by Erin Trejo
Creed rounds us up before he talks.
“We go in, we do our shit, and we get out. We take what we can haul in the van, and we roll. Watch your asses. We don’t know what kind of wirin’ these motherfuckers put up since we were here last. Trip that shit, and I can promise, we won’t be taken you home with us.” Looking around at the guys, they all smile.
They know the risks, we all do. We came into this club knowing that we may never make it back out alive.
“Let’s move.” When Creed finishes speaking, I make my way to the head of the group with Torch on my ass. It’s good to know that he’s by my side. Torch is a complete fucking lunatic, but a lunatic that I can trust with my life.
Making our way across the small field doesn’t take long. My stomach knots up, and at first I think it’s because of the kid, but there’s more, I can feel it.
Making entry into the warehouse was easy, too easy. I watch as we advance into the shit hole. This place is almost as nasty as the place I found Jersey in.
“Up.” Whispering to Torch, his eyes move to follow mine. I can see the trip wires in place, and there are a shit ton of them.
Stopping, I crouch down and turn to motion to the guy’s behind me. Once I see they all know what’s up there, I turn around and start moving again.
I see the kid at a table not far from me. My heart is beating so fast; I feel as if I’m going to explode. I’ve never felt this before on a kill. It’s new, and I don’t fucking like it.
Sneaking up behind him, I grab the kid around the neck before whispering in his ear.
“You scream, I shoot.” Nodding his head rapidly, I know he isn’t going to make a sound.
As soon as the guy’s start moving in, the kid speaks.
“There’s more. In the back.” Tilting my head to look at him, I assess his look. He isn’t lying, and we just walked into a goddamn ambush.
Shots ring out all around me before I’m knocked back.
It all goes black.
Chapter 39
Tank
Shots ring out and echo through the warehouse. They came out of nowhere. We all ducked and got behind anything that we possibly could use as a shield.
“CREED!” Hollering, I need to make sure he’s ok. I saw Ryker go down, but I couldn’t tell if he was hit or not.
My hearts ready to burst when I hear him.
“I’m good! Torch?” We wait through the shots until we hear it.
“HIT, BUT GOOD!” Only he would say he was hit, but good, crazy fuck.
“Ryker’s down!” Yelling over the shots, I know we need to move in. If we don’t, we are going to be on the losing end of this battle.
“Get Ryker out! I’m flankin’ these motherfuckers!” Torch’s voice booms through the warehouse before I catch a glimpse of him moving. My eyes dart around trying to spot Ryker.
When I do see him, he’s lying there with the kid on top of him.
“Son of a bitch.” Growling, I pull out my other gun and stand. I start blasting away at anything that moves. I can see Torch off to the side taking guys out left and right. They outnumber us, but I can’t figure out how.
They were a smaller club than we were. There’s no way in hell that Rit patched in that many people.
Sliding across the floor to where Ryker is laying, I drop onto my knees. I look for any signs that he’s been shot.
“What the fuck? Tank, you smell that?” When I hear Creed screaming, I sniff. Fuck me!
“It’s gas boys! Get Ryker and pull the fuck back! I’ll hold them off!” Torch yells before I start to shake Ryker slightly.
“Come on brother. Jersey will kill me if I don’t get your ass home.” Ryker grunts but doesn’t open his eyes. There’s a lot of blood coming from the back of his head.
“CREED!” Within seconds of my yelling Creed’s next to me.
“Fuck man!”
“Get the kid. I got Ryker.” Creed drags the kid up and hoists him onto his back, as I do the same with Ryker.
“Son of a bitch you need to stop workin’ out.” As if he can hear me, it’s true. This asshole feels like a solid 180 pounds of pure fucking muscle.
“RUN!” Torch screams over the noise that echoes through here. It’s so fucking loud, my ears are ringing.
With Ryker on my back, I push myself harder toward the door. As soon as my feet touch the earth outside an explosion rocks the ground beneath me.
