Page 37

Chapter 37

Liam

A s soon as the door shuts, I run to the clubhouse to get our pizza. It’s been a tradition for several years when we have large shipments ship out. The guys all order from the local Ruin pizza place and two guys make the trek to pick them all up, then toss them in the clubhouse for the rest of the compound to come get. Usually, it’s the new guys tasked with pickup, and I don’t miss my fair share of those days.

These past few days have been tormenting as I sleep in my bed. Haunted by none other than the woman in the other room, whose kiss has stolen my sanity. I’ve resorted to running in the mornings to burn off any steam, but it’s not helping. No matter how hard I push my physical limits, the need to drag Fleur from the couch and kiss her senseless is unrelenting.

I didn’t miss the way her hand, once again, drifted to those rubber bands on her wrist when I mentioned her taking my bed. Her eyes darkened and I fought every primal urge to throw her against the wall and take my sweet time with her. If it weren’t for the slight movement in her hand toward those two bands, I may have.

The night air is calm, and even though the cloudy sky blocks most of the stars, the moon is on full display.

In and out with the pizza, that’s the plan. I have specific intentions with Fleur tonight and I can’t be bogged down with Darrin’s overzealous inability to relax.

When I reach the clubhouse, several people exit with their pizzas in hand. Some sit around a small bonfire, nursing a beer and tipping their heads back to gravity-feed their slices.

Trip and Blitz beat me to the door.

“Eh, Liam. About time we saw your sorry ass.”

“Yeah, yeah, Trip,” I say as he holds the door open for me.

The smell of dough and spicy pepperoni smacks me in the nose as we enter, the pizza boxes neatly stacked by type and in rows on the tables. The guys are huddled around, laughing and chatting, which is different from the typical Friday night party scene.

Darrin rounds the corner, his phone to his ear. A chill spreads up my spine when his eyes meet mine. There could be thousands of reasons for the fury reflected there, but I only care about one. If Darrin ever found out about me, who I am or the information I’ve passed along, I’d be dead. Or at least I think so. Darrin respects me, despite his beef with my brother. He values me as a loyal member of his crew, so if he’s found out I’m undercover—the betrayal will cut him.

Blitz must also read Darrin because he rounds the table and slides his phone into his pocket. Both eyes pin me where I stand, and I note the optional exits to the building.

“What’s up, D?” Blitz asks.

“Raven’s guys are moving radically. Just had a tip from Fish at his spot and he said none of Raven’s dealers are there. Word on the street is they’re planning something.”

I snort, partly from relief this isn’t about me, and second because Raven planning something is almost humorous. “What are they going to do?” I add. “They don’t have any information about our location.”

Darrin runs a hand through his tight curls and blows out a sigh. “This world is crumbling into shit. The Cartel is getting more impatient, Raven too bold, and rumor has it the DEA is sniffing around Ruin.”

My body tenses, and I reach over to snag my pizza to appear nonchalant. My mind churns through the possible rumors and where they could’ve come from. I’ve done everything to keep from compromising this mission.

My behavior isn’t the focus right now, though. Darrin’s downcast eyes, the way he’s pacing back and forth between Blitz and Trip—I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this caged. It’s then I notice the black circles highlighting his tired eyes.

Concerned, I back away, trying to make my exit so I can return to Fleur and also check in with my handler. If things are getting hot, I need an extraction plan. Not necessarily for me, but for Fleur.

Spinning around, I make for the door, only to be yanked back by Blitz, who slaps me on the shoulder. “Here, take an extra pizza, man,” he says, sliding another box on top of the one in my hands. He offers me a toothy grin, the rot disgusting.

“Thank—”

Glass shatters behind me, and I turn in time to see three men, dressed in all black, clear the remaining glass from the clubhouse windows with the butt of their weapons.

It takes a moment to register the words coming from Darrin’s mouth.

“Down!”

I drop to the floor, shuffling behind a table as gunfire erupts throughout the room. Naturally, my instinct is to reach behind me for the handgun I no longer carry. In its place is a military grade knife and I pull it out, turning it over in my palm. This will do nothing against the hardware these guys sport.

Three of our guards burst through the back door, drilling the other three men down before they make it farther into the clubhouse. I scurry to one of the men and rip his gun away from his lifeless body.

