“Last I heard from him, he was fine, but he’s still looking for Hagen. His goons are dead, but the real target is Hagen. You know that.”
Shree sighed. She understood everything he was telling her, but she didn’t like it. Hauling herself up into the truck, she looked out the back window, praying Gavin would show up soon. She had to let him do his job.
“Frank, Frank. Come in. Over.”
Her gaze swung to Marc. Maybe Gavin was with Frank.
“Frank, come in. Channel two-one-six. Over.” Silence filled the cab of the truck as they waited. “Damn it,” Marc muttered, then put the truck in gear.
“Marc. It’s Jonas. Gavin’s gone after Frank. Hagen is in sights. I’m attempting to follow. You have Midnight?”
Marc lifted the walky-talky and replied, “Roger that. Midnight’s in hand. Heading back to meet zone. Keep your head down.”
“What’s next exactly?”
He checked the rearview and side windows. “Get you back to the club. Keep you and Charlie safe and wait for the others to arrive.”
“Who’s been protecting her right now?”
“Ben. He’s one of us. Got in this morning.”
Shree nodded, grateful that her friend had been looked after. The last thing she wanted was all the focus to have been on her and someone else hurt. She rubbed her wrists, still store from the ropes. When she came to Vancouver, she never thought a situation like this would ever occur. Danger was never really part of her world. Not like this. What people did to gain more power… Demented sociopaths. She detested them and the way they believed themselves invincible. She’d lived with one for so long, it shouldn’t really surprise her that there were different lengths bullies would go to, even more horrendous levels they thought they could live by.
But she couldn’t regret coming here. She’d be done with school soon. The club would be an even better place to work now that the worst of this situation was over. Charlie had become a good friend. And she’d met the man of her dreams.
Turning, she glanced out the back window, searching for him. There would come a time, though, when she would have to say goodbye to him.
She only prayed it wouldn’t be today.
****
Gavin slammed the door of Charlie’s pickup and laid his 9mm on the seat behind him.
“Son-of-a-bitch,” Frank growled from the passenger seat beside him. Gavin understood his friend’s anger. It was mutual. They were bone tired, his leg was throbbing with every step he took, it was about four in the morning, and neither had any food since late last night.
He turned the key in the ignition, heard the engine purr, and put the truck into drive. He wanted to get back to the club, see that everyone he cared about was safe, and figure out how to find Hagen.
They’d searched every inch of the building all night, even some of the offices and tunnels more than once, but the bastard was nowhere to be found. How he’d slipped by them, Gavin didn’t understand.
Bulky One and Two had been taken into custody by the FBI. Frank had called and handed them over personally. He’d filled him in on the details of taking Parker into custody. Gavin’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest, grateful for Marc protecting Shree.
He clenched the steering wheel, guilt overwhelming him. He should have been there to get Shree out. Instinct told him it was the best option, but the guys had convinced him that the first rule of combat was to go in without emotion and to focus. He knew Marc, they’d worked together many times before, and he knew the other man’s reputation of kill or be killed.
Still, he would have preferred to get Shree to safety himself. He wanted to hold her, lock her up, and keep her safe until Hagen was found. Gut instinct told him the fucker wasn’t done yet. He had a score to settle and probably still figured he’d get what he wanted.
“He’ll head to the club,” Frank commented.
Gavin nodded. “Yeah, I know. Bastard will stop at nothing to get what he wants. I have to say that I am a little surprised he’s going to get his hands dirty. Unless he has men working for him we don’t know about.”
Frank shook his head. “Not in this town. And we’ve monitored all transportation ways in and out. None of his known associates have come in.”
Hair on the back of Gavin’s neck stood up. He checked his mirrors. The son-of-a-bitch was close, he could feel it. It was as if the man was breathing down his neck.
Applying pressure to the gas pedal, he barely paid attention to anything he passed by, anxious to get to the club. Then he could talk to Charlie about closing for a few days until Hagen was found. He couldn’t hide forever and Gavin preferred no one be around when he showed his face at the club again.
