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Flash

B lood. It’s all I can see every time I close my eyes. The redness of it as it seeps from the gunshot wound in Jake’s gut and spreads out all around us on The Common Room floor. It shouldn’t be him lying there bleeding out; it should be me. That bullet was meant for me, not him.

It all happened so fucking fast; I couldn’t do anything to stop any of it. It felt like I blinked, and suddenly Jake was lying there bleeding profusely in front of me. I didn’t see this coming; I was so focused on the fucking idiot shooting wildly around the room, his shots having no rhyme or reason, that I didn’t see the asshole who was aiming for me from behind, the asshole who was lining up his shot to take me out, but Jake saw it all and acted.

Without a single thought for his own safety and well-being, he threw himself into the path of the bullet that was heading straight for me. The bullet that was meant to kill me instead tore through his stomach like a hot knife through butter, leaving him lying there on The Common Room floor bleeding out right in front of my eyes.

The thing my mind can’t help but focus on from it all was the fact that before he passed out from what was probably a mixture of blood loss and pain, he never, not once, looked like he regretted his decision to take that bullet for me. It’s hard to wrap my head around that he was okay with whatever the outcome was for himself, because he’d saved me. There’s no doubt in my mind that if he hadn’t made the choices he did in that moment, I would most definitely be dead right now.

Instead of being dead like I really should be at this moment, I’m sitting here in the waiting room of Devil’s Point Hospital waiting to hear any and all updates on the man who just saved my life. I’m still in shock about everything that happened tonight. I still can’t believe Jake did something so fucking selfless for a man who’s never even spoken to him before. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve heard nothing but good things about this Prospect, but I can’t help but keep myself closed off from people. I didn’t used to be this way. There was a time when I was a social butterfly, when I couldn’t help but interact with everyone I had the pleasure of meeting, but after what happened a few years ago with my younger brother Wyatt, I changed. I closed myself off from the world around me; I retreated into myself and built walls so high I’m surprised they can’t be seen from outer space. Nobody can blame me for the way I am with people after what I went through. Being closed off to new people is my way of protecting myself from ever being able to remotely feel the same way I did back when I lost Wyatt. If all my Devil’s Inferno brothers weren’t so fucking stubborn, I’d be closed off to them too, but they adamantly refused to let that happen, even though I fucking tried to push them all away. They’re all stubborn fuckers when they want to be.

I need Jake to pull through his surgery more than I have needed anything in recent memory. Not only do I want the opportunity to thank him for acting so selflessly and saving me, but for the first time in years, I want to get to know someone new. If there is ever going to be a reason for me to stop being an antisocial asshole, it’s this. What better reason do I need to finally get my head out of my ass and get to know someone? For God’s sake, the man risked his life for me. I doubt there will ever be a better reason for me to drop my guard slightly and get to know him.

I know it isn’t going to be easy for me; I became this way for a good reason, but I know deep down I can’t keep living this way; I need to take steps to move forward with my life and heal the best I can. Those closest have been trying to tell me this for a while now, but apparently I needed a life-changing event to smack me in the side of the head for me to realize they were all right. I know deep down I’m not going to regret letting Jake get closer to me than anyone has in a very long time. The man has more than proved he’s a stand-up guy, and that’s without taking into account everything else I’ve heard about him from my brothers. Every member of Devil’s Inferno has had their own reasons to rave about the guy. He might only be a Prospect right now, but after everything that’s been said about him, I have no doubts that he’ll become a patched member in no time. He’s the type of person we want around here; we’d be fucking stupid to not patch him in, and if there’s one thing we’re not, it’s stupid.

The sound of the door to the waiting room opening catches my attention, drawing me away from my thoughts and into the here and now. As soon as I catch sight of the three men entering the waiting room, I know that they can only be here for one reason and one reason only. Jake. They all look far too much like him for them to be here for any other reason. I’d bet that they are either his brothers or cousins; they’re too close in age for them to be any other relation.

I watch as the biggest of the three men starts scanning the room, and I mean big. He’s fucking massive; he’s got to be at least six foot five, and it’s clear to see he’s built from the way the muscles in his arms strain against the sleeves of his shirt. The way he’s scanning the room makes it look like it’s second nature to him to check out his surroundings upon entering an unfamiliar space, saying that the other two men with him are checking out their surroundings too, which makes me very curious about what they do for a living. It’s not second nature to most people to check their surroundings when they enter a space, but I know that now isn’t the time to be thinking about any of that. No, I have more pressing matters to deal with, as the enormous one has already zeroed in on my kutte and is heading straight for me, with the other two men right on his heels. His face is a mask of determination, but despite his best efforts, he can’t keep the obvious worry he’s feeling out of his eyes, even though it’s clear to me at least that he’s trying to mask what he’s feeling. I doubt many people would be able to tell how on edge he really is right now just by looking at him; the only reason I can see what’s behind the mask he’s wearing is experience.

