by Franca Storm
Time to change that.
“What are you gonna—”
Jesse’s words caught in his throat as I reached an intersection and smashed my foot down on the gas, pushing the truck to its limit. We ripped through it, running the red lights.
The SUV followed my lead.
Just as I’d predicted, it snapped them into action, and shots rang out. The bulletproof windows shuddered from the thunderous attack of their automatic fire.
“What the hell kind of plan is this? I knew you were on the edge, but I didn’t think you’d gone so far as to lose your mind!”
Trying to hang on to anything he could, and looking like he was trying hard not to throw up everywhere, Jesse continued shouting.
I just zoned out and shoved it into the background. I had to focus, had to make sure I did this at the exact right moment.
The SUV sped up, getting ready to rear-end us.
Like hell.
I hit the brakes, jerked the wheel to the left, making a crazy-ass U-turn. I managed to keep control of the truck as it burned rubber, screeching into the left-hand lane, making a full one-eighty.
And then a shot rang out. I heard a loud pop, then the truck jerked real violent, making it swerve hard to the right. They’d blown out a tire. I couldn’t hold it at the speed I was going and moving any slower woulda had them right on our tail again.
I had to pull over.
“What are you doing?” Jesse called.
The SUV sped on by for a few seconds before coming to a sudden stop, then reversing at rapid speed.
My training kicked in as I brought the truck to a stop and killed the engine.
“Get out. Now. On this side. Take cover on the driver’s side of the truck,” I told Jesse.
His eyes went wide as he took in the SUV coming for us, gunfire ripping.
“Now!” I barked, needing to light a fire under his ass.
He was falling for the trick your mind played on you of making you think you’d be safer inside the vehicle. Despite it being bulletproof, we’d be sitting ducks, losing our only chance of escape if I couldn’t fight our way through the guys coming for us. For all I knew, the assholes could have explosives. No simple civilian vehicle could withstand that kinda hit, not even our tricked-out bulletproof one.
As we hauled ass outta the truck, taking cover on the driver’s side, I pulled my gun.
And then I waited.
When I heard it slowing down, nearing us, I took my first shot, firing at the shooter who had his rifle shoved outta the left rear passenger window. I heard a shrill cry as I ducked down behind the cover of the truck again, then the thud of his weapon hitting the road.
With that distraction in place, I fired off two shots, one at each of the front tires, blowing them to hell. They weren’t going nowhere.
They had no choice. They’d have to get out and face us on foot. Vulnerable and open. On even ground with us.
Sure enough, two guys climbed out through the right side doors. I caught sight of the one I’d shot, stumbling out and clutching his right upper arm, blood trickling down over his fingers. The other was armed with a M16. He pushed the injured guy behind him, then I watched closely as he started to take a shooting stance. He was too slow about it and I fired off a shot before he could even take aim. I wasn’t messing around and the bullet drove into his fucking skull, blowing a chunk out of it and killing him instantly.
I heard Jesse cursing beside me as he did hell knew what on his phone, all frantic about it.
A sudden move from the right side of the SUV caught my eye. Another two guys were making a move to get out, the driver I’d identified earlier included.
I worked a hunch and fired a shot at the driver’s side window. Just as I’d thought. The assholes were way too cocky, believing in their own invincible press. The SUV wasn’t bulletproof and the bullet shot out the window, tore through the driver’s shoulder, sending him falling back and clutching his wound.
I had one down, two injured. One still unharmed. It was nowhere close to being over yet.
That was made even more clear as I watched the injured driver drop out of the vehicle to join his other two teammates who were still breathing.
“Stay here, keep low,” I told Jesse.
“My crew is on their way to clean this up,” he told me, typing away furiously on his phone. “Don’t get yourself killed, or it’s going to make it even messier than it already is.”
I grinned. Funny bastard.
Edging my way around to the bumper, braced to duck for cover, my gun at the ready, I made my way over to the two wounded hostiles. Their groans and heavy-booted footsteps were giving their exact positions away. Fools. I had on a hefty pair of motorcycle boots myself and I was jacked, but I could move like a ghost when I needed to. Hell, I was the one who’d taught that shit to Finn back in the day. Sure, he’d gone way beyond me now, but I could still bring it when I needed to.
I reached the end of my cover and burst forward, rounding the enemy’s SUV in split seconds.
The driver was the closest and I reacted quick, as he fingered his gun with his good arm, and I fired off a shot through his temple. He dropped like a ragdoll.
The guy I’d shot when this had first started came at me in a fury, because I’d killed his buddy. He was unsteady with the amount of blood his was losing, making it easy for me to strike. I pistol-whipped him, then thrust my elbow back into the chest of the unharmed guy who was coming in hot. Damn, he looked like he was so pumped up on steroids that he’d burst any fucking second. He grunted as his jaw snapped back, making him stumble away a couple of steps.
