Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Dragon pulls his hands back, settling them on my hips, just circling his thumbs over my jeans. “You alright?”
I nod. “Yeah, I'm—”
Bells toll, slow at first before picking up speed. “On your feet!” someone yells from the church entrance. “Incoming!”
His yell is punctuated by the sound of a gunshot, and then everything is chaos.
11
WILLOW
I freeze, almost amused by watching Blackout and Skyhigh stuff themselves back into their pants, but it becomes really obvious really fast that if this is a drill, it isn’t planned. I scramble off Dragon’s lap as Skyhigh pulls a gun out of his belt.
“What’s going on?”
Blaze is pulling her clothes back into place. “I don’t know. We have to stay low and do what they say.”
Skyhigh points to us. “Dragon and Sinner, get the girls to Bonnie’s and check the yard. Blackout and Jackal, with me.”
I always got the feeling that Skyhigh was the leader of the three because he was a little bossy, but it's suddenly completely obvious that it’s more than that. All of the men nod, accepting his order without hesitation.
He looks at me. “You scared?”
I nod.
“I know you are, baby, but you’ve gotta lock it down for now. Stick with Blaze. We’ll come for you when the coast is clear, okay? I need to hear it.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
And then I'm moving—or more like it, being moved. Dragon and Sinner guide us quickly past the altar and out the back of the church. Hellfire storms out of a room near the exit, gun in hand, his long hair tied back and his face a grim mask full of deathly promise. He registers us with a glance, then nods and keeps moving.
Blackout holds up a hand to stop us as he gets ready to open the back door. “Hang back. Let me see what’s waiting for us before you go charging out.”
He pulls a gun too, then pushes the door open gently, while we huddle together in the shadows next to Sinner. I wish I could do something, but this is so outside my realm of experience, that I can't imagine what. Even Blaze, who knows her way around the club much better than I do, is looking nervous, so maybe it's not just me. Another gunshot goes off outside, making me squeak in surprise and grip her arm.
“We'll be okay,” she says, her voice shaky. “These guys know what they're doing. They're not going to let us get hurt. I promise.”
I think she's trying to convince herself as much as she is me, but I nod. “I know.”
“It's clear,” Blackout says. “Come on.”
Terrified, I hold my breath as Blackout and Sinner guard our trip to the two-story house next to the church. More lights are on, and bikers are flooding out of the school building and the garage, most of them visibly armed. Another gunshot goes off as Blackout hurries us up a staircase attached to the side of the house. He raps hard on the door, and after a moment an older lady with silvery hair and sharp eyes answers. She must be Bonnie.
She takes one look at us and waves us inside into a cluttered kitchen with earthy pink walls. “Go on, boys. I’ve got them.”
“We’ll come for you when it’s safe.” Blackout grabs me by the arm and crushes a quick, desperate kiss to my lips before leaving.
Blaze slams the door shut, and Bonnie slides a manual bolt into place to lock it. I stare in shock at the closed door.
Bonnie crosses her tattooed arms in front of her chest and grins. I’m guessing she’s late forties or early fifties, and about my height, five-four, but her personality makes her seem larger than life. “Nothing like a little excitement to shake up the night, eh? Well, get comfortable and stay away from the windows. Who’s your friend, Blaze?”
Blaze gestures to me. “Willow, this is Bonnie. Bonnie, Willow.”
“Hi.”
“I haven’t seen you around. New to the club?” Bonnie asks.
“Yeah, kinda I guess.” I look towards the door. “Are they going to be okay?”
“They’ll be fine. These boys can handle a lot. Who are you here with, hon?”
“Skyhigh, Dragon and Blackout. They… They were just supposed to help me with my garden.” Why am I telling them this? I blame shock. “I live down the hill.”
“Oh! Edith’s girl!” Bonnie proclaims. “Your grandma was a tough old broad. I was sorry to hear she died.”
“Thanks. You knew her?”
Bonnie smirks. “Not that she’d want to admit it, but I lost my man a couple years after your grandfather passed. We weren’t friends exactly, but we shared a few bottles of wine down at her place over the years. You ladies want anything? Beer? Energy drink? I’ve got these weird Japanese soda things my daughter likes.”
“I’ll take a beer,” Blaze answers.
“Just water, thanks.” I can’t believe my grandmother and this woman actually hung out. What would they even talk about?