“You’re an idiot,” I tell my father. “If the Vipers wanted shit to happen, we wouldn’t be hiding it. Think who stands to gain something from pitting us against one another.”
The Crimson Heretics, sure. Who else?
Mifflin shrugs. “It doesn’t matter. We’re going to take a little walk. Drop your gun on the desk, Gage.”
Fuck.I don’t have a choice unless I want to shoot Mifflin and take the chance that he might kill me, then Storm.
I listen, placing my gun on the desk and moving back outside the door. Storm is steady on his feet as he rises, taking slow steps toward me. When we’re both in the hall, I realize we’re no longer alone. My father’s bodyguards are waiting.
I made the right choice not to shoot Mifflin. My fingers twitch as the urge pulses through me. I hate that he’s in control, but it won’t last long.
Two additional guns point at us as we lead the way outside the clubhouse. That’s when I notice the rest of the club on their knees. They’ve been placed in a long line, hands behind their heads. Like this is an execution. Murderous expressions focus on Mifflin and the guards. We’ll spill blood before this is over.
The sun is starting to rise. Purple and blue hues mix with the stars as the sky brightens. Mifflin attacked us when we’d be most vulnerable. Smart, but reckless.
This shouldn’t have happened. We got lax. Too confident. None of us believed Mifflin was this fucking bold, and that includes me. I underestimated my father, but that won’t happen again. I’ll find a way to make sure he pays for this.
Bear glances at Mifflin. I can see the hate in his eyes as he stares at his brother. They’ve never been close. I don’t know the whole story, but there’s bad blood between them. It goes way back to when they were young, and Bear’s young wife died.
My uncle cuts his gaze to Storm and me, watching, tensing, as he sees his president shoved to the ground. Blood still soaks into Storm’s clothes. He needs a doctor.
That 9-1-1 call had better bring help soon. I’m just waiting on the sirens to confirm it.
Storm growls at the bodyguards, cold fury reflected in his gaze. Even injured, the promise of death lingers in his eyes, and every member here will spill the blood of our enemies without hesitation, the second he orders it.
Two guards hold me, gripping my arms tight enough that I struggle, but I can’t get loose. “You bastard!” I snarl.
Mifflin laughs. “You’re no son to me. Take your place with the rest of the trash.”
Another guard approaches and swings his fist. The punch knocks the wind out of me as it slams into my stomach. More hits follow. I can’t do shit other than kick and struggle. When a right hook connects with my jaw, I feel the copper tang of blood in my mouth. My head lolls as they drop me beside Storm.
It takes every bit of strength I have left not to groan.
Bear yells at Mifflin, calling him a coward. He taunts and threatens my father, but the asshole remains unaffected.
Sirens finally echo in the distance, long before the red and blue lights alert us. I smile at my father and spit blood from my mouth, pushing up from the ground. Pain shoots through my torso as my lungs nearly seize, but I ignore it.
Storm wavers beside me and falls over. He’s too fucking pale. Bear growls. Members start to move, rising from their feet despite the loaded guns aimed at us.
And that’s when all hell breaks loose.
Gunfire erupts as I force myself to my feet. Vipers attack the bodyguards. I know we’re going to lose members, but we’ll take out as many of these motherfuckers as we can first. It’s fucking chaos. Blood splatters the ground. Carnage erupts.
But my focus is on my father. He won’t get a chance to run. I push to my feet and tackle him before he can pull the trigger on the gun he’s aiming at Storm. We hit the ground hard, and I lift my fist, breaking his nose as I connect with his face.
I feel a punch to my ribs, and they scream in protest, but I don’t hesitate to fight with every bit of rage I feel. Mifflin won’t find mercy from me. If there’s one thing I know, it’s his determination and brutality. He won’t give any to me either.
The sirens grow louder, and I know we’ve got seconds before police swarm the compound. I can’t let Mifflin go to jail. I’ve got to ensure he’s no longer a problem. To save my club and Letty, I make a choice that seals my fate.
My hand closes around the knife I pull from my cut, and I stick him in the side, feeling the sharp blade sink between his ribs. I yank it out and stab again, and again until I know he won’t survive the wounds. Sticky, slippery blood coats my fingers as I watch the life slowly drain from his eyes.
Shock briefly flashes across his face before his mouth goes slack. He tries to talk, but nothing comes out. He won’t torment me, Cynthia, Letty, or anyone else ever again. His reign is over.
I roll away from him and wince when I feel something pinch my side. I’m flat on my bike, struggling to breathe. It doesn’t make sense. I lower my hand, and my fingers feel the knife handle.
Fuck.He stuck me too. I never felt it, too lost in the moment and flooded with adrenaline.
People are yelling. Cops order all of us to drop our weapons. The blade I used to kill my father is still clenched in my hand. I toss it away from me, no longer needing it.
