Fractured Brotherhood (Devil's Knights 2nd Generation 7)

“How nice to see you again, Zag.” Malcom let out a manic laugh. “I guess you didn’t see me much the last time, right?”

Malcom stood in the threshold between the kitchen and living room with a vest of explosives strapped to his chest.

Tess stood five feet away from him with her hands in the air, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Let her go, Malcom. She has nothing to do with this,” I growled.

Malcom laughed. “You know what, you’re right.” He smacked the side of his head. “She wasn’t a part of this plan, but something happened when I saw her at the gas station. I took her because it felt right.”

“Let her go.”

Malcom smiled and shook his head. “You see, I would, but you changed everything.” He motioned between Tess and me. “You decided to fuck her, so now I gotta kill her. You connected her to the Devil’s Knights because you can’t keep your dick in your pants. Just like back in high school. You and your piece of shit brother fucked anything that wore a skirt.”

He stepped toward Tess, and she let out a startled scream.

“Don’t touch her,” I warned.

“What the fuck are you going to do about it?” he asked. He motioned to the explosives. “I’m in charge, Riley. I’m the one who is finally calling the shots. I have been for the past months, and it’s been fucking killing you guys. You guys think you run this town, and we’re all supposed to just bow down to you.” He shook his finger at me. “Not fucking happening anymore.” His finger hovered over a red button on the vest. “All I need to do is press this button, and you’re good as dead. Finally.”

“You couldn’t do the job last time. What makes you think you can do it this time?” I asked.

A sick smile spread across Malcom’s face. “I’ve got wheels in motion. Ones I know you guys can’t stop.”

I quirked my eyebrow. What did that mean?

“Your brother played right into my hands. I couldn’t fucking believe how easy it was to make it all happen.”

“What are you talking about?” I shouted. What had he done to Zig or Frost? He had to be talking about Zig, though. I had just spoken to Frost.

Malcom tsked. “The club will find out about Ryan eventually. He’s going to be my surprise from the grave. You, not so much.” Malcom balled his fists up and then smashed them together. “Booooom.”

Tess let out a strangled cry. “P-p-please.”

“Please what, bitch?” Malcom shouted. “I’m gonna die with along with you, so quit your fucking crying. I’m going to make sure you’re dead, and nothing is going to stop me.”

Malcom stepped toward Tess and trailed his finger down her cheek. “I should have made you mine when mom and dad were married. You could have been so easy train.”

Tess reared back, and Malcom lunged for her.

His attention was off of me.

I grabbed the gun tucked in the back of my waistband and fired off two quick shots. Malcom jerked backward, and blood splattered all over Tess.

He staggered to the side and then stumbled forward. His hand jerkily moved toward the button on his vest, but Tess grabbed his arm.

“No,” she screamed.

I shot across the living room and grabbed his other arm. I twisted it behind his back and took his other arm from Tess.

“Let go, babe,” I coaxed.

She had a death grip on his arm, and her teeth were clenched.

“Baby,” I called. “I can take care of him.”

Her eyes connected with mine, and she blinked rapidly. “He’s not going to hurt us again,” she whispered.

I nodded my head. “You’re right, Tess. He’s not going to hurt us.”

She let go of his arm and stumbled back.

I wrenched his arms behind his back, and his legs gave out from under him. He pitched forward where the detonation button was on the explosives.

“No!” Tess screamed. She shot forward and pushed his shoulders back.

“We gotta lay him down on his back, baby.”

A slow gurgle bubbled from Malcom, and he groaned.

“I don’t think he’s dead,” Tess screeched.

“He is.” There was no way Malcom would survive the two bullets I had embedded in his forehead.

Blood seeped out of his lips, and his head lolled forward.

I pulled him backward, and his back hit the floor.

Tess took two giant steps backward but didn’t take his eyes off Malcom. “Are you sure he is dead?”

No doubt in my mind.

Malcom West was finally dead.

“Go out and grab my phone from the chair on the front porch,” I ordered Tess.

She moved toward the door but didn’t take her eyes off of me. “Maybe you should shoot him again,” she suggested.

It was tempting, but I didn’t need to. “Phone, baby. We need to get the police here.”

She nodded and slipped out the door. She was back five seconds late and tossed the phone to me. “What do you want me to do?” she asked.

I sent off a quick text to King and Hero and then dialed 9-1-1.

“You can go wait on the porch, baby. You don’t need to be in here.”

She shook her head. “I’m not leaving you.”

The 9-1-1 operator connected the call, and I let him know what had happened and where the police needed to come. He asked if I wanted to stay on the phone until the police arrived, but I didn’t.

I ended the call and called for Tess.

“What?”