Consumed: A Devil Chaser's MC Romance (14 page)

It was getting closer to 2:00, so Snake and Bones began loading the barge with empty crates. They didn’t want the Black Diamonds to have any doubts about it being an actual shipment. They continued to go back and forth from the truck to the barge.

Goliath looked over to me and shook his head. We both were beginning to think that the Black Diamonds weren’t going to show. We’d seen them preparing to come on their surveillance video, but maybe it was just a ploy.

Renegade stepped out from behind the shop and had started to walk over to Bishop when I noticed two men walking behind one of the larger buildings. I called over the radio for him to return to his previous location, but he ignored me. Three more men appeared on the screen just as Renegade reached Bishop. I radioed over to Bishop to let him know that they were there. I watched as six more men made their way towards the barge. I gave my count to Bishop, and he let Snake know they were coming.

Snake and Bones carried on like nothing was happening until Razor, the Black Diamond’s VP, approached them with two other men at his side. I was too far away to hear what they were saying, but it was obvious that they were having a heated argument. I kept my eye on the surveillance video and watched as twelve additional men approached the area. It was more than we’d expected, but we were prepared for that.

After several words were exchanged between Razor and Snake, Snake raised his gun and shot him in the head. The two men beside him quickly fell to the ground. I radioed over to Bishop, warning him that the other men were approaching. My pulse raced as gunfire exploded around us. The battle had begun.

Chapter 21

Courtney

Waiting was hell. Waiting for news alone was unbearable, so we gathered around the bar and waited together. We needed something to take our minds off of things, so Tessa started a debate among the girls.
      

“No way, Bishop is way more pushy than Goliath,” Tessa said with a laugh. “When he tells you to jump, he expects you to ask how high.”

“He’s older and more authoritative. That doesn’t make him pushy,” Lily explained.

“Goliath is a man that knows what he wants. He doesn’t give a shit about what anyone else thinks,” Taylor told us. “I think it’s kinda hot.”

“Renegade is no pussycat either, my dear,” Lily told her, giggling. “I’ve heard him give you an order or two.”

“That’s the understatement of the century,” Taylor said as she rolled her eyes. “That man is determined to have it his way.”

“What about Bobby?” Lily asked. “He doesn’t seem to be all that bossy.”

“He is when it counts,” I said wiggling my eyebrows. “I love that about him.”

“I’m so glad you two worked it out,” Tessa started. “You had me worried there for a little while.”

“I guess it was the path I had to take. I needed that time to sort through everything, and in the end, I think we’re better for it.” I wanted to change the subject so I asked, “So, who’s got the shortest temper?”

They each said their better half at the same time. We all laughed, and I said, “I’m going with Goliath, just because I wouldn’t ever want to piss that man off. He’s huge and has all those bulging muscles. Let’s face it, he’s kinda scary when he’s mad.”

“He’s only scary when he needs to be,” Lily said defensively. “But, you’re right. He’s not the kind of man you want to piss off.”

We talked for several hours and then fell silent. It was well after two o’clock. We’d all heard them discussing the times today when they didn’t think we were listening. We knew when the trouble would start.

“Do you think they will call us when it’s over?” I asked.

“Bishop will text me when they’re heading back,” Tessa answered. “It shouldn’t be much longer.”

“What if something went wrong?” I asked. “What if one of them is hurt?”

“We can’t think that way, Court. We just can’t,” Tessa said with concern.

“It’s just so damn hard. I love Bobby so much. I don’t think I could handle it if something ever happened to him,” I cried.

Tessa placed her hand on my shoulder and said, “We all feel that way, honey. We have to remember that they are out there trying to protect us. They’ll do anything to keep their family safe.”

“How do you do that?” I asked.

“What?” Tessa asked.

“You always have these grand words of wisdom when someone is having doubts. Do you think this stuff up ahead of time, or does it just come to you?” I asked, laughing.

“Shut up, Courtney. Stop giving me a hard time,” Tessa said as she nudged me with her shoulder.

“I didn’t say it was a bad thing. You are a great First Lady,” I told her nudging her back. I meant what I said. Tessa did a great job of keeping things together around there. Bishop knew what he was doing when he chose her. They truly did make the perfect couple.

“I have some news. I shouldn’t be telling you this, since I haven’t even told Bishop, but…” Tessa started.

“A secret?” I asked. “I love secrets. Come on… spill it. We won’t tell. It will go in the vault! Promise!” I said, urging her on.

“I really shouldn’t. I feel awful even thinking about telling you all this,” Tessa said as she shook her head. “This isn’t the time to even talk about it.”

“It will take our minds off of things for a bit. We won’t say anything,” Lily said with a smile. “Like Courtney said, we’ll put it in the vault.”

“Okay…. Well, I don’t know anything for sure, but I’m usually very regular and whatnot,” Tessa said and then hesitated.

I nudged her and asked, “And?”

      
“It’s just... it’s just that I’m a little late,” she said as her face blushed with embarrassment.

“You’re
pregnant
?” Lily asked.

“I don’t know for sure. I haven’t even taken a pregnancy test. We’ve been on this stupid lockdown, so I haven’t been able to buy one without everybody knowing.”

“I have one in my room!” Lily said. “Goliath made me buy three different kinds at Christmas. I only used the first one. The others are in my bag.”

“
Tess
! You have to take the test!” I pleaded.

“I can’t do that without Bishop. He would never let me hear the end of it,” Tessa told us.

