They laugh, making Garrett groan. “I fucking hate being injured.”

“Me too.” I sigh.

“I could kiss it all better,” she offers, and we both turn rigid against her.

“I love being injured,” I correct, and Garrett nods silently.

“My new favourite thing. I think I’ll let D hurt me every now and again,” he mutters.

“Men.” She sighs. “Now shut the fuck up. I’m tired after saving your asses. By the way, you all owe me lots and lots of orgasms for that shit show of the last few days.”

Grinning, I kiss her neck, making her shiver in need, even as she yawns. “Anything you say, darling.”

“So bossy,” Garrett mutters.

“Assholes,” she snaps, and then sighs. “Hate you.”

“Hate you too,” Garrett replies.

“Hate you more,” I add, and she snorts but snuggles closer, both of them going quiet as they drift off. Who knew this is where we would end up? I thought our lives were perfect until Roxy came along and showed me just how empty and meaningless they were.

No, I can’t imagine them any other way without her in the middle. It might be strange, and others might never understand it, but we have never been one to follow the rules. We make our own, and Roxy? Roxy is ours.

Forever.

RYDER

While my brothers and girl are resting, I make arrangements. I sort the funerals, and I reimburse their families, making sure they never have to worry. I contact clean-up and the police. I release a statement, acting saddened by the tragic massacre that took place in our city. I play the good leader.

And businessman.

Then, I strip off my suit and head down to the basement and to D. He has the third and final member of the Triad strung up in chains. He has already been busy keeping the man occupied, of course, until I enter.

“How awful it must feel knowing your whole family is dead.” I sigh as I step into the room, grinning as I meet his scared, angry eyes. “Don’t worry, you will soon join them.”

“You fucking snakes,” he spits, his accent pronounced more than normal.

“Very true.” I grin as I strip off my shirt and step towards him. Diesel laughs.

“Oh, you’re in trouble now,” he taunts, circling him as I step before the man. “You should have never come for my family, you should have rolled over and accepted the deal. You’re a fool.”

“I thought it would be easy,” he whispers, defeated, the man has nothing else to live for. I’ve taken everything he loves.

“You thought wrong. Never back a Viper into a corner, we always strike back harder,” I tell him, as I pick up a screwdriver and hold it to the light. “I have to make an example of you. Your brothers, I’m afraid, were all disposed of, but I still have you.”

He swallows and tilts his head back, his eyes tired, his age bearing down on him now. “We were never going to win, were we?”

I smirk at that. “No, never.”

He nods. “Will you kill our families?”

“Maybe.” I shrug. I don’t tell him I’ve already had them deported and set up wherever they wanted to go with new identities and money to live out their lives. I don’t kill innocents unless I have to. They didn’t know, and their blood ties are severed. I feel repaid, and the threat is gone, so they are safe from us. Unless they ever come at us again. They have been warned to never speak our names or step foot in this country.

I have a feeling we will never see or hear from them again.

“Let’s begin, shall we?” I ask, and he nods, his spirit broken, his honour gone. He failed—they lost and we won. Now it’s time to show everyone what happens to traitors, so they think twice about coming at us.

No one will hurt my family again, I will ensure it. Spill the blood now, save it later down the line. Especially now that Roxxane is here, my protective instincts are higher than ever. It’s going to be harder to protect her because she’s unpredictable and wild, but when I saw her tonight…when she truly became one of us, it was magnificent.

Poetry in motion.

She was not just a Viper tonight, she was the Viper.

She was ours.

And we protect what is ours. Always.

I start at his feet, working my way up his body. Diesel has to help. We break his ankles, toes, kneecaps, ribs, fingers, and nose. Then we skin him alive, which is harder than it sounds. The number one we cut from the rest to be kept as a show of strength, and when we’re done, we are both covered in blood and he’s dead.

It’s over, my family is safe…for now.

We still have a few other matters to deal with, but they can wait for now…for a few days at least. For once, I’m taking some time off to spend with my brothers and my love. I’m going to relax and enjoy their company, something I haven’t done for years.

We are going to heal. Together.

Chapter Fifty-Seven

ROXY

Washing blood away is harder than it sounds. I woke up a few hours later, hot and sticky and way too itchy from the blood in places it shouldn’t be, despite how hard Diesel had tried to remove it, not to mention my hair is now red and not silver. So leaving Garrett and Kenzo to cuddle, I head to my old room to shower. I’m only in my bra and knickers, so I drop them to the floor, knowing I will never wear them again, and step into my bathroom.

It’s strange how it all started in this room. When I woke up here, I thought it was going to be the end of my life, that this was where I would finally die. Now? It’s my home, and I have never felt more alive or loved, even when it hurts or it’s scary.

It’s strange how things turn out.

Flicking on the water, I step into the spray, shivering when it’s cold and waiting for it to warm up. I close my eyes, still tired, but also too wound up to sleep. My dreams are haunted from not reaching Garrett in time, and I see snippets of him dying under that blade while I’m screaming and trying to get to him, waking me over and over.

I jump when an arm slides around my throat from behind. When the scent of fire and smoke reaches me, I relax back into it with a smile as steam starts to fill the room. “Hey, hot stuff.”

“Hello, Little Bird,” he murmurs, licking my ear. “I’ve been busy, and now I need you.”

Turning in his embrace, I see the blood covering his naked body. I don’t ask whose, but there is something about a naked Diesel coated in blood that has my pussy clenching. His blond hair is sticky and matted with it, his lips tipped up in that cocky, crazy smile.

Maybe it’s the fact that I almost lost them. Maybe it’s the fact that I need to feel alive, to feel them in my arms. Replace that blood on my hands with their skin and love. Or maybe I’m just fucked up and constantly want to screw their brains out. But I fling myself at him, and he catches me with a laugh, his hands going to my arse and squeezing as he walks us backwards until my back hits the wall, hard. I gasp as my breath is pushed from me, my ribs still weak, as he smashes his lips to mine.

I taste cigarettes and blood on his lips and groan, searching for more as our tongues tangle. Our bodies become slippery with the spray cascading down on us, washing us free of our sins for just a moment.