“I’ve got—” Kooper starts, but the cop shakes his head and waves him off.
“Yeah, a girl in there. Heard you the first time. Jesus, man, look around. Half the damn town is showing up to do exactly what you’re doing. Running in and getting yourgirlout—you think that will help anyone? Sure, you all might live through it, since I doubt a man with a gun will deter you, even if you get shot. But what about someone else? Someone who sees you just walk in and thinks they can too? Huh? What about whentheyget shot? Who’s that on? Me for trying todo my job and getting walked over by the town’s biker club that tries to help with donations to keep it going? Or the same damn biker club that says they give a shit for rules and do what they want, damn whoever gets hurt?”
I glare at the guy, but my eyes slide to Kooper’s, then Casper’s. We’re all pissed, but we get his point. He’s got a good one too. And that he’s standing off against two dozen men in leather says more about his character than anything else.
Kooper walks closer to the cop, who doesn’t move an inch. No reaching for his gun or taking a step back. They get eye to eye and hold the stare before Kooper snarls and walks back to the other side of the police barricade.
Reluctantly, we follow. Even me.
I want nothing more than to charge in and get my girl out, but I’ve got no intel on what’s going on in there. Nothing to know if I’m going to get shot in the process or cause someone else to do the same.
So I go back across the safety line. And wait. Like everyone else.
Except we’re Hounds. And waiting ain’t our style.
“Need help?” I ask. I feel the brothers’ eyes on me, but no one counters my offer.
The cop seems taken aback for a second, his bravado slipping a second before he shuts it down.
“We’re on shift change. Half the damn force isn’t here yet. Could use assistance making sure the perimeter is secure on all sides, as well as redirecting anyone who comes out to a safety spot. Think you can handle that?” he asks with a smirk, either attempting to call us on our bullshit that weknow anything about anything, or to see if we’d be okay with bitch work while we rely on the cops to do the job the taxpayers pay them to do.
Casper steps up with a wide grin. “Boy, we live for this shit.” And then he barks orders to all of us on where to go and what to do to help.
The cop gets on the radio and tells his boys too. He’s smart, I’ll give him that. Knowing he can trust us, and making sure the rest of them do too.
With any luck, they can get this handled quickly, and I can get my girl soon. Because I’m itching to take her in my arms and neverlet go.
Chapter 25 - Diana
Ican’t take my eyes off Barry. He’s pacing, muttering under his breath. He’s fired the gun three times now, screaming that Ashley’s lying. She’s crying so hard, but she isn’t the only one. Most of the women here are. Hormones or not, this place is falling apart in tears.
I chance a glance behind me and see that Ruby is still there with the prospect. Neither has moved since they came in. Either blocking the exit or making sure no one comes in, I don’t know. I honestly don’t care. I just want them gone.
Seeing Ruby here makes me think of Karter. Knowing how happy he was the other night at dinner about being a granddad and possibly getting to relearn about his relationship with his kid? It was everything to him. I could see it, even if he hasn’t admitted to himself yet. He wants to be there for Ruby. He wants to be part of her life. There’s something inside him that recognizes her. His brain might not have the memory, but his heart remembers.
And it’s his heart that I plan to protect as long as I can. Getting them out seems the best way to guarantee that.
I lick my lips and look around the room. No one is talking. They’re hardly breathing, just quick gasps between tears. No one is running in here to help, and no one seems to know what to do.
“Barry,” I say, but he doesn’t answer. Ashley shakes her head when I glance at her, and I look away. I can’t think about her either right now.
I take a step forward, and someone grabs my hand from behind. I know it’s Ruby. She’s trying to warn me not to do this, too, but I shake her off as I walk closer.
“Barry,” I say again, louder this time so he can hear me over his own mutterings.
He raises his gun right at me, and I put my hands up as my heart slows to a single beat. “What?” He seems so calm as he looks down at me from the other end of the gun. So steady and sure and not at all like himself.
“What are you doing, Barry?” His jaw clicks, but no other reaction. “Are you really holding your wife and everyone else hostage?”
He looks around, and something flickers in his eyes. Did he even see the others when he came in, or was he too focused on Ashley to notice anyone else?
I take another small step forward and lower my voice. “They’re scared, Barry. You’re scaring them. This can’t be good for the babies.”
He keeps looking around till I say the b-word; then his eyes flash to mine and narrow. “Not my babies. Not my kids.”
I can’t help but look at Ashley, who just shakes her head in complete confusion.
“What are you saying, Barry?” she sobs. “You don’t want to have kids anymore? You don’t wantthem?”