“I have two. Take one with us, and save the other one for him,” Lily said with a wicked grin.

“I like her way of thinking! Come on, Tessa. Let’s go find out if you’re knocked up,” I told her, laughing.

“Okay, but you all have to promise to keep it in the vault. Either way… no one says a word,” she demanded. She shook her head and said, “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

We all waited as Lily went to her room to get the pregnancy tests. She came back with an excited expression on her face. “We could be pregnant together! I would so love that.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. It’s probably nothing. The stress has just made me late or something,” Tessa said as she took the test in her hand. “I’ll be right back.”

She ran into the restroom waving the box above her head. “Hurry!” I shouted.

The room fell silent when she walked back into the room. Her face was void of expression, so we didn’t know what to think.

“Well?” I asked.

A huge smile spread across her face as she said, “I’m pregnant!”

We all stood up and raced over to her, hugging her excitedly. “I’m so happy for you!” I told her.

“How am I going to raise four children?” she asked. “I’m just now getting a handle on having three!”

“You are a wonderful mother, Tessa. You’re a natural. Don’t worry about that,” Lily told her.

“What will Bishop think?” Tessa asked. “We’ve never even talked about having another child.”

“You’re about to make him the happiest man on the planet. Don’t you worry one minute about what Bishop is going to think. He loves you. I have no doubt in my mind that he is going to be thrilled to death over this baby,” I told her.

“I can’t believe I’m going to have a baby,” Tessa said.

“I know the feeling,” Lily told her. “I don’t think that feeling ever goes away.”

“I can’t wait to see the expression on his face when I tell him he’s going to be a father,” Tessa told us.

“How much longer is this going to take? It’s been hours,” Taylor asked, bringing us back to reality. “Shouldn’t they have called by now?”

Gloom filled the room as we all looked over at the clock. We had no idea how long they would be, and we were all beginning to worry. I had to believe that they would call us soon.

Chapter 22

The best weapon against an enemy is another enemy
.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Bobby

We were surrounded by gunfire as I watched the additional men approach the area. Snake’s men continued to take them out, one by one. There was still no sign of Shadow. We all knew that it wouldn’t be over until Shadow was dead. When bullets started heading in our direction, Goliath began to fire back. Bishop joined him, but neither of them were able to stop the man that was shooting in their direction. I had a better angle, so without hesitation, I pulled out my weapon and shot him. When he fell to the ground, Bishop looked over in my direction and nodded in approval.

When I looked back at the screen, I saw a black Tahoe slowly pulling into the lot. I radioed over to Bishop to let him know that it was heading in our direction. The tinted windows slowly came down, unveiling the barrel of a semi-automatic rifle. Gunfire rained from the windows, as a man slipped out the back door. The man slowly made his way over to the side of the building, and when he stopped, I finally recognized him. Shadow.

“He’s here,” I told Goliath over the two-way radio.

“Where?” he asked.

“He’s coming around the south side of the main warehouse. He’s getting closer. Just a few more steps,” I told him.

“I got it,” Goliath told me.

Goliath reached for his long distance rifle with a mounted scope. He propped the gun on his shoulder, and patiently waited for Shadow to come into sight.

I watched Shadow inch closer to Snake, totally unaware that we were watching him. His sole focus was on getting to Snake. He was oblivious to the fact that death waited for him just around the corner. With his gun in his hand, he crept along the backside of the building. He seemed totally unfazed as he stepped over his fallen brothers that were scattered along the ground.

When Shadow took the first step out into the open, Goliath didn’t hesitate taking his shot. A look of total surprise crossed his face as the bullet pierced through his head. His limp body fell helpless to the ground. I looked over to Goliath. The gun remained in its previous position as Goliath glared at the dead man’s body. With an angry grimace, he looked back into the scope and shot him three more times.

The remaining Black Diamond members became frantic when they saw their president fall dead, shooting at anything in sight. When the gunfire became directed towards Bishop, Sheppard revealed himself. He fired off several rounds, killing three of the men shooting in our direction. At that moment, all attention was drawn to Sheppard. He ducked down, trying to escape the bullets that were then directed at him, but he wasn’t fast enough. Two bullets slammed into his chest with such force that it knocked him off the barge and into the rapidly moving waters of the lake. We all watched helplessly as his body was taken by the fast moving current.

“Goddamn it!” Bishop shouted. He jumped up and ran to the edge of the water. Goliath and Renegade followed quickly behind him, ignoring the gunfire that surrounded them.

“Watch out, Bishop,” Goliath shouted as he tackled him to the ground, covering him with his own body. Gunfire continued to erupt around them. I tried to kill the shooter myself, but he was out of my range.

“I’ve got to get to him,” Bishop shouted as he shook Goliath off of him. He made his way over to the water’s edge and searched for any sign of Sheppard. Silence surrounded us as the final two men were killed, leaving no Black Diamond left alive.

Bishop pulled off his leather jacket and tossed it to the ground. Goliath grabbed him by the arm and said, “Don’t! You’ll never get to him like that. We need to find a boat.”

“There’s no time!” Bishop shouted.

“You’ll drown before you ever even reach him, brother! You gotta know that,” Goliath pleaded with him.

Renegade raced over to the barge pilot and asked him for help. He gave him the keys to his old johnboat but warned him against trying to find Sheppard.

“There’s not much you’re going to be able to do. We’re right by the spillway, and the dam is running. The current is too strong here,” he told us. “Even if the gunshots didn’t kill him, the water will. There’s no way he’ll survive that.”