by Tonya Coffey
“Sounds good.”
I hung up and tossed the phone on the table. Then I followed the girls along with Luca out the back door. As we stood on the small deck, we heard a motorcycle startup along with a couple of vehicles. They tore out of the drive and down the road in a hurry. I’d hoped I was wrong about it all but as I stood there, watching them leave together, it was blatantly obvious.
As we walked down to the shed where the boat was stored, I hoped Abbott went with Cole. What would be great was if he thought he had Cora on a platter, pulling him away from the comforts of his home. However, I knew it was just a dream, to walk in and get them. It would never be that easy.
Luca took hold of the end of the boat and I grabbed the other. The girls followed us down to the lake. When it was in the water they climbed in. I waited until Luca had his paddle and for Emily and Cora to sit before I pushed the boat off the bank and I jumped in.
The water rippled as the paddles slipped through. We were careful not to bang the sides of the metal boat. If we did it would alert everyone to our presences as if we banged a drum, calling out our ambush.
The closer we came to the opposite shore; the view of the house was more visible. Before trees and the walkway hid the back of the house but now a light shined in a basement door, showing a big room behind French doors. Taking a deep breath, I watched the doorway. A figure moved and I instantly swore to myself. Then, I noticed more people in the room and they were all sitting in chairs.
The boat slid against the bank. Luca jumped out, pulling us up on dry land. Then we hurried off and behind some bushes. The incline to get up to the house was about chest high and filled with rocks and roots caused by the water rising with the rains and falling with the drought. It would’ve been easier to run up the steps but the people in the basement would get a perfect view, defeating our purpose of being stealthy. Instead, we scurried up the rocks and around the side of the house, staying in the shadows.
I motioned Luca to the basement. He took Emily’s hand and got out of sight, keeping his eyes on what was going on downstairs. I grabbed Cora’s and pulled her to the porch that snaked around the side of the dwelling to the upper deck.
I peeked over the edge of the white railing to see Luca and Emily waiting outside the entrance. Where they hid, I could tell by the expression on their face what laid beyond those doors upset them.
Pushing my concern away, Cora and I moved along the side of the house to the door. The light filtered out onto the patio, showing us what was inside the well-lit room.
The home was empty of people. The furnishings reminded me of magazines of a beach property with white, blue and gray everywhere. I gripped the handle of the door, pushing down on the lever. The lock clicked allowing the door to ease open. I waited for a moment to see if anyone heard the door release, then I stepped inside with Cora at my back. We tiptoed to the opening of the basement stairs. There was no door, only steps leading down and I could see the basement was only roughed in. It was mostly studs with some plain sheetrock nothing made it look like the upstairs.
Cora sucked in a ragged breath when Abbott’s voice filtered up from the bottom. “Where’s your daughter?”
A laugh, then, “I’ve already told you, I. Don’t. Know.”
“I don’t believe you.”
I glanced at Cora. Her eyes were wide as a sheen of tears filled them. I knew it was hard for her to hear Abbott talk to her dad like that but I was glad she took hold of my hand, gripping it instead of running down the steps after him. I reassured her with a quick squeeze of her hand.
We started down the stairs, lightly putting our toes on the wood so it wouldn’t screech. A few steps down, I bent down, looking if I could see them. Instead of an open room, there was a wall standing between the stairs and the main room.
Thud…The sound of a pistol grip connecting with someone’s head halted us for a moment. Someone groaned from the result. I’d heard that sound many times. It was unique.
At the bottom, we slipped behind the wall. There was a small hallway that led to the main room and to my right was a bathroom and the left was a space for storage.
I glanced at Cora then at her hand. Her right hand was wrapped around the handle of the pistol I’d insisted she carry. Her fingers were white from the force of her grip. I reached for it, showing her the safety. Then nodding at her that she would be fine. It was just for emergencies. She didn’t have to do anything. I expected she wouldn’t have to use it.
“Maybe you will talk if I use her as a pawn.”
