“Don’t get me wrong, Bishop, he’s not a great kid. He’s caused me a great deal of problem. Probably makes your older boy look like a saint. I don’t know what that makes you. For me, I think it makes you worse than fucking scum. My boy pisses me off. I can’t fucking stand him, and I wonder why I didn’t kill him when he was first born, but you see, he’s still my boy. He’s still my flesh and blood, and if anyone so much as lays a finger on him, they have to come through me. While you will let anyone hurt your boy to save face.”

“What is it you want?” O’Klaren asked. “If you’ve come to spew lies…”

“Oh, they’re not lies. Believe me, I wouldn’t come up against you without having proof.” He stepped away from the car and stepped right up into his face.

He was taller than O’Klaren. If he wanted to, he could snap his neck with his bare hands, but where was the fun in that?

“You put your hands on Robin.”

O’Klaren burst out laughing. “Now I didn’t see that one coming. Have you got a thing for the girl? Is that it, Caleb? You’ve got the hots for some underage pussy.”

Grabbing O’Klaren hard, Preacher slammed him against the car. He held his arm at an odd angle.

“You know I thought about what I’d do to you. If I’d take out an arm or cut out your tongue, but I decided I like having the power here. You see, what I do tonight, you’re not going to tell another living soul, O’Klaren, because if you do, I will make sure all the relevant people know what kind of scumbag they are dealing with. Push me, and you’ll see.” Turning him just right, he drew his foot up and slammed it down on O’Klaren’s leg.

The snap filled his senses, followed by the unmistakable sound of his scream.

Preacher smiled.

This was what he wanted to hear.

It was perfection.

Letting him drop to the ground, he held his hair, making him look at him.

“Now, I’m only going to warn you this once and it will be up to you if you take this warning. If you ever so much as come near Robin again, you ask her questions, try to get anything out of her, I will break your other leg, and then I’ll shatter your hand. You want to play hardball with me, then you come to me. Don’t be a fucking coward hiding behind your badge. It’s … tacky.”

Getting to his feet, he walked over to his bike.

“This isn’t over,” O’Klaren said. “You’re not going to win. I always win”