Ruthless (Dark MC Romance) (24 page)

“Spike.” Her voice was breathless with alarm, but even when she was scared she was so damn beautiful. Her thumb wiped tears from my cheeks.

“Everyone’s lost their place in the world. We need to get the hell out of here before we’re both dead.”

“Just follow my lead. Trust me.”

I squeezed her tiny shoulders. What could she possibly have her sleeve? How could she be capable of stopping him? “Julia, this is nuts. Every minute we spend here, we’re giving him more time to prepare. We need to get out, now. We could contact the other chapters for help.”

She shook her head, looking terrified but determined. “You’ve forgotten. I’m a hustler. This is what I do. Let me fool him. If we leave, he’ll find us.”

I wanted to argue, but her fingers dug into my sides as she kissed me again.
Goddamn
. What was it about her that made my heart fly out of chest? It was if nothing happened, as if Cain hadn’t beaten the shit out of her. She stepped back and smiled, strength blazing from every pore on her skin.

Maybe she was stronger than me.

* * *

Over the week, the rest of the club fell into line as Cain assumed control. There was no more democratic voting; Cain was the dictator. He was undermining every rule of MC. No one was happy. You could tell from the tight, drawn faces on the members.

No one would stand up against him. Not after what happened.

This has always been his plan. From the beginning.

I cleaned the bloodstained floors with a mop, relegated to menial labor after Cain ripped my VP patch. Members who were jealous of my promotion sneered at me. I didn’t fucking care.

It was all for her.

Julia kept her head down as Cain went about his business in the clubhouse, occasionally offering me a smile or a look to let me know that she was okay, but no one was okay. I was just biding my time.

Max, Tank, and a few others were my only real allies. Every time I thought about how hopeless our situation was, I wanted to laugh. I walked by Crash’s grave every time I left the club and I thought that I could almost see his rage bubbling to the surface.

You can’t just let him do this to me, Spike! C’mon!

I’m trying!
I thought desperately.

Cain traveled everywhere with a pair of bodyguards and there was no telling what the rest of the club would do if I tried to get rid of him. Would they back me up or was their fear of Cain so strong that they would do anything he said?

My stomach felt like lead when he called us in the office to discuss Thursday’s raid. To my surprise, an uncomfortable-looking Julia stood nearby in the corner, returning looks of confusion that everyone gave her. Old ladies were not allowed in the office.

But Cain cared nothing about rules.

We all listened as Cain went over the ambush, laying out a map on the table and pointing out where our positions were. Cain would lead the line of assault.

Good, hopefully you’ll get killed.

According to Cain’s sources there were several hundred thousand pounds of Red arriving at the docks. It would make the club rich beyond their wildest imagination.

“Julia, you’ll be waiting in a car.”

“What?” It was Tank who spoke.

“We need a driver,” he said in poisonous voice.

A stunned silence followed his words. Even Pike looked doubtful.

“She’s an old lady. This is club business. They’ve no place in a fucking raid.”

There were more than a few murmurs of agreement until Cain sent his icy stare down the table. “She is my old lady and I’ll decide what I want to do with her. If you insult her, you insult
me
. She is more than capable of driving a fucking car.”

“It’s not about whether she can drive a car. That ain’t her place. It’s too dangerous for a woman.”

Fuck you, Cain.
Hatred boiled in my stomach.

He was twisting the knife in my side. He was too busy sneering at me to see the looks of contempt thrown his way. We all filed out after the meeting. Julia hung back deliberately and I walked to her as the last members filtered out.

“Julia, this is nuts. He can’t involve you in this.”

She crossed her arms, staring outside. “This is an opportunity.”

I still shook with rage. Why couldn’t she understand how risky this was? She had never been in a firefight before. I could see her face crumpled in pain as bullets burst through her body. I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I would never forgive myself.

Her blue eyes narrowed. “Spike, I’m more than capable—”

“I will never be able to live with myself if you get hurt.”

I felt a deep tug in my chest that became almost painful when she brushed her fingers over my hand.

“Why?”

