He turned his attention to her scars, kissing them one by one. It was important to him that he reassure her they didn’t matter. The ones on her body were small marks, nothing like the one on her neck but she was still self-conscious about them.
“Am I interrupting?” called a voice.
“No Jez,” sighed Ryan. He clambered off the bed to answer the door while Rachel covered herself up. “What is it?”
“Dane’s called. He knows where Jasper White is.”
“Where?”
“At a Lucifer’s Shadow safe house, a crappy rundown shack outside the city limits.”
“I’ll be down in a minute.”
Once the door was closed Rachel leapt off the bed and started pulling on her clothes.
“What are you doing?” he said.
“We’re going after Alex.”
“We are. You’re staying here.”
She finished fastening her bra and stared at him. “I most certainly am not.”
“This will be carnage and I don’t want you to see it.”
“I’m not some weak little woman who can’t stand a bit of blood.”
He grasped her shoulders and pulled her to him. “What I mean is I don’t want you seeing me the way I will have to become to pull this off.”
“I’ve seen you kill before.”
“This won’t be a fair fight, it will be slaughter. Do you know what I intend to do? Set fire to the building and kill them when they run out. We will have to be completely merciless because after what they did last night they have upped the game and we must do the same to survive. This pack of animals needs to be wiped out and there can be no hesitations. I can’t be worrying if you have it in you to pull the trigger.”
“I do.”
“You don’t know what it is to take a life Rachel, to stick a blade in someone or put a bullet in them.”
“You doubt me,” she said, hurt.
“I don’t doubt your courage or your determination but I do fear what the after-effects would be. You’d feel guilty about it, just like you feel guilt over Gaynor, even though that was not your fault. It’s not a criticism, you have a heart and I don’t want you to lose it.”
“You made me a promise.”
“Yes I did Babe and I’m asking you to release me from it just this once because I will have to turn off all emotion to do this and if you see me like that you will never look at me the same way again.”
Rachel sighed and turned her back on him, fighting with her emotions. She didn’t want to be left behind like the little woman, she wanted her vengeance but - annoyingly - she could see his point.
He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Think about when this is all over and our life together, with our children. We don’t want Alex to take that from us too, do we?”
“No,” she whispered, wiping tears from her eyes.
“You’re crying?”
She nodded, keeping her back to him.
“Why?”
“Because I have this horrible rage inside me and the only way to get rid of it is by going after Alex. I feel like I’m going to explode.”
“I fully sympathise but please Rachel, I’m begging you, stay here. Don’t let Alex destroy us.”
She turned in his arms to face him and was surprised by the look on his face, he seemed to be panicking. She’d never seen Ryan this way before, in fact this whole experience was teaching her so much more about him. “Okay, I’ll let you out of your promise, just this once though.”
His hands went into her hair and he ground his mouth against hers so hard she staggered back a few steps, but he caught her and pulled her against him. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he whispered into her hair.
“Just this once, remember. Don’t ask it of me again.”
“I won’t.”
“Can I at least sit in on the planning?”
“Yes, of course. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
“And that’s why I’ve asked this of you, because I don’t want that to change. So we’re okay?”
“Course we are you silly bugger. We could also use this to convince Frankie that I’ve lost my nerve.”
“I’m not sure he’ll believe it after the way you went after Alex, but it’s certainly worth a try.”
After dressing they went downstairs and everyone sat down together in the living room to plan the attack.
Listening to all the men discuss killing on such a scale made Rachel really understand what Ryan meant. The plan was brutal and chilling, nothing less than Lucifer’s Shadow deserved after the atrocities they’d committed but all the same it still turned her stomach.
“Declan, I want you and your brothers to stay here with Rachel,” said Ryan.
“She’s not coming?” said Frankie.
“This isn’t for me,” she replied.
“What the fuck is this?” he scowled. “I’ve seen you hack off a woman’s hand, torture people, taser them and beat the living shit out of them. Burning out a bunch of leather-wearing long haired ponces should be no problem for you. So why is it now?”
“Frankie, I’ve been living the quiet life in Devon for the past year where the most dangerous thing that happens is carving the Sunday roast. I’ve been out of the game too long.”
He got to his feet and looked from her to Ryan. “Just what the fuck is this? One minute you’re tearing after a loonie with a gun, the next you come over all fucking girlie and delicate. You know your problem Sweetheart, you need to catch a grip of yourself.”
“I’m sure all you big tough men can handle it without me.”
“We don’t need a woman, they just get in the way,” said Paul. When Frankie stared at him, aghast at the interruption, he hung his head. “Sorry Frankie.”
“Don’t forget my empty Tupperware box you fucking fanny merchant.” He looked back at Rachel. “You’re coming with us.”
“No Frankie, I’m not.”
When he took a step towards her Ryan put himself between them.
“Rachel is staying here and that’s the end of it. We’ve got enough bodies to do this.”
Frankie’s glare was feral. “You know, I’m getting sick of conceding all the time. It’s not in my nature and it makes me extremely pissed off.”
