I push back and flip Cade over, my hands flying over him as I check for anything wet and warm. “You hurt?”
His eyes are wide and unfocused as he blinks, then frantically shakes his head. “No,” he breathes out.
I glance over my shoulder to see the guys pushing to their feet with their guns drawn, quickly heading towards the door.
Then my eyes fly to the table, where Maple crouches underneath it, eyes wide and full of fear as she stares at me.
“Stay here,” I tell Cade as I rise to my feet and pull out my gun.
I head for the door, but before I can get there, a hand lands on my arm.
“No, don’t!”
I glance down at Maple as she holds onto me, her fingers digging into my skin like she’s trying to pull me backwards. Her eyes are wild and pleading, and she looks absolutely terrified.
“I have to,” I say, pulling free from her grip and running outside.
Everyone has their guns aimed down the road, but there’s no target to shoot. Just the lingering bite of exhaust in the air, and the low rumble of engines fading into the distance.
But we know who this was.
The Dominion Sons came here with a message.
And now, it’s war.
Fuck.
FORTY
“Fuck!”I roar, turning to storm back into the clubhouse as I shove my gun in my holster.
My pulse thunders in my ears, and boots crunch over broken glass and splintered wood behind me, as everyone follows me into what’s left of our clubhouse. Bullet holes scatter across the walls, furniture is tipped over, the mugshot wall is fractured into jagged pieces on the floor… and in the middle of it all stands Cade, with eyes wide as if he’s still trying to figure out where he even is.
I head right for him and pull him into me, wrapping my arms tight around him. And only when I feel his weight against my chest do I pull in a full breath.
“You alright, baby?” I murmur into his hair.
He nods against my shoulder, but he doesn’t say anything.
Fuck.
I took him from safety… from his family. And I dragged him right into the middle of chaos that could have ended with his blood on the floor… and all over my hands.
The feeling of eyes on me pulls my gaze to the other side of the room. And it lands on Maple, watching me with watery eyes and a tight jaw.
But the fury I expect her to unleash on me doesn’t come. She doesn’t storm over to me and point a finger in my face, blaming me for the destruction and fucking everything up, and putting lives at risk. She just lets a single tear fall, and holds my gaze with something that feels heavier than anger.
I think it’s fear.
“What the fuck!”
I turn towards the doorway as Donnie strides in, in full uniform, scanning the wreckage. “The entire fucking neighbourhood’s calling in shots fired at the King’s garage,” he says, eyes flicking between me and Kurt. “You’re about to have a swarm of cars here. Start talking. Now.”
“You already know who this was.” I release Cade and turn to fully face Donnie. “I’m assuming the Dominion Sons heard the RCMP are on them for killing one of their officers.”
Donnie gives a tight nod. We all knew his sergeant wouldn’t sit on that for long.
“And they’re not too happy their rat was murdered, and that they were framed as the ones who did it,” Kurt adds.
