by Harley Wylde
Tank sighed and ran a hand through his hair before moving to the window. He cracked the blinds with his fingers and peered outside. It was dark and I couldn’t see a thing, but the inky blackness had an ominous feel to it tonight. Probably had more to do with the fact I knew my father and Ernesto were missing than anything else.
“What are we going to do?” I asked.
“I can’t let anyone into this compound without knowing exactly where those two are hiding,” Tank said. “It’s too dangerous. They could threaten or bribe their way inside that ambulance. I know you want your sister to get the care she needs, but we need to wait, Em. I won’t risk you, or the women and children inside the gate.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to,” I assured him.
“I’ll text Jeb and let him know to hold off on sending the transport just yet. I’ll let him know when it’s safe to extract Lupita,” the doc said.
I moved closer to Tank and wrapped my arm around his waist, then leaned against his side. The strength I felt in his body helped ease my fears a little. He was so strong I was certain he was nearly invincible. If my father and Ernesto did manage to get to me, I didn’t doubt that Tank would protect me. I just hoped he didn’t die trying. A world without my big teddy bear wasn’t a place I wanted to live in, not even for a second. He was all big and gruff, barking orders at other people. With me, he was sweet and tender.
“I’m starting to think we need a panic room inside the compound,” Tank said. “Big enough for all the women and children. Then when shit goes down, we won’t have to worry quite so much. I don’t like the thought of you sitting here, an easy target if they get into the house.”
“I trust you to keep me safe,” I said. “And I’m not completely helpless. I may not be as fierce as Lupita, but she did teach me enough that I can get away if the need arises.”
“Let’s hope we don’t have to test your skills today, or any other day,” he said.
I stood with Tank, keeping vigil at the window. I hadn’t met the mysterious Casper, but I hoped he would get the job done and make sure Ernesto and Luis couldn’t hurt anyone ever again. I didn’t care if that meant they were buried six feet under. They were completely rotten to the core, evil and vile. The world would be better off if they didn’t exist.
Chapter Nine
Tank
Every time the shadows outside shifted, I went on alert, fearing the worst. Emmie had fallen asleep in my chair about an hour ago. It tugged at my heart that she trusted me to keep her safe even with all the craziness going on. I couldn’t help but smile a little every time I looked at her. I’d sworn to never get involved with a woman, and then Emmie had shown up at the diner. The moment I’d seen her, I’d been hooked. Even if she’d been too spooked for me to talk to her, I think deep down I’d known that she was the one for me. I only regretted that I hadn’t had the courage to talk to her sooner.
Lupita was back to screaming and thrashing, her need for whatever drug she’d been given nearly driving her mad. I feared what would happen to her if we couldn’t get her out of here soon, but I didn’t dare make a move just yet. With Ernesto and Luis unaccounted for, I didn’t want to take a chance on letting anyone in through the gate. As the Sergeant at Arms, I took my duties seriously, and keeping the women and children safe was number one on my list. Especially Emmie.
“Never thought I’d see you settle down,” the doc said.
“Didn’t plan on it, Doctor Myron. Then I met Emmie.” I shrugged. Wasn’t more to say on the subject. Maybe Wire had been right. When a Reaper met his perfect match, he just knew.
The doc grinned. “You know, as often as your club uses my services, you should probably start calling me Garret. I’ve been treating your ladies for close to a decade now. I think we’ve moved past using my title all the time.”
“Thanks for trying to help Lupita, Garret. She means a lot to my Emmie,” I said.
“I could tell.” He glanced at my wife. “Everything all right with her? With everything going on, I never thought she’d fall asleep. Hell, someone could have slipped me a sedative and I probably still would be awake.”
“She’s pregnant,” I said. “Or at least that’s what those over the counter tests say. Just found out today so we haven’t had a chance to book an appointment with your office. I know the other ladies around here were more tired when they were expecting. Either that, or the stress finally got to her.”
