by Cat Mason
Colt
There is no scenario in my head where this ends without bringing a lot of noise. Fowler has to know that. He also knows there is no fucking way I can come up with that kind of cash in the amount of time he has given me. Even if I fucking had it.
This leaves me at a disadvantage. The money is obviously what he wants, and the first thing he expects to see when I set foot onto the goddamn lot.
Which means the only way to get Henley out of there alive is to get the jump on that son of a bitch. Hopefully, catching him off guard will give me the edge I need to get my girl clear of this shit before she ends up in a goddamn body bag. The darkness I feel at the thought of never seeing her again squeezes my heart like a vise.
I won’t lose her. If that means sacrificing myself to keep her breathing, so fucking be it.
“How’s this go down?” Schrader asks, shoving his knife into his boot.
“You hang back,” I tell him, checking my watch. “I go in there alone.”
“Not just you wantin’ a piece of that bastard’,” Doc growls, filling the doorway of my room. “That motherfucker killed Huck.”
“And I won’t have him kill Henley!” I shout, slamming my hand down on the cabinet in front of me. I meet eyes, seeing his need for vengeance, but knowing the risk. “Or another member of this club.”
“Damn right, V.P.,” Schrader agrees. “That’s why you’re not ridin’ alone.”
“Stubborn as a goddamn mule.” Doc shoves me. “Just like your ol’ man. If he were here, my brother’d be tellin’ you the same thing. We didn’t build this club to have it ripped apart member by member. We’re not fingers you can slice off a hand, one by one.” Balling his fist, he shoves it in my face. “We’re the goddamn fist.”
“That patch on your back means we always have yours.” Clapping me on the back, Schrader hands me my gun. “And Henley’s”
“Tell the boys to load up.” Doc’s smile spreads when I take it, holstering inside my cut. “It’s time for shit kickin’.”
Twenty-Four
Henley
The minutes tick away slowly, each one reminding me that all too soon Colt is going to walk into this hangar and sacrifice himself for me. Not that I expect Levi to let either of us walk out of here alive. If the choice belongs to him, the crazy bastard pacing in front of me would gladly kill the both of us before making his great escape. I can’t imagine any way where we walk out of here without blood being spilled.
Being that I have a vested interest, I vote for Levi.
“Fifteen minutes,” Levi taunts me, tapping the watch on his wrist. “Maybe he decided you weren’t worth the trouble.”
“What’s the matter, Levi?” I toss out, shifting uncomfortably on the concrete. “Startin’ to wonder if you’ve bitten off more than you can chew?”
Charging toward me, he yanks me up by my hair and drags me out into the middle of the doorway. “Fourteen minutes.” Shoving me to my knees, he presses the gun in his hand between my eyes. “I’d start counting those breaths, if I were you.”
In the time since Levi ended the call with Colt, clouds have rolled in and the wind has picked up. Every gust rattles the hangar, the steel popping and creaking. Levi grows as unstable as the weather with each passing moment. His nerves are shot from stress and lack of sleep, causing him to fall apart at the seams.
“Ten minutes,” he announces, like some sadistic cuckoo clock. Lightning streaks across the sky, loud blasts of thunder quickly following. He jumps. “Won’t be long now.”
Letting my eyes fall closed, I focus on the wind around me, feeling the cool breeze whipping through my hair. Willing myself not to panic, I embrace the approaching storm and choose to find peace in it. Strength. Though I’m terrified of what will happen, and don’t know how it will turn out, I know without a doubt that I do not want to die here today. It isn’t in me to kneel here and go out without a fight. I am Henley Motherfucking Wolfe. I have not fought so hard to take back my life only to lose that battle here. I will not give up what it has taken me my entire life to find. Nothing and no one breaks me.
Colt’s face flashes in my mind. His smile, those deep blue eyes that I want so desperately to drown in. His words echo in my mind, as clear as if he were standing right here saying them now.
“Love you, Hen.”
“I love you too,” I mouth, determined to say those words to him. “You’re my strength, Colt,” I say inside my head. “You’re the reason I fight.”
