Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“What the fuck?” Phoenix growls. “Crazy old bastard.”
Tank disabled, we run for the school before everyone crawls out from where they were hiding and the fighting starts up again. I think Hellfire was right, they have a large stock of firepower, but Badger doesn’t have the men to last a full attack. Between our boys and the true Outlaw Sons, we brought a lot of fucking people, and after those bikes went up, they are going to be out for blood.
“Get over here. Stay down,” Razor growls. “You’re looking for Mia, right? Grinder had her stashed in the gym with Ginger. I couldn’t stay too close without it being suspicious, but last I saw she was fine.”
“Why are you here?” Phoenix asks.
Razor grins, his weathered face looking almost youthful. “I’m a traitor, remember? Been keeping an eye on things for Eagle-eye.” He grimaces a little. “Wasn’t time to be here long enough for them to trust me with the plans, though. Anyway, no time to chat. Go get her out of here, boys. This is no place for a kid.”
The door we burst in through puts us inside an old school gym. There are still hoops and rings hanging from the ceiling and retractable bleachers pushed up against the walls. No one's in here.
“On the table,” says Havoc. “She was here. I doubt it was the Pit Vipers drawing Mr. Bear.”
I look the other way and spot a lump on the ground. A body. Thank fuck it’s too big to be Mia. “Ginger.”
“What the hell?” Hellfire eyes the corpse with distaste, but also a little pity. “Who would shoot a woman?”
“Most women I’d agree with you. That one? More than a few people,” Havoc snaps. “I don’t give a shit. Mia was here and now she isn’t. Grinder was the only one who wanted her. Which way would he have gone?”
Hellfire points to a door on the other side. “That leads into the school and connects to the clubhouse and the garages on the other side. Good luck. I’ve got my own score to settle.”
“Let's go.”
Hopefully we're close enough to catch up, but I pull out my phone and call Snark, who was hanging back with some of the others to coordinate and observe. “Hey buddy, keep an eye out for escapees. We're fucking close.”
“Got it. Clear so far.”
Good. That means that they're still in the compound.
Grinder, we're coming for you. And if he's hurt a fucking hair on Mia's head, he's not gonna live out the day. Ideally, he won’t, either way.
38
SHELBY
With my hands still tied and Grinder one twitch away from killing Mia even if he doesn’t mean to, I run with him. Mia is struggling and kicking her feet, but Grinder barely seems to notice, one arm locked around her tiny waist. I want to kick and scream too. But I try to stay calm for Mia.
“Mia, please. It’ll be all right, just stay calm, okay?”
“He killed Ms. Ginger!” Mia cries.
“I know, honey, but it's really important that you don't make Mr. Matt angry right now, okay?”
“Too fucking late for that,” growls Grinder. There's a panicked tinge to his voice I don't like, because if he panics, who knows what he might do? “She can scream her head off if she wants so long as we get the fuck outta this shitshow.”
Maybe if he’d just gotten out of prison and moved on with his life, without plotting to take out the Screaming Eagles and kidnap my daughter, he could've been sipping a beer on the beach right now, but I think that ship has sailed. By a long shot. The only question will be if Havoc and the others will catch up in time to rescue us, or avenge us instead.
We come out of the school into a one row garage. There isn’t even a front on it, just a long row of parking spots with a roof over the top. Grinder pushes me to keep going, and we duck in the side door of the church. The inside's been gutted out and rearranged, but the old murals show and above us the big vaulted ceilings are still there. At the far end, there’s the sanctuary with the altar, though there aren’t any crosses or statues left. It looks like where they might hold meetings. MCs call it Church, so it would feel extra fitting to do it here.
At first Grinder guides us down what would have been the center aisle towards the big double doors that lead out to the front, but when a couple of gunshots go off, it's obvious there's still fighting happening out there. “Fuck. This way, then. We'll hide up there.” He points the gun at a side door. “Open it. In there.”
It's the stairwell up to the organ and choir balcony. He chases us up and locks the door behind him.