Page 15

Tempest

The clubhouse reeked of sweat and tension. Savior’s steely gaze swept the room, “We need volunteers for a supply run. Stock up before we’re cut off completely. I don’t want anyone leaving the compound after this, not until we know the cartel has been dealt with.”

I’d brought this trouble here, all because I hadn’t thought to warn Kasen to be careful while we were at the beach. If I’d been more alert, had heard her leave the house, then maybe we could have avoided all of this.

“We don’t know where the cartel is right now, so there’s a chance those who volunteer could be in danger. Don’t take this lightly,” Savior said.

Bull stepped forward first, his massive frame casting a shadow. “I’m in.”

Rocky was right behind him, military precision in every movement. “Count me in too, Pres.”

Pride and fear warred in my chest. These were my brothers, ready to put their lives on the line. Again. They were also some of our older members, which meant they’d been to hell and back again for this club more times than I could count. Both had been members before I’d even been a Prospect.

“Good men.” Savior nodded. “We’ll need at least four more. Safety in numbers.”

I opened my mouth to volunteer, but Savior’s sharp look silenced me. Right. As Sergeant-at-Arms, I had to stay behind. Protect the clubhouse. My jaw clamped so hard it ached.

Bull’s hand clapped Rocky’s shoulder. “Just like old times, eh, Marine? If you wanted an adrenaline rush, this might be your chance.”

Rocky’s lips twitched. “As long as there’s less sand in uncomfortable places.”

Sam, one of our Prospects, and Thunder’s father-in-law raised his hand. “I’ll go.”

A ripple of laughter broke the tension. For a moment.

“Whoever else plans to go, let Bull or Rocky know. Load up and roll out in twenty,” Savior ordered. “The rest of you, lockdown procedures. No one in or out without my say-so.”

As the room erupted into motion, I caught Bull’s eye. A silent nod passed between us. Stay safe, brother. Come back to us .

I turned away, throat tight. Time to do my job. Keep everyone safe. Even if it killed me to watch my brothers ride into danger without me.

Exactly twenty minutes later, the roar of engines filled the air as our convoy thundered down the highway. Wire had decided to keep watch using a drone, so we’d know if trouble came their way. Rocky and Bull had taken two of the club SUVs for hauling back everything we’d need. The other two were on their bikes, leading the way.

Thanks to Wire’s tech, I was able to keep in contact with Rocky and Bull.

“Eyes sharp,” I said into the comms. “Anything looks off, you get the hell out of there.”

Bull’s gruff voice crackled back. “Roger that, Tempest.”

I scanned the roadside, the overpasses, every potential ambush point. It all seemed a little too peaceful. Too… quiet. They hadn’t passed another vehicle, which was beyond strange.

“Tempest,” Rocky’s tense voice came through. “Three o’clock. Black SUV.”

Wire found it easily and I could see it on the computer screen. The SUV was pacing them, tinted windows hiding its occupants.

“Hold steady,” I ordered, mind racing. “Could be noth --”

The world exploded.

Gunfire erupted from all sides. The SUV swerved, men with assault rifles leaning out the windows. More appeared from behind the brush and trees lining the highway.

“Ambush!” I roared. “Evasive maneuvers!”

I caught glimpses of my brothers scrambling for cover, returning fire. My heart pounded, adrenaline surging. They were outnumbered, outgunned