Page 9

Rebel

The road stretched ahead, my hands steady on the wheel as the SUV ate up the miles. Nothing but darkness surrounded us. Rio sat beside me, her fingers tapping an impatient rhythm against the door handle. We were making good time to the safe house, until the comm crackled to life with news that changed everything.

“-- repeat, Viper and Phantom are down.” The voice broke through static, urgent and tight. “Hostiles have pulled back, but we need medical now.”

I adjusted the volume, keeping one eye on the winding road. Trees crowded in from both sides.

“Status on the wounded?” I asked.

“Alive.” The response was clipped. “Viper took a blade to the shoulder. Phantom caught a bullet in the thigh. We’ve got pressure on both, but it’s messy.”

Rio leaned forward, her blue eyes narrowed in the darkness. “Military or Moretti’s?”

“Not your guys,” came the quick response.

“Shit,” I muttered, easing off the gas as we approached a sharp curve.

“We’re securing the compound. Get to the safe house and stay put until we send the all-clear,” Charming said.

The comm went silent. I glanced at Rio, who was already shaking her head.

“No fucking way,” she said, her Georgia drawl thickening the way it always did when she was pissed. “We’re not running to safety while our people are bleeding. I knew injuries were likely to happen, and we could possibly have even lost people, but they need us.”

I didn’t answer right away. The safe house was the smart play. But the thought of Viper and Phantom wounded while we sat on our asses didn’t sit right.

“Rebel.” Rio’s voice cut through my thoughts. “They need us.”

I’d known Rio for such a short time, but in this life, I’d learned it didn’t matter how long you knew someone. Her presence had made me take immediate notice of her. But it was her loyalty that’d held my attention since then. It was evident in the way she talked to the club and the women, the way she seamlessly fit in, that she had our backs every bit as much as we had hers. That, and the fact that she didn’t take shit from anyone. Just like now. She’d rather head back and face the danger head on than run and hide.

“President’s orders were clear,” I said, testing her. “Safe house.”

“Fuck that noise.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Since when do you follow orders without question? I’m assuming you got the name Rebel for a reason. Those are your brothers back there.”

The road curved again, moonlight flashing across Rio’s face. The freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks stood out against her pale skin, but it was the determination in her eyes that caught me.

“Going back could make everything worse.”

“Or it could save lives.” She leaned in closer. “You really want to sit this one out? Hiding while others fight?”

I shot her a look. “I don’t hide.”

“Could’ve fooled me.” A challenge glinted in her eyes. “Thought you were the one who told me the Devil’s Boneyard never leaves its own behind.”

The words stung because they were true. I’d said exactly that during one of our discussions. Looked like she’d been paying attention.

“We go back,” she pressed, “or I’m jumping out at the next curve and walking my ass there myself.”

“You’re a real pain in the ass, you know that?” I muttered.

Her lips twitched. “Part of my charm.”

I slowed the SUV, the engine humming lower as I eased to the shoulder. “If we go back, we’re not rushing in half-cocked. We scout first, assess the situation.”

“Fine.” Rio nodded. “Smart.”

“And if I say we pull back, we pull back. No arguments.”

She hesitated. “If it makes tactical sense, sure.”

“Rio.”

“Fine.” She raised her hands. “Your call. But I’m not sitting in the car if our people need help.”

Our. I liked how she said that. Made me wonder if this meant she’d decided to stay, to be mine. She’d hinted at it when she’d decided to sleep in my bed, but we hadn’t exactly clarified anything. With everything going on, Charming hadn’t exactly asked us for an answer either.

I checked the mirror, the empty road behind us reflecting nothing but darkness. The decision was already made -- had been the moment we heard Viper and Phantom were hurt. But I needed Rio to understand this wasn’t about heroics.

“We’re not heroes,” I said, echoing my thoughts. “We’re smarter than that.”

“Never wanted to be a hero.” The edge in her voice was razor-sharp. “Just want to make sure the people who hurt ours bleed a whole lot more before this night’s over.”

