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“I don’t think so…” he replies, though he doesn’t sound entirely certain.

We’ve got seconds to decide, because the Hellhounds are on their way. Luckily, they’re not out in full force, I can only assume it’s because our attack on their clubhouse is keeping them occupied. I pray that our men are handling themselves. Though knowing we had a traitor in our midst, now I realize it’s likely they knew about our planned attack, and any element of surprise would have been lost.

“Prez, we need you to make the call,” Jace says, his eyes darting between the approaching vehicles and Axel.

“Fuck,” he mutters frustratedly. “Chuck, take my bike, put Chug in the sidecar, and drive to the nearest hospital.”

In the heat of the moment, I’d almost forgotten about the sidecar we’d decided to bring for Leah to ride in. Chuck immediately does as he’s told. Saving his best friend is his priority right now.

“Good luck,” he says, saluting us before he tears away.

“The rest of us are gonna try to split them up and either outrun them or take them out. Got it?”

“Axel, you know that’s madness. Lucifer will just send them all after you. You’re too valuable, we’ve gotta protect you.”

“What else do you suggest, Knox?”

“I say we stand our ground, and you challenge Lucifer to a fight”

“He’d never go for that, he’d be crazy to try to challenge Axel in a one-on-one fight, as vain and stupid as he is, even Lucifer knows he wouldn’t stand a chance,” Jace points out.

“True, but he might be proud enough to try if you goad him enough. If not, I reckon you could convince him to race you.”

“I hope you’re right…”

“What about Leah? Should one of us go to her?” I ask. As much as I don’t want to leave my brothers behind, I can’t stand the thought that she and the babies might be in danger.

He shakes his head sadly. “We can’t risk leading them to her. We just have to trust that she’s okay and get this over with as quickly as we can.”

Whatever Lucifer was expecting, I presume it wasn’t this. We stand in a line, hands up. Lucifer and his men stop a little distance away and dismount, guns drawn.

“Surrendering already?” Lucifer croons.

“Not quite, but I’ve got a wager I’d like to put to you, which will save any fighting or bloodshed on either side,” Axel calls back.

“The way I see it, we outnumber you, so why would we bother when our victory is a sure thing?” Despite his words, I can tell Lucifer is intrigued. A gambler never turns down a wager, Axel’s got him hooked already.

“I wouldn’t be so confident about that. We might be outnumbered, but we’re also four highly trained combat veterans with far more experience handling weapons than your men. Even if you win, you’re gonna lose men. Are you willing to take that risk when there’s an easier way?”

“What do you propose?”

“You and me, a little one-on-one competition.”

Lucifer snorts. “You want me to fight you?”

It’s clear from his tone he won’t go for it, not even if we goad him and question his masculinity in front of his men. He’s not so foolish as to think he could win.

“No. I want you to race me.”

Lucifer laughs with glee. As simple as that, we’ve got him. Lucifer is known for his speed and loves to race. It’s a challenge that’s in his favor and he knows it. This way, if he wins, he takes all the glory.

“What are the stakes?”

“Club for club. You win, the Steel Vipers are yours, if I win, the Hellhounds are mine.”

“You’re bullshitting me. You can’t make that call,” he says.

“I’m Prez now, I can do what the fuck I like,” Axel says as he starts to walk toward his bike, knowing he’s got Lucifer well and truly hooked.