Breaking Boundaries (5th in Breaking Series)

Chapter Twenty-nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Go to hell, Brody Atkinson," Burt spat through his chattering teeth.

Brody chuckled and tossed down the match before squishing it beneath the toe of his boot, "I probably will but I can guarantee that you're gonna get there first."

Burt's hand went to his hip and it was clear he planned on pulling his gun and going down quickly while hopefully taking someone with him. Aiden laughed outright at the dumbfounded expression on the other man's face when he found nothing but an empty holster on his gun belt, "Where's my gun?" Burt demanded.

Brody reached to his back and pulled the .38 revolver out of the waistband of his pants. He looped his pinky through the trigger guard and dangled the gun in front of the bars of Burt's cell, "This gun?"

Burt stumbled back, seeming to realize he was completely at their mercy, "How did you....."

"I didn't," Brody shrugged and put the gun back in his waistband. "My hyperactive brother-in-law did."

"That would be me," Ryder tipped his hat with a huge grin on his face as he bowed deeply, "I have many talents and that is but one of them."

Aiden enjoyed seeing the panic written in Burt's features. He was trembling, shaking and sweat was forming on his brow, "What do you want?" Burt questioned, the tremors coursing through his body causing his voice to shake.

"Just to talk," Brody assured him as he slid the key into the lock with a clink of metal on metal.

"And if you believe that I've got some ocean front property in California to sell you," Ryder grinned.

Thomas frowned, "California does have ocean front property."

Ryder shrugged, "Sure but I don't own any of it."

As the cell door opened and the five men advanced into the cell, Burt stumbled backward until he was pressed against the stone wall. His eyes were wide and frantic as they darted back and forth clearly looking for a way to escape.

Aiden was unsure what to do as he stood there awkwardly. He wanted to see Burt pay but he wasn't certain he had what it took to torture a man himself.

"Burt, we know you had something to do with the fire at the ranch. Why don't you tell us who was working with you?" Brody asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Burt argued, though the way his tongue nervously shot out and licked his lips said something entirely different.

Brody nodded and for a moment Aiden thought the other man was going to turn and leave. Then without warning, Brody's fist shot out and he brought that iron ring of keys down hard on Burt's cheek. Burt yelled out in pain as the skin along his jaw split open and blood began to run down his neck.

"You crazy son of a bitch!" Burt yelled as he held his hands up to protect himself and cowered against the wall.

"If you already think he's crazy then you're gonna be shittin' bricks in about five minutes," Ryder assured Burt as he reached up and grabbed the ceiling support beam.

"Did you burn my house down?" Jacob snapped as he stepped forward.

Burt's eyes went to Aiden and then he swallowed hard and nodded, "Yes. Me and two friends. We were just trying to clean out the riffraff."

Aiden knew this would get a bad reaction and end with Burt being hurt. What he didn't anticipate was that it would be Jacob doing the hurting. Jacob let out a guttural roar of anger and threw himself at Burt. The two men crashed against the wall and everyone stood there in a state of shock as Jacob tackled Burt to the ground and began throwing punch after punch.