downstairs and play a game of pool with me. You need to unwind.”
“I’m just gonna kick your ass,” I tease.
“I know, but I will make this sacrifice for you. This time!”
Standing, I grab my bag upending it in the bottom of my closet.
Koda laughs while shaking his head. “And you wonder why we were living week to week in Chicago. You’re so unorganized.”
I scoff, kicking the clothes inside the door, quickly shutting it so I can’t see the mess. “I resent that remark, or maybe it should be I resemble that remark.” We both laugh.
Koda stands, walks with me, and we head for the hall. “C’mon. Everyone will be rising for the day. Let’s get to the pool table before Chains and Luc hog it all day.”
I snicker because it’s true. Those brothers from Chicago do love to play pool.
We head down the stairs, my senses on high alert searching the room for Wraith, but he’s nowhere to be seen. Thankfully.
Koda and I head to the empty pool table. He picks up a cue, hurtling it at me, and I grab it with a giggle. “Trying to put me off, little brother?”
“I gotta try and win somehow,” he quips.
“Rack ‘em up,” I call out.
He grabs the balls and the triangle pulling them all together at the head of the green felt.
Koda’s right, this is relaxing me from whatever the fuck state I was in before he came into my room. He lines up the white ball on the dot, then pushing his hand through the air. “Well, oh pool master… please take your aim.”
I smirk, moving to line up my shot. I bend down, threading the cue through my fingers, lining my eyesight to hit the ball dead on, when out of the corner of my eye I see Wraith walk in from outside. His knuckles are covered in congealed blood. He’s pale. Weak. His eyes look puffy. Tired.
The sight throws me as I shoot the pool cue forward, it skirts off on a crooked angle missing all the balls and slams into the side of the table.
I gulp when Wraith walks in, shirtless. It’s like he hasn’t gone upstairs since last night. Whatever happened after our argument, he’s only making his way inside now.
“Good shot, Prinie, your aim’s a little off,” Koda jokes, but I don’t engage.
My eyes stay transfixed on Wraith as he walks inside the main room. Everyone is fixated on him as he ambles for the stairs.
Suddenly, pounding footsteps echo down the staircase.
Wraith’s head jerks up.
A man wearing all black with a black beanie jumps in front of Wraith, hoists himself up on the rails of the staircase and dropkicks Wraith right in the stomach. He flies back toward the pool table as more black, clad men come barreling down the staircase.
I reach out grabbing Koda, pulling him to me. My senses spiral into overdrive as I yank us down under the pool table. The assassin-looking men swarm the clubhouse as our men clamber for their weapons—those who have them. It’s early morning, so not everyone is carrying right now.
I bring my hands over my ears to block out the sounds as Wraith springs to his feet. He’s only wearing jeans. No shoes. Nowhere for a weapon. He’s out in the open as an assassin lunges for him. They fall back on the pool table. All I see are their feet wrestling in front of my eyes. My heart races so fucking fast I want to pass out.
Koda wraps his arm around me. Dammit! I should be the one comforting him right now.
My breathing is quick as Kevlar aims his gun at an assassin then pulls the trigger. Blood splatter coats the wall of the clubhouse right next to Chills. She clings on to Kobe, trying to keep away from the fight as Cherry and her huddle in the corner.
Chains and Luc are tag-teaming as they throw one assassin between them. Punch after punch, until the guy’s face resembles something like a Jackson Pollock painting. It’s gruesome, but no one raids the Houston Defiance clubhouse and lives to tell the tale.
A set of legs above me straighten dramatically then stop dead still.
My chest squeezes, hoping like hell that’s not Wraith as the set drop to the floor in front of me. I clench my eyes shut not being able to take the anxiety.
Koda squeezes me. “It’s okay,” he yells in my ear.
I slowly open my eyes to see the assassin, dead on the floor, his eyes