I can’t help but feel for him and the other two men with him and what they must be going through. All they probably know right now is that Jake is in surgery with life-threatening injuries. The hospital wouldn’t have given them any more information than that when they contacted them. They didn’t have any more details than that to give out because the uniformed police officer that followed us to the hospital didn’t give them any. I’m pretty sure that they kept the details short and swift when Jake was brought in because of the police chief’s involvement in the events of tonight, and they’re attempting to keep the details from leaking out into the public. I wish them luck with that; it’ll end up out there for all the world to know eventually, no matter how hard they try to keep it quiet. It deserves to be out there. Everyone should know just what a corrupt fucker he really is.

I don’t even for a minute contemplate keeping the truth about what happened tonight from these men even if I know that’s what the police want me to do. They should have really made it clear they wanted me to keep the details close to my chest if they didn’t want me speaking out, but they were so distracted by the events of tonight and trying to do damage control that I’m pretty sure they forgot that little detail. As soon as they spoke to who they needed to regarding Jake, they were out of here, forgetting all about me. Pretty big oversight on their part, really.

These men have every right to know exactly what happened to Jake and who’s behind it. If I were in their shoes, I’d want to know the truth, not whatever story the police department is going to try and spin to save face. I just hope they don’t blow a fucking fuse in here when they find out the truth. I don’t think any of them would appreciate security being called or even, God forbid, being asked to leave. It’s just the feeling I get from them. They all seem like they shouldn’t be taken lightly. I have enough experience from the things I’ve dealt with being a member of Devil’s Inferno to know to trust the feeling I have about these three.

The gigantic one stops directly in front of me, his eyes taking me in as he scans my body. I can’t help but feel like I’m under a microscope with the way he’s looking at me. I see the moment all the blood that’s still covering me catches his attention because he doesn’t quite manage to hide his wince. I can’t help but feel remorseful that I didn’t clean myself up before any of Jake’s family arrived, but it wasn’t a priority for me. Honestly, the thought of getting myself cleaned up never crossed my mind. My only focus was being here to receive any updates on Jake and his condition.

“What the hell happened to our brother?” He asks me, his voice sharp and hard but tinged with anguish.

Well, that answers how they’re related to Jake. They all stare at me, waiting for me to answer the question. I can only imagine the million and one scenarios they came up with on the way to the hospital, but I doubt any of them even remotely got close to the real reasoning behind Jake’s condition. I take a deep breath before I start explaining. I need a few seconds to compose myself. It isn’t easy to relive what happened earlier, but I don’t have a choice. These men deserve to know the truth about why their brother is currently in surgery fighting for his life, even if it causes me discomfort to relive it. It’s the least I can do right now. Everything else is totally out of my control.

“There’s one hell of a backstory that goes with the events of tonight, and I promise I will tell you everything, but right now I think it’s best if I just explain what happened earlier. Everything might be linked, but you don’t need the whole story to understand what went down.” I stop and wait for them to give me some sort of signal that they’re okay with what I’m saying. I get it when all three nod their heads within seconds of each other. It’s a little freaky how close to being totally in sync they are.

I can’t keep the sarcasm out of my voice when I start talking again. “Our wonderful police chief decided to attack The Clubhouse tonight with a group of goons.” I lose the sarcasm as I continue speaking, my voice becoming more serious as I start to tell them what went down and caused Jake to end up in his current condition, “We didn’t have enough warning to do anything but place all the non-fighters, which included a child, out of the line of fire before they were on us. While I was aiming for the asshole who was wildly shooting around the room, posing the biggest threat to everyone, I didn’t see the attacker coming up behind me, but your brother did. Don’t ask me why he chose to do what he did, because honestly I don’t have a clue, but he stepped into the path of the bullet and saved my life. That bullet would have been a kill shot if it had hit me. I shot the fucker who hurt Jake in the head without a second thought; there was no chance I was letting him take another shot at anyone after what he’d just done. Then I focused on providing Jake all the care I could until the last of the assholes were taken care of and Jake could get the proper medical care he needed.”

It’s not the biggest of Jake’s brothers who speaks this time, but the one standing on his left with light brown hair, which is much like Jake’s. “I’m not surprised he stepped into the path of the bullet to save you. It’s just the way Jake is. He’ll never think twice about putting himself in danger to save someone else. It’s not the first time he’s done something like this, and I’m pretty confident it won’t be the last. It is the worst he’s ever been injured, though.”

