were strewn around the room. All those people who had just cheered for my victory had been slaughtered.

“You heathens!” I screamed. Everything that had led to this moment was gone; in a split second, they had taken it all away. “You monst?—”

“You know what the best part of your speech was?” Grim interrupted. “When you yelled, we won this battle!” His eyes burned through me.

“It was all very Mel Gibson in Braveheart ,” Rail chimed in.

“Good comparison, Rail,” Morgan agreed, but I wasn’t listening anymore. Terror suddenly replaced my anger as the four men pointed their weapons at me.

“Shoulda killed you the first time you were on your knees.” Grim’s words boomed through the room. “I won’t make that mistake again.”

“No.” Trigger added and looked at Elio. “We won’t.”

My brain fired off in all directions as I desperately tried to find a way out of this. “Does Kenna know you’re here?” Whack! Grim backhanded me so hard my teeth rattled. I knew I only had moments left, so I played my last card. “If you kill me, Grim, you won’t find the rest of us.” He smiled down at me, and I wondered if he knew I was it. The last of the Potens.

“It’s not me who gets the privilege of handing your soul over to the devil.” He stepped back, and I saw Brick. He raised his gun.

“Brother,” I pleaded.

Bang!

The end