Page 23 of Stripping Keys (Devil’s Riot MC Tennessee #6)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

MARLA

My blood is pumping. The excitement of what we’re about to do thrills me. My body hums with the need to spill the enemy’s blood.

I shouldn’t be like this. I shouldn’t think about it as thrilling. I can’t help it. I simply can’t. This is the type of thing I live for. Okay, so it’s not this type of thing I usually do, but when Calyx would let me in on missions similar, it always made me giddy.

I love the feel of a weapon in my hand. It didn’t matter if it was a knife, gun, or even a grenade.

The guys surprised me when they didn’t put up too much of a fuss about me going back to the clubhouse. They listened to my plan. Well, after I showed them the trunk of my car. After that, they’d been like kids in a candy shop, ogling and playing with all the toys I had stored there.

Keys, on the other hand, he’d taken me to the front of the car and spoke to me.

My heart hurt for him. For what he’d been through.

I didn’t need him to go into detail. I didn’t need him to tell me everything.

What he shared was enough. He lived through hell in so many ways.

It makes what I went through look like a walk in the park.

Where mine was one night, not even a full night, just hours, his was his childhood.

If I knew where to find his mother, I’d slice her throat for what she did to him.

If I knew I wouldn’t upset him, I’d ask about her. I don’t want to do anything that will dredge up the past for him. I could understand him wanting to keep those secrets to himself and not share them with anyone. I’d have done the same thing.

It’s my job now to make sure that he doesn’t think of the past.

“We’re almost there,” Fox, one of Calyx’s men, says from the front.

“Okay,” I call back and check my gun once again.

Keys and the others were in another vehicle. That part of the plan Keys hadn’t liked. He wanted me in his sights the whole time, but to make everything work as it needs to, they have to come in after me.

I knew they wouldn’t be far behind. They’ll be there before the real fight begins.

“You sure you know what you’re doing?” Fox asks, glancing back from the passenger seat. “We could just go in instead.”

Narrowing my eyes on Fox, I snap. “I know what I’m doing.

I don’t need a man to do something for me.

” He was a good guy, but he had a chivalrous attitude.

Seems to think a woman can’t do a man’s job.

But whatever. He’s going to have to get over himself one way or another. Just like his brother, Aries, did.

Funny how the world connects us all. His brother is a member of the Devil’s Riot MC, but at a different charter than Keys.

“Just making sure.” Fox shrugs and turns back to the front.

Rolling my eyes, I focus on the mission at hand.

Taking out the garbage once and for all.

I explained to the club why now was the perfect time.

All of them would be there at one time. It’s one of the reasons it took me so long to gather all the intel I did.

Because all of those men and even a few women were in different locations.

I learned they gathered quarterly and where it was.

“We’re here,” Fox grunts as Kai, the driver, pulls to the side of the road.

I glance through the front windshield, seeing we were close, still out of view. I’d have to walk the rest of the way on foot.

Nothing wrong with that.

Getting out, I move for the tree line. I changed to my mission gear after my conversation with Keys. He shielded me from the others, though Nines and Blow also helped him. The three of them had formed a barrier around me. All of them with their backs to me. It was sweet of them, but unnecessary.

I was going to have a forty-five-minute head start before the guys would come in.

Just outside the tree line, I hunched down, scanned the surroundings, and when I knew I was clear, I moved forward. The building was an old mill factory. I don’t know why they’d meet at a place like this, but it is what it is.

Right outside the doors, I take a breath and slip inside. I could hear voices deeper inside. I could also hear sounds of moans and groans.

Talk about gross.

I’d seen my fair share of what this group does when separated. I don’t need to see what they do together, but I’m sure that’s exactly what I’m about to witness.

Great.

Moving through the shadows of the building, I avoid spots of light to keep them from noticing me.

I knew my time was running out, and I needed to get in place before the rest get here.

“We need to finish this,” one of the men up ahead shouts, making a woman scream with moans.

“We’ll finish it soon enough,” another grunts. “For now, I’m going to enjoy this little piece of delight. Ain’t that right, sweetheart?”

“Yes, daddy, fuck me more,” a woman moans.

A few more grunts and groans mix with moans before the finale of them finishing happens.

Totally gross.

“That phone call is going to have them riled. They’ll want to retaliate soon enough.”

“That bitch is going to have given them information.”

“She didn’t have anything to give them. They’re stupid to send a woman in to do a man’s job.”

“I want this over with. It’s been too long. They need to pay for what they did to my sister.”

Oh my God. Now, this is intriguing.

“You know this is bigger than just revenge for your sister.”

“It doesn’t matter. They fucked us over when they killed my sister and took that brat of hers in. Now he’s a member of the club. They all need to pay. I want them to suffer.”

“They will.”

The whole conversation continues, and I listen while I hook up all the wires to the explosive.

It’s going to go off later on as a backup plan.

As I work, I count the number of people in the room.

Roughly fifty, maybe sixty people fill the space.

That’s not including the ones I heard making my way this way.

Once I finish, I take another breath and step from the shadows.

“You know, I don’t think they were planning on coming after you.

They didn’t even know you all were still around or how big your organization really is,” I say, earning everyone in the room’s attention.

The woman who was being fucked squealed and covered herself as best she could.

