Affliction

“Well, let's hope they don’t end up in jail,” I reply, concerned at what they are about to do.

“God, that would be even hotter,” Kadence fans herself, making Hunter groan. “I swear the further along I get in this pregnancy, the hornier I become,” she continues, not fazed Hunter is sitting with us. I laugh, but it’s forced, because I can’t get out of my head that what the boys have gone to do is a mistake. I just hope it doesn’t blow back on us.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Sy

“You want to do this?” Nix asks me again as we take the elevator up to the fifteenth floor to the office of Barton Associates‬, Inc‬. After making a phone call to Jesse, he got us the details we needed to pay the golden child, Chad Morre, a not so friendly visit. The entire ride over to Redwick, I could feel my temper rising. Between the visit from the sheriff’s department three weeks ago, the bar being questioned with its licensing last week and being fucked around numerous times with traffic violations, I know this fucker is messing with us.

“The fucker marked my woman, Nix. I’m gonna do this,” I declare, not giving a shit who is around when we walk through those doors. When I walked into Happy Chef and saw the finger marks on Holly’s arm, I saw red. It took everything in me not to blow my top in the diner. Who the hell does this asshole think he is? Knowing she also had a panic attack as a result of it pushed me over the edge. I couldn’t even talk to her; couldn’t calm myself down enough to comfort her the way she needed.

“Excuse me, do you have an appointment?” The young receptionist behind the desk stands as we walk out of the elevator and straight past her.

“Don’t need one. Chad is expecting us.”

“He’s not taking any visitors at the moment,” she calls out but it doesn’t stop us.

“Open up, motherfucker,” Nix shouts, pounding on the locked door. He doesn’t give him a chance to reply before kicking the door in.

“What the fuck,” Chad stands from behind his desk. “Kathy, call the police,” he orders, looking past us to the woman who followed us in.

“Don’t call the police, Kathy,” I tell her calmly. “Go sit down there.” I point to the sofa along the wall outside the office. “And don’t move.” She looks between the two of us, then must realize the right decision and obeys without a fuss.

“What the hell do you want, Knight?” he finally asks, knowing he has to deal with us without hiding behind his father or the law.

“Got your message,” Nix informs him, walking in and taking a seat in front of his big fancy-ass table. The office is a decent size for someone with Chad's experience. Two deep burgundy leather sofas sit either side of a glass coffee table in the center of the room and the far wall is lined with a glass bookshelf. Chad stays behind his desk, his jaw ticking as he assesses his options. I stay at the door, nowhere near as calm as Nix. I swear if I move a muscle right now, I'll fucking kill him.

“Yes, well, I hope you take it seriously.” The asshole swallows, trying to stay composed. Not so tough now, fucker.

“The only thing I’m taking seriously right now is you. You and your hands that were on my woman, motherfucker,” I say, stepping farther into the room. I want to go to him, smash his face down on his expensive fucking desk but this needs to be played out carefully.

“Listen, your woman has a mouth on her. I can’t be held responsible if she doesn’t know when to shut it.” His smug smile is all it takes to push me over the edge. So much for staying calm. I stalk toward him, watching as he retreats back at my approach. I’ll teach him how to shut it.

“You touch me and I’ll have you locked up.” He backs himself into the wall and tries to throw his weight around, but his threats mean nothing to me.

“I don’t think he gives a fuck, Chad,” Nix says behind me. My hand comes out fast, grabbing him around the throat and pulling him closer.

“You want to put your hands on anyone, you put them on me, asshole,” I sneer and smash his head back into the wall. He grabs his head in pain, which opens him up for an attack to the side. My fist connects with his ribs, doubling him over in pain. The hit doesn't make me feel better when my woman's arm is holding his mark, but it slows some of the anger speeding through my veins.

“This is your warning, Chad,” Nix says when I pull him up by the neck again, pinning him to the wall. His fist comes out, connecting with my kidney, but not hard enough to have me doubling over. He starts screaming so I shut him up with my forehead down on the bridge of his nose. Blood gushes out everywhere, with what I assume is now a broken nose.

“Let me try again. This is your final warning, Chad. You need to forget about your wife, about the Knights Rebels and you need to forget we were even here. Because if you fuck with us again, fuck with our places of work, or if one hair on my wife or Sy’s woman’s head is touched, the next visit will end differently. Do you understand?” Nix asks, still sitting casually in the chair, arms crossed and looking like he’s enjoying Chad’s position.

Chad holds my gaze as his blood pours from his nose.

“I will find my wife. Fuck you both.” It’s official. The motherfucker is a dumb fuck.

My mind doesn’t think. Dragging him forward by the scruff of his shirt, I spin and use all my power, throwing him through the glass bookshelf against the wall.

“Wrong answer, asshole,” I spit out as he looks up at me, dazed. My boot comes to his throat and digs in a little bit harder. “Do you fucking understand?” I repeat Nix’s question.