Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 33577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
She shook her head, her body trembling against mine. "No. I don't think so. There was an explosion and then..." Her voice cracked. "Jack, they just came out of nowhere."
I cupped her face with my free hand, forcing her to focus on me. "You're okay. I'm here now." My voice was gentle but my eyes were already moving again, counting enemies, assessing damage, plotting counterattacks. "Wren?"
"I'm good," she answered, her face streaked with soot but her eyes clear. "That blood's not Honey's. She clocked a Copperhead with a wrench when he tried to grab her." Pride flashed through me, hot and unexpected. My woman had fought back. “Where’s Ghost?” Wren was steady, but I heard the waver in her voice. Since Wren got here, Ghost had treated Wren like his daughter. It was clear they’d formed a bond and I was glad of it.
"He's securing the shipment. He knows there’s a problem so he won’t be long. None of them will." I turned to Honey. "Stay with Wren. Don't move unless she tells you to. Understand?"
Honey nodded, tightening her grip on the shotgun. "I understand. We got this."
I pressed a hard kiss to her mouth, then moved toward the main building, signaling the prospects to follow. Three more of my brothers emerged from behind the smoking shell of a van, relief evident on their faces when they spotted me.
"Give it to me." I braced myself.
"They hit us in waves," reported Hitter, our club doc, blood seeping from a gash across his forehead. "First from the east, then south. Blew the gate with some kind of homemade charges. We've got two confirmed dead. Dice and Runner. Ledger's gut-shot. Not as bad as I’d first feared, but he’s out of the fight. Four more wounded guys are still fighting."
I processed this, fury building in my chest even as my mind remained cold and calculating. "Copperhead numbers?"
"At least twenty, maybe more. They pulled back to regroup about five minutes ago. Expecting another push any minute."
"Their positions?"
Rivet pointed to the tree line beyond the ruined east fence. "Main force is there. Got snipers in that abandoned building across the road. Smaller group circling around from the south. Also, I’m sure it won’t be long ‘til the cops arrive."
“With any luck they’ll all be focused on the shipping yard. Should give us a little time to get rid of these fuckers.”
A figure sprinted toward us from the clubhouse, ducking low. Bug, our intel officer, his laptop clutched against his chest like a shield.
"Prez," he gasped, reaching us. "Security cams caught their approach. They've got us surrounded, but their north flank is thin. Mostly for containment."
I nodded, pieces falling into place. "They want to box us in, force a surrender. Likely in exchange for the weapons we just took possession of in case they weren’t successful at the dock." My lips curled in a snarl. "Not fuckin’ happenin’."
I looked around at what remained of my fighting force. Ten members, five prospects. Against close to twice that many Copperheads. But we had one advantage they didn't.
"This is our house," I said, my voice dropping to a deadly calm. "And we're gonna to remind these fuckers why they should have stayed out of it."
I pointed to the clubhouse. "Rivet, take four men to the armory. Get everyone who knows how to use an AR equipped accordingly and anyone who doesn’t a Glock. Bug, I want eyes everywhere. Hack into street cams if you have to. I need to know when they move." I turned to two prospects who'd moved to cover me and the other officers in the area. "You two, get the wounded to the safe room in the basement, including my woman and Wren." I nodded in the women’s direction. “Don’t take no for an answer.”
As my brothers dispersed to carry out orders, I scanned the compound again. This was only a small lull. While there was still gun fire popping in the night occasionally, the Copperheads were regrouping. Likely, they were waiting for word from the docks.
"We're setting a trap," I announced to those still with me. "They want to push us into a corner? We'll let them think they have. Meanwhile, we'll be positioned to hit them from all sides when they move in."
I detailed positions quickly, assigning men to hidden vantage points throughout the compound. I searched out Honey again, needing to see that she’d gone inside with the prospects like I asked them to make sure of. And, of course, Honey was still with Wren by the workshop. She met my gaze across the yard, her chin lifting slightly. Yeah. Getting her inside and safely hidden away didn’t seem to be an option.
“You’re woman doesn’t follow orders well, Prez.” I turned to see Ghost move up behind me, his expression grim but tinged with amusement. “Met one of the prospects you sent to coral her Wren. He said he liked his balls too much to force either of those women to do something they didn’t want to do.”