Atlas’s eyes turned dark and hard. “Thunder and Juice, I want you to cut through the woods and see if you can get people out of there while we distract them from the front. Take them past the treeline and find a spot to hunker down until this is over.”
“You got it, boss,” Thunder said as he and Juice took off like the devil himself was on their tail. The rest of us waited for an assignment.
“With no one protecting the clubhouse, they’ll have access to any weapons Jackson and Priest left behind,” Bear said. “I’ve got some extra hardware in the safe at my place. I can run by and get it before I meet you back there.”
At Atlas’s nod, he headed toward home.
“Everyone else, arm up.” Atlas looked around the circle, letting his gaze rest on each man in turn. “Once we confirm everyone is safe, we’re going to go in with guns blazing. This fucking ends tonight.”
Damn, we should have taken them all out when we had the chance. The Mustang Mountain Riders had always believed in violence as a last resort. We usually stayed on the right side of the law, but this was different. Defending our families and homes was our top priority, and there’d been little help from the law, especially once Sheriff Cade had been compromised.
“If you’re not up for doing what has to be done, drop your cut and leave now.” Atlas’s lips curved up into a sad smile. “I know there are lines some of you never thought you’d have to cross. There’s no shame in respecting your boundaries, brothers.”
No one moved, and I didn’t expect them to. Even the newer guys had pledged their souls to the family we’d created. As for me, I’d stand with my MC brothers, and I wouldn’t rest until each one of them, and the people they loved, were safe. Knowing they’d do the same for me was the only thing that gave me hope. We were stronger together than we’d ever be apart. Just like me and Marlowe.
Satisfied no one was going to bail, Atlas got in his truck and led the way back to the clubhouse. Not knowing what was waiting for us at the end of the line had everyone on alert. All I could think about was Marlowe. If any one of them touched a single hair on her head, I’d repay them with an agony a thousand times worse than they could imagine. I didn’t have limits when it came to her.
The sound of gunfire got louder the closer we got to the clubhouse. I had no doubt Jackson and Priest were doing their best to hold the Savage Bones at bay, but they were outnumbered. Sure, a few of the women probably knew how to fire a gun and around here, a lot of them would be better at it than the men. Still, if they’d been focused on getting everyone out, they probably didn’t have a chance to grab a ton of ammo. We needed Bear to come through with the arsenal he kept for hunting in his safe at home.
Headlights bounced off the building as the line of trucks and SUVs followed each other onto the property. A fire burned at the edge of the compound, and flashes of gunfire exploded by the outbuilding where Jackson and Priest had led everyone to take cover.
I grabbed the handgun from my glove compartment and the shotgun from the back of my truck before making my way over to where Atlas had pulled in. He’d angled his truck like a shield to give us protection while we got into place. Once we headed toward the outbuilding, we’d be exposed. I didn’t care what happened to me as long as Marlowe was safe, and I’d be willing to bet my life that the rest of the Riders felt the same way about the women they loved.
Thunder’s number lit up the screen of Atlas’s phone. Hoping he had good news to share, I held my breath as Atlas answered.
“What have you got for me?” Atlas barked into the phone.
“We got most of the women and children out. There are just a few still trapped inside the clubhouse,” Thunder said.
He didn’t have to say her name. I knew Marlowe was one of them. I could feel her fear in the pit of my stomach. “I’m going in.” I didn’t wait for Atlas to give me the go ahead, just slung the shotgun over my shoulder and headed toward the clubhouse.
Shane caught up to me before I reached the door. Poor guy probably hadn’t expected to be drafted into our fight when he came back to town. “How do you know your girl was inside?”
“I can feel it. Who’s with her?” I wanted to know who to look out for. Even though I knew the layout of the clubhouse like the back of my hand, I couldn’t afford any mistakes.
“Thunder said she’s with Sammy and her son. They got separated from the rest of the group, and he thinks they’re on the second floor. Juice is going out of his mind and is trying to get to the clubhouse. No one knows if any of the Savage Bones are inside.” Shane pulled a gun out of the back of his waistband.
“You don’t have to do this, man. This isn’t your fight.” One look at the hard set of his jaw let me know he wasn’t about to back down.
“It became my fight as soon as I set foot in Mustang Mountain. Now let’s do this.”
CHAPTER 11
MARLOWE
I coweredin the back of the closet in one of the guys’ bedrooms. Sammy and her son clung to each other behind me. He’d been taking a nap, and I’d come up to let them know that we’d reheated some of the Thanksgiving dinner from earlier when chaos broke out downstairs.
The front door had splintered as someone kicked it in, and I realized we were under attack. Atlas had taken most of the men out into the woods to take care of the remaining members of the Savage Bones, but it had been a trap. I’d immediately rushed Sammy and Oliver back into one of the bedrooms, and we’d been hiding in the closet ever since.
Viper would come for me. I had no doubt about that. But whether he’d get there before someone found us… that was the million dollar question.
Heavy footsteps came down the hall. Sammy’s grip on the back of my shirt tightened. I couldn’t imagine how scared Oliver must be. He was only four or five. I didn’t think the Savage Bones were vicious enough to hurt a child, but Viper had warned me they didn’t play by any sort of rules.
I wrapped my fingers around the metal baseball bat I’d found in the back of the closet. It wouldn’t stand a chance against agun, but it might buy us a few precious seconds if we could capitalize on the element of surprise. Maybe just long enough for Sammy and Oliver to make it down the stairs and out of the house.
“We know you’re up here.” The man taunted us in a sing-song tone. “Come out, come out, wherever you are.”
Sweat beaded across my temple, and ice-cold fear took hold of my heart.