More shots are fired around the compound and hair-raising screams come to life in a chilling chorus. I stare down at the man dead at my feet, blood seeping from the four shots in his heart to under my boot where I stand.

So young. He looks so young. A baby smooth face with eager blue eyes permanently opened make me wonder if this kid knew what he was getting into.

A black bandana wraps around his neck, where it was pulled up over his nose and mouth, and I lean down to snatch the cloth.

“Liam.” Darrin’s voice interrupts my inspection of the man and I jump up to see him being escorted into the back saferooms.

I nod at him. “Orders?”

“Kill them. Kill them all.”

I wince and ask, “Information?”

Darrin glances at the black scrap in my hand. “There’s no need. We know who they belong to.”

Automatic shots fire into the wall beside us, and I dive for Darrin, moving my body on impulse to shield his as six—no, seven more men encroach across the parking lot for the clubhouse. The guards meant to escort him yank us both up but only secure Darrin.

Darrin holds my gaze as they move him to the back room. I nod again. I have my orders and I turn to execute them.

Outside the clubhouse is mayhem.

I allow two seconds for my stunned shock and then move.

Sweeping to the side, I bolt down the pathway. Fear roots itself deep in my gut as I watch men kick in cabin doors, my mind panicking when I think about Fleur left alone and defenseless in our place.

Not once did I show her where I keep my guns hidden, mostly because they sit with all my other materials for my mission. Now I regret it.

There’s a click behind me, and I spin in time to see a gun pointed in my face. In one rapid motion, I yank it away, a surprise to the tattoo-faced man, buying me seconds to knock my fist back and slug the black bird inked on his cheek. He stumbles before righting himself and diving for me. He lowers himself enough to knock the wind from me as he plows me into the ground, landing a punch to my nose.

With a loud crunch, blood gushes from my nostrils, the metallic taste hitting the back of my throat. I lift a forearm, blocking the next blow coming for my head, and reach out my other hand to wrap around the guy’s throat and squeeze.

I bear down, tightening each finger around the corded muscles of his neck. He claws at my hand, eyes wide with realization. He slackens his weight over mine and I push up, overthrowing him. I hold fast as he bucks, and I climb on top of him to add my other hand to his neck. Within seconds, he goes limp. Eyes and mouth open, his head lulls to the side and I scramble back, picking up his gun.

Screams jerk my attention away from the man I killed to several more men dragging women into the woods. My blood runs cold.

What the hell is this? Kill the men and rape the women?—

I slip on the gravel, stumbling back up. I zero in on the direction of my cabin.

Purpose courses through me.

Get to Fleur.

Get to Fleur.

Flashes of those stormy eyes clouded with fear pace through me, and I pick up my stride, sprinting at this point.

A streak of blond stretches over fifty feet ahead of me, but it’s her, I know it is. Unease pounds through me and my stomach bottoms out when I see her rush to a man on top of another woman.

“Fleur!” I yell. No, no, no. Don’t get involved. Please don’t.

She doesn’t hear me but manages to help the woman up. They turn in my direction.

“Fl—” I’m cut off by the butt of a gun tearing into my back from the side. I topple over, raising my gun to meet the other one pointing at me. I fire three shots, closing my eyes as I wait for a bullet to pierce me as well. It doesn’t.

I roll back over, not pausing a second before turning back to where I saw Fleur.

The woman she helped flies by me for the safety of the clubhouse, and I catch Fleur’s scream while being dragged into the woods.

Never. Not even in everything I’ve been through, have I been truly terrified. I growl, tearing off after them and ignoring the responsibility of securing the compound. I pass several dead bodies and a few bleeding women with torn clothes.

If she’s hurt …

If they …

Damn it!

The wind whips across my face as clouds roll in, and the scent of rain fills my lungs. I suck in deep breaths, sprinting toward the tree line.

Flooded with darkness, the trees mask any light from the compound, and I trip on roots, trying to locate Fleur.

Another scream shatters through the surrounding branches and I follow it.

“Get off!” Fleur’s screech dies on the wind. Small drops of rain hit my face as a storm gives way and I pick up my pace, worried I’ll lose my sense of direction in the coming downpour.

Two shadowed shapes appear in the distance, pushed back against the night backdrop and fairly hidden between two trees.

