The Butcher (Ruthless Sinners MC 10)

Damn. I was in for a long night.

EVERLEIGH

After goingto bed feeling completely flustered and barely sleeping a wink, I got up super early and took a long, hot shower. I took my time—washed my hair, and shaved my legs. When I got out, I went over to the mirror and checked my wounds. I was pleased to see that, while the skin still looked a little red and angry, they were healing. I was also pleased to find that they weren’t as tender as they’d once been, and I was able to move around without as much difficulty.

As I stood there looking at myself in the mirror, I couldn’t help but notice how out of control my hair had gotten. I desperately needed a trim, so I started searching the bathroom drawers for a pair of scissors. It took me a minute, but I eventually found a pair in the medicine cabinet.

I quickly combed out the wild strands into sections and prepared to start cutting. I was no hairdresser, but after a few precise cuts, I could already see an improvement. I continued trimming, and it wasn’t long before I’d finally managed to make it look presentable.

I cleaned up the mess I’d made, then decided it was time for coffee.

The house was eerily quiet as I stepped out of my room and walked into the kitchen. I hadn’t seen or heard Billy since the night before, and honestly, I was okay with that. I was growing frustrated with his hot then cold behavior, and after him banishing me back to the house, I was in no rush to see him. In hopes of avoiding him a little longer, I poured my cup of coffee and quietly carried it outside.

It was a beautiful morning. The sun was peaking over the fields, and a light mist hovered over the pond. I felt like I was being beckoned as I started down the steps and headed down to the dock. It didn’t take long for my mind to drift to my encounter with Billy the night before. It was just so unexpected, especially after the nice day we’d had. I finally felt like I was getting to know him, but our exchange proved I didn’t really know him at all.

The thought had me feeling restless, so I decided to take a little walk. I left the dock and was making my way around to the back of the house when I spotted a concealed door to the basement—the exact spot where I’d seen Billy the night before. I don’t know what I was hoping to find, but I wandered over and started looking around.

I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, so I turned and started back to the house. I’d only taken a couple of steps when I noticed something shimmering in the grass. I knelt down, and my heart sank when I picked the gold necklace up and found that it had St. Christopher pendant—just like the one Matteo wore.

A smile swept across my face as I remember the day I spotted it tucked beneath the collar of his shirt.

The second he noticed me looking at it, he reached inside his button-down and pulled out the pendant, holding it up for me to get a better view. “It’s Saint Christopher.”

I leaned in for a better look. “It’s beautiful.”

“You heard of him?”

“Yeah, back when I was a kid.” I thought for a moment, then added, “He’s supposed to protect you when you’re traveling or something, right?”

“That’s right.” Matteo smiled as he told me, “My grandfather gave it to me when he found out I was moving to America. He believed Christopher would protect me while I’m away from home.”

“That’s such a sweet thought.”

“Yeah, it meant a lot to me.” He flipped it over, showing me the initials MWE, as he said, “He even had it engraved for me.”

“That’s so nice. Your grandfather must’ve been a...”

The sound of footsteps cut me off before I could finish my sentence. Matteo’s back stiffened as he quickly tucked the necklace back inside his shirt. And just like that, our brief conversation was over.

I looked down at the gold pendant in my hand, and as I ran my finger over the image of Saint Christopher, I wondered how such a beautiful necklace had ended up in Billy’s backyard. At first, I thought Billy must’ve lost it, but then I turned it over.

My blood ran cold the second I saw the initials MWE engraved on the back. I knew without a doubt that it was Matteo’s necklace, but I had no idea how it had gotten here. I couldn’t help but wonder if something bad had happened to the handsome, happy-go-lucky guy who whispered secrets when no one was looking. I was trying to make sense of it when I heard Billy say, “Everleigh? What are you doing out here?”

"I was just out taking a walk.” I stepped over to him and extended my hand, revealing the necklace. “I was about to head back inside when I found this.”

He took it from my hand and studied it for a moment, then said, “Where did it come from?”

“I was about to ask you the same thing.”

“I have no idea.”

“I think you do.” I reached for the necklace and turned it over in his hands. “You see these initials?”

His eyes narrowed with uncertainty as he replied, “Yeah, what about them?”

“Well, those initials belong to Matteo. He works for DeLuca, and he was my only friend. This is his necklace. He wore it every day.”

“It’s just a necklace, Everleigh. It could be anybody’s, and those initials could belong to anyone.”