by Sybil Bartel
I lost it. “Who is he?” I roared.
Her shoulders squared. “My first fuck.” She spewed the words like she was fucking proud of them.
My jaw locked, and I bit out a question I didn’t want to know the answer to. “Yeah, and when was that?” I knew how these fucking cults were. Nothing was sacred, especially not the innocence of young girls.
“Don’t try to turn this shit around on me. I wasn’t some ten-year-old child, I was almost sixteen. I was practically a woman.”
Fifteen was a goddamn woman? A string of cuss words in Spanish flew out of my mouth, then I had to fucking ask. I wasn’t gonna be a goddamn fool. Women always fell for their first, and I saw the look in his eyes. He was carrying that torch, hard core. “You still in love with him?”
Shock, then something that looked a hell of a lot like amusement flashed across her expression. “Who says I was ever in love with him?”
This time I didn’t mistake it. Amusement danced across her face like she was enjoying the fuck outta this. Reaching out, she touched my chest like she’d touched that fucking asshole. “Stop being jealous. It’s not you.”
She had no fucking clue who or what I was. “You think you know me?” I bit out.
“About as much as you know me. Which isn’t much,” she challenged.
Fuck this. I was done. I turned.
“You’re walking away because your man pride is hurt?” she taunted.
I spun and got in her face. “Walking away? Walking away?” I snarled. “You got every goddamn one of my friends out here, risking their lives, to save your ass. They’re not fucking walking away. But you don’t give a shit, do you? Your response, your fucking thanks, is to walk right into the thick of it, endangering us all, then you turn your fucking comm off?” Rage like I’d never felt consumed every damn cell in my body. “When the fuck is it enough for you?”
Her face fell, and a woman I’d never met surfaced. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I wanted to see if….” She trailed off. “Never mind.”
“You wanted to see what?” I mercilessly bit out. “If a negligent woman who never gave two fucks about you would be happy to see you? Or did you want to see if that cult asshole would take you back?” My nostrils flared, my hands fisted, and my anger exploded. “You’re fucking selfish!”
“André, I—”
“You have no gratitude,” I snapped, disgusted with her, disgusted with myself. “Some asshole makes you smile, and that’s it, you’re ready to risk everyone’s safety?”
The switch was instant. The angry survivalist I’d come to know came rearing back like a bucking horse. “I can’t smile? I can’t be fucking happy?” Her finger landed on my chest and jabbed hard. “You don’t want me to have any goddamn peace in my life?”
I was stupid enough to open my mouth and let shit bleed out. “Not if I don’t give it to you.”
She stilled. Then her voice turned all-knowing. “That’s what this is about.”
Fuming, I didn’t say shit.
She smirked. “I don’t even know why I like you. You’re pathetic when you’re jealous.” She turned to walk away.
Four brainwashed fuckers in fatigues appeared out of nowhere with rifles drawn, three of them not even holding the damn barrel properly.
I turned my mic back on then aimed my rifle. “What do you want?” I barked. This whole fucking place was pissing me the hell off.
A short older compound fuck stepped toward Kendall. “Sister Decima, the holy one wants to see you.”
“Kendall isn’t going anywhere.” The holy one my ass. He was a sick fucking manipulative asshole.
Talon’s voice came through the comm. “You got a problem, Patrol?”
I didn’t answer him as Kendall sneered at me and took a step. “Fine.”
Anger, at her, at myself, made me hesitate. I had a split second to consider the options, and weigh the outcomes. Any other time, I never would’ve let her go. I never would’ve considered it. The fact that I was even thinking about this shit pissed me off. She didn’t get to change who the fuck I was, or what I stood for. I knew the second we’d walked onto this compound, shit felt off, seriously fucking off. The women were all shell-shocked, and the men were either old as fuck or too young to have had their balls drop. All of them carried guns like they were damn toys, but no one spoke.
Fuck this.
I knew who I was.
I aimed at the short asshole. “You take one more step, Kendall, and I shoot them.” She wasn’t going anywhere with these assholes. I could get off three shots before the first of them even reacted.