Shortly after Levi chimes the two-minute mark, the sound of an engine revving has me opening my eyes. Colt’s Firebird pulls onto the lot, screeching its tires over the pavement while heading our way. “Look at that,” Levi says, tugging me to my feet.
The driver door swings open, Colt’s large form rises from the car. Ripping the sunglasses from his face, he tosses them into the seat, those deep blues finding me immediately. The calm expression on his face changes immediately, rage consuming his features when he rakes his eyes over my body. “Not another step,” Levi warns, pressing the gun to my temple. “You armed?”
“Gun in my cut,” Colt says, holding up his hands.
Grabbing his leather, he opens it wide, showing his gun. “Toss it,” Levi barks. Doing as he was told, Colt tosses it to the hood of his car before lifting his hands again. “No others?” Raising his shirt, Colt shows his empty waistband before spinning around to show his back.
“Let her go, Fowler,” Colt says, taking a step toward us. “Cash is in the backseat. Take the car and go.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Levi asks, turning the gun on Colt. My entire body tenses. “For me to trust you and just drive away. Do I look fuckin’ stupid?” He pulls the hammer back on the revolver, the sound like a punch to the gut.
“Only way this ends without someone leavin’ here in a body bag,” Colt says confidently. His eyes shift over Levi’s shoulder, focusing on something. “Don’t be stupid.”
“Who says that hasn’t been the plan all along?” Levi challenges, his grip on me tightening. “I’ll have singlehandedly taken out three Mayhem members, and helped Hammon make sure that a fourth will be locked up in prison for the rest of his life. Hard not to find satisfaction in delivering that blow.”
“You piece of shit,” I hiss, struggling against him.
“Jace isn’t dead,” Colt fires back, taking the wind out of Levi’s sails. He steps forward, his eyes shifting between the hangar and Levi again. “Critical. Not dead.”
“Well, I’d rather kill you anyway,” Levi shrugs. “Right my wrong the night you went after Hammon and my bullets were wasted on the wrong man.”
“Do what you gotta do, motherfucker.” Colt’s eyes harden at the mention of Huck. “Death comes for all of us. Even you.”
Levi shoves me to the ground. Landing on my side, I kick him his injured leg with both feet. “Fucking bitch!” he shouts, squeezing the trigger.
The gun goes off, the bullet barely missing Colt, and lodging in the front fender of his car instead. Another gun goes off, hitting Levi in the hand, his gun falling to the ground before another shot takes out his left kneecap. “Ah! Fuck!” Levi cries out, falling to his back on the concrete.
“Shit!” I scramble to my feet, heading straight for Colt.
Colt’s arms wrap around me, pulling my feet off the ground. “I’ve got you,” he says, his lips to my ear.
“Don’t fuckin’ move, asshole!” The sound of Schrader’s unmistakable voice booms from behind me.
Shifting in Colt’s arms, I open my eyes to see Schrader striding toward Levi, gun trained on him. Releasing me, Colt turns me to face the guys and cuts the ties from my wrists. “There.” Slipping his arms around me, he rubs my wrists while I flex my fingers. “Better?”
“Yes.”
“You okay?” he asks, kissing my hair.
“I am now,” I reply, feeling him smile.
“We’re clear!” Yanking him up onto a knee, Schrader presses the gun to the top
of Levi’s head. “Holdin’ this piece to your goddamn head and not pullin’ the trigger is like gettin’ the tip in and being told you can’t move,” Schrader groans. “Fuckin’ hard limit.”
“He doesn’t die easy,” Stone says, stepping out from the side of the hangar and tucking away his gun. “Or quick.”
Carrying a large assault rifle, Doc steps out from the tree line and heads our way. Handing it off to Schrader, he yanks a knife from his boot. “Get him up.”
“Need to put you in the car, babe,” Colt says, pulling me along with him when he turns.
“No. Please.” Facing Colt, I grab onto his leather with both hands. Looking up, I search his eyes. “Not yet. I need to see this through. Get my piece of closure.”
Colt looks to Stone. “Your call, Brother,” Stone says, though I don’t take my eyes from the man holding me. “You’ll get no argument from me for givin’ your woman what she needs. Long as she’s strong enough to handle it.”