I couldn’t argue with that. If they thought hitting our people would make us back down, they were dead wrong. Something told me they’d been prepared to either take Rio or hoped we’d just hand her over, deciding she was more trouble than she was worth.

“Comms silence from here on,” I said, putting the SUV in gear. “Who knows if those assholes have the ability to monitor channels. Shade said they were in encrypted, but we honestly don’t know what tech those guys might have access to.”

Rio nodded, then reached into the glove compartment for the burner phones. She handed one to me.

I made a U-turn, the SUV’s tires kicking up gravel as we spun around. The engine growled as I accelerated back the way we’d come, the night swallowing us once more.

“You know,” Rio said after a minute of silence, “if we survive this, the President is gonna have both our asses.”

I snorted. “Wouldn’t be the first time. Not for me anyway.”

“Won’t be the last either.” She grinned, all teeth and savage anticipation.

The miles ticked by faster now, urgency pushing my foot heavier on the gas. The curves came and went, the SUV hugging the road like it was made for it. We didn’t talk much after that. There wasn’t much to say. We both knew what waited for us back at the compound -- blood, chaos, and the very real possibility that things had gotten worse since that radio call.

Rio checked her weapon again, the click-click of the slide oddly reassuring in the quiet car. Her face was set, determined. I couldn’t help but think that the assholes who’d hurt her had only made her more dangerous.

“You ever regret walking into our clubhouse that night?” I asked, breaking the silence.

She looked at me, surprise flickering across her features. “Random time for deep questions.”

“Just curious.”

She was quiet for a moment, her gaze drifting to the window. “No,” she finally said. “Never. You all gave me something I’d thought I’d lost forever.”

“What’s that?”

Her voice was soft, but there was steel underneath. “People worth fighting for.”

I nodded, understanding perfectly. The club wasn’t perfect -- far from it -- but it was family. The kind that stood together when everything went to shit. The kind worth turning around for.

We crested a hill, and the first glimpse of the compound appeared in the distance. No flames, no smoke. A good sign, maybe. Or maybe just the calm before the next storm.

“Ready?” I asked, slowing as we approached.

Rio checked her weapon one last time, her blue eyes gleaming with determination in the dashboard light. “Born ready.”

I pressed down on the gas, and the SUV surged forward, eating up the final stretch of road between us and whatever waited ahead. The night was still young, and the assholes who’d attacked us were about to learn a painful lesson about messing with the Boneyard.

* * *

The clubhouse was just ahead. I slowed the vehicle and scanned the area. Everything seemed quiet. Almost too quiet. I glanced at Rio and knew she was ready to charge ahead, damn the consequences, and right now, I felt the same way. I hit the gas and continued down the road.

The compound gate stood open when we arrived, which wasn’t a good sign. Typically, after an attack, everything would be locked down tight. Especially since Charming had said they were going to fortify this place. I slowed the SUV, scanning for sentries, finding two armed men posted at the entrance. Their faces tightened when they recognized us, a mix of relief and wariness. I kept the engine running as we approached, one hand on my weapon. Better to be paranoid than dead.

“Thought you two were headed to the safe house,” one of them said, voice low.

“Change of plans,” I replied. “Status?”

“Just the two wounded. Viper and Phantom.” He glanced over his shoulder. “They hit hard but ran when we returned fire and took out three of their men. Cowardly bastards.”

Rio leaned across from the passenger seat. “They coming back?”

“Don’t think so. Not tonight at least.” He stepped back, waving us through. “President’s gonna have questions.”

“Let him ask,” I muttered, rolling up the window and easing the SUV into the compound.

The main yard was lit with harsh floodlights, creating islands of brightness amid deep shadows. Men and a few women moved around the area, weapons visible on hips and shoulders of the men. Outside the clubhouse, a line of bikes stretched in either direction.