Four ignorant SOBs clumsily took aim as Kendall put her hands on her hips and glared at me. “Really?”
I didn’t take my eyes of the pricks. “Decide, Kendall.” I was pissed off enough to want her to take another step toward them.
Talon came around the building in a crouch, followed by Tyler. His weapon drawn, he nodded once at me.
Sighing, but not reacting to Talon and Tyler coming up behind the four men, Kendall crossed her arms. “Tell River to fuck off.”
“River Stephens respectfully requests the presence of his daughter in his chambers.” Glaring at me, the short asshole bit out each word.
Talon and Tyler moved out of the shadows and flanked me and Kendall.
Talon tipped his chin at the short asshole. “Run along, G.I. Joe. Tell your Jesus-complex leader that his daughter is leavin’.”
“He is not going to be happy.”
Talon smirked. “Do we look like we give a fuck? He’s got two million reasons to be happy.” He dropped the pretense, but not his aim. “Leave.”
The short asshole moved his aim to Talon. “Not without her.”
The blond prick Kendall had called Hero came around the side of the building with his rifle slung over his shoulder. “Brother Spiro, the elders need you and your brothers in chambers.”
Spiro didn’t move. “The holy—”
“Immediately,” Hero said with quiet warning.
Spiro, the fucking prick, glared at me one more time, then he and his posse retreated.
Hero waited until they’d disappeared around the side of the building before looking at me. “You need to get her out.”
Fuck him. I was already moving. “Come on, Kendall.”
“Not that way,” Hero warned. “The front gate isn’t an option.” He looked at Kendall. “Decima, do you remember the summer deer trail?”
She nodded, but she didn’t look happy. “Yeah.”
“You will need to take the west one,” he continued.
Hell no. I remembered trails from the satellite pictures. They ran for miles and miles, only leading deeper into the glades. “First of all, her name’s Kendall. Second, we’re not prisoners. We’re walking out the way we came in.”
Hero stared at me, but he didn’t say shit.
I took a menacing step toward him. “You got a fucking problem?”
He continued to stare for a moment. “She said you protect her.”
“That’s why I’m not walking her ten miles deep into the fucking glades with who knows how many of your brothers lying in wait.”
“You were the one who supplied the weapons,” he quietly stated.
I didn’t fucking acknowledge him one way or another. “What’s Stephens planning?”
“He will not let her leave alive.”
I ground my teeth. “Talerco.”
“On it.” Talon spoke quietly into the comm. “Vikin’, Ink, hurry the fuck up.”
“She knows the trails. I trained her.” Hero continued to speak in that same fucking quiet tone, like he was the master of calm.
I’ll bet he fucking trained her. Pendejo. “Here’s the difference between you and me,” I ground out. “I don’t drag a woman through the woods in enemy territory because her statutory rape asshole of an ex tells me to.”
“André,” Kendall snapped, but she didn’t deny the age difference.
So fucking e
nraged I couldn’t see straight, I jammed my 9mm against his temple and ignored Kendall. “If I have to shoot my fucking way out of here, starting with you, I’ll do it. She’s walking out that front gate because that is her fucking right.”
Hero didn’t even blink. “There are one hundred armed on compound. I have only counted seven of you, including the sniper position.”
So that’s what this Tarzan fuck had been doing in the woods. Recon. Good, let him underestimate us. “Then you know you’re scoped right fucking now.”
“I do not fear death.” The fucking asshole said it like he meant it.
“Done unloading in two minutes,” Dane said through comms.
I didn’t have a single ounce of sympathy for her brainwashed cult ex. “We’re leaving. You help us or you don’t. I don’t give a fuck.” I dropped my gun from his temple, then took Kendall’s hand just to show him I could, even though I wanted to grab her and drag her the fuck outta here.
Kendall looked down at our hands and smirked.
“Move,” I barked, stepping us around a staring Hero.
Talon and Tyler fell in behind us as I scanned every fucking tree, bush and building. “Collins,” I barked. “You’re my eyes. Get us out the front gate and to the vehicles.”