I’m thrown through the air forcing my grip on Ryker to fail. I lose him right before I slam into the hard earth below me.
My back burns and my head spins. Blinking rapidly, I try to make out my surroundings. I see Joey leaning over someone, but all I hear is a buzzing in my ears.
Joey looks over at me, his mouth’s moving, but I’m in a complete haze.
Chapter 40
Creed
Because shit couldn’t get any worse, I roll over and look around to see Joey standing over someone.
“Who is it?” Shaking the dizziness I feel away, I try to stand but stumble.
“Stay down Creed! I’ll get you in a minute.” Joey screams as he rushes around. My head feels like it’s going to explode.
“Fuck off! Where’s Tank?” Blinking rapidly, I look around on the ground. I see Tank a few feet over, and try to stumble my way to him.
Dropping onto the ground he looks up at me.
“Fuck, Creed.” Tank blinks his eyes before pushing himself up. I can smell the burnt flesh, and I know it’s coming from him. This shit just went from bad to worse.
Gripping his hand, I pull him up as he sways. Looking over, I see Ryker opening his eyes.
Tank and I both move next to him as he looks up.
“The fuck was that shit?” His words are slurred and his eyes are glossy. He must have taken a bad hit to the head.
“Can you stand? We need to move.” Reaching for Ryker’s hand, I pull him up before I see the kid struggling to breathe.
“Shit!” The guys look over at me before following my gaze down to him.
“He’s chokin’ on his own fuckin’ blood.” Ryker bends down damn near falling before grabbing the gun that lies next to him. Standing up, Tank grabs his arm.
“I’ll do it.” I watch the two of them as they debate it amongst themselves. A silent agreement is made as Ryker shakes his head, he holds the gun out from his body.
Aimed at the kid’s head, I hear him whisper. “I’m sorry.”
We all jolt a little when the gun fires. I don’t understand why he said that, but it’s none of my business.
He slides the gun into the back of his jeans before he turns to look at me.
“Torch?” Swallowing hard, I shake my head. Ryker sucks in a breath before he walks away. There’s a trail of blood running down the back of his neck as I watch him go.
Tank slaps a hand on my shoulder before he speaks.
“Let’s go home brother.”
Tank walks off as I follow. My chest is tight and I can’t breathe. It’s Jason all over again. My heart screams and cries out from the pain. It’s a physical pain.
We all climb into the van and leave the bikes. Joey looks like he saw a ghost. This isn’t the way this should have played out. Not in a million years, did I see this coming.
“Good thing we drove the old bikes out here, yeah?” Ryker looks over with a sad smile on his face.
“Fuckin’ right on that one.” My heart’s not in it. We all know it. We all just try to hold the other one up.
“Are we ready? I heard sirens.” Glancing over at Joey, I nod.
We pull out leaving this mess behind us. Leaving one of our own behind us.
Chapter 41
Ryker
Pulling into the clubhouse parking lot, a somber feeling comes over me.
I just lost one of the best friends I had. As if losing Bone not that long ago wasn’t enough, now I lost Torch. My heart hurts more than I ever thought it could.
No one speaks as we climb out of the van, defeated. We set out to ge
t some C4, and ended up coming home with one less brother. It’s not right. It all feels wrong.
“I’ll call a meetin’ in the main room.” Creed speaks, but it’s like the words just float past me.
Opening the door, we all head inside to laughter and talking. As soon as Piper looks over at us, the room grows quiet. I don’t know if he said something or not. I can’t focus on anything.
“We need to talk. Everybody out here?” Creed speaks before he steps up next to the bar looking around at everyone.
“We’re all here.” Piper looks over at me, but I can’t meet his gaze. Looking around, I don’t see Jersey out here, and I’m not sure if I’m happy about that or not.
“We went on this run tonight not expectin’ any trouble, but that’s what we found. We lost one of our own brothers tonight.” Creed’s voice cracks before the tears spill down his face.