Why?
“Because I’m in love with you.”

It burst from my mouth before I realized what I was saying. Stunned by my own admission, my heart raced. At the same time, I felt it down to the marrow of my bones. Only love could make me feel so much pain and joy at the same time. From the moment I met her, I knew I would never be the same again. For her, I would do anything.

The corner of her mouth twitched and her eyes slowly filled with tears, but she shook her head.  “We can’t—this isn’t the time.”

Terrified, she glanced outside where Cain waited. Her lips trembled and she furiously blinked them away. Dropping my hand, she whisked around and stalked outside. The terrible ache in my chest throbbed again.

* * *

The convoy of bikes roared through the sleeping city like a horde of angry bees. The docks were in the southwestern part of town. Behind them all was Julia’s inconspicuous convertible, roaring like a loud-mouthed redhead. She split up from the group as we neared the docks and I leaned into my bike to follow her. I was charged with guarding the western exits, with only one other guy to back me up. If Cain was trying to get me killed, he was making it remarkably easy.

I sped past Julia’s convertible as she parked down the street. If anyone was injured, it was her job to drive into the blazing gunfire to save them.

Maybe he’s trying to get rid of both of us.

I couldn’t stop the dread from climbing up my throat like bile. We were riding into a firestorm, but so far nothing happened.

We should be getting shot at.
We were deep in Tiger territory on the day of their massive shipment, and they hadn’t closed the blocks?
Something’s not adding up.

I made a decision at the last minute to pull into an empty alley, shutting off the lights as Boomer followed me inside. I brought two shotguns with me, along with a sidearm, and a pistol with a sight.

“What are we doing here, Spike? I thought we were supposed to go a few more blocks?”

Boomer, a big fellow, slid from his bike with a little less grace. He was a good shot, but he’d be hopeless in a hand-to-hand fight.

“I don’t know.” I leaned against the wall and looked down the street. There was nothing but the wink of streetlights. “It’s too quiet. I’m going to scout the place.”

A fire escape led to the top of the apartment building. I stepped on the first rung of the ladder. “Stay in sight. Give me a shout if you see anything.”

Boomer nodded and flattened his back against the brick wall to stare at the streets and I turned back to the ladder. Wind whipped my jacket as I climbed higher, passing by darkened windows as I climbed the next level. Finally, my head peeked over the top of the building. The rooftop was deserted so I climbed over, my legs shaking a bit with the strain of climbing so quickly.

Looking down from the roof, I could see everything. I saw Julia’s car parked at a safe distance, half-hidden in the shadows. Traffic was nonexistent. The docks bobbed in the dark water as a giant shadow slowly drifted closer and closer. A procession of bikes blocks away sped towards it like bullets—Cain’s crew, most likely. Then I saw a bright flash out of the corner of my eye and heard yelling in the distance.

A few blocks ahead, River and his group screamed something as glass exploded from the store behind them. They ducked inside and fired back.

Where the hell are they?

The crack of gunshots snapped through the air. I looked on the streets and couldn’t see a goddamn Tiger anywhere. Something moved ahead of me, a dark huddled mass on the buildings next to me.

Fuck.

Tigers were hunched over, completely swathed in black as they sat near the edge of the rooftops, picking off Dragons milling in the streets. They knew we were coming.
Of course, they knew.
The man I interrogated had plenty of time to warn his people, and they set up an ambush for us.

I squinted in the dark, trying to make out how many there were. Fuck, I couldn’t see shit from my building. They were well hidden. I needed to get down to tell the others.

“Boomer! They’ve got the whole place staked out.”

“Fuck.”

Climbing down the staircase, I hit Cain on my cellphone. As much as I wanted Cain out, I couldn’t let my brothers die from his arrogance. I froze, thinking of Julia in her car, horribly exposed on the street.

“
What?
” Cain’s malicious voice cracked into the speaker.

“Cain, the Tigers are staked out on the rooftops. They’re picking us off.”

“
So what the fuck are you doing calling me? Take them out!
”

“We should pull out. We’ve walked into an ambush.”

