Heartless (Steel Demons MC #6) - Crystal Ash Page 0,56
I said through gritted teeth. “We’re no one important, so they have to be.”
Deja vu set in as I turned in my seat, shielding Mari with my body as I took aim at the enemies right on our tail. This was too reminiscent of our ambush from Razor Wire. My dumbass didn’t think to bring extra ammo, so I had to be careful with my shots.
The riders couldn’t zig-zag much, but they hunched low over their crotch rockets. Black gear on back bikes made it hard to get a clear shot. The rider in the rear straightened up and began firing rapid semi-automatic rounds.
“Fuck!” I pushed Mari’s head down low over the dash, bowing my body over hers. “Don’t slow down! No matter what, do not slow or stop!”
“Well don’t get fucking hit!”
I decided not to tell her about the burning graze on my calf, my pant leg already wet and dark with blood. It felt like little more than a bad scrape, but I knew that was the adrenaline talking. Mari didn’t need to worry about me right then. More than anything, I needed her to just drive.
When the onslaught of bullets finally ceased I returned fire, but the shooter had ducked down, shielded by the rider in front.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. My aim was shit and my shots limited. I was running out of options, especially with two of them to deal with. I’d have to do my damn hardest to make this a two birds with one stone situation.
“Slow down just a touch,” I told Mari.
“You said not to!”
“New plan, babe. Just trust me and ease up a little bit. Then when I tell you to,” I leaned close to her ear, making sure only she could hear me, “hit it hard, back to full speed. Got it?”
She nodded and slowed as I asked, allowing the crotch rockets to gain significant ground on us. I could practically see the smugness in the riders, thinking we were surrendering. To add to that illusion, I waved both arms above my head.
“Drop the gun, Steel Demon,” the first one ordered through his helmet, almost close enough to touch if I reached.
“Okay guys, I will.” I lowered my hands slowly, finger well away from the trigger. “Just promise you won’t hurt my wife, okay?”
The first one signaled to the rider behind him, who held up his semi-auto again and I sucked in a breath. My leg wound stung, the blood now making a dark trail on the road. Hades, Freyja, Horus, whoever the fuck is listening, please don’t let us go like this.
“Please,” I tried again. “We’ll pull right over and I’ll go with you, but do not touch her.”
The rear rider tapped off a few rounds and more burning pain shot up my leg. I groaned and doubled over, grasping on to the seat to stay on.
“Jandro!” Mari cried.
“We don’t need either of you alive, so fuck your demands!”
“Now, Mari!” I yelled.
She accelerated hard and my heart stopped for a moment, thinking I would tumble off. But I held on, squeezing both sides of the bike with my knees as I raised my gun, waiting for the crotch rockets to speed up after us. The shooter copied my movement, raising his weapon and firing off more rounds. An explosion of heat and pain hit my left shoulder before I fired, aiming low at the front rider’s tire.
With a loud pop, the rubber shredded and burned. Just as I intended, the bike wobbled and slowed too fast for the rear rider to react. The shooter crashed into his partner with a crunch of metal, my body growing cold and heavy as bikes and bodies skimmed across the road.
“Double back, Mari,” I panted, blood now coating the entire left side of my body. “Turn around.”
“No! I have to get you to the hospital.”
“Turn the fuck around!” I repeated. “We have to make sure they’re dead.”
I could feel her worry, her intense need to take care of me, but we had to have that sweet nurse and patient moment later. Thankfully, she did as I said and made a wide U-turn. Sure enough, one of our pursuers was stumbling out of the wreckage, dragging a lame foot behind him as he stepped over folded metal and the remains of his friend. His face was still hidden behind the black helmet visor as he raised his weapon.
“Bend down, stay low.” I pressed on Mari’s back until her chest met the dash, and not a moment