“Copy that,” Collins replied. “Clear on the south side of the trucks. Christensen and Marek almost done unloading.”
“Brandt, report,” I demanded.
“Stephens and his guards are heading back toward the main building. I have visual on two of the four guarding the perimeter. The four that left you are en route to the main building. Women and children still in lockdown. A dozen or more are still hiding in the woods, all armed, and the one that just left you has been trailing our movements but hasn’t made a move. Something’s up.” Brandt hesitated. “It’s too quiet.”
“We’re leaving. Fall back,” I ordered.
“Copy.”
I nodded at Tyler to take the lead. Then I glanced at Talon.
“I heard.” He tipped his chin at Kendall. “Ask her.”
Kendall looked between me and Talon. “Ask me what?”
“What’s Stephens planning? Where is everyone?” I barked the questions at her.
She gave me a challenging look. “Maybe you should’ve asked Hero before you held a gun to his head.”
Maybe I should’ve shot him on fucking principal. “He ever discuss protocol with you?”
She snorted. “Right. Even if Hero was a talker, which he isn’t, no man here would break River’s rules if he wanted to stay on compound, let alone live.”
And she’d walked the fuck in here by herself. “Another reason you should’ve fucking stayed in the SUV.”
She didn’t say shit to me, but she also didn’t pull her hand out of mine.
We came up on the last outbuilding. “Collins, report.”
“Still quiet. Keep moving. Stay to the south side. You have a clear shot to the gate.”
“Copy.” I didn’t hesitate when we cleared the building. Combat downrange was all about stealth and not being seen, but this kinda shit? The psychology was the game. We were walking out that gate like we fucking owned this place. I let go of Kendall’s hand to get a better hold on my rifle. “Keep moving.”
“Wasn’t planning otherwise,” she snapped.
“What the fuck?” Collins spoke through the mic.
“Luna,” Jarek clipped. “You hear that?”
Tyler glanced back at me.
“No.” But the second I said it, the sound carried through the trees. Pipes. Lots of pipes. “Mierda. Now I do.” Fucking Candle. “What do you see, Jarek?”
“Nothing yet,” Jarek answered. “But that’s a hell of a lot more than one motorcycle.”
Breathing hard, Brandt’s voice came through the comm. “Running to the access road. Thirty seconds.”
Fuck. Fuck. “Step it up, chica.”
She glanced nervously at the building where Stephens had gone. “What’s going on?”
“We’ve got bikers.” The roar came through Jarek’s comm.
“LCMC,” Collins confirmed.
“Fifteen to twenty of them,” Jared added.
“Neil, Dane, we’re out of time.” Jesucristo, what the fuck was Candle doing? “Kendall,” I barked. “Head down, get inside the vehicle and lock the door. Keys are in the ignition. If shots are fired, drive.” Everything was about to fall apart, I could fucking feel it. I spared her a quick glance. “Do not hesitate.” The sound of the approaching bikes got louder. “Vega, follow her out.”
“Copy,” Vega answered.
Kendall opened her mouth, and I immediately recognized the expression on her face.
“No fucking arguments, Kendall. Go.” I gave her a shove toward the front gate and the parked vehicles then I glanced at Tyler. “Tyler, cover the vehicles. Talon, the front—”
“Oh shit,” Collins swore. “The compound fucks are spilling out of the back of the main building like fucking ants! Get out, now.”
The sound of the bikes blasted in my ear as Brandt hit his mic. “Twenty-three LCs. All armed.”
Dios mio. “Kendall, run!”
The noise grew deafening as the first Harley flew through the gate. Kicking up dirt, Candle slammed on the brakes, whipped a shotgun over his shoulder and aimed at the front building. “River, get the fuck out here!”
A shot was fired, plunking off our panel truck, and everyone froze.
Then all hell broke loose.
I hit the ground as bullets flew over my head. Bikers sped through the front gate and compound pricks surrounded us as they started unloading everything they had. I glanced back as Kendall yanked open the driver door to the armored SUV.
