I whipped the gun out and fired. Goon One hit the deck before anyone realised what was happening. Goon Two slowly raised his weapon, and I shot at point-blank range. He was dead before he hit the ground.
Matthews, the fat fuck, scrambled around shrieking and made for a dropped gun. I shot him in his shoulder, for Allegra, and Matthews went down but kept reaching. I fired twice more, for the twins, and his body jolted.
In the distance, I heard the roar of bikes.
Allegra stood in the middle of the room, shaking.
I rushed over, kicking the guns away from the bodies and wrapped her up tightly in my arms.
“It’s okay, I’m here,” I whispered. “Let’s get you out of here.”
Shotgun
The ride took barely twenty minutes. Thatch followed him as Shotgun rode toward the lonely house. Shotgun saw his Hog and knew Rain was here. As they neared, they heard several gunshots, and Shotgun’s heart leapt into his throat. He skidded to a halt and jumped off the bike, letting it fall as he hurried towards the door with his own weapon out.
Two figures filled the entrance; Rain led Allegra outside.
Shotgun’s tightness eased as both of them appeared mainly unharmed.
“Baby,” he murmured, and Allegra looked up with tears in her eyes.
“I wanna come home,” she whispered.
“Whatever you want,” Shotgun said and opened his arms. Allegra rushed into them and clutched his cut as she cried.
Shotgun glanced over at Rain, and his gaze widened as he looked over his shoulder. His gun arm came up, and Rain stared at him in horror.
Someone fired, and then Shotgun did.
“No!” Shotgun screamed as he waited for blood to blossom on Rain’s chest. Allegra shrieked and ran back to Rain and started patting him over. Shotgun blinked as nothing appeared on Rain’s shirt.
“Oh God, where did he shoot you?” Allegra screeched.
Shotgun turned his head, and shock rushed over him as he saw Thatch with his arm extended and holding a weapon.
“I’m not hit, I’m okay,” Rain reassured Allegra as he moved her to the side of where Matthews lay. Shotgun nodded and pointed to a corner away from the body. Allegra didn’t need tosee Matthews lying there with a bullet hole in his head and one through his eye. Shotgun didn’t know whose bullet had done what, but understood that they’d both shot to kill.
“Are you okay?” he asked Thatch.
“Yup. Weren’t going to let him shoot my sister or the men she loves,” Thatch replied placidly. There was a coldness in Thatch’s eyes that sent a frisson of fear down Shotgun’s spine. Without a doubt, Shotgun knew Thatch had killed someone before. Allegra’s brother was hiding some serious shit.
Shotgun didn’t say anything as Thatch lowered his weapon, put the safety back on, and then set it down.
“Makes it easier for the cops,” he said before walking over to Allegra and wrapping her up in a tight hug.
Shotgun put his own down and looked up as he spotted Harleys riding towards him. He walked over to meet Chance and his club. This wasn’t the time or place to dig into Thatch’s mysterious secret.
Allegra
Despite Shotgun and Rain, alongside half my family, insisting I stay overnight at the hospital, I discharged myself. I’d had a crack on the head, but there was no further memory loss, and apart from a headache, I was fine. The police had taken our reports at the scene, though they needed a further, more detailed one from me. Rain, Shotgun, and Thatch had all given statements and were waiting on me.
“I have to go home. The children need all of our support, but I have to see Jinx first,” I insisted.
Shotgun informed me what the prospect had done, and I’d cried. That poor man. He’d been admitted, and the doctors wereworried about the condition of his feet. I already had Gramps flying in the best doctor for him.
Matthews had told me the plan. He’d planned to kill me and leave me for Rain to find somewhere, and then threaten Rain with the kids. Thanks to Jinx’s bravery, he’d foiled that.
The nurse informed me I had to use a wheelchair until I left the hospital, as it was policy. Growling all the way, I allowed Shotgun to push me to see Jinx.