“Torch didn’t make it out. He took the hit for this club, for his brothers.” Shaking his head, he doesn’t say anything else before he moves straight toward Jada. Tank is gone, and I don’t see Joey anywhere.
Bella rushes toward me throwing herself in my arms.
“Oh God! Ryker.” She cries hysterically into my chest before I see Jersey walking down the hallway. Her eyes land on mine, and I can tell she knows something isn’t right. She looks around at everyone crying and holding each other before she rushes toward me.
Grabbing her with my free arm, I pull her against me.
“He’s gone, Torch is gone.” Jersey cries as Bella tries to pull away. I don’t let her though; I don’t know where Joey or her dad went. I won’t leave her alone, not now.
“I’m so sorry Ryker.” Jersey holds on tighter when I see Joey. He looks so lost as he looks around the room. I know he’s looking for Bella.
“Bella, Joey needs you sweetheart.” Bella pulls back looking up at me as my heart breaks further. Her little nod does little to reassure me of anything right now.
“I’m sorry Ryker.” With a quick kiss on the forehead, I send her off to be with Joey.
“I need to go in the room.” Jersey starts to pull back but I can’t let her. Instead, I lift her in my arms and carry her down the hallway. My heart feels like it’s in a million little pieces. How is life so cruel?
Closing the door, I set her down before moving toward Ansley’s crib. My little angel is laying there sleeping peacefully, then I pick her up, cradling her to my chest.
“What can I do?” Jersey watches me as I walk to the corner and sit on the floor.
Holding Ansley close to me, I rock back and forth with her.
“Just be with me Jersey. I feel like I’m fallin’ apart here.” My voice cracks but I don’t stop moving. I can’t. I feel like if I do, my world is going to crumble and fall apart.
Jersey moves to sit on her knees next to me before wrapping her arms around me and Ansley. She kisses my cheek so many times I lose count.
“I love you Ryker. I love you.” Her words repeat in my ear, soothing me as the rest of the world explodes into a million pieces.
Chapter 42
Tank
My chest tightens at the thought of what we have to do today. Burying one of our own is harder than I thought it would be.
“FUCK! We got company!” Creed hollers from his office as we all stand on alert now. What the fuck else could possibly happen?
Just as I’m about to ask him who the hell it is, the side doors fly open. Cops come rushing in from all angles with guns aimed directly at us.
“Guess I don’t need to ask what else could wrong, yeah?” Looking over at Creed, he shakes his head.
“On the ground!” The guy that appears to be heading this shit up screams as we all make our way to the floor.
“Don’t touch me!” Screams erupt from the hallway and I know its Cher. Turning my head, I see her. My little fighter. Her face is read with anger as the cop drags her out into the main room.
“Get on the ground.” He throws her to the floor which raises my blood pressure. As I start to get up, the butt of a gun connects with my eye. Son of a bitch!
“Stay down! You move again, I’ll shoot!” Getting back into position, I glance up at the asshole that just blacked my fucking eye.
“He throws my old lady around like a fuckin’ rag doll again, you will be shootin’.” Gritting my teeth, I want nothing more than to jump up off this floor and beat his ass.
“Tank, calm brother.” Creed hollers over at me before I hear him get hit next.
We lay there for a few minutes until all the women and kids are brought into the main room.
“Up now!” This little son of a bitch is pissing me off. We all climb up and look at each other, all cuffed behind our backs.
The grin that comes across my face just pulls at every part of my insides. This right here, is something Torch would have loved. He would have made it hell on these cops.
“Something funny?” The man steps into my face. He can’t be any bigger than 5’7’’ and maybe 145 pounds soaking wet. If I wasn’t cuffed, I’d snap his ass in half.
“There’s a lot funny. It all starts with you.” Smiling down at him, I can see the muscles in his jaw flex. He doesn’t like being talked down to.
“We have word that you boys may know something about a warehouse explosion. Anyone have anything to say about that?” Mr. Small Badge walks around stopping in front of each of us. He gets the same thing from all of us too, nothing but a grin.