“That would do it. Both the stress and the pregnancy. I’ve witnessed pregnant women fall asleep in the strangest places. With everything she’s been through, it wouldn’t hurt to bring her in for a check-up. She’ll need prenatal vitamins too.”
“I’ll set something up once this nightmare is finally over. I’m sorry you’re trapped inside the compound,” I said. “Your partner know you’ll be home late?”
Garret smiled. “Phillip is aware of the situation and is concerned about Lupita. He’s probably worried about me too, but he’d never say as much. I’m sure he’ll be in touch here and there, and he’s supposed to contact Jeb about Lupita’s care once we know what drugs she was given. It’s possible it was just one, but they may have mixed them. Her signs lead me to believe it’s heroin, but it could be something else. And there are a lot of ways for heroin to be prepared. Too many options to make a guess.”
“This club owes you a lot. Both of you. We appreciate you always being there when we need medical attention for our women. Wouldn’t trust anyone else with Emmie, and I’m sure the others feel the same about their wives.”
“These women hold a special place in my heart. They’re all so strong in their different ways. They’re each remarkable and I’m blessed to have gotten to know them, and the Dixie Reapers,” Garret said. “If I’d ever met a woman as fierce as the ones all of you seem to find, I might have been persuaded to swing both ways.”
I, for one, was thankful he preferred men. Not that I thought Emmie was going to leave me, but if the guy was going to be looking at her even partially naked I didn’t think I’d have been quite so cool about it if he were straight.
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out. Incoming.
“Rocky says there’s someone heading this way, and I doubt they’re friendly. He didn’t say how many there were, or how the fuck they got inside. If this shit keeps happening, we’re going to have to up the security on the perimeter.”
“I didn’t even notice him leave. Quiet for such a giant,” Garret said.
“Comes from his military training. Know anything about guns?” I asked. I didn’t know what was about to go down, but I wanted to be armed just in case.
“Yes.”
He didn’t elaborate, but I gave a nod and went to the bedroom. Inside the closet was a custom-made gun safe. I placed my hand on the scanner and unlocked it, then loaded the Colt Night Cobra I’d only had a few months and handed it to Garret before arming myself. The Glock 9mm I’d had for years was my go-to weapon. I hesitated as I looked at my Tresna 9mm AR, but I didn’t want to use it so close to Emmie. I’d never seen her around gunfire before and didn’t know how she’d react. Part of me wanted to lock her in the bedroom, but I worried they’d come in through the back and snatch her. Being out in the open might not be very safe, but I wanted to keep an eye on her.
I made sure Flicker was carrying, and then I went to stand near the front door. As crazy as these bastards were, I doubted they’d do something so cliché as come in the back way, even though I wasn’t about to leave Emmie in that part of the house unprotected. Men like Luis and Ernesto weren’t exactly sane, and anything was possible. It didn’t take long before I was proven right. Except it wasn’t the door they used. They came crashing through the living room window, sending shards of glass everywhere. I should have woken Emmie before now to at least let her know what was going on, make sure she could get out of the way if need be, but time wasn’t on my side.
Emmie bolted upright in the chair and let out a scream as Ernesto snarled at her.
“You’ve
caused me no end of trouble,” he said. “Come quietly and quickly. Maybe I’ll make your death painless.”
“You’re not touching my wife, asshole,” I said, taking aim and unloading half my clip. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Emmie dive behind the chair and out of sight. It gave me the freedom to focus solely on the bastard who wanted to harm my woman, but I hadn’t counted on the fucker being so damn fast. He dove out of the way before I’d even gotten off the first round. Two of the bullets grazed him, leaving flesh wounds, and the others missing completely. The coffee table was toppled and Ernesto did his best to hide behind it. I wasn’t exactly known for missing and it pissed me off. Then again, I wasn’t dealing with an ordinary man either.