Then I started firing.
I WRENCHED THE DOOR OPEN and jumped behind the wheel. Cranking the engine, I threw it in reverse and looked behind me out of habit.
Goddamn it.
Neil, Talon, Tyler, Dane, André, oh God, André, they were all taking fire. Alex was in the second vehicle with the window cracked, returning fire, but three brothers behind a wood pile were unloading clip after clip, firing at the vehicle.
Candle was crouched behind his bike. A couple dozen LCs were parked next to him, and they were all returning fire, but who the hell knew if they could overpower River’s men. And I knew those men, they wouldn’t stop. They’d keep firing until they ran out of ammo or were dead.
I couldn’t leave André and his friends. I was in a goddamn armored vehicle.
Shit.
I threw it in drive, and a knock on the window made me jump. I looked over, and Hero was already opening my door. “Don’t even fucking think about it, Hero. I’m not going with you to the deer trails.”
“Move over,” he said calmly.
What? “No. You don’t even know how to drive.” No one had cars on the compound growing up. Only River. Beyond panicked, I freaked the fuck out. “Get out, I have to get to him! Your asshole brothers are shooting at him!”
Hero dropped his voice and focused on me like he was talking to a three-year-old. “Decima, I am going to help him. Move over, I know how to drive.”
For a split second, I froze. Then I scrambled to the passenger seat as Hero slid behind the wheel. I pulled the gun out of my back waistband. “Drive!”
“Give me your communication device.” Hero put his rifle between us then held out his hand.
What the fuck? “No.” Not that anyone was talking. All I heard was constant gunfire.
“If I do not tell them I am helping them, they will shoot me.”
Fucking, fuck, fuck, fuck. I handed the comm over. “Drive!”
Hero calmly put the comm in his ear and threw the Escalade into drive. “This is Hero. I am pulling the SUV between the truck and the bikes. Is this the armored vehicle?”
“Yes!” I shouted. “It’s armored. Now drive.” I pushed his leg down.
The SUV didn’t move as Hero silently handed the earpiece back to me.
I
shoved it back into my ear.
“Hurry the fuck up,” Talon barked. “We’re takin’ fire from all sides.”
Hero floored it.
The SUV’s back tires spun in the mud then the heavy vehicle lurched forward and Hero yanked the wheel first left then right and angled between the truck and the bikers. Reaching behind him, he threw the back door open on his side as shots plunked into the vehicle and windshield but didn’t pierce it.
“Neil, Dane, cover!” André yelled into the comms.
Heavy automatic fire rang out above the cacophony of shots then André jumped in the back seat, yanking the door shut.
My relief at seeing him still breathing was short lived.
“Spin around, spin around,” André barked at Hero, lowering his window and aiming his rifle out the four-inch crack.
Hero expertly spun the SUV and pulled alongside the truck as André laid down fire.
Talon yanked open the door behind me and jumped in. “Those fuckin’ tree hidin’ motherfuckers.” He glanced at Hero. “Present company excluded.” He cracked his window like André had done and started picking off shots into the woods.
“Reverse,” André barked at Hero, switching out his magazine. “Cover the back of the truck.”
Hero threw the SUV into reverse and floored it, pulling parallel with the back of the truck.
“Neil, Dane, retreat! Tyler, retreat!” André shoved his door open, stood on the running board, and fired over the SUV.
Neil and Dane sprinted to the truck’s cab and got in as Tyler ran to the second armored SUV.
Blaze’s voice came through the comms. “Perimeter southwest of gate secure.”
“Perimeter southeast of gate secure,” Collins added.
André got back in the vehicle as the truck took off. “Vega, cover the truck.”
“Copy.” Alex Vega spun the second armored vehicle around and fell in behind the truck.
“Most of the men are in the main building.” Hero’s quiet voice was barely audible over the shots hitting the SUV.
Talon glanced at André, but André was already shaking his head. “No fucking way. Retreat.”
“No sense chokin’ the dog if you ain’t gonna touch his neck.” Talon checked his magazine. “I got two and a half clips left.”