He and Shree could find another place to stay, and he’d make sure Charlie was sequestered off somewhere safe as well. Getting everyone out of harm’s way was his first priority. Jonas, Marc, and Frank could monitor the area, do deeper background checks on the local police and try to figure out who might help Hagen. He had to be holed up somewhere.
The roar of a high-octane engine cut through his thoughts. He checked the rearview mirror—nothing.
“Shit, Gav, look out!”
Gavin barely had time to register Frank’s order when his head banged off the window and the sound of bending metal rang in his ears. Over and over his truck rolled, his head jerking and the seatbelt cutting into his neck.
He held tight to the steering wheel as his truck skidded along the road. The loud scraping of metal was a sound he wouldn’t soon forget.
The truck came to a crashing halt on its wheels against a large building. Gavin closed his eyes, waiting for his world to settle and his stomach to stop churning. Christ, whatever had hit them, he’d never seen coming. The early morning hour was a blessing since very few people were out and about this time of day.
He moved his neck slowly, working out the kinks. It would bloody well hurt like hell tomorrow, but for now, he needed to take stock of everything. He undid the seatbelt and twisted as much he could in the seat. The steering wheel pushed tight against his stomach, and the pain in his right leg reached from hip to toe. He clenched his teeth. Damn his injury. He couldn’t get out the driver’s side door since he was pushed up tight against what he figured was the back parking lot of the flower shop.
“Frank? Frank?” Hand on the roof to steady himself, he reached across the seat for his friend. Blood coated the right side of Frank’s forehead. He’d obviously hit his head on the window considering the broken glass. “Frank, can you hear me?”
Frank moaned. Gavin checked his pulse, sighing in relief when he found it steady. “Okay, buddy, just hang on. I’ll get one of the guys here to help us.” Grabbing the walkie-talkie, he looked out the front and back windows. Nothing and no one. Damn.
Reaching over Frank, he grabbed the walkie-talkie from Frank’s right hip. He pressed the talk button, and hoped someone would still be on the other end. “Marc. Jonas. Gavin here. Anyone there? Over.”
He scanned around the truck for his gun. Finding it on the floor of the passenger seat, he reached out, snatched it up, and slipped the weapon into the back of his jeans. If whoever hit them was still lurking, then he and Frank were sitting ducks.
He tried to reach the guys again. “Jonas. Marc. We’re in trouble. Need assistance. Over.”
Hearing a rattle in when he lowered the walkie, he checked it over. The back had smashed and the batteries bent. Damn it. The hit had wrecked it. He threw it on the dashboard. He checked the glove box for his cell phone.
“Really?” The screen was damaged and the side bent in. He pressed the power button, but nothing happened. “For fuck’s sake.” Today just kept getting worse.
It was up to him to get them out of there.
“Frank, come on, buddy. Wake up.” He shook him gently, but not too hard to hurt him further.
“Jesus, stop. The world won’t stop moving as it is,” Frank slurred.
“I know, but we have to get out of here. How do y
ou feel internally? Think anything is broken?”
Frank lifted his head and opened his eyes. Gavin grabbed some napkins from the glove box, wiped the blood out of Frank’s eye, and cleaned up the forehead the best he could.
“Yeah, I think everything is good. I’ll hurt like hell tomorrow.”
“This gash isn’t too bad, but you’ll need some stitches.” He threw the napkins on the seat. “Think you can push the door open?”
Gavin undid Frank’s seatbelt and applied what he could of his own weight to the other man’s shoulder so he wouldn’t slide on the seat. Frank grabbed the door handle and tried to push the door open. After a few failed attempts, Gavin stopped him.
The other vehicle must have hit them square on the doorjamb and bent the metal. The smell of burnt rubber permeated the air. Gavin searched around them. Hell, he didn’t even remember hearing the car drive away. “We’ll have to get out through the window. You up for that?” Gavin reached in the back and grabbed an old work rag he kept there. Handing it to Frank, he watched as he cleared the glass around the window.
“Sitting here isn’t good. Not if the fucker who hit us returns.” Frank threw the rag on the floor then shifted so his back was against the door, and placed his hands on the top of the window. Maneuvering slowly, his head disappeared through the window, then he sat on the bottom and cleared one foot then the other.
