Chapter 53

Chapter 53
Ryker

The nurse would come and care for Iris, while my security and I go deal with Claud. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on him. Usually, I would just send my men, but this time I was going too. Iris watched as I jumped up off the couch and headed for the large picture in the dining room. I don't think she had ever seen me open it. She didn't know the weaponry that laid beneath the safe in the wall. She only knew of the pistol she had seen me use. I wasn’t using something that could be traced. I wanted them to find Claud. I wanted the Punishers to know that Lorcane was back, and hell bent on taking them down. This time though, I wouldn't be sitting in a court room in a suit and tie. This time I would be watching the light leave their eyes.  As I armed myself with precision, I felt the weight of his resolution settle heavily on my shoulders. Every movement was deliberate, every action purposeful, as though the ritual itself steadied my focus. He glanced at Deacon, his silent but steadfast ally, whose preparation mirrored his own. Their bond required no words—Deacon understood, as he always did. My gaze briefly flicked toward Iris, seated on the loveseat, her delicate frame wrapped in a blanket. Her worried eyes followed my every move, but she said nothing. I recognized the mix of emotions in her expression: fear, admiration, and an unspoken plea for my safe return. 

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to look away. I couldn’t afford to falter now. Protecting Iris meant taking action, even if it meant stepping into the darkness that had always loomed just beyond my control. Lorcane, my darker persona, had to handle this. The Ryker Iris met at the university no longer present. I smiled at Iris, trying to calm her before heading out with Deacon. “I will be back. I promise. This...” I walked over and pointed to a bandage she still wore, “cannot go unpunished.” She nodded slightly and I kissed her gently on the lips. The softness in her kiss made me ache to stay behind and feel get skin, but I had to leave. The nurses knock on the door was our cue to leave. I kissed her one last time before walking towards the door. When the nurse was sitting with her, checking her bandages, I smiled at her again. “We’ll be back Babygirl. Get some rest.” I said softly before following Deacon out the door.  

As the door clicked shut behind me, the quiet of the house faded into the background, replaced by the rising storm within. I carried with me the hope that, when I returned, the man Iris believed in—the man who had held her so tenderly—would still exist, unbroken by what I knew I would be forced to do...again. We met the other’s outside. Andrew stood with vests for us to put on. “I think they have men guarding him boss. He is a bitch like that.” I shook my head in agreement, feeling the fire build inside me. “We will take two SUVs, bullet proof, and head in the direction of the safe house.” Andrew pointed to a map on the top of the large black vehicle. “How do we know for sure he is here?” I asked, wanting to be sure we are heading after the right person. Andrew smiled up at me. “When am I never not sure boss?” He had a point. I rolled my eyes and smacked him on the back. “Welp! What are we waiting for? It's time to go hunting boys!”  The moment those words left my lips; I saw Deacon’s eyes dart to me. That was something I said before. Before I went to the university and cleaned up my act. When I left Lorcane behind. I acted as if I didn't see his judging eyes. Deacon is head of my security, yes, but he is also like family, so he gets away with those looks more than others. “Who do we have on the house? We need people here guarding the treasure.” I said as we loaded up in the vehicle. Andrew assured me that Iris and the nurse would be guarded heavily. The men he put there would die to keep them safe. Thats all I needed to hear.  

Inside the SUV, the tension was palpable, each man weighed down by the gravity of their mission yet propelled by a resolve that left no room for hesitation. My gaze hardened, my mind calculating every possible outcome as we sped toward Claud's safe house. The rhythmic hum of the bulletproof vehicle was overpowered by the quiet determination that enveloped its passengers. Deacon, sitting opposite of me, occasionally glanced at me, I could see his loyalty etched into every line of his face. My fingers tightened around the grip of my weapon, the weight of justice—or perhaps vengeance—heavy in my hand. As we approached our destination, a sense of foreboding tightened in the air, but I welcomed it. This was no longer just a mission; it was a reckoning. For Iris, for every scar she bore, and for every tear she shed in silence, I knew we had to remind Claud—and the Punishers—what it meant to cross Lorcane. When the SUVs slowed to a stop, we disembarked, our movements synchronized, our focus unwavering. I stepped forward, the air crackling with the silent promise of retribution as I led them toward the shadows of the safe house.  

My team moved as one, our steps silent yet deliberate, the weight of purpose hanging heavy in the thickened air. The safe house loomed ahead, its battered frame concealed in shadows, but to me, it was illuminated with every dark memory of betrayal and fear I had vowed to erase. Deacon signaled a halt, his sharp gaze sweeping the perimeter as we all fell into formation, our weapons ready, yet our movements betraying a steely calm. WE knew to trust Deacon and Andrew in a situation like this. This wasn’t our first breach. My own grip tightened on my gun, the cold metal an anchor to the fury brewing just beneath the surface. With a nod from Andrew, we began to advance, slipping through obscurity like predators stalking their prey. The closer we got, the more the house seemed to pulse with unease—a tangible warning from the depths of the night. My mind raced with scenarios, my calculated precision interwoven with the raw fire of vengeance as I led the group to the entrance. In one swift motion, the door was breached, the silence giving way to chaos as shadows erupted into confrontation. My resolve solidified, my movements fierce yet controlled, as my darker self-awakened to deliver the reckoning promised in every step that brought me closer to Claud.

The loud bangs and flashes of gunfire lit up the dark rooms. Everyone caught off guard, obviously not prepared to take on a team like the one I have. Some men laid with blood pouring from their thigh, others wouldn’t feel pain ever again. I looked over to Deacon as we come upon the last room in the house. All other rooms had been cleared so either Andrew got bad information, or Claud is inside the last small room. My heart started pounding and I wasn’t sure what we were walking in on, but I knew I was ready to face the monster who so willingly abused my sweet Iris. We decided to open the door and slowly enter the room. The two men guarding Claud sat down their weapons clearly not willing to die for him. My men took them outside, leaving Claud with only Deacon and me.