Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
I get about three steps in before a thick arm whips around me and pulls me into one of the cubicles. I try to kick and bite the hand that's covering my mouth until Scrapper whispers into my ear, “That's definitely a spanking, babe. I told you to behave.”
Knowing it's him makes me fight harder. Doesn't he understand how we can't just leave Mack alone with all those guys? And the way he holds my mouth, I can't even tell him off. All I can do is listen to gunshots, groans, screams, and a roar that can only be Mack in full on berserker mode. Scrapper's grip is like iron.
One of the goons comes around the corner just as Scrapper's fist, covered by thick brass knuckles, slams him right in the face. The guy reels backwards, two, three steps, then collapses in a pile. “Shit girl, you don't make it easy to keep you safe. Now shut up. Some of them are still hiding around here. They're not all up front.”
No one else comes to find us, but the fighting sounds intense, right up until it stops, suddenly. A few more moments of silence, and then Reaper yells, “It's clear.”
Scrapper doesn't let go yet, though. He looks around carefully, keeps himself between me and any place he's unsure about and basically carries me around to the front. We have to make it all the way up to where Mack and Reaper are before he finally lets me go. There's a whole pile of bad guys here, and I make a very distinct effort not to look too closely at them.
I wrap my arms around Reaper and Mack at the same time, though I probably look like a squirrel trying to hug two trees at once. I don't care. The sobs that I've been holding back since all the shooting started rack my body until Mack literally picks me up and holds me against his chest. I grab his shirt and press myself against him, emptying myself completely.
Then I have all three of them around me, boxing me in so I can feel safe again. In the background, I'm vaguely aware of Faith being given the same treatment. She told me their names at the brunch—Alpha and Blade, I think. Ripper I definitely remember after how he greeted us the first time I entered the club. To think I was scared of him then.
Then again, his big handgun is still smoking, and there's a hook that looks really freaking sharp on his off hand that's dripping blood. Okay, I'm a little scared of him, but I also see how a teary-eyed Faith has wrapped herself around him, and I realize that maybe I'm not so different with my own set of big, deadly bikers.
“Think the whole building's clear,” says one of the Eagles I've seen around the clubhouse, but don't know yet. “Getting calls from the other teams, saying their areas are clean. Prez is on his way.”
He's barely said it before Eagle-eye bursts into the room. “If any of you fuckers let Faith get hurt—” he starts in a menacing growl.
“Dad! It's okay! I'm fine! Over here!” Faith breaks free from her guys and charges into Eagle-eye's arms. He lifts her and squeezes her close. He might only have one functioning eye for seeing, but there are tears coming out of both of them.
Meanwhile, Ella secures her crew. Miraculously, while one got shot, none of them are seriously hurt. Doc and Emily come charging in to help Mad Dog, and when Faith is released by her father, she runs over with her phone. She holds it up to me triumphantly so I can see how many people are following the stream by now. My jaw drops, and then I realize the camera's facing me, so I wave awkwardly. “Hi… um, I guess we won? At least tonight?”
Faith laughs and walks off with her phone, chatting to the followers and wrapping up the stream. Her guys shake their heads and laugh, but they're obviously relieved that she's okay.
Finally, Ella comes over. “I'm so glad we're all okay. I'm sure you want to get out of here. I'll deal with everything here in terms of Channel 7. There's no reason for you to—”
“Can we finish the special?” I interrupt.
“You want to… seriously?”
“There's a reason someone's out to silence me. We need to get this on the news and out into the open before they find other ways of shutting us down.”
It takes her a moment, but then she nods. “Even if I have to man the camera myself.”
Mack crosses his big arms over his chest, so I know there's a declaration coming. “You do what you need to do, but I'm letting you know right now, that we're not fucking letting you out of our sight until this whole fucking mess is resolved. And maybe not fucking ever.”