Aiden Harper

Colliding forces

Valentino

My cousins and I waited until dark to carry out Raymond's plan to deal with two snakes. It was better if he left revenge to the pros. Raymond explained about rattlesnakes and copperheads to us. Their fangs carry their venom. A rattlesnake will shake its rattle before striking. You won't encounter copperheads until you're right on them.

Raymond used a tranquilizer dart to keep the snakes from biting us. Once he had sedated them, we loaded the traps and bolt cutters in Ryan's SUV's cargo area. We had two hours max before the snakes roused from their slumber.

Gloria gave us the address to the house and told us where the psycho bitch was hiding. We climbed into the SUV and headed to the address.

We parked a few houses down from the Rueben's house, got out, and grabbed the traps. Nathan and Noah took the traps behind the house and waited for the signal. Nix and Nolan checked to see if anyone was home.

"Bingo," Nolan said before climbing down from Nix. "That asshole is wandering around his house, tugging at his hair."

"Only because he doesn't have his patsy here," Nix said before looking at me. "Do your worst, Nash."

I nodded and found the electric panel. I removed the cover, grabbed the wires, and released a surge of energy. The lights flickered before going out. I replaced the cover and headed to Nathan and Noah.

We heard footsteps move from the door.

Nix grabbed the hand and ripped it off before tossing it away. "People really need to use better quality materials when they build houses."

We smirked and entered the house. We checked to ensure the coast was clear and moved quickly through the house with the traps. We located the area with the hidden room. Nathan, Noah, and Nolan stayed with the traps while Nix and I searched for Daddy Dearest. Finding him in the basement with a flashlight checking the breaker box didn't take long.

We moved quickly until we stood behind him. He flipped all the breakers back and forth without success.

"This guy is a certifiable idiot," Nix said.

Daddy Dearest stopped and slowly turned to us. He gasped as I grabbed his arm and gave him a jolt, dropping him. I lifted him and carried him over my shoulder while we returned to the area with a hidden room. Nathan kicked a chair toward us when he spotted us entering. I placed Daddy Dearest in the chair while Nix bound and gagged him.

With Daddy Dearest secured, we waited until a door with a bookshelf opened. When the psycho bitch saw us, she yanked the door shut and bolted it.

"Why must everyone make things more difficult for us?" Nix asked.

"They enjoy suffering more." I shrugged with my arms folded across my chest. "Go get the snake. We're wasting time waiting on this stupid bitch."

"With pleasure." Nix smirked, approaching the door and leaning into it. "Ollie, Ollie, oxen free. Come out, come out." Nix straightened up. "Or not." He grabbed the fake bookcase, released massive energy, and made the door explode, leaving a gigantic gaping hole in the wall. He disappeared into the room.

"Get away from me!" She screamed.

"Apparently, you didn't understand the assignment when we first explained it. How about a refresher course?" Nix dragged the bitch out of the hidden room by her hair.

She clawed at Nix's hand to get him to release her. "Let me go!"

"Sweetheart, you're lucky I'm being nice." Nix shoved her away.

She tripped and fell to the floor while rubbing her hand and wincing.

While Nathan and Noah cut the trap with the bolt cutter to free the sleeping snakes, I took determined steps toward the bitch and picked her up by the throat. Her eyes bulged as I yanked her face to mine.