It’s clear to me by his chosen words he’s choosing to stay positive and believe Jake is going to pull through. I want to believe that so bad, but all I can see in my mind is all that blood seeping out of him instead of being inside him, flowing around his body where it belonged. I can also see the worry on the hospital staff’s faces as they rushed Jake straight into surgery when we arrived. The way they jumped into action when they saw him on that gurney made it more than clear time was of the essence to ensure Jake survived his injuries. I don’t plan on telling his brothers any of this, though; they don’t need that added worry to what they’re already going through. This is my cross to bear, and I’ll gladly carry it.

I’m grateful that not one of them seems to blame me for the condition their brother is in right now. I’m blaming myself enough without other people adding to the guilt I feel. I can’t help but feel that I should have done something differently, that I should have been paying better attention to my surroundings. If I had been, Jake would never have had to step in front of a bullet to save me. From their words, it seems like Jake has a thing for risking himself for others, which isn’t exactly a bad thing when he wants to become a patched member of Devil’s Inferno; we all have a penchant for putting ourselves at risk to help to save others. I just wish more than anything that Jake hadn’t had to put himself in danger for me.

“How many of the attackers survived?” The biggest one asks, his eyes calculating.

I’m not quite sure why he’d want to know details such as that, but I have no problem telling him what he wants to know. He must have his reasons for wanting that knowledge, and who am I not to give it to him? I don’t plan on hiding anything from these men.

“Just the police chief, and he’s been handed over to law enforcement.” I tell him, unable to keep the disdain I’m feeling out of my voice.

“Do you know why he did it?” He asks curiously.

“Yeah, we found out he’s related to the woman who’s been causing us hell recently in her vendetta against multiple of the club’s officers, and he decided to get in on the action. There’s a hell of a lot more to it than that, but that’s the gist of his reasoning anyway.” I explain to them.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a hell of a lot more to it, but for now the bare minimum of details seems like the way to go. I don’t really think going into the finer points about everything would be worthwhile. Jake’s brothers have enough on their plates as it is. The pure malice that overtakes Jake’s largest brother as he listens to me is so strong I’m convinced everyone can feel it in the waiting room. Hell, maybe the entire hospital. It’s that fucking strong.

“The fucker is done for. He messed with the wrong fucking family; he has no idea what he’s unleashed. His beloved justice system isn’t going to be the one handing down his punishment. Not when he’s the reason my baby brother is in surgery fighting for his life.” He stops speaking for a moment, and his hazel eyes flash with deadly intent. “I’m about to rain down hell on earth on him.”

After he finishes speaking, he doesn’t wait for me to say anything in response; he just turns on his heel and stalks out of the room, looking very much like the predator I have a feeling he is. He pulls his phone out as he goes, people scurrying out of his way, all looking fearfully at the colossal, infuriated man. I have no idea what his words mean, but I really do hope he has the power to make the bastard pay a hell of a lot more than the justice system can and will. I’m under no illusions that even though he’s broken the law, the fact he’s been in law enforcement for so long would play into everything, and he’d probably get off a lot more lightly than he would otherwise. Oh, don’t get me wrong, he’d get some sort of punishment, but I very much doubt it would be even close to the one he deserves for what he’s done. That’s without even taking into account how the police department is going to try to cover their own asses on this. There’s no way they want the bad press that’s going to hit them if the truth hits the airwaves.

Looking at the two of Jake’s brothers who remain, I can see they are just as dangerous as the brother who left, but they are keeping a lid on it a hell of a lot more than he was by the end of our conversation. Jake’s brother, who just left, you could literally feel the lethal and deadly vibes coming from him, especially once he mentioned he was going to unleash hell on the police chief. It’s like finding out who was behind Jake’s injuries caused the chains that were keeping him leashed to loosen. There was no more hiding his violent side. It was unshackled for all to see. If that man somehow manages to get his hands on the police chief, it will be a fucking bloodbath. A painful, gruesome bloodbath. Honestly, it’s nothing short of what that asshole deserves.

“What’d he mean by that?” I ask them, hoping they’re willing to give me some answers.

They glance at each other, having a silent conversation that includes a lot of raised eyebrows, shoulder shrugs, and eye rolls. If this wasn’t such a charged situation, I might just have laughed at the way they’re communicating. It reminds me of the way Wrath and Flame can have a conversation without saying a single word. The only difference is these two men are brothers, whereas Wrath and Flame are best friends turned husbands. They both nod their heads at each other before I can get lost in my own thoughts once again, bringing an end to whatever they’re discussing without words. Turning their attention back to me, the one on the right, who has dark hair like the brother who just left, begins to speak this time.