“
Either get rid of them, or don’t bother coming back.
”

The line went dead.
So that’s how it’s going to be, isn’t it?
My instincts told me that it was hopeless. That I should get Julia and leave, but I couldn’t stomach it. I wouldn’t desert my brothers. Boomer watched my face anxiously.

“I’m going to take them out. You’ll stay on the bottom and cover my exit.”

“Spike, that’s crazy! You’ll never be able—”

“I don’t have a choice.”

River and his team were pinned down. I could only pray that they managed to take him out. Another loud gunshot made both of us duck. I dialed Julia as we walked back to our bikes.

“
What is it?
”

It was somehow hard to talk to her. “Listen, whatever you do, stay back. They’ve snipers on the rooftops and they’re taking us out.”

“
Shit.
”

I might not make it.
“Julia, I—” I couldn’t tell her I loved her. She would know something was wrong. “I’ll come back as fast as I can.”

“
Okay
.
Be safe
.”

Her last words echoed in my head as I slipped the phone into my pocket. We hugged the walls, deciding that it would be safer to walk the two blocks to the snipers. Boomer’s red face streamed with sweat as we prepared to round the corner. I hoped to God the men on top wouldn’t hear the gunshots.

Boomer nodded and I crouched down near his legs, ready to lean over the corner.

“On three,” I whispered.

“One…two…three!”

We whipped around the corner. For a moment, I only saw darkness in the corner and then I saw two men standing near the fire escape, heavily armed. I blasted the one on the left and Boomer took out the one on the right. The snipers on the rooftop might have heard the loud blasts if it weren’t for the constant rat-a-tat of gunfire. We streamed into the alley, kicking over the bodies to make sure they were dead. The man I shot had a giant hole in his chest and his young lips were tinged with blood. He was much younger than I was.
No more than a teenager
. His eyes still stared with a mild expression of shock.

He probably still lives with his parents.

Lived.

I gritted my teeth and grabbed the first rung. “Stay behind and keep a lookout.”

“Okay.”

It was hard to climb with a shotgun in my hand, but I managed somehow. Screams sliced through the night air like a knife, urging me onward.

Tigers must be stretched thin if they have men guarding every exit.

I was halfway up. Suddenly, a man leaned over the side and looked directly at me.

Fuck.

I reached for my sidearm and swung it at him.
Pop. Pop.
The first two rounds sunk into the building. He recoiled backwards and screamed. A third shot zipped through his head and his body fell out of sight. I ran up the remaining flights of stairs. The snipers would be alerted.

Run. Just get there and start shooting.

Pain exploded into my shoulder, nearly making me flip over the railing as I peeked over the edge.
I’m going to die.

My instincts took over completely. Aim. Shoot. One man stupidly decided to stand over the edge and shoot, I sank two bullets in his stomach and he hurtled over the building. My head ducked behind the wall as fragments of brick exploded around me.

Shit.

My left shoulder throbbed, but I shoved it out of my mind. I swung myself over again. Shooting the men hiding behind the vents. Their cries of pain filled my ears as each bullet struck home. I leapt over the top, sprinting to a door, which led down the building. Horribly exposed, I rounded the corner and saw two more men. The muzzles of their guns flashed in the night.

Something punched my leg and I dropped to the ground. Both of them went down and finally the rooftop was silenced, or perhaps the rush of blood in my brain drowned out the noise. I tried to step forward, to investigate the roof, but I fell over as if my feet didn’t work. Oxygen and energy poured out of me. I glanced down and saw dark blood gushing from the wound.

No, I can’t. I have to get back to her.

I somehow dragged myself back to the fire escape and crawled down the stairs. Boomer screamed something but I couldn’t make it out. I just focused on the sound of my ragged breaths.

Stay alive. Keep breathing.

I crawled on my stomach. My shoulder burned and my leg—I couldn’t think about it. My hand looked like a red glove when I uncovered it.
Another flight. Just one more.
Finally, I dropped from the fire escape and slammed into the ground.