While other women glare daggers at me. “But you see,” I continue with a cheery smile on my face, “they didn’t until I told them you were coming after them. ”

“You fucking bitch.” One of the men sneers and steps forward. “You think you can stroll in here . . .”

“And not be killed? Yada. Yada. Yada,” I know the spiel. “But do you know what?” I cross my arms over my chest, cock a hip, and act all superior. “You’re all gonna die,” I say with a singsong voice.

“It’s not us who will die, bitch.”

The first bullet goes off, and with it, chaos descends.

Gunfire comes from every direction. I pull my gun out and join the fray. It’s a good feeling, the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

I aim, pull the trigger, and keep going. The guys know about the explosive and the fact that time wasn’t exactly on our side, but it was enough for them to get what they wanted.

One of the women comes at me and takes me to the ground. The force of her body surprises me for all of a second before I lift my gun to her chin and pull the trigger. Blood sprays my face as she drops. I throw her off and aim my gun as I watch from the ground.

One of the men, the one who’d spoken to me to be exact, sees me and starts stalking in my direction. Eyes filled with hatred. Thinking about it, his voice matched that of the one who spoke of his sister.

Makes me wonder. . .

No, I won’t wonder about that. It doesn’t matter.

I get to my feet right before he gets to me. I wait for him to do something, and he doesn’t make me wait long. His hand comes around my throat, and he squeezes.

Holding his fury-filled eyes, I wrap one hand around his wrists, the other I use to squeeze the trigger of my gun.

Nothing.

Damn. I was out of ammo.

“You’re gonna die bitch.” The guy sneers.

“No, she ain’t, but you are.” Keys snarls, coming up behind the guy and bringing a blade across the guy’s throat.

Surprise fills the man’s eyes as his grip loosens and he falls to his knees.

Keys kicks him out of the way and comes close, wrapping an arm around my waist. “You okay, baby?” His gaze rakes over my face, taking in the blood coating it.

“Yep.” I make sure the ‘p’ pops out of my mouth. I was more than okay. Doing this with Keys, knowing he’s got my back, yeah, I was more than okay. “Not my blood, by the way.

“Good, then let’s get the fuck out of here. We don’t need to be caught by the time on your explosive and die with these fuckers.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Together we make our way toward the exit. His brothers and a few of Calyx’s men are doing the same thing.

Outside the building, I turn back around and wait for the explosive to go off.

“Baby, you gotta come on,” Keys says, dragging me back.

“No, not until the explosive goes off. Make sure no one escapes the blaze,” I tell him and push against his hold. I wasn’t leaving until it was done and over with.

“Fine, but you’re gonna back up and not get hit by the debris.” He picks me up from behind and rushes us to the tree line.

Okay, so I could see his reasoning. The rest of his brothers join us while we wait.

Lucky hands Keys a pack of wipes from his bag. “With a baby at home now, I never leave without wipes. You never know.”

I didn’t know what he meant by that, but when Keys starts cleaning my face, I’m more than grateful. The blood was already beginning to harden and cake up on my face.

Gross.

Another five minutes passes before the explosive goes off, and the screams of those who couldn’t make it out and were still alive could be heard.

It’s a sweet, sweet sound to my ears.

“It’s over,” I whisper.

“Yeah,” Keys agrees. “The Crimson Blood Clan is no more.”

“Fuckin’ finally,” Nines grunts.

“You know what this means?” Scorn, one of Keys’s brothers, asks.

“What?” Griz asks.

“Means a party is in order,” Blow answers, grinning. “This shit is finally fucking over, and we can celebrate.” His eyes meet mine, and his grin widens. “We’ve got a lot to celebrate.”

“Yeah, like my brother and me finally learning everything that we didn’t know about the past,” Nines says, coming to hook an arm around Keys’s shoulders. “You know I always wanted a brother growing up.”

Umm, what? What is he talking about?

I look at Nines to find him rolling his eyes in Keys direction.

“Nines, you got a club full of brothers,” Keys grunts.

“The past has fucked with me enough and I don’t want or need to think about it any longer.

” Keys looks down at me, holds my gaze and seems to answer my unspoken question, “Seems my brothers knew about my past and given me the play I was making all this time of keeping my past locked away.”

I understood what he was saying so in response I just nod as Nines retorts to Keys comment to him.

“Yeah, but they’re not my blood brothers, and I didn’t grow up with you as I should have. Means we’ve got shit to make up for.”

“Oh fuck.” Lucky groans.

“What the hell are we missing?” Griz demands looking between the two of them.

“A lot of past history,” Sniper answers.

“Come on, we’ll head back to the clubhouse. Fill you all in when we get there.”

Griz nods and looks at me. “You’re not half bad for a sister-in-law.”

Grinning, I cock my head slightly. “I suppose you’re not half bad for a brother-in-law either.”

“Doesn’t mean your ass isn’t still in the hot seat.” He smirks. “West is ready to kill you. Your sister is already in for a rude awakening for helping you.”

“Whatever.” I roll my eyes, “West loves me, he won’t kill me.”

“He might not kill you,” Keys murmurs in my ear, “but you’re definitely in trouble. You think what I did to you before was something else. Just wait ‘til we get back to the clubhouse. Your ass is getting bound to my bed, and you’ll be lucky I let you up for a week.”

A shiver goes through my body at the very thought. I couldn’t wait.