I jerked to the side, peering at Abbott around the corner of the wall. He stood behind my mom. He slid the barrel of his silver pistol along her shoulders, watching Dad’s reaction.
The sheriff raised his head to glance at Mom. He looked as if he would pass out at any moment. Fighting through the concussion, he blurted out, “I already told you that I don’t know.”
Dad glared at him and in a calming voice warned Abbott, “You will be sorry if you hurt her.”
Abbott laughed. “What are you going to do?”
The basement seemed to quite as if it waited for Dad’s response. “I’ll kill you.”
Chapter Thirty-two
I raised my gun, trying to take aim on Abbott. His two bodyguards kept him out of my line of sight, standing with their backs to me. If I pulled the trigger it would be fast and I had to hit what I was aiming at. I didn’t want to put one of our parents in danger with a stray bullet.
Leaning out I took a breath, aiming at the guards. Letting out my breath, I slowly began to squeeze the trigger. My heart thumped up in my throat. Abbott smacked Mom and Cora gasped from the sound. Abbott spun around with his guards, locking eyes with me.
“Get him,” Abbott screamed.
I pulled the trigger when my sights fell on the first bodyguard. Bullets whizzed across the room. His guards dove for cover. They drew their weapons and fired at me. The basement filled with the smell of gunpowder as the bang of the gun deafened all inside. Someone screamed inside the room. I dove into the bathroom to keep the bullets targeted on me and not on Cora. They didn’t know she was there and I wanted to keep it that way.
Leaning on the door facing, I fired two bullets into the first guard. As I took cover, glass shattered somewhere in the room followed by more pops of a big gun. I peeked around as Luca appeared on the far side, going for Mom. I had a pang of relief for knowing he was helping them while I was keeping the other two busy.
Dropping my empty clip, I shoved a second one into the grip. Abbott fired his own weapon at Luca then at me, splintering the doorframe of the bathroom. My eyes went to Cora. She was huddled behind the wall, her hands on her ears and the gun on the floor in front of her. Faster my heart thundered.
More gunfire radiated as Luca pulled the second guard’s focus off of me. Firing my own weapon around the bend, I emptied my clip. Everyone was outside now. It was only me and Abbott left. The final two.
“I got you,” Abbott stood out from behind a wall where a bar would go. “I have more bullets.”
I glanced at my empty clip and then at my new one. He didn’t know I had ten extra bullets. Slipping it into the grip, I pushed up lightly so he wouldn’t hear the click of the magazine locking into place.
Abbott stepped forward. My eyes went to Cora. I wouldn’t let him see her so I stepped out with my gun in my waistband at the small of my back.
My heart hammered as Cora’s eyes widened. She shook her head. I winked at her so she would know it was OK. I wanted her to not be afraid. She was safe. I faced Abbott, my hands up.
Abbott raised his gun, a smile spread across his face for him thinking he’d won. Then his eyes widened and I glanced over my shoulder at Cora. She stood behind me with her gun aimed at Abbott. Abbott reacted to her presence by jerking his barrel in her direction. I ran at him as two shots rang out.
I hit Abbott full on. My left hand gripped his wrist, pushing the gun to the floor. I swung my elbow across Abbott’s face, causing hi
m to drop the weapon. With swift movements, I slammed Abbott to the ground, kicking the gun away with my foot and punched him in the face.
I heard nothing but my heart. The thump echoed as I swung fist after fist at him. I was angry for what he’d done to Cora, to her dad, and to my parents. He tore apart my club, put doubt in the heads of the ones who were left. Who could we trust now?
I swung until my breath became shallow. I couldn’t pull in a deep enough breath. When I finally did, it was filled with fluid—a rich metallic taste. It confused me for a moment and then I coughed. Blood spewed from my lips. I frowned.
I looked down at Abbott’s limp but alive form. He groaned. My vision blurred. As I tried to stand, my legs wouldn’t work and I fell to the side. The basement spun. My breath became harder to take. My chest burned as if a torch was inside my body. My hand automatically went to my chest, to the left side. It was wet. When I pulled back my hand to look at it, blood was smeared across my fingers.