Gavin inched across the seat as Frank’s feet hit the ground. He followed Frank’s lead and exited the truck in the same way, wincing as his leg brushed the door. Once he landed on his feet, he breathed a sigh of relief. “Your gun still on you?”
Frank shook his head, then reached into the truck. “Put it in the side compartment in the door. Hope it isn’t fubar’d.” He reached inside and withdrew his Gamo V3, which looked surprisingly okay. Frank checked it over, took out the magazine, and checked the chamber. “Gun’s empty,” he stated, then checked the trigger. “Looks good.” Frank put the mag back in then put the gun in his waistband. “We hoofing it back to the club?”
“Yeah, we have no choice. Nothing’s open at this time of morning. You have your cell on you?”
Frank reached into his pocket. “Shit. Battery must be dead.” He continued to press the power button. “Christ. You going to be okay on that leg?”
“Let’s just go.” Gavin led the way down the street. They had about thirty blocks back to the club, and very little time to waste. He’d make it, or die trying. He hoped Hagen hadn’t surfaced yet.
For the hell Charlie had been through all these months, the ordeal Shree had to face, the wreck, and Frank being hurt...Gavin swore he’d kill Hagen at the first opportunity and not ask any questions.
The son-of-a-bitch had to pay.
One way or another.
Chapter Nine
Shree paced the floor of the club.
Sleep hadn’t come at all last night. Not while Gavin was still out there. She and Charlie had pleaded with Ben, Marc, and Jonas to go out looking for Frank and Gavin, but all were relentless in their duties. They all felt it best that they stay at the club and take care of the two of them. They swore that when Gavin and Frank returned and they weren’t there, they’d be dead. She understood their loyalty and duty bound convictions, but she had a horrible feeling Gavin was hurt. Even more than just his leg, too. And all because he had to save her.
The thought had also swept through her mind to sneak out the back and try to locate them herself, but she wasn’t Wonder Woman. And she didn’t want Hagen to find her again. She owed it to Gavin to stay put and be safe.
Charlie sat at the bar, nursing what had to be her tenth cup of coffee.
“Why don’t you go upstairs and lie in my bed? I’ll let you know when they’re back,” Shree offered.
“Sure. I’ll do that.” She snickered. “Why don’t you join me then? I’ll take the sofa, though.”
Shree sat and laid an arm around her shoulders. “Well played, but no. Not yet.”
“Just remember, I’ll sleep when you sleep and not a moment before.”
Shree sighed, knowing when she fought a losing battle. “I’m going to the restroom, splash some water on my face.”
“Don’t be too long. Five minutes,” Ben ordered from his spot near the window.
“Gee, thanks for allowing a girl to do her business.” Ben was a difficult man to read. Red hair, blue eyes that looked forlorn and even angry most of the time, he hadn’t said much through the night. He’d barely even nodded when they first met. Shree didn’t know his history, but figured it was wrought with tragedy. “I’ll be right back.”
Striding along the hallway, she pushed open the restroom door and headed to the sink. Glancing in the mirror, she winced. The button-down shirt she’d changed into was wrinkled, the bags under her eyes looked like she’d been on a week-long bender, and her hair was a mess from the number of times she’d run her hands through it.
Waiting wasn’t her strong suit. She’d always been short on patience.
Her gut clenched. What would she do if Gavin didn’t come back alive? They’d never spoke of commitment or what would happen once the Hagen situation was resolved, but she’d be devastated without Gavin. She wanted a chance to see where the chemistry and passion between them led.
After taking care of her needs, she washed her hands with soap and splashed water on her face. Charlie needed her strength and friendship right now as well. Both of them had to rely on one another for the time being. Security guards or not. If Hagen was still on the loose, and took care of the men protecting them, they would be on their own. She needed to go speak with Charlie and come up with an alternate plan for the worst-case scenario.
Drying her hands with a paper towel, she threw it in the bin by the door and exited the bathroom.
“Midnight, there you are!” a soft voice called from beside her.