It was all I needed to buy time to finish off the first guy, sweeping my boot at his ankles. He lost his footing and landed with a hard thud on the concrete. I fired off a shot to the skull, ending him instantly. Steroid came at me with a roar then. I turned into the attack and threw him over my shoulder. As soon as he hit the ground, I slammed my boot down into his ribs, cracking a couple in the process. Then I took him out, too, a shot through the fucking head again.
I stepped back, breathing all heavy, sweat pouring off me from the sudden, rapid-fire movements I’d just carried out. It had been a while since I’d done it in a real, down ‘n’ dirty fight like that.
It’d been a hell of a long time since I’d killed like that.
And it weren’t sitting well with me.
But with who they were, there weren’t no choice. If I’d let them go, they just woulda kept coming. Guys like them didn’t stop once they got their target in their sights. Never. And they didn’t just stay on their target either. They used and went after everybody and everything that mattered to their target. And I weren’t gonna let none of this bull come back on my family.
A hand landed on my shoulder, jarring me from my thoughts. I spun outta it and looked out at Jesse eyeing me.
“You all right?” he asked, hesitantly.
“I did what I fucking had to,” I croaked out, hating the grating emotion in my voice as I spat out the words.
“I know. Believe me, I know those kind of guys just as well as you do. You had no choice.”
I took a breath and leaned against their SUV. “How many more am I gonna need to put to ground?”
“We’ll find out and we’ll deal with it.”
“Yeah,” I muttered.
In the next second, I pushed off the SUV.
I shoved everything down, compartmentalizing, just like I’d been trained to years back.
“Let’s get Knox and end this before it really starts.”
***
I’m coming, motherfucker.
As we stalked down the hallway, I shot another look around, checking our surroundings, making damned sure all was clear and there weren’t no witnesses up and about.
It was dark, only one wildly flickering lightbulb losing the fight to light up the area.
The heating was shot to hell, everything cold and damp.
And it smelled like piss.
Run-down didn’t cover it.
Most of the apartments were open and empty, even those people in the worst straights knowing this place was beneath them.
The elevator was busted, so we’d come up the stairs. While I’d taken them two at a time, Jesse had struggled behind me trying to keep up, or maybe trying to slow me down, as he warned me over and over to take it easy, to calm down.
Calm down? Not fucking likely.
There mighta been a chance, a real small chance of me holding back, at least until it was the right time to unleash everything I’d been bottling up. But now, after the bull Knox had pulled, the fucked-up road he’d gone down, calling them in, there was no way in hell.
I’d been right all along.
I shoulda gone after him right away. No cool-off period. No stupid-ass timeout. It woulda been easier when the trail was hot. And he never woulda got the chance to reach out to Drew Hammer.
To Knox, they were just distractions to keep me busy and away from him.
But, to me, they were a huge threat to everybody I cared about. The fact they were tied to Finn made it even worse. It could risk him being exposed, fuck with him and my baby girl.
Reaching the apartment we’d been looking for, I was all ready to go in hard and fast in classic Wrecker style, when Jesse shoved me outta the way.
He pulled something from his pocket and slapped it over the lock.
A split second later, he was whispering, “It’s open.”
“You picked it? With that thing?” I asked, eyeing the small metallic disc that had a bunch of even smaller prongs sticking outta it.
He shoved it back into one of the many pockets of his tactical pants, then blocked my way again when I tried to burst on through the door.
“We blew off our recon on this place after that SUV attack, so we could hopefully get here in time before Knox got word about us taking out his protection. Now that means we don’t know what we’re walking into. So, I need you to hold it together, be the coolheaded guy I know you to be. The smart guy. Lock up all the other crap.” At my fierce look, he held up his hand and added, “For now.”
With a grunt, I forced a nod of agreement.
I pointed at his gun that was still holstered at his hip. “Cock that fucking thing and watch my six.”
As he drew it and got into position, I stepped up to the door. Turning the handle slowly, I signaled him. One. Two. Three.
I eased it open until there was just a slight crack to see inside.
No threat in immediate area.
I opened it enough to slide inside and flatten my back against the nearest wall, my gun at the ready as I scanned down the tight corridor. There were a couple of doors on the left, then a straight run to what looked like a living room, a worn-down couch and just the edge of a TV unit visible.
I signaled to Jesse that it was all good and to follow me in, keeping on my six.
And then I started to clear the place like I’d been trained to.
Every room I came across was empty. No clothes. No personal items. Just big furniture like couches, bookcases, and shelves.
We came to the last room.
Based on what I’d seen so far, it had to be the bedroom of the one-bedroom apartment.
I listened with my ear close to the wall. Not a damn thing.
Giving Jesse a nod, he took position over my shoulder as I kicked open the door, ripping the thing off its hinges. I shoved my way inside and did a rapid scan.
Bed. Dresser. Small closet.
No linens. No clothes. Fucking nothing.
And worst of all, no Knox Price.
Something caught my eye over on the bolted down window ledge in the corner.
I strode over there and eyed a folded piece of paper. I snatched it up, a low growl rumbling from me as I read the chicken scratch.
Scott,
Nice try, but too fucking slow as usual.