“What I’m about to tell you needs to stay between us. Jake has kept this information a secret from everyone except your President for a very good reason, and your President agreed with his choice.” He says seriously.

I don’t get the feeling that he’s lying. I’ve always been rather good at picking up on people’s tells when someone isn’t being truthful with me, and I’m not getting any of that from him. He might be extremely serious right now, but he’s also being one hundred percent truthful and genuine in what he’s saying. Which means that whatever the information is, Wrath is fully aware of it. I trust in my President’s decision to keep whatever this information is private. I know for a fact he wouldn’t keep anything that would cause harm to Devil’s Inferno hush-hush. He’d never risk the club that way.

“Okay, if Wrath knows and has chosen to keep it quiet from all of the members, then I can agree to do the same.” I say sincerely. I want them to know I mean what I’m saying; I know if they have even one doubt about my sincerity, they won’t tell me anything.

They both stare at me for a beat, no doubt gauging whether or not I’m being truthful. I don’t blame them for it; I’d do exactly the same thing in their shoes. They must believe my words because the dark-haired brother begins to speak again.

“Before I start, I should probably tell you our names. We sort of skipped the introductions when we arrived. I can already see you’re Flash by your kutte, but I’m Seth, this is Austin, and the big lug who just left is Rex.”

“It’s nice to meet you, but I wish it was under better circumstances.”

They both hum in agreement with my words, eyes filled with anguish and concern. I can’t even imagine how they must feel right now. I know how worried I am for Jake; I can’t even fathom the level of distress they must be feeling at this moment in time. If I were in their shoes, I’m not sure I’d be able to function even half as well as these men currently are.

“All of our family, except for Jake, are members of The Khaos Group, and we aren’t any ordinary members either; we’re all part of one of the families that founded the organization. So when Rex says he’s about to rain hell down on that asshole, he wasn’t just spouting off threats; he was being one hundred percent serious and truthful. Rex is about to unleash the entire might of The Khaos Group on the man behind our little brother’s injuries, and it’s going to be fucking glorious.” Seth informs me, dropping a serious motherfucking bombshell in my lap.

I know my face must look more than a little comical right now; I know for a fact that my eyes have gone wide and my mouth is agape from the shock of what he’s just told me. Holy fucking hell, they’ve got to be shitting me. I was not expecting them to drop that sort of information in my lap. It’s no fucking wonder Jake and Wrath kept the information quiet and from everyone else in Devil’s Inferno.

The Khaos Group is legendary. They aren’t just some mid-level private organization that works within the private sector specializing in something like security. They are so much more; they have their fingers in everything from recovery and extraction to mercenaries and assassins. Hell, they even have some of the best technical minds in the world working in their information gathering and analysis division, and it’s all done with one focus, and that’s saving innocents while ridding the world of the darkness that plagues it. The best thing, though, is they don’t have to hide while they do any of it; they’re sanctioned by nearly every government worldwide because they proved their worth. They are literally the best of the best. Their members are some of the best-trained men and women to walk the earth, the most elite you could ever dream of finding, and if these men are all part of one of the families that founded The Khaos Group, then they’re all highly trained and influential. If Rex really is going to pull strings so that The Khaos Group are the ones who deal with the police chief, then the man is well and truly screwed. He will certainly get everything he deserves and so much more. I don’t envy his position at all. I was definitely right when I thought it would be a bloodbath if Rex got his hands on the man. There’s zero doubt in my mind about that. The police chief is certainly going to pay for what he’s done. I can’t fucking wait. Would it be bad if I asked for video footage of Rex destroying the man? I’d love the opportunity to watch that man be destroyed for what he’s done.

I don’t have a chance to say anything about the information bomb they just dropped on me before; from the corner of my eye, I spot two men I know very well entering the waiting room through the door Rex used to exit not long ago. By their appearance here, I’m pretty sure everything at The Clubhouse is under control. There is no way Piston, the club Road Captain, or Rock, the club Treasurer, would have left before things were handled. Especially when there’s a very high chance Wrath, the club President, and Flame, one of the club’s Enforcers and Wrath’s husband, will be more focused on their son, Cam, and how he’s coping after being in the vicinity of the attack. Which is how it should be, in my opinion; Cam deserves to be their priority right now. The poor kid has been through enough in his short life without even taking into account what he must have seen and heard tonight. I really hope he’s okay, but I know even if he isn’t, Wrath and Flame will be there to help him. Just the way they should be.

Piston and Rock spot me almost immediately and start heading in my direction. Just as they reach us, all of our attention is grabbed by the voice shouting, “Family of Jake Knightlye.”