Shree stopped, surprised to find Carla lurking outside the dressing room door. “What are you doing here?” She scowled, confused. “How did you get in here? The doors are locked from the inside. We’re under lockdown. None of you girls should be here. Let’s go talk to Charlie.” Shree started down the hall out to the main floor, but Carla halted her.
“No. Come in here, I want to talk to you.”
The girl’s forceful grip on her arm sent shivers through her. The other woman’s eyes were dilated once again, her face pale and panicked. There was something seriously wrong with her.
Shree didn’t want to find out on her own. “Let’s go to the bar.” Shree backed up, pulling Carla along with her. Her own steps were quick and jolting, but the desperation to not be alone with her was suddenly overwhelming. She didn’t want to show it too much and cause Carla any alarm. A “nice and easy” mantra played in Shree’s mind. “We’re well protected here. Come on. You’ll feel better with all of us.”
At the edge of the doorway to the bar, Carla jerked to a stop, breathing hard. “No. No, that’s not the plan. Stay here. I have to get you into the dressing room,” she pleaded. “He’s waiting for you.”
The door of the dressing room opened, catching Shree’s eye. What had Carla done? Seeing Hagen walk through and smirk at her, her heart forgot a few beats. No way in hell was he getting anywhere near her.
After yanking her arm from Carla’s grasp, she pushed the girl, sending her flying into Hagen. Then she turned and ran onto the large dance floor, screaming as she fled. “Marc. Jonas. Hagen’s here! Charlie, get back.”
A gunshot rang out. Shree shrieked, then fire exploded in her left shoulder. She fell into Charlie, who stood by the bar, and gasped.
“Behind the bar, come on,” Charlie ordered.
Shree didn’t argue, and took cover as told. More gunfire rang out. Breathing hard, Shree groaned. The pain in her shoulder was unlike any she’d ever known. Never in a million years would she ever believe one day she’d be shot.
“Damn, this is a lot of blood.” Charlie pulled bar towels from the cupboard next to Shree.
Shr
ee clenched her teeth as her friend tried to stop the bleeding with the cloth, pressing hard. “Fuck, it hurts,” she hissed. “I’m going to kill Hagen myself. Damn, shit. Christ.”
“I’m sorry.” Charlie grabbed a bottle of alcohol. Shree clenched her jaw harder, knowing what was to come. “This is going to sting like a bitch, but I have to clean it some, might help with some of the bleeding, too.”
Shree couldn’t think much beyond the fire in her shoulder. But damn if she wouldn’t partake in a bit of Vodka to hopefully calm her a little. “Gimme.” She grabbed the bottle from Charlie’s hand and took a sip. After a couple gulps, barely tasting it, she handed it back. Throat burning, she grinned. “At least now my shoulder isn’t the only thing burning. Have at it.”
“Shree? Charlie?”
The fire from the alcohol burned through her shoulder. She shrieked as she heard Frank’s familiar voice call out. Wishing it were Gavin, she called out, “Over here!”
Frank cleared the end of the bar, crawling low to the floor as he came toward them. “Shit. Are you okay?” He lifted Shree a little to get a closer look at her shoulder. “Fuck. No exit. We have to get you to the hospital. Can you sit tight just a few more minutes?”
“Where’s Gavin?” Shree demanded, not caring about her wound, only needing to know about the man she loved.
“Hagen took off toward the back, the guys behind him. Gavin’s going to try and cut him off. He can’t get far since we came in the back and locked the doors behind us.” More gunshots rang out, as if punctuating Frank’s words.
“Go make sure he’s okay, Frank. I’m fine.”
He glanced at Charlie. She was pale, but her eyes were clear. “Go. We’ll be fine.”
Frank nodded, brushed a kiss to Charlie’s forehead, then left them.
Shree giggled. “So, that’s how things are, huh?”
Charlie shook her head, then applied a clean towel to the wound. Shree’s breath caught, the pain making her lightheaded. She rested her head back against the cupboard and closed her eyes. All she suddenly wanted to do was sleep. Maybe it would shut out the pain and leave her in peace at least for a little while.
Guarding Midnight Page 12