tight when his gut gives him the warnings that something is up.
It’s not just my own frustration at leaving Coldstone.
It's gonna be a messy fucking night.
Hawk grunts at King and then takes off, checking the clearing out for any obvious signs of traps or something that screams Demon but there’s nothing.
This whole fucking trip might be for nothing, a routine drop off that tells us fucking nothing about what’s been going wrong.
“Why’d you pick this spot?” I murmur to King, keeping my eyes on Cole.
He was the best choice for this trip. We needed the extra person but with Speck down for the count and Rue being in charge we had to bring another brother. The only other person I trust is Axe but he’s watching my girl while Rue is busy.
I would be truly fucking shocked if Cole was a rat.
He’s another ex-military brother. A veteran who was left behind by the service when his PTSD got out of control, he and Axe joined the club at the same time and have always kept their heads down and answered any fucking call we’ve had for them. Cole went from barely being able to stay sober and keep a roof over his head to having a family, a house, and a fucking brotherhood thanks to the club.
He’s a good man.
I’m sure of it.
Doesn’t mean I want him overhearing us and knowing a goddamn thing about what’s going on in our family with our fucking mission to find the rats.
“The trees are good cover. It’s also the only spot we’ve never been to before.”
I shrug and glance behind us right as we hear the sounds of approaching vehicles. “That might make it the obvious choice.”
King turns around. “Good. No time I want these fucks coming after us more than when we’re actually here to see it. Secondhand accounts only tell us so much, I need my blood here seeing it all. Keep ‘em peeled, Tomi. Without Rue here, you’re the best set of eyes we’ve got. The curse sings to you two better than us old assholes.”
I scoff and mumble, “Yeah, and it’s fucking screaming right now.”
Hellion starts unhooking the trailer from the truck, prepping everything so we can hand the guns over and leave without hanging around, trying to mitigate the chances of this ending in a fucking shootout.
When the cars pull up a scowl creeps over my face.
I don’t recognize them.
I make eye contact with Hawk and he starts walking over to me and King, ready to shield our Prez if that’s where this shit is heading. Hellion starts cursing the second the first car stops and the doors are thrown open, but when I glance back at him, his eyes are on the cars.
It’s not our buyers.
There’s a pause and then Cole curses and throws himself at King, taking him down to the ground as bullets rain down on us all.
Hawk bypasses King and Cole altogether to shove me behind the truck, then he dives towards Hellion only to get pinned down behind the motorcycles.
The bullets are flying out of the first car, but it’s clear when the second car joins the firing squad because the bullets come in thicker and at a different angle, one that is much more fucking likely to get King killed.
They really fucking want our Prez gone.
I can’t see any of the shooters, to stick my head out is to catch some lead between my fucking eyes, but they don’t seem to be fucking worried about running outta fire power.
There’s no way we’re getting out of this alive, not all of us.
From where he’s crouched behind the motorcycles, Hawk sees it in my eyes before I make a move, shaking his head at me as I scowl but I’ve never been one to listen to what I should be doing.
Best way out is with a distraction.
I can make it down the side of the truck without being in the firing line but whatever I do, I’m doing it on my own. It’s a fucking weird feeling, I’m never in these situations without one of my cousins backing me up. Maybe if Rue were here this would go down smoother but there’s no fucking time to be having regrets.
I stay low, creeping my way forward and keeping my feet as silent on the ground as the dead leaves and twigs will let me. None of the bullets are flying at this end of the truck, they’re all focussed on where Cole is using his