I parked next to the clubhouse and killed the engine. “Stay sharp,” I said to Rio. “President’s likely to shoot first, ask questions later when he sees us. To say he’ll be pissed is an understatement.”

She snorted. “Wouldn’t be the first time someone pointed a gun at me.”

“Hopefully not the last either. Means you’re still alive.”

We exited the SUV simultaneously, scanning the yard. Three club members approached immediately, hands hovering near weapons. Scratch, Ripper, and Java.

“Got some balls coming back after a direct order,” Scratch said.

I met his gaze evenly. “Never been good at following stupid orders.”

His mouth twitched, almost a smile. “President’s inside with the wounded. He’s pissed.”

“What else is new?” I started walking, Rio at my side.

Scratch fell into step beside us. “These assholes were definitely professionals. The Morettis didn’t send their weakest links.”

The clubhouse door was propped open, voices and the smell of antiseptic spilling out. Inside, the usual dim lighting had been replaced by bright portable lamps clustered around the pool table and a couple of couches. The tables and chairs had been pushed to the walls, creating a makeshift medical area in the center of the room.

Viper lay on the pool table, his cut and shirt removed, revealing a deep stab wound in his left shoulder. Doc had on surgical gloves and was stitching it closed while Viper gritted his teeth. His face was gray with pain, but his eyes were alert, tracking us as we entered.

On the nearest couch, Phantom sat with his pants cut away from a bandaged thigh. Blood had soaked through the white gauze, but someone -- most likely Doc -- had started an IV, the bag hanging from an improvised stand made from a pool cue and duct tape. Resourceful. Messy. Effective.

“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” came a deep voice from the bar area.

I turned to face Charming. He stood with a glass of whiskey in one hand, his expression stormy.

“Sounded like you needed help,” I said, keeping my voice neutral.

“Heard you needed to follow fucking orders,” he shot back, but there was something beneath the anger. Relief, maybe.

“Figured you’d want your best fighters here, not sitting on their asses at a safe house,” Rio said, her drawl more pronounced than usual.

Charming’s gaze shifted to her. Few people spoke to him that directly, especially the women. He studied her for a long moment, then let out a rough laugh.

“You’ve got a mouth on you, Army girl.” He drained his glass. “Lucky for you, I like people who speak their minds. Even when they’re being insubordinate pains in my ass. As for toughest fighter… that remains to be seen.”

He moved toward us. Up close, I could see the fatigue in his eyes, the tension in his shoulders. This attack had rattled him more than he was letting on.

“Report,” he said, nodding to Scratch.

“Perimeter’s secure. Doubled the guards on the south fence. Added more cameras out back. Got eyes on the road for a mile in each direction.” Scratch shifted his weight. “No movement since they pulled back.”

“They’ll be back,” Rio said. “This was too coordinated to be a one-off. Plus, they didn’t get to me. Which means they won’t stop until I’m in their grasp or dead.”

Charming nodded. “My thoughts exactly.”

Doc finished with Viper’s shoulder, applying a clean bandage. Viper sat up slowly, his face tight with pain.

I moved closer to him, examining the bandage. “Clean cut?”

He nodded. “Blade went in smooth. No serrated edges. Missed anything important, according to Doc.”

“You’re lucky,” he said, stripping off his gloves. “Two inches in the wrong direction, and you’d be bleeding out right now instead of just whining about the pain.”

Viper grinned through clenched teeth. “Love you too, Doc.”

Doc rolled his eyes and flipped him off.

Phantom tried to stand from the couch, wincing as he put weight on his injured leg. “They weren’t aiming to kill,” he said. “They had clean shots on both of us. Chose to wound instead.”

“That’s not their usual style,” I said, frowning. The Morettis were known for their brutality, not their restraint.

“They wanted information most likely,” Charming said. “Dead men don’t talk.”

Rio had moved to the window, peering out. When she turned back, I knew she hadn’t spotted anything out of the ordinary. Didn’t mean she wouldn’t keep checking.