“You’re on our patch, you do this our way, just as we would if we were in Glasgow,” said Ryan. “You don’t like it you can go home and let us finish this.”
“No fucking way, I want my pound of flesh,” Frankie roared.
“That’s how it is. Take it or leave it.”
Frankie did some hasty calculations in his head. He knew he was here as a guest and he was seriously outnumbered. Not only that, he had to think of business when this was finished and Rachel and Ryan were the future of that.
“This is the last concession I’m making. We’re going to have to work together in the future so we have to keep this civilised but I’m warning you, I will not back down again. Do you fucking get it?” he yelled in Ryan’s face.
“Yes Frankie, I do. Shall we get moving?”
The thought of the massacre ahead soothed Frankie’s rage and his lips twisted into a macabre smile. “Oh yeah, looking forward to it Pal. Jamesie, Paul, get your fucking gear together,” he bellowed, but he was full of excitement now, not anger.
A concerned Battler and Bruiser approached Ryan. “If you don’t want us to stay with her because of our fuck-ups in the past, I can assure you it won’t happen again.”
“That’s not it at all Battler,” he replied. “Declan and his brothers aren’t ready for this and we can’t afford any hesitations. I need your skills and expertise. She’ll be safe here with them, no one knows our location.”
Battler was relieved and he and his brother went off to organise their weapons.
Ryan took Rachel’s hands and kissed her.
“Please don’t get shot,” she told him.
“I’ll have my vest on.”
“It do
esn’t make you invulnerable. Be careful.”
“I will. When this is over Alex will be much weaker then we can finish him, which I won’t even dream of keeping you from.”
Rachel stood framed in the doorway, watching the men set out in the two black four by fours, armed to the teeth. Riley had been responsible for making the bombs that would be thrown through the windows of the clubhouse and he had packed them ever so carefully into the back of one of the vans.
“They’ll be fine, don’t worry,” said Declan, putting his arm around her shoulders as they watched the vehicles thunder down the dirt track leading away from the house.
“I hope so.”
“Come on, why don’t we see what’s on the box? Try and take our minds off it for a while.”
“Okay,” she said, following him back inside, knowing nothing could do that.
CHAPTER 31
The building was smaller than they’d thought, squat and two storeys. Ryan thought so many people cramped together in that space couldn’t be very pleasant. As it was the base of the MC’s criminal operations it was built for privacy, sheltered by some dense woodland away from prying eyes. No one was coming to their aid.
They’d met up with Dane and three of his men in the woods surrounding the building, so they could assess it from a safe distance.
“We’ve been watching it for twenty four hours now,” said Dane. “They’re all in there, including Jasper White.”
Riley lowered his binoculars. “He’s mine. No one else touches him.”
“And Alex?” Ryan asked Dane.
“No sign.”
“At least we can take out his dogs. Riley, what do you see?”
“There’s lots of movement inside. They look to be drinking and partying.”
“Jasper always did like to live in the moment,” said Dane.
“I hope he’s enjoying it because it’s his last,” said Ryan. “Let’s get started.”
They all pulled on gloves and black balaclavas. When Ryan nodded at Battler and Bruiser they picked up the shotguns and moved through the trees to the rear of the building, Riley following, petrol bombs in hand. As the brothers reached the back of the building and raised the shotguns, Riley lit both bombs and stood in readiness to throw them. Finally his moment had come.
At Ryan’s nod Riley heaved the bombs, his aim perfect. They crashed through the two rear windows and ignited inside.
Ryan and the others stepped out of the woods and formed a tight semi-circle around the building just as the front door burst open and everyone ran out. Caught between the barrage of bullets from the front and the raging fire behind they were trapped and helpless. Some of the patches threw themselves behind the bikes or whatever hiding places they could find and returned fire but they had been caught unawares and were panicking, so most of their shots missed.
Frankie jumped into the fray with his hatchet, bringing it down on a patch cowering behind a Harley, his men clearing a path for him with their guns. He sliced into the man’s neck with the blade, almost taking his head off, threw his arms wide and yelled, “bring it on ya fucking beauties.” With his clothes blood-splattered and the fire raging behind him he was a disturbing sight.
“Shit, there’s women in there,” yelled Ryan when two screaming girls wearing next to nothing ran out of the building, crying. “Don’t hit them.”
One of the patches heard this and grabbed one of the women and held her before him like a human shield. Riley took aim and shot the man in the head. His body slumped sideways and the girl, now released, ran into the woods with her friend.
The sound was deafening, particularly the roar of Battler’s and Bruiser’s shotguns, as they all fired mercilessly, Ryan keeping poor Gaynor and her mother firmly in mind in order to keep going. As bodies ran out the front door they immediately fell, caught in a hail of bullets.
He held his fire as another woman came running out. This one was dressed in skin tight black jeans, a cut-off tight black sleeveless top, arms and chest covered in tattoos. Rather than scream she ran out firing back at them, screeching a war cry at the top of her lungs, long black hair streaming out behind her. Ryan had to duck and roll behind the shelter of a large transit van as she fired in his direction.
“Who the fuck is that?” he demanded of Dane, who ran to join him.
