Dark Guardian (Black Hoods MC #3) - Avelyn Paige Page 0,50

somewhere out of reach and Henry’s on top of me, biting, scratching, and clawing at me. The sounds coming from his throat are terrifying. I’ve never heard noises like that come from a human being.

His hands go around my throat, and we both fall to the ground in a struggle. There isn’t a lot of room in my tiny living room, and every which way I roll, wanting to take this asshole by surprise and get him off of me, ends with us slamming into a wall or a large piece of furniture. I’m trapped beneath him.

Henry’s eyes are red and empty of everything, except his rage. When he pulls his fist back, getting ready to slam it down into my face, I realize how much danger we’re both in.

Grace is somewhere close by.

Henry Tucker’s fist bashes into my skull once, twice, and then a third time. The ringing in my ears grows, but still, I fight.

I’ve been in my share of fistfights, and I’ve never lost one. I’m not about to lose this one, either.

“Eugene!” Grace shrieks.

Henry’s head whips up to look at her, and I take my shot. I fist his hair in my hand, twisting it in my fingers as close to the scalp as I can manage and throw him off balance.

Using the momentum, I push with my legs to toss him up and over me. I jump to my feet, rushing to get my gun, but Henry reaches his first.

“Don’t you fucking move!” he screams. Looking back, I find him standing with his gun aimed directly at Grace. My heart sinks as I freeze. I couldn’t move now if I wanted to.

“Get over there and stand with her,” he orders, waving the gun between us. “Now!”

As I approach Grace, I stare into her pale, terrified face, wondering how I could have fucked this up so bad. I fucked up, and now she’s in danger. We may not make it out of here alive.

Grace

“You don’t have to do this,” I plead, pressing my back against the wall, my fingers like claws in the back of Eugene’s shirt.

Henry’s lips move, spouting off unintelligible words, but he doesn’t lower the gun. “Where are my fucking kids, bitch?”

Eugene lifts a hand, turning the psycho’s attention onto himself. “Calm down, buddy. Let’s work this out like adults. Nobody has to get hurt here.”

Henry’s lips stop moving as he lowers the gun to his side, but his whole body trembles with aggression. “My kids. They’re my kids, not yours. Mine. Give them to me.”

I tug on Eugene’s shirt, pulling him tight against me. With the blood pounding in my ears, the room around me spins as I force myself to stay still and calm.

“Gene, look what Karma got me!”

Kevin pushes through the back door and into the kitchen before I can stop him, with Natalie right behind him. The moment she lays eyes on Henry, she screeches to a halt. My heart plummets.

Things just went from bad to a million times worse.

“This kid’s gonna be a—” Karma stops mid-sentence and quickly pushes Lindsey behind him.

Oh God. Now we’re all here. Six of us held hostage by a man who’s obviously tweaking and has a loaded gun.

“Well, who do we have here?” Henry smiles when he notices Lindsey. I watch in horror as every drop of blood drains from Lindsey’s face when Henry reaches for her.

“Leave her alone,” Karma growls. “She’s pregnant.”

Karma moves to intercept Henry, and that’s when the loudest sound I’ve ever heard blasts through the room, leaving my ears ringing.

For a moment, I don’t understand what’s happened or where that sound had come from, but as a red circle blossoms and grows on the front of Karma’s T-shirt, I know. My screams mix with those of Lindsey’s and the kids’ as Karma gapes at Eugene. Dropping to his knees, he falls forward, landing directly on his face.

“Nobody move!” Henry roars, now pointing the gun at Lindsey as he yanks at his hair with his free hand, moaning as if in agony. “Oh fuck, fuck, fuck. Oh, God.”

I stare at Karma’s motionless body, and send a silent prayer out into the universe, begging for him to be okay. Everyone’s sobbing except for Eugene, who looks ready to throw himself into battle, gun or no gun.

“You killed him,” Lindsey cries. “You fucking killed him, you son of a bitch!” Tears stream down her face, but she looks heartbroken. She leans forward, as if to check on Karma, but then she’s on