GAUGE
There was abrief moment of silence, even the alarm finally falling silent, before acacophony of gunfire erupted throughout the kitchen. The sound of smashing glass and wood splintering tore through the air.
Ilet loose with astream of my own bullets, hearing amidst the carnage ascream of pain as my bullet found purchase in someone. Then three times more came back my way and Idove to the ground, my hands covering my head as Ibelly-crawled behind the counter. Isat up and pressed my back against the units, my breath even.
Silence found its way to my ears again, shortly before the sound of footsteps moving across the marble floors could be heard. Iclosed my eyes, listening and counting how many men were entering, and when Iopened my eyes Iknew Ihad arough figure, and it wasn’tlooking good for me. The Vipers weren’tmessing around. There had to be at least thirty of them, if not more. Ichecked my gun, already knowing there were only two bullets left in it. Ismirked and let out asilent laugh as the realization of my dire situation dawned on me
I’djust had the best couple of days of my life, and now Iwas about to die.
It seemed fitting somehow.
Ironic, but still fitting for my shitty luck.
Like finding out Ihad akid, only to find out that she hated me.
Like finding the Devil’sHighwaymen just as my brother died.
My life was built like the scales of justice: when there was good, there was also bad to balance it out.
I’dfinally found awoman Iconsidered worthy, only to find myself at the wrong end of agun.
Still, if Iwas going to die, at least I’dhad the pure good luck to find someone like Jolie, even if it had only been for ashort time. That had to be ablessing, right? And at least she was safe. That was all that mattered right then. Jolie was safe, at least until my brothers arrived. I’dmade the call as soon as the door had slid shut on Jolie. It would be too late for me, but they should get there before the Vipers found her. That was way more important than my already damned soul.
“Hiding? Really?” avoice echoed across the kitchen. “Is this what we’ve become, Bishop? Acoward, hiding from his prey?”
Irecognized the voice right away as the man from Hazy Nights. The one that had put aknife through my thigh and had ordered his men to beat me unconscious.
“Hidin’? Nah, motherfucker, I’mjust catching my breath. I’ll be with you real soon,” Ibarked out. Ipulled out my knife from the inside pocket of my cut. There was no escaping my death—not armed with two bullets and aseven-inch hunting knife—but I’dtake as many of them down as Icould before Iwent to ground, that was for damn sure.
The sound of something scraping made me curious and Ipeered around the bottom of the cupboard, watching as someone brought two chairs from the dining room and placed them in the kitchen. As Istarted to look away, Inoted Jolie’sred lace panties on the floor and Iscooped them up and stuffed them in my pocket.
“Okay, I’mwaiting for you, Bishop,” Christian said. “Come out and sit with me. Let’stalk like men before you get yourself killed.”
“Like I’mnot already dead?” Iscoffed.
Christian chuckled quietly. “Perceptive. But still, let’sshare adrink and talk. Ihave questions, as I’msure you do too.”
“Not really,” Ireplied, but Istill found myself standing up, my gun pointed right at his chest—though you would have thought it was awater gun, for all the bother it seemed to cause him. Around him were more men than Icould count, their guns all aimed in my direction.
Christian was sitting on one of the chairs, agun in his lap and aglass of wine in his other hand. He smiled at me and lifted his glass before taking asip. “Very good year,” he commented. “Are you coming to sit down or are you going to die where you stand, Bishop?”
“Stop calling me that,” Igrunted.
“But that’syour name, Bishop. What else should Icall you, if not that?”
“My name is Gauge, aptly named because of the twelve-gauge shotgun that Icarry strapped to my bike, and you’ddo well to remember that.”
Christian took another long drink without commenting.
He had some bruises across his right cheek thar looked to be healing, but they were there either way. Ismiled and he paused to glare at me.
“Something funny, Bishop?” he asked.
“You finally meet awoman who wouldn’ttake any shit from you?” Ichuckled, nodding toward him.
Christian’smouth tightened. “Like Jolie, perhaps?”
Istopped still, my laughter and smile dying instantly. “You don’tsay her name.”