Colt looks down at me again. “You’re sure about this?” I nod immediately. “Okay.” Taking my face in his hands, he leans down and kisses my lips. He hums against my mouth, lingering for another taste. “Take what you need, baby.”
Covering his hands with my own, I give them a squeeze. Blowing out a breath, I square my shoulders and turn to face Levi. Stone and Schrader have him by the arms, the man who spent hours abusing me now too weak and beaten down to even stand without assistance. “You look satisfied with yourself,” Levi chokes out, the physical pain he is in dripping from each word.
“I am,” I admit, giving him the biggest smile my swollen and sore face will allow. “You should’ve gotten in that car and left when you had the chance, Levi.”
He huffs out a laugh. “I was never makin’ it out of here alive.” He shifts on his foot, crying out and nearly falling when he puts weight on his blown-out knee. Stone and Schrader tighten their grip, yanking him upright. “My only regret was not takin’ all of you with me. Doesn’t matter, your time is coming. All of you will have to answer for the parts you’ve played.”
Colt growls from behind me, the heat of his body at my back. Kicking him in his knee, I ball my fist and hit him so hard pain explodes through my hand and up my arm. Levi grunts, blood pouring from his nose. “Say hello to Daniel for me, asshole.”
“Damn,” Schrader chuckles, smirking at Levi. “Looks like you pissed off the wrong one. Too bad we can’t sit here all day and watch her kick your ass.”
“Be a good show,” Doc agrees, he and Colt stepping around me. Holding up their guns, they each fire off a shot. Levi takes a hit to the thigh and chest. Instantly, I recognize they are the same wounds that killed Huck. He screams, not that any of us care. The pain he is currently feeling is nothing compared to what he deserves.
Seeming pleased, Schrader and Stone let him fall to the ground. Levi gasps for breath, blood oozing onto the concrete. Stepping forward, I watch his breaths slow, the life beginning to leave his body. After a few moments, his head falls to the side, blood spilling out of his mouth.
Leaning down, I press two fingers to his throat, counting each of the breaths he takes in comparison to mine. All four men train their guns on Levi, as if he could even move at this point. I hold no fear for this man. I feel nothing for him but pity and disgust. He doesn’t speak, or attempt to beg for his life. Grabbing my wrist, he stares up at me, struggling for each and every breath. The thumping against my fingers becomes faint after another minute or so. After one last whoosh of air leaving his chest, it stops all together. I take a deep breath, no longer counting them. “Thank you,” I say, looking up at the guys.
“Get her outta here,” Doc says to Colt, jerking his chin in the direction of Colt’s car. “Once Schrader and I clean this up, I’ll put in a call to Ashmead. She’ll make it official and reach out to Dobbs.”
This time, when Colt moves us toward the car, I go willingly. I am more than ready to get the hell out of here. “Rebel?” I ask, easing into the front seat. Glancing in the back, I notice there are no bags of cash like Colt had said. Fowler was right. He was never getting out of here alive.
“She’s fine, Hotness,” Colt says, shutting the door. Quickly rounding the car, he climbs into the driver seat. Shifting into gear, he hits the gas. “Shy and Jinks picked her up from the hospital hours ago. She’s waitin’ at the clubhouse for us now.”
“And Jace?” I swallow hard, the images of Jace flashing in my head again.
“Kid has fought like hell,” he replies, turning onto the road. “He’s in rough shape, but he’ll pull through.”
Closing my eyes, I lean back against the seat. The adrenaline quickly gives way to relief and exhaustion. “Beefcake?” I ask on a sigh.
“Yeah, babe?” His hand covers my thigh.
Placing my hand on top of his, a smile tugs at my lips. “I love you.”
I hear his sharp intake of breath and know, without a doubt, that if I had the energy to open my eyes and look at him, he would be smiling. Turning his hand, he laces our fingers, his thumb stroking gently over my fingers. “Love you too, Hen.”
My smile widens, goddamn butterflies flapping in my stomach like I was a teenager. I want to roll my eyes at myself for being so sappy. I would, but it feels too damn good to let something like my own cynicism and smart ass attitude dull the moment. Allowing myself to binge on the happiness for the moment, I sit next to the man who has stolen my heart in the same way he says I have stolen his, and I fall asleep, holding his hand.