“Relax!” the man on top of Fleur bites out a snarl, with Fleur struggling under him. One of his hands palms her head over to the side while a knee holds one of her arms in place on the ground. She fights him, her unpinned hand grabbing for anything she can smack or pull.

I notice her grab a fistful of hair as he leans down, trying to unbutton his pants.

I yell from twenty feet away, and his head snaps to mine. Fleur strains to see me, her expression filled with relief when she does.

The man reaches back, going for the weapon he must’ve chucked to the side.

Faster, Liam, I chide myself. If he manages to get that weapon before I get to him, I’m?—

My body collides with his, and I tackle him to the forest floor. Dirt explodes into my face as we tumble, each of us trying to grapple for the upper hand. Bad luck has him land on me, and his fist connects with my temple. Black dots dance in my vision, almost indistinguishable from the blots of night sky blanketing us.

“Liam!” Fleur screams. My head lulls to the side and I watch Fleur roll over to get up.

“Run! Fleur, run!” I manage to yell.

But she doesn’t.

She charges the man, hops on his back, and wraps an arm around his neck. Like a bug on a bench, he flicks her back, and I hear her gasp as she hits the hard ground on her back.

Growling, I push back up on my elbows to stand and manage to land a kick in the man’s groin. He buckles over, coughing. Then before he can recover, I wind back my fist and punch him twice in the face.

Static noise beeps from his back pocket. “Back off. I repeat, back off and roll out.”

The man staggers as he tries to stand, and when his eyes meet mine, they widen. No doubt understanding he doesn’t have the option to back off or abort.

He turns to run.

Swiping a rock off the ground near my foot, I rear it back and throw. It smacks the back of his head, and he crumples to the ground, moaning in pain.

I wipe the back of my hand across my nose, blood coming away and pain radiating through my cheek. Stalking over to him, he wails while rocking back and forth as if to cradle himself. I barely glimpse the blood trickling out from the back of his head.

“Liam …” Fleur says from behind me. I ignore her.

He threatened her.

He was going to take.

“Liam …”

Did he think I’d show mercy?

I don’t have enough soul left to show compassion.

“Liam …” Fleur’s plea is drowned out by the crash of thunder around me, her words muddled as if underwater.

The man struggles to sit up. The deep dark of his eyes no longer submerged by lust but with fear. I snatch his shirt and haul him up next to me. Another crack of thunder pierces his cry, and in one fluid motion, I twist, snapping his neck to the side.

“Wait!” Fleur screams again. But it’s too late. She smacks her hand over her mouth, and I hold her gaze while letting the body fall with a thump.

Seconds go by while my chest rises and falls in time with the gusts of sideways rain.

Fleur lowers her hand, and it’s then I notice the split in her bottom lip. I stalk toward her, intent on inspecting her face at a closer distance.

Up close, the rain soaks her braided hair, mud and leaves caked in it. Her eyes search mine, darting back and forth. Impatience pushes me to step forward until I’m mere inches from her.

She watches me, scanning my face, but it’s not in judgment. Each cut she lingers on adds a layer of appreciation deep in my chest. Her nose crinkles when she gets to the blood smeared over my cheek and temple.

“Who—” Her voice comes out in a ragged whisper and dies off before she can continue. She tries again, the rasping worse. “Who were those?—”

Gently, and careful not to touch her cut, I press my pointer finger to her lips, silencing her attempt to strain her voice. The warmth of her breath sends heat low in my gut, and I drag her lip down to inspect her small laceration. Her tongue darts out to lick her upper lip, and the fraction of contact with my finger sends lightning sensations ticking through my whole body. I want my mouth on hers again.

The need is so strong I drop back a few steps, lowering my hand to keep from tasting her thoroughly.

This is not the time or place, and the fact I’m considering this after what happened to her is disturbing. She’s safe , I remind myself. That’s what matters. If I hadn’t gotten to her in time. If I’d?—

I grind my teeth.

“We need to get you back to the cabin. I’ll meet with Darrin quickly and return as fast as I can, okay?”

Fleur crosses her arms over her wet shirt, drawing my attention to the goosebumps peppering them. The stare she gives me quickly breaks into sad eyes welling with tears. With a longing look out into the endless woods, she offers me a nod and turns back toward the compound.