“What kind of question is that?” Creed pulls the attention to himself as the guy’s just keep smiling.
“It seemed like a good one. There was a warehouse, it exploded. We heard it was you. That seems like a pretty easy one.” The man stands in front of Creed before his eyes jerk behind him.
“You! Come here.” Turning my head, I see he’s pointing at Jada. Oh hell, shits about to get serious.
Jada walks up next to Creed, with Heather in her arms. If he tries one fucking thing while she has that baby in her arms, I will fucking lose it.
“I know you. You didn’t run with Angel’s before.” Jada’s eyes jerk to Creed’s before they come back to rest on the man in front of her.
“Detective Richards. Never thought I would see you again.” The hatred that flows from her amuses me.
“I could say the same. How are you involved here?” Creed tries to side step the guy and get in between them, but Jada shakes her head at him. Swallowing hard, I watch her bulk up in front this guy.
“This is home. These people are my family. Let’s make that deal.” Confusion runs around the room. What the fuck just happened here?
Chapter 43
Creed
“What the hell are you talkin’ about Jada?” Looking over at her, she refuses to look at me.
“I don’t know if that offer is still open. You seem to have switched sides on us. We thought they killed you in all honesty.” The detective stands firm in Jada’s face, but the boldness that radiates from her sends my heart soaring.
Jada shrugs before she speaks again. “You call it changing sides; I call it finding my way home. You want the information or not?” The man looks amused at what’s taking place in front of him. I’m fucking confused.
“Jada, what the fuck is goin’ on?” Her eyes never break from his. It’s like a battle of the strongest minds here. I don’t know if I should be proud, or pissed.
“Keep your fucking mouth shut.” The man speaks to me but again, their eyes are connected. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say they were about to go head to head here.
“I got this Creed. Bella, come here please.” Turning slightly the guy nods to the other officer to let Bella come over here. Jada passes Heather off to Bella before turning back to the man.
“Let them go, and take me. I’ll give you everything I know.” I start to protest that, but Jada throws her hand up stopping me. Damn, I think I like this side of her. It turns me on bad!
“Can’t do that. You know as well as I do that you have to
be inside, at least for the minimum time. We have nothing to hold you on.” Jada’s lips curl into a devilish smile. Oh shit, this is not good.
Her little fists ball at her sides and I know exactly what she’s about to do.
Her hand pulls back before flying through the air. She nails the little prick right in the nose. Blood pours before the other guy tackles Jada.
“Don’t you fuckin’ hurt her!” The prick pulls a tissue from his pocket holding it to his face as Jada laughs.
The man yanks her up with her hands cuffed behind her back like the rest of us.
“I could have planted weed on you. Fucking hell.” The prick holds the tissue to his face as I look between the two of them. I don’t know what kind of past they have, but I sure as hell want to find out now.
“I figured you could too, but I enjoyed this a whole lot more.” Jada’s smile stays in place the whole time she watches him. When he turns around she looks over at me.
“What the hell was that, darlin’.” I can’t help it; I smile like a fucking fool. That was priceless.
“Long story. I’ll tell you later. I’m a little busy right now.” Jada steps toward me before I lean down and kiss her quickly.
“Move them out!” Prick yells again, but Jada tries to protest.
“Oh hell no! I said take me!” He shakes his head before he stands in front of her again.
“You’re going, trust me, but so are they.” Nodding toward the guy’s she smiles once again.
“We’ll see how far you get with that Richards.” Jada snarls before she turns and stands in her place in the line.
Shaking my head, I can’t believe she did that.
“Stop shaking your head Creed. I still have that old Jada in me.” Laughing, I follow the line out the door and to the waiting van.
Chapter 44
Ryker
Leaning against the wall in the cell with my arms crossed over my chest, I can’t stop thinking about Torch. It’s been four days. We’ve been in this hell hole the whole time. We have the club lawyer working on things, and we should be getting out anytime now.