“Venom, Jasper’s old lady. They call her The Queen. She’s a mad bitch.”
Venom entrenched herself behind a clapped out car and pumped more bullets in their direction. One passed so close to Ryan’s head he felt the rush of air it created. She was certainly putting up a much better fight than the men.
When Riley saw Jasper run out of the building he forgot about the battle raging around him, able to hear only Zoe’s screams. He charged at the man, dodging bullets, knocking down anyone who got in his path. Jasper clocked him barrelling towards him, panicked and ran round the side of the building towards the woods.
“No Riley. Stop,” cried Ryan when he saw Venom taking aim at his brother’s back.
Ryan leapt out of his hiding place and emptied the clip in her direction. She ducked back down out of sight and something slammed into Ryan from behind. He was knocked onto his front and was yanked furiously up and down. At first he couldn’t quite work out what was going on, then he realised someone had stabbed him in the back, only they hadn’t realised he was wearing a bullet proof vest and the blade had embedded itself in the Kevlar. Now they were trying to pull it out for a second try.
He’d dropped the gun when he fell but he drew his own knife from the waistband of his jeans, twisted and rammed it into the side of a big bald-headed man. As Ryan looked up at him the man’s head exploded and Dane was standing over him, helping him up with one arm while firing back at Venom.
Once they were safely back behind the shelter of the van, Dane writhed the knife from Ryan’s back.
“Did it go through?” Dane asked him, having to shout over the noise.
“No, I don’t think so. Where’s Riley?”
“I don’t know. It’s fucking chaos.”
The clubhouse was now completely engulfed by flames and if there was anyone still inside then they were no longer a threat. It was getting hard to see through the thick black smoke, fanned by the breeze that had kicked up.
“That fire’s going to attract a lot of attention,” said Dane. “We have to get out of here and quick.”
“Agreed,” called back Ryan.
Despite the smoke Riley managed to keep Jasper’s skinny frame in sight. He hadn’t changed at all with his long greasy black ponytail and tattered clothes, the jeans as usual perpetually hanging so low they revealed a bit of bum crack. Riley pursued him to the edge of the woods, determined not to let his quarry escape. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jez involved in a furious fight with two patch members. It looked like, despite the odds, that he was winning. However a punch from one patch wielding a knife sent him staggering backwards and the other moved in for the kill, snatching up the gun Jez had dropped.
Riley looked from Jasper’s retreating figure then back to Jez.
“Oh fuck,” he yelled before stopping to shoot the patch in the head, who dropped. Jez wrenched the knife off the other one and plunged it into his heart.
Jez looked to him and nodded. “Thanks.”
By the time Riley looked back at Jasper, he’d gone.
“You fucking idiot,” roared Riley. “I almost had Jasper then, after all this time. Thanks to you he got away.”
“I’m sorry mate, I didn’t realise.”
Riley grabbed him by the shirtfront. “From now on you stay the fuck out of my way.”
He pushed him away with disgust and skirted the trees, making his way back to Ryan. This time it was Riley’s turn for a telling off.
“What did you think you were doing?” Ryan yelled in his face. “You almost got killed running after Jasper like that.”
“And your brother got a knife in his back saving you,” said Dane.
Riley was horrified. “Are you okay?”
“Thankfully it went into my Kevlar but don’t you dare make a fucking stupid move like that again.”
“I won’t. Jesus Ryan, I’m sorry.”
“Never mind that now. We need to finish this and get the hell out of here.”
The three of them rose as one and began firing into what stragglers were still putting up a fight. Venom had taken the opportunity while they were talking to escape and they soon had the remainder put down. The only injury on their side was a cut to Mikey’s left cheek after he dodged a knife attack and Battler was nursing his right arm where a bullet had nicked it. Nothing life threatening.
“Don’t take any body parts,” said Ryan when he saw Frankie raise his hatchet over a dead patch. “You may as well leave the police a card with your name and address on.”
“Aye, you might have a point there. Sometimes the compulsion gets the better of me,” he smiled.
“Is he all there?” Dane whispered to Ryan.
“No, he’s a fucking loony-tune.”
“Not who you want as a business partner.”
“Exactly.” Ryan noticed one patch lying on the ground was still moving so he shot him in the head. It was a casual gesture and he hardly realised he’d done it until the body went still. When had it become so easy for him to kill?
Rachel couldn’t rest. She paced back and forth, mobile phone clutched in her hand, praying for good news. In fact she felt so uneasy that she’d retrieved her gun from upstairs and tucked in the waistband of her jeans. She just wanted them all back safe and well.
“Kian, turn the TV down,” Declan told his brother.
Kian was sprawled out on the couch next to Charlie while Declan kept watch at the window. With an irritated expression he turned the volume down just a couple of notches. Rachel hadn’t spent much time with the Irish contingent of the Maguire family and hardly knew them but she found she was very comfortable alone in their company. Declan was the most serious of the three and took his responsibilities to heart. His younger brothers still had a lot to learn but they were pleasant enough.
“They should have called by now,” said Rachel, staring at the phone, willing it to ring.
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