You’re getting too old for this. Give it up, or we’ll do this the hard way.
You’ll lose everything. You got my word on it.
K.
I crushed the note in my hand, my fist shaking with the rage that I was fighting hard to hold at bay, where I’d kept it for a long time.
Too long.
And, fuck, I couldn’t keep it there no longer.
Bolting past Jesse, I thrust my boot into the side of the ugly queen bed.
That short burst of violence shattered any control and reason I had left.
I snapped.
Roaring like a madman, my fists and feet took on a mind of their own.
I trashed the place, beating on any surface I could find, destroying everything in my path.
It was just a blur of violence.
Frustration.
Hot rage.
Pain.
Too much pain.
11
~Daniella~
WOW.
The Iron Kings MC barbecue was something else.
They’d really gone all out.
There were five grills making everything from burgers, to hotdogs, to mouthwatering steaks. There was even a salad station and a makeshift bar set up on the patio that offered both alcoholic beverages for the so inclined adults, and juices and pops for the kids.
A multi-faceted entertainer who I’d seen do magic, make balloon animals, and even perform a puppet show, was set up at one end of the massive yard engaging a crowd of children.
A bunch of old timers were talking and laughing up at one of the large patio tables.
Some of the other members were standing around with food in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other.
A couple were all lovey-dovey, sharing one of the many loungers situated around the yard.
And then there were those like me, just chilling and mingling.
It was a happy-go-lucky, relaxed atmosphere. Warm and inviting.
Only the family of the club members and close friends were present.
I was honored that I’d been asked to come, but, at the same time, I felt a little awkward and out of place. Sure, I’d built a good relationship with the club through my stint at Legacies, but I wasn’t sure I could really be considered a true close friend. I felt like a fraud.
No one had treated me like that in the hour since I’d been here. They’d been as sweet and as nice as ever to me, even their Old Ladies, most I hadn’t met before.
There’d been an odd sense of intrigue toward me from people today that I didn’t understand. When I’d asked Deviant, who’d been keeping me company for a while, he’d grinned and then smoothly changed the subject.
The awkwardness I was feeling had been made all the worse by Scott not showing his face. According to Deviant, he hadn’t been out into the yard at all, not even for the two hours the get-together had been going on before I’d arrived, following the end of my shift at the bar.
I had to call a spade a spade. I’d come here to see him.
Taking a seat in one of the vacant sun chairs beneath the shade of an old oak tree, I swallowed down my disappointment and no small measure of confusion about his ongoing absence from everywhere I usually ran into him. I’d finish the bottle of beer that I’d been nursing for a while as I’d mingled and then I’d head out.
As I tried to relax into the bubbly atmosphere, I took in everything around me and ended up zoning out.
I hadn’t realized just how much until someone tapped my shoulder. I jolted from the surprise and looked up to see Scott’s daughter, Ashley, standing in front of me. Finn stood beside her, one arm wrapped around her as he drank a beer with the other.
“Oh, hey,” I said. “I was daydreaming.” I smiled at Finn. “I know, not paying attention to my surroundings.”
He waved his hand dismissively. “No worries. We’re all here to take a day off from everything.”
Ashley giggled. “Aww, that’s nice of you, baby.” She winked at me. “He doesn’t usually let anyone off the hook.”
&
nbsp; “I’ve been getting better at it. You know it.”
She nodded and kissed him, then sank into him, as she smiled warmly at me. “It’s nice to see you up here.”
“I'm glad I came.” Gesturing around, I said, “This is the barbecue to end all barbecues.”
“Yeah. They go all out. The Iron Kings men don’t do things half way.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, I’m getting that.”
Ashley shifted her weight and seemed to hesitate over something.
“Go on,” Finn urged her, smiling with amusement.
She took a beat, then blurted out, “My dad is really rusty.”
“He’s… what?”
“He’s forgotten how to do anything but bury himself in his work. He’s good at a lot of things, but dating isn’t one of them. I know you haven’t heard from him in a while, but he doesn’t mean anything by it.”
And the awkwardness set in. Oh God. “Okay.”
She turned to Finn for support. He rolled his eyes and told me bluntly, “He’s holed up in his office. Go on by. He’ll be glad to see you.”
Ashley chuckled. “Thank you, baby.”
He kissed the top of her head.
“Try to get him out of there?” she asked me.
Hesitantly, I rose to my feet. With the phrasing and delivery, it was clear I hadn’t been given much of a choice. Not without me coming across as dismissive and rude. I had little doubt that they’d done it on purpose, knowing how overly polite I was. Well played.
They were trying to light a fire under us, the stalled thing between me and Scott that way too many people seemed to be aware of. Even though we’d been keeping our recent slow dating thing on the down-low, it was still noticeable that something had been going on, because Scott didn’t flirt or play protector consistently to anyone else outside of his club family, but me. It was something his club members hadn’t seen in years, almost as rare and astounding as a UFO sighting, the stuff of legend and disbelief basically.
“I’ll try,” I offered.
“Thanks,” Ashley said happily.
***