Twenty-Five
Colt
There aren’t many things in my life I can define using the word perfect. That sure as hell isn’t me. It’s her. What she gives me. Her love. Her trust. Her, plain and fucking simple.
I knew the moment I saw Henley she was it for me. Acting on it took some time and planning on my part. The wait, painful as it fucking was, has been worth it. The road we took to get to this place, to where she and I were always supposed to be, would have made most people stop and run the other way. I rose to the challenge because I knew with every fucking thing in me she was worth it. Henley is worth everything.
Feeling her breath rush over my skin while she sleeps on my chest is one of those perfects. Having her here, knowing she is safe, is another. I wouldn’t trade a damn thing for moments like that.
“I’m not staying overnight,” Henley argues, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “I told you I’m fine. Told the cop the same thing when he barged in here and nearly got a shot of all the goods while I was changing into this stupid ass gown. Take me home, Colt.”
“I can’t take you home,” I fire back, flashing her a smile. “Your apartment is a crime scene.”
“So much bullshit,” she mutters, rolling her eyes.
“I don’t see a need for you to be admitted, Henley” the doctor says, scribbling something down in the chart. “As long as you’re resting and you follow up with your primary care doctor.”
“She will,” I answer, earning me a dirty look from Henley.
Nodding, the doctor hands over discharge papers and scripts for pain meds and a round of antibiotics for the nasty gashes on her wrists from the zip-ties, that have now been wrapped in gauze. “No work for a week,” he says, arching a brow at her when she rolls her eyes again. “I’ll make sure the paperwork is sent to administration personally.”
“Great,” Henley blurts, sarcastically to his back when he leaves the room. “Thank you.”
Brushing the hair from her face, I carefully trace the bruise on her cheek. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” I tell her, running my thumb over her bottom lip.
“You’re here,” she answers immediately. Taking my hands, she drops them into her lap, her eyes following them. Lacing our fingers, she finally looks up. “Don’t you dare cheapen that by blaming yourself. It doesn’t belong to you.”
“Henley.”
“You’re also here,” she whispers, pressing my hand to her chest. “You have the three things that I’ve never comp
letely given to anyone.” Letting go of the hand in her lap, she runs the tips of her fingers along my jaw, a sweet smile spreading across her face. “My heart, my love and my trust. That’s what I’ve given to you, Colt. I have no doubt in my mind that you’re the only one that could ever take me as I am and love every single inch, every flaw, every moment of insanity. There’s no blame there,” she says, a tear slipping down her cheek. “None here,” she continues, giving the hand over her heart a squeeze. “I don’t have room for any of that.” Smirking, she arches a brow. “In case you didn’t know, your ass takes up a lot of space in my heart.”
“Yeah, babe,” I admit, not bothering to hide the smile she has managed to pull out of me. “I sure as fuck hope so.” Pulling her close, I kiss her, needing more than the taste I got before we killed Fowler.
Her body softens, relaxing into mine. She sighs, lips parting, giving me exactly what I need. “Mmm,” she hums, her hands going to my forearms, when my hand slides around to her back, my fingers feeling the bare skin at the opening of her gown. “Either I break this up now,” she whispers, pressing a kiss to the corner of my mouth. “Or we end up giving anyone who walks in here one hell of a show because you’re about to cop a feel.”
Knowing she is probably right, I pull back and stand to my feet. “Get dressed,” I say, handing over the scrubs the nurse brought in to replace the ruined ones she was wearing when I brought her in. “Let’s get the hell outta here.”
Henley
After what feels like an eternity, we finally make it back to the clubhouse. Since my apartment is closed off until God fucking knows when, my temporary lodging is once again the Twisted Mayhem Compound. Although, unlike the prison it felt like when I came here to stay weeks ago, I feel more comforted by the faces I see filling the main room when we step through the doors.
“Fucking finally!” Climbing out of her seat, Rebel bolts toward me like a linebacker ready to tackle. Standing to their feet, Shy and Ro follow, their faces filled with relief. “I was losing my shit,” she says, wrapping her arms around me.