Give Me War - Kate McCarthy Page 0,22

vibe. Renny pulls me through all of it at a blurring speed but the rumbling of motorcycles is too close. They switch off, allowing us to hear the sound of heavy boots already thumping up the stairs to the door. We need another exit.

Renny shoves at me, pushing me back the way we came, but the door opens with a bang. “Fuck,” he snarls.

Panic climbs my throat. There’s no fighting our way out of this. A sense of impending dread washes over me and I want to sink to my knees and weep.

“Brace, babe,” he orders, his demeanour cool as a freaking cucumber as he pushes me behind him and into the wall. Fuck me. Renny is Snoop Dogg. How did that happen? When did he become such a badass good guy? “This is gonna get ugly.”

A large biker dude appears in the doorway. His sideburns are the biggest I’ve ever seen, bigger than the lamp chops we ate for dinner two nights ago, and his moustache is so long and thick I wonder how he manages to eat. His eyes are flat and I shiver as the chilly waves of evil roll right off him, coming toward us in waves. The patch on his cut says President. Another patch proclaims him as Grudge.

The big man takes in the scene, which is basically Renny with me shoved behind him, eyes peering out over the wide breadth of his shoulders. He gives Renny his attention, not bothering to beat around the bush. “Knew you were a Fed.”

Renny says nothing.

“You had the cop stink about you.”

Bad vibes permeate the air. Renny remains cool. “What are you doin’ here, Grudge?”

He grins. “You mean, besides taking out the cop trash?”

Renny says nothing again.

“Got a meetin’.”

“It’s not supposed to be here.”

“Sure it is. You just didn’t know that.” He reaches behind his back and brings out a gun. Three more bikers step in the room, flanking Grudge. “Now you best move.”

“I’m not movin’.”

“Evie, sweetie,” Grudge calls out. “Come here.”

Renny shifts, pressing me back further, a silent order for me to stay put.

“Come out, babydoll,” he croons. “Otherwise I’m going to have to put a bullet in your cop friend here and you don’t want that to happen, do you?”

I don’t.

I really don’t want that.

I shift a little.

Renny feels it, and barks, “Do not move.”

Grudge cocks his weapon. “Come out, come out, little Valentine bitch.”

“Stand down!” Renny yells.

“Renny,” I whisper, and shift out a little further.

He feels it and pushes back into me even more, and I remember watching him tuck his gun into the back of jeans.

Oh Jesus. Oh Jesus. Oh Jesus, I chant in my head.

I go for the gun, silently sliding it free.

Renny turns his head, murmuring, “When I tell you to run, you take the gun and you fucking run.”

I know in that instant he isn’t planning on running with me. His plan is to give me a head start. The realisation chokes my throat and my vision blurs. I woke this morning wanting to tear the man apart limb from limb, but now … I’m terrified for him.

“That’s enough!” Grudge barks, fed up. “Hand her over.”

“Over my dead fuckin’ body.”

“That can be arranged.”

“Run,” Renny growls over his shoulder at the same time Grudge pulls back on the trigger. The enormous blast hits the room like a lightning strike.

Renny jerks back against me and I smell it. The blood. Bile climbs my throat. “Renny!” I cry.

He pushes off of me and dives at Grudge. The biker gets off another shot. Renny jerks again before taking the man down with him.

Oh shit.

Oh no.

I take aim at one of the bikers beside the wrestling men—the tall, wiry dude with a patch that proclaims his as VP, his name Atomic. He sees me swing the gun and ducks, charging at me.

“Evie, for fuck’s sake,” Renny gasps, throwing a punch. It’s not a good one. It’s weak. He’s haemorrhaging blood all over the floor. His eyes meet mine for a split-second, and I see he’s losing. Fading. The light is already leaching from inside him and I can’t fucking breathe through the horror of it. “Run,” he mouths at me, before Grudge throws a punch that stills him.

I turn and run.

6

JARED

The previous day …

We step outside the gallery and I come to a stop, knowing I’m fast losing control. I swipe my hands down my face, drained and anxious.

Mitch takes hold of my arm, pulling me around until he’s right in my face. “We’re going to