That’s not good, I thought as I stared at the dark liquid. Cora. My eyes shot up to the stairs, to the wall. Cora stood there, her eyes wide as saucers, staring at me.
“Dante,” she screamed, running to me. “Dante.”
I tried to smile but it took all my strength to kneel. She fell down in front of me. Her arms wrapped around me. “I was worried…”
“I’m fine.” Her eyes worked over me. “Daddy?” she called.
Running feet filled the room as if it were an echo of my heart. Dad slid in next to me. “I got you, Son.” He made me lay back on the cold concrete.
My mind worked. All I could do was think of the club, of the people who put their lives on the line to save their president. “VP?” I asked, “Did he get Cole?”
“It’s over,” Dad said, a hint of emotion in his voice but nothing on his face. “You did well.”
I didn’t see Mom. Where was she? I tried to get up. “Mom?” Dad wouldn’t let me move.
“She and Emily are up top, calling the police.” He hushed me. “Take it easy.”
Knowing they were safe made me feel good inside. I had down what I said. Cora was in her dad’s arms. She would never be without him again. I gave her that.
“Cora,” I mumbled.
She knelt next to me, pulling my hand into hers. Her green eyes were beautiful, even when they were filled with sadness. “I’m proud of you. You distracted him for me.” I smiled, lightly. “You pulled the trigger.”
“At the wall.” A tear ran down her face.”He wanted to break the promise you made to me.”
I thought about what she said. “I did promise it, didn’t I?”
She nodded.
I never wanted to disappoint her. Closing my eyes, I gripped her hand and then looked at her face. “I’m sorry.”
She looked at me, first with confusion but something caused her to stiffen. “For what?”
I whispered after trying to take a breath, “for breaking my promise.” My eyes fluttered shut as I sunk into darkness.
Chapter Thirty-three
Cora
I walked along the street. The cool January afternoon wasn’t what you’d expect this time of year. The sun shined and winter hadn’t reared its ugly head, yet. I was glad of it though. The warmth was better than cold.
Almost three months ago, I was taken from this road. I was saved by a boy who showed me what love was. It was compassion, friendship, family and above all loyalty.
From that day, I understood the creed the motorcycle club, Night Hawks, lived by. They didn’t run guns or deal drugs. They protected what was theirs. They saw value in lives and when they raised a gun to defend one of their own, it was for all of them.
When I stood in the doorway with a gun in my hand, pointed at the man who wanted to kill me, my dad and the boy I loved, I understood. I had one thought. Dante would do it for me. So I did what I could, I pulled the trigger. It may not have been to kill Abbott but it was to keep him from killing Dante.
After all, Dante promised to protect me. He gave me back my dad. He was everything I believed he was and so much more. Dante gave me more than my dad back. He gave me a new family full of brothers and dads. A woman I don’t hesitate to call mom and a sister I had always wanted. I never understood what a motorcycle club was until Dante brought me into his. It could be defined with one word, family.
A light breeze blew, causing me to pull my jacket tighter under my chin. As I neared the curb, a smile spread across my face.
“What are you doing here?”
“I wouldn’t let my girl walk home all alone,” Dante said, leaning against his motorcycle.
My eyes drifted from him to the bike. “Isn’t it too cold?”
He stood with a wide smile. “I’ll keep you warm.”
I stepped into him, wrapping my arms around his neck. I looked up at his brown eyes. “Promise?”
He gently pressed his lips to mine then longingly stared at me. “Don’t I always keep my promises?”
Most definitely so. “I can always count on you.”
About the Author
Tonya Coffey lives in southern Kentucky with her husband and two teen sons. She loves spending time outdoors looking for the next inspiration in one of her books. If she isn’t writing, reading, or watching movies, you will find her sitting in front of a canvas, painting the landscape around her home.
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