I went after Ernesto as he lunged from his hiding place and charged toward Emmie, and I saw Garret corner Luis. With the doc taking care of Emmie’s father, I was able to concentrate on taking down Ernesto. Six shots left in my Glock. I blocked out everything around me, silencing the noises. Even if I’d wanted to take cover, there just weren’t any options for a guy my size in this room. As my gaze held Ernesto’s, my finger squeezed the trigger. The moment he started to move, I shifted my aim. The bullet hit just to the right on his chest. Not close enough to his heart, but it was sufficient to slow him down. I sent three more shots into him, with the last being a headshot. His sightless eyes stared up at the ceiling as his body crumpled to the floor.
Once I was certain he wasn’t getting up, I turned to face Luis. The doc hadn’t fired yet, though he looked ready to shoot at any moment. Montoya held his hands up and sweat beaded his brow. His gaze went to the fallen Ernesto and I watched as he swallowed hard. As I moved closer, a wet spot stained the front of his pants, which amused me to no end.
“How did you get in and how many others are there?” I asked.
“None! It was just us,” Luis said, sweat beading on his brow as he stared at my gun.
“How the fuck did you get in?” I repeated.
“Fence. We… we cut the fence about two miles from the gate. No one was watching that area and it was dark.”
Fuck. We’d definitely had to up our security. Too many crazy people were managing to get inside the compound. If we couldn’t keep our women and children safe, then what was the damn point of having a fence?
“Did I or did I not tell you to leave Emmie alone?” I asked. “I told you that she was mine and you couldn’t have her.”
“I had a deal with him,” Luis said. “You understand. It was just business. Perhaps we can make a deal! Anything you want. Whatever I have, it’s yours.”
“I already have the only thing I want. Emmie.” I place my finger on the trigger. Only two bullets left, but I just needed one. “Any last words?”
“I’ll sign everything over to Emelda!” he shouted. “Let me live, and it’s all hers. Yours. The two of you can have it all.”
“I have no need of your money or your house in Spain,” I said.
Emmie came out of hiding. Her body trembled and she stayed near the chair. “He has a will,” she said.
“And what’s in it?” I asked.
“In the event of his death, everything goes to Lupita. I’m fine with that. He’s not really my father so none of it was mine to begin with,” she said.
“So if I kill him, then she inherits everything?” I asked.
Luis pressed his lips together and that wet spot grew bigger. How the fuck was this man who inspired such fear pissing himself just because I held a gun on him? I didn’t think it was the first time a firearm had been pointed in his direction. With his winning personality, I’d be willing to bet it happened on a daily basis.
“Yes,” Emmie said. “Lupita gets it all.”
“Sounds fair.” Without any warning, I pulled the trigger, hitting Luis right between the eyes. His blood and a bit of brain splattered the wall before his body fell to the floor. I sighed and looked at the mess. Between the broken window and all the gore, it was going to take a lot of work to make this place livable again. I couldn’t ask Emmie to stay here. Hell, she might never want to live here ever again.
Flicker came down the hall, putting away his gun. “Torch and Venom are outside. They said not to shoot when they come through the door.”
“Where the fuck is Casper?” I asked. “He was supposed to take care of these two, not leave them to make a mess of my damn house!”
“I’m right here, dickhead,” Casper said as he came through the broken window. “Not my fault you idiots couldn’t keep them outside of the compound. Looks to me like someone needs to ride fence and figure out where they slipped through.”
“Ride fence?” Venom asked as he entered through the front door. “Does this look like a fucking ranch? Isn’t that what cowboys do? Ride the fence lines?”
“What the fuck else would you call it?” Casper asked.
“It will be handled,” Torch said as he joined us. “Definitely time to up our security.”
“And install a panic room big enough for the women and children,” I said. “Somewhere they’ll be safe if this shit keeps happening.”
“I don’t mean to be one of those really weak, pathetic women, but… I think I may be sick,” Emmie said.
I watched as she paled and swayed on her feet. I handed my gun off to Garret and reached for my wife. Pulling her against my chest, I helped her out of the living room and away from the carnage. She pushed at me and I released her, just as she threw up all over the hall floor. I winced and started to wonder if we should just burn the damn house and start over. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and groaned.
“Take her outside,” Garret said. “The fresh air will help.”
“You can put the guns in the bedroom. I’ll clean them, then lock them up later,” I said. I picked up Emmie and carried her out to the driveway. She wobbled a bit as I set her down, but the color slowly started coming back into her cheeks.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“For what?”
“Being so weak.”
I tipped up her chin. “Baby, you are far from weak. You came down here all by yourself with those men on your trail, and when you couldn’t get inside the gates, you took care of yourself. Two men died in there. Anyone would have lost their lunch over something like that.”
“You didn’t,” she said.
“Not my first rodeo,” I said.
“Is it safe for the ambulance to come through?” Garret asked from the doorway.
“Yeah. Ask Venom to clear it with whoever is watching the gate,” I said.
Torch came out and looked at the house before turning his gaze on me. “Should have known whatever house I gave you would end up destroyed at some point.”
“Hardly destroyed. It’s a broken window.”
“And a lot of blood, among other things.” Torch looked at it again. “Any sentimental value to it?”
“Nope. Thought about burning it down and starting over.”
He chuckled. “That would be one heck of a bonfire.”
“I can’t sleep in there tonight,” Emmie said softly. “I’m sorry. And I know I keep apologizing, I just… could we please stay somewhere else?”
Torch focused on her. “You want a family, Emmie?”
Her hand went to her belly and Torch gave me a knowing look.
“There’s a house two down from Venom,” Torch said. “Big yellow thing with a white porch. Four bedrooms, two living areas. Already has a fenced yard in back too. Why don’t the two of you take it?”
“Why haven’t you already given that house to someone?” I asked.
He snorted. “Because… like I said, it’s two doors down from Venom.”
“And? I know the VP can be an asshole, but what Reaper can’t say the same?”
“It’s not Venom,” Torch said. “Think about it. Two doors down. From Ridley. And those hellions they call kids. Every fucker I’ve offered that place to has run the other direction.”
Emmie coughed to cover a laugh.<
br />
“We’ll take it,” I said. “Besides, we’ll have kids of our own soon enough. Maybe ours will take after my sweet Emmie and they’ll have a calming influence on Venom’s little monsters.”
“Let’s hope for one kid at a time,” Emmie said. “I’ve never been around kids and I’m terrified I’ll screw ours up. If I have to handle two at once, I may lose my mind.”
I winked at her, knowing damn well my dad had only ever sired one kid at a time, but that didn’t mean there weren’t twins or triplets hiding in either of our family trees somewhere. So far, Preacher was the only one with twins. I was up for it if that was Fate’s plan for us. As long as Emmie was their mother and I got to sleep with her in my arms every night, then that’s all that mattered to me. Even if she gave me all girls, that would be fine too. At least until they became hormonal teens. Then I’d have to hide somewhere. I wasn’t afraid to admit I was terrified of teen girls. Couldn’t shoot them even when you really wanted to.
“I’ll stay with Emmie while you gather some clothes,” Torch said. “The yellow house is furnished. I’d hoped it would lure someone over there. You can get your other stuff later.”
“What’s going to happen to this place?” Emmie asked.
“I’ll have someone tear it down to the studs and start over. We could just fix the living room floor and busted window, but the house needs a fresh start. Might be a good home for whoever patches in next,” Torch said.
I snorted. “We keep adding brothers, we’re going to need more houses. Good thing we have plenty of land.”
I left Emmie in Torch’s care and went back into the house. Venom was on the phone and from what I could hear, he was ordering a clean-up crew to come in and handle the bodies. Garret was in the guest room with Lupita, and had apparently given her something since she seemed calmer. I gave him a quick wave and kept going. In the bedroom, I pulled a duffle off the top shelf of the closet and put a few changes of clothes for myself and Emmie into the bag, along with toiletries I thought we might need. I locked my guns back into the safe, promising myself I’d give them a proper cleaning tomorrow. Right now, Emmie needed me.
