by Sheri Landry
I barely register the sound of glass shattering when Jack shouts, “GUN! GET DOWN!” I freeze, but my body is still moving. A strong arm around my waist lifts me, and the kids scatter in all directions. Garbled yells and screams ring out before everything goes silent.
I attempt a head count, trying to recall who was in the shop earlier, and I know I’m missing a few faces. Logan is crouched down beside the car. He and Jack have their guns drawn and are looking toward the rooftops.
Michael spins me in place, looking me over as he pushes me back toward a parked vehicle. His eyes shift between me and the direction he’s moving in, and everything feels awkward before I realize what he’s doing. There is a direct line between me and wherever the gunshot came from, and Michael has placed himself in front of me to block the next shot. Concern overrides fear, and I clutch onto his arms and move with him, pulling us both somewhere safe so he won’t be hurt. My fingers feel slick on his jacket. I lift my palm. Blood coats my hand, and my stomach heaves into my throat.
“Michael, you’re shot.” My feet refuse to keep moving with my words, but he doesn’t stop, and I feel the gravel roll under the soles of my feet as he continues to move me, now without my help, into a hiding place.
“Dana, move your ass before they take another shot.” His bark snaps me out of my haze, and I move my limbs, pulling him into hiding with me as he puts his hand to his head and talks into his earpiece. “Charlie, do you have eyes?”
While Michael talks with his team, I slide myself back a foot to make sure all the kids are safe, but Michael pulls me back into place beside him with a stern, “Stay.”
Conflicting thoughts clash with the chaos unfolding around us, and I attempt to shift my body back once more to look through the windows of the car onto the street.
Kaley is on the ground in the middle of the road with Tyler lying on top of her, trying to shield her while they both attempt to crawl to safety. I lift myself up higher, and the street is quiet. I open my mouth to yell to Tyler as a hand fists around my shirt. As I go down, two shots ring out in quick succession. My knees hit the pavement as the window above me shatters, raining shards around us.
“Dammit, woman. I won’t lose you again.” The look he levels on me keeps me in place.
Michael’s eyes remain on me, but his attention is elsewhere. Cocking his head to the side, he waits, and I stay still and quiet while I watch him work.
His sleeve is now a darker shade than the rest of his jacket as blood soaks into the threads. He’s hyper-focused on every detail around him, and suddenly I feel a range of emotions that make no sense to me.
He keeps one hand gripped on my top at all times.
He took a bullet for me.
I try to focus my attention to the scene around me, but I feel like I’m watching a silent movie. There are no screams, or maybe there are and the blast from the gun has deafened me. My limbs are heavy, and I catch my head as it bobs forward. My fingers tingle, and the start of a giggle forms in my throat. This isn’t right.
“Okay, the shooter has been neutralized.” Michael’s update is quiet, meant only for me. He stands, lifting me by my shirt, so I follow him up.
“It’s all clear. I need to see all of you kids out here right now.” I think the order comes from Logan, and I lazily turn my head as everyone steps out from their hiding spots. I try to finish my head count, but I’ve lost my concentration, and a wave of nausea threatens to knock me over.
I brought a hitman to this town. These people are here to live a quiet life, and I did this to them because I stopped running. They almost died because of me.
I tip to the side as I grab Michael’s arm for support, and he winces as I withdraw my blood-soaked hand a second time, waving it in front of my face as I examine the glistening crimson coating my fingers.
“Dana?” The volume on his voice fluctuates, and I feel as light as a feather. So light, I might just float away.
“Well, that’s done then,” I mutter to no one in particular as the pink and orange shades in the clouds catches my attention. I suddenly want to close my eyes before—
7
Michael
“Charlie, do you have eyes?” I bark into my earpiece and wait for what feels like forever for his response.
I know he’s trying to focus, and the only way I can help him is to shut the fuck up while he scans the rooftops for our shooter.
“Tango range, five hundred yards north. Give me a second.” His words are clipped, and seconds feel like minutes before he continues, “Just—one—engaged, but I don’t have a shot yet.” His voice is a whisper. He’s focused.
And now we wait for our shooter to stick his neck out.
Dana shifts behind me like a caged animal, and I try to catch her attention to settle her down. The kids she’s come to care about are scattered all over the street. By the looks of it, they’ve all managed to get to a safe place, but Dana is still agitated. As she moves a little too far, my hand loses its connection.
“Stay.” I turn on her and she stills, but her eyes are glassy.
She’s showing signs of trauma. She’s trying to process everything at once, but she stills within my grasp as I continue to listen into my headset as the rest of our team offers the information they have.
Glancing into the street, I check to make sure everyone is well-hidden when Dana shifts once more and my eyes lock onto what she sees.
The kid who led the group is covering one of his friends as they attempt to get closer to a truck parked across the street. Dana jerks up in worry.
On instinct, I reach over, grab her shirt at the neck, and pull her down hard when I hear it. The unmistakable crack of a sniper rifle ricochets around my head, and my vision goes dark as I imagine the shooter getting a shot into Dana this time. As she hits the ground, the window above us shatters, and I start to lose my own shit.
