Give Me War - Kate McCarthy Page 0,34

Travis while Mitch is speaking.

“Already did,” his brother returns.

What call?

Then I hear it.

We all hear it.

Everyone looks warily at everyone else, and heads turn in the direction of the noise.

Goliath eases up on my throat and turns too, meaning I turn with him.

The rumble. It’s low and heavy and reverberates across the earth as if God himself is growling with fury. The sound grows, and intensifies, and my bare feet throb as the vibration moves beneath them.

I glance at Grudge. There’s a wobble in his brow line. “There won’t be others to take your place. We got friends in high places. They’ll make sure our business operates without interference once you’re outta the picture.”

Jared interjects. “You might think that, but those so-called friends are being arrested as we speak. Besides …” a wealth of male satisfaction curves his lips upward, it’s a little sinister, and really freaking hot, “… those friends? We got them too.”

Mitch’s voice increases in volume. “Stand down and hand Evie over, Grudge.”

Not seeming to like the direction this conversation is taking, the biker president makes a move, relieving me of Goliath’s clutches and taking his place. “Stop acting like you hold all the cards.” He waves the remote. “All it takes is one button, and your precious female is gone.”

One button?

One freaking button? And he’s waving that device around as if it’s a child’s toy? My god I threw that thing up in the air like a bloody frisbee.

I’m going to barf.

I’m literally going to barf, right here, right now.

But the growing noise distracts us all, a veritable earthquake at our feet as it gets closer. The windows on the house begin to shake, the breeze kicks up, blowing hair across my face, and doors bang like thunderclaps.

The first biker appears. He rolls around the far end of the street corner, cool as a sliced cucumber inside a chilled glass of vodka. No helmet, and blond hair gleaming in the morning sun like a Viking warrior. Goosebumps rise in a sudden chill across my skin. It’s Kelly, and even from this distance I can see his eyes are hard, his expression ready for war.

Another biker comes behind him.

Luke Fox.

And another.

Lee. The eldest Fox brother.

And another.

Bingo, who rolls up around the outside and takes the lead.

More follow behind.

And more.

Until my mouth falls open, because a veritable wall of Sentinels is coming towards us. Not a hundred, not even five hundred, but an entire contingent. So many I can’t see beyond them. It’s not a little puddle of bikers pulled together by Grudge, but an endless ocean of them that roll in like waves on the shore. I didn’t even know the Sentinels had these kinds of numbers. Not locally.

I turn to my husband. He’s eyes are on me, and he’s giving me a look, the kind that says don’t worry, babe. I got this.

He would have had these bikers riding across state lines, through the night, to put this kind of army together, and I know then that there’s nothing in this world he wouldn’t do for me.

A sob catches in my throat. I swallow it down and tilt my head, looking through my peripheral vision at the man who has hold of me. “You ever heard that saying, never bring a knife to a gun fight?” I can’t help but laugh, it’s a little hysterical because I’m stuck in the middle of a potential biker war while encased in an explosive vest that could kill me at any moment, but it bubbles out of me regardless. “You’ve just been out-played.”

8

JARED

The Sentinels continue to roll in, filling the street, and my gaze returns to the Viper president. His bushy brows are high, and fear has his eyes darting back and forth between the Sentinels and his own men like a ping pong ball. It’s almost as if he fears getting caught in the middle. Coward.

I want to take smug satisfaction at his shocked expression, but I can’t because he has ahold of my wife. One wrong move could mean the end of my entire world.

His hands tighten around Evie. I see her wince and my blood boils.

“This bastard is mine,” I tell my siblings, making sure they know the hit belongs to me. And there will be a hit. I’m not stupid enough to believe Grudge will surrender. He’ll run, and when he does, I’ll be ready.

Mac huffs. “I should get a turn too.”

“You shouldn’t even be here,” Mitch growls from my right.

“I’ve already told you. If