“If they’re coming back, I want to be ready,” Charming said. “This time we didn’t move until they were on the attack already. We need to be smart. Go after them before they have a chance to regroup. Two teams, different entry points. Quick strike, maximum damage, then out before they can respond.”

I studied him a moment. “When?”

“Dawn.” Charming looked up, his gaze sweeping across the room. “They’ll be at their weakest, and hopefully not expecting us to bring the fight to them.”

“I want in,” Rio said, her voice firm. It wasn’t a request.

Charming assessed her for a moment, then nodded. “You’ll go with Rebel’s team. I already know I can’t hold him back.”

“What about Viper and Phantom?” I asked, glancing at the wounded men.

“They stay here with the men guarding the compound and our families,” Charming said. “Along with anyone else not fit for combat.”

The planning continued for another hour. Shade provided the intel on where the Morettis had moved, including a layout of the building. Charming went over every aspect of the attack -- entry points, escape routes, communications, weapons. I watched Rio throughout, noting how she contributed tactical suggestions that even the more experienced members hadn’t considered. The woman knew her shit. By the time we finished, the plan was tight, with contingencies for every scenario we could think of.

“Get some rest,” Charming ordered when we were done. “We move out at 0400.”

The room emptied slowly, members breaking off to prepare in their own ways. Some headed to the homes, others to clean weapons or check gear. Rio and I remained at the table, studying the map one last time.

“You know this is probably exactly what they want,” she said quietly. “Us charging in, angry and looking for payback.”

“Probably,” I agreed. “Doesn’t mean we’re not going to give it to them.”

She smiled, a cold, dangerous thing. “Never said we shouldn’t go. Just said we should know what we’re walking into.”

I rolled up the map, tucking it into my jacket. “You having second thoughts?”

“About putting bullets in the people who hurt our friends?” She shook her head. “Not a chance. Just want to make sure we’re the ones walking out afterward.”

“We will be.” I held her gaze. “I’ve got your back.”

“And I’ve got yours.” She checked her watch. “Five hours until we move. Enough time to gear up and maybe catch a power nap.”

We walked together toward the SUV beside the clubhouse, the compound now humming with focused energy as everyone prepared for the coming fight. Rio’s stride was confident, her back straight despite the exhaustion I knew she must be feeling. The woman had grit; I’d give her that.

“You know,” I said as we reached the vehicle, “Charming could have had our asses for disobeying orders.”

She grinned. “Knew he wouldn’t. Man needs all hands on deck for this one.”

I laughed softly. “Come on. Let’s head to the house.”

We got into the SUV and I drove us home. When we walked in, Rio stopped at the fridge and pulled out a cold beer. She took a long pull, then handed me a drink as well. She shut the fridge and leaned against the counter.

“Why don’t you sleep with me again? We can set an alarm for two hours. That gives us plenty of time to prep.”

She nodded. “Yeah. Not sure I can actually sleep right now though. I’m dead tired but wired at the same time.”

I got it. Felt the same.

I held out my hand to her. “Only one way to find out.”

She drained her beer and set the bottle on the counter before taking my hand. I finished mine as well, tossing it across the room into the trash. She shook her head when it went straight in.

“Show off,” she muttered.

We went to the bedroom and toed off our boots. I shrugged out of my cut and set it aside then stretched out on the bed. Rio walked to the other side and lay beside me. I put my arm around her, tugging her closer. It didn’t take long for her breathing to even out. I’d known she’d fall asleep once she allowed herself to relax. The beer had probably helped.

Dawn couldn’t come soon enough. The Morettis had drawn first blood tonight, but we’d make damn sure they regretted it by sunrise. Didn’t matter we’d already killed some of them. Far as I was concerned, they all needed to be six feet under. The fact they’d hurt my brothers infuriated me, and I knew the others felt the same. They were family, and family stood together, fought together, and if necessary, bled together. The Devil’s Boneyard took care of its own, and heaven help anyone who forgot that lesson.