“Dammit, woman. I won’t lose you again.” My words are out without restraint or thought, and maybe it’s about time. My patience with her is gone. I will protect this woman from anything that might harm her. Even if it means protecting her from her own selfless actions.
It was my fault she got away a year ago. After everything she sacrificed to trust us to help them, I was the one who lost her, and I won’t let it happen again.
“Tango down. Kill suspected, not confirmed. I’m moving to engage.” Charlie’s words are clipped and confident.
He has never been wrong about a suspected kill, and I watch as Logan sends Grey off running with his gun drawn. Grey’s voice comes through my earpiece: “Charlie, I’m heading in your direction.”
Their voices go back and forth through our comms as I stand up, lifting Dana along with me. “Okay, the shooter has been neutralized.” I get her up to a full standing position.
“It’s all clear; I need to see all of you kids out here right now,” Logan calls, and the kids hesitantly pop their heads out from their hiding spots.
I assess the kids as they gather near Logan. All of them stand behind Tyler. The only casualty outside of the shooter appears to be me, and it’s a flesh wound at worst. Dana’s hand grabs at my arm, and the pain from the gunshot finally registers as my adrenaline dissipates.
I catch Dana’s expression; the dazed look on her face is a warning. She is showing the first signs of shock. Her eyes dart all around, then go wide as she notices my blood on her hands.
“Dana?” There’s no point in saying any more. She won’t remember this. She looks intoxicated. Her brain has overridden her senses, and she’s about to shut down.
“Well, that’s done then.” She tries to straighten herself, but her body sways as her head rolls back. I step into her and grab her before her limp body crumples onto the pavement. A couple of girls in the group gasp, drawing everyone’s attention to the woman out cold in my arms.
“She’s okay,” I call into the street. “Just fainted. Jack, a little help.”
Logan draws the kids’ attention back to him. I have no idea
how he’s going to talk our way out of this one as Jack steps beside me, taking my gun and her backpack out of my hands so I can carry her toward our vehicle.
An alarm goes off in Logan’s pocket. He pulls it out to look at it, then glances up and stops us. “We can’t take her to our place. The perimeter alarm has been tripped. We need to check it out—without her.” He points at Dana.
He’s right. We can’t have her near our operations right now. We could be walking into an ambush.
The coffee shop has been discovered by one hitman. We need to operate under the assumption they all know her new identity. Plus, our little disruption in the street has drawn attention.
Our priorities are set. We need to confirm the kill and clean up the body, then we need to secure our place.
Staying at the coffee shop tonight is out of the question. I know if Dana wakes up in the home of any of these kids, she’ll kill all of us for placing them in further danger.
Taking her out to Stan’s isn’t an option. We haven’t cleared him out yet, and if another contract killer decides to check out his address, there will be another shoot-out.
“Why is no one coming out to check on what just went down?” Logan points at the buildings around us as he asks the kids.
“Shops close up early here—if they even decided to open today at all. Most of them are at home. Some are probably at Dale’s. It’s Wednesday,” Tyler answers, as though we should all know this.
Dana mumbles as she stirs, and I turn my attention to Logan and Jack.
“We need to get her somewhere safe until we can secure everything.” I offer no more information. These kids don’t need to know we need to check out our property and deal with the growing number of bodies around town.
“Let us take her.” A girl’s voice makes the suggestion. The kids look from her to Tyler. He nods, then takes a step forward.
“She can go with Kaley.” Then, turning to one of the girls, he nods. “You know where to take her.” Kaley doesn’t waste a second returning the nod and keeping quiet.
“I don’t like this.” At first, I think my objection will be backed up by everyone on my team, but their faces tell me they are considering it. “This is too dangerous an ask.”
Logan takes a long look at Jack, then pauses to consider our options before shaking his head to tell him he has nothing better. Then Logan turns his attention to me, and I run safer scenarios through my head.
“I’ll go with them then.” Logan is shaking his head before I finish speaking. There is too much to do, and I know they need my feet on the ground, so I offer, “How about Grey?” He hesitates, and I continue, “We have an odd number of men. This way we are partnered up.”
“Sending one of your team in with her won’t go over well. She will be safe.” The other boys nod in agreement with Tyler. I look at Jack, expecting him to shut them down, but both he and Logan are thinking about it.
“How will we find her when we’re done?” The fact that Logan is asking the question isn’t a good sign.
“I’m coming with you.” I’m sure the surprise on our faces as Tyler offers his help isn’t lost on anyone. His friends mumble around him, but he holds firm. “I’m not dealing with the dead guy, but I can help. I’ll stay back. Whatever is going on here”—he gestures to the whole area and keeps talking—“is happening in our town. Kim is one of us. You need a local with you. Then I’ll take you to her when you’re ready. Trust me, no one will get her where she’s going.”
The looks Jack and Logan are exchanging tell me I’ve already lost this battle. Our hands are tied. I have no choice but to trust these kids to take care of her, but I have no reason to think they won’t. They stood up for her when they thought we were here to harm her.
Dana stirs in my arms, pushing against my chest, and Jack steps back from her as I stand her up and start outlining our plan.
“Okay, she’ll go with you, Kaley,” I start, trying to remember these names. “Tyler, you’re with me. Do you have a car?” The kid nods, pointing to the vehicle parked beside ours. “We’re going to take your Jeep and do a drive-around. You’ll tell us if anything looks out of place. New faces or vehicles. But that’s it.”
Tyler nods his head and walks over to Dana to ask for his keys, and she groggily pulls them out of her pocket.
“Grey and Charlie will secure the—um—body.” I don’t mention Stan in front of the kids. “Apparently we can’t involve the sheriff. Speaking of which, where are the cops? They must have heard the shots?” Except for the kids we started with, the street remains deserted.
Tyler gives me the same ridiculous look he had when he told us it was Wednesday. “They’re almost an hour away. Unless there’s a report, they don’t come out this way.”
At every turn, this town is both a blessing and a curse.
“We need cold storage to store our guy for the time being.” Jack leans into me, but those within earshot can hear him, and Tyler jumps in again.
“We can help with that too.”
“Fine.” I resign myself to the best option we have. “Jack, Logan, check out our base. We need it cleared and the source of the alarm identified. And you.” I spin Dana around to face me. Her eyes move a fraction slower than they should, but she’s coming around; she should understand me. “Go with Kaley. Wherever she takes you. Do not leave until I come to get you. Do you understand me?”
Everyone in the street goes quiet, waiting for her answer. The glances the kids share tell me they know some parts of the real Dana—specifically, the part that doesn’t like to be told what to do.
Dana’s brows are knitted as she stares daggers at me. I’ve seen that look before.
She’s not happy.
Without taking her eyes off me, she speaks. “Let’s go, Kaley.” It isn’t lost on me that she doesn’t directly accept my orders.
Slowly releasing her arms, I test her to make sure she can stand on her own. She takes a step away from me, pulling her arms to her person, and spins toward Tyler, changing her expression to reflect her concern for the kid.
“I don’t like this, Tyler. Be careful. Just listen to them, and don’t do anything stupid.” At the word “stupid,” she shoots me a glare, and I know her last word is a warning meant for me.
Stepping back and turning away from our group, she follows Kaley. The kids disperse to their cars in silence and drive down the only road leading out of town as I turn to my teammates and Tyler.
“We all have our jobs. Let’s get this done quickly.” I am already regretting the decision we just made. I don’t want to be away from Dana, but we need to secure ourselves first. Otherwise, we’re all liabilities.
8
Dana
I should have known this is where they would take me. Their options are limited, and this is the safest place for a local to be.
Kaley pulls into the parking lot in silence. She must have a million questions. Come tomorrow, the gossip around town will be all about me, and I have no idea what to say to anyone. I’ve kept so much from everyone, and my secrets are all here to bite me in the ass.
“You okay?” I rattle in my seat at Kaley’s voice. Everyone else has gotten out of the car, leaving the two of us in the front seats.
“Oh. Yes. I’m good. Thank you…for everything. Uh—” My sentence trails off, taking the remainder of my thought with it.
“Let’s get you inside to Dale. He’ll take care of you. Oh, good, they’re here.” I glance in the direction she’s looking to see a line of bikes outside the front entrance.
The old barn-turned-bar looms over us in an open field. Lined up in front of the building are a handful of motorcycles owned by the local club. The guys in the group have always been really nice to me, and I’ve known Dale since I first arrived.
Music drifts lazily from the old barn. I’ve been in here a bunch of times, trying to get to know more of the residents, and everyone has been welcoming. It’s hard being an outsider.
The large barn doors open
, and the hint of smoke and leather hits me as I step in and take a look around. The gang’s all here. Literally, it’s a gang. This is why Tyler chose it as the safest place for me. Anyone walking in would be outnumbered, and they don’t trust outsiders easily.
Looking over my shoulder at the now-closed door, I realize only Kaley came inside with me. The kids aren’t allowed in here unless it’s urgent. No one wants to risk getting on the wrong side of the law here, especially Dale, the owner of Dale’s and the leader of the local MC.
“Hey, Kim,” Dale hollers from behind the bar as everyone looks my way. “What brings you in here?” he asks as he sets a box on the counter. The contents inside clink against each other. Then, tilting his head to look around me, he stops our conversation and starts a new one. “Kaley, you know the rule. No minors.”
Kaley wastes no time. Hooking her arm into mine, she walks both of us up to the bar and leans over it, talking as quietly as she can.
“Something happened in town, Dale. We don’t know anything, but Kim is in danger. Like, life danger. She needs to stay here with you and the guys until Tyler comes for her.” Dale shifts his eyes back and forth between us, his features turning stern.
“Where’s my boy?” All expression leaves his face and is replaced by determination. A fresh wave of dizziness hits me as my nerves settle in. Dale saw something in Tyler when he first came to town, and he’s been like a father to him.
“He’s with someone I—trust.” I choke on my last word. Do I trust them? I trusted them once, and I lost Jessa. Am I making the same mistake again? I wait in silence for his decision. He stares me down, and my heart thuds in my chest.
