“Why can’tyoustay?” she asked. It wasn’t in a longing way, but more in an accusatory way.
“I wish I could, Sparrow. But I gotta go with them.” Not only was I an officer, but I wasn’t the highest ranking one. I had to go where Falcon told me. Honestly, the guys in the truck were too green for too much excitement, but they’d be able to handle business here if anything happened while we were gone. “Alex and Diego are staying behind, too.”
Reaching my hand out, I waited for her to take it. She glanced down, then uncrossed her arms, placing her hand into mine. “I don’t know what to say.” Her brow furrowed. “I’m still… I don’t know.” She sighed, then her eyes met mine. “But I also don’t want to say something I’ll regret later.”
My chest tightened. Last night was intense, but quick. And we didn’t exactly hash things out. I wasn’t dumb enough to think someone like her would just forgive and forget. “When I get back, I swear we’ll talk. But promise me you’ll be here when I get back.”
Her eyes sparkled with moisture, but no tears fell. “Just promise you’ll be back.”
Chapter 8
Rooster
Hours had passed as we rode toward our first stop in Ohio. We left with the sun up, but now the moon hung high in the sky. The light from it was fading in and out from heavy clouds. This time of year, the weather could turn at any time, but so far, there was no rain or high winds.
I was trying to keep my head in the game, but my thoughts kept wandering back to Sparrow. There was so much up in the air. But would she be receptive? Was she just caught up in the moment? Would she really be waiting at the ranch when I returned?
The revving of engines broke me from my racing thoughts. I checked my mirror, and Jackal was giving me the sign that we had company. Looking ahead, the roads were clear. We’d hit a long stretch of interstate that was nothing but fields.No businesses, no red lights, just dark roads for miles. From what I could tell, we weren’t too far out from where we were supposed to meet Sawyer’s guys, but it still was a bit of a ride.
I veered to the left, and once I was far enough to the side to see behind the truck, I checked my mirror.Yep. We had company.
Slowing and pulling closer to the door of the truck, I waited for Sawyer to lower his window. “We got company!” I yelled over the loud engines.
He nodded and checked his mirror, mouthing the word “fuck” before he leaned out a little. “I know the plan!” he shouted down.
With a nod, I continued to move back to the front. Falcon’s plan was risky if we got a visit from these fuckers. But now we had to stick to it or one, if not all of us, would be in more danger than if they just started shooting at us.
I watched the mirror as our visitors closed the distance. Ahead of the truck, my brothers killed their lights, pulled wide to the edges of the road, and slowed.
The truck killed the lights, then it screeched as Sawyer braked as hard as he could without losing the trailer.
We turned back towards the truck, and opened fire as the Hellbound Heathens who’d survived the hit came flying at us.
Bikes fell as bullets zipped through the air. I turned back after passing the truck and took a shot at a Heathen trying to right his bike. Another lay in the ditch, his lights still on, so I shot it out. We didn’t have the means for any clean up, so we had to buy some time. With no lights out here, it would at leastbe the next day before they were discovered.
Pulling back to the front of the truck, I dropped my bike in the grass on the side of the road and ran around to the driver’s side. Sawyer had his pistol in its holster. He was holding a Heathen by the cut while slamming his fist into the guy’s head over and over before dropping his limp body. Guess that military training never really goes away.
Falcon and Jackal were going to town on a couple of Heathens and I caught the sound of metal scraping metal.
“Sawyer, the load!” I yelled as I ran to the back of the trailer.
Sure enough, the motherfucker that had his hands on Sparrow’s cousin was trying to open the doors. When he saw me, he pulled a gun from his waist, but I got a shot off first. He shouted, “Fuck,” then hobbled around the side.
“I gotta make sure this is secure!” Sawyer yelled.
“I got it.” I ran around the side but only in time to watch that asshole hop on the back of a bike with another rider and take off, their lights not on.
“Dammit!” I yelled as I rounded the truck to check on Falcon.
They had any remaining guys under control, but I did a sweep of the area, just in case.
Once I established no more Heathens were alive or in the area, I started pulling what was left of them off the road, Jackal assisting.
“We need to get them as far into the brush as we can,”Jackal said as we dragged them to the ditch. We were on the edge of a farm, but there was heavy brush along the side of the road. Hopefully, it would keep them covered long enough for us to get far away.
Squatch was rolling bikes to the brush, then Sawyer picked one up and started following him.
Falcon called out, “We need to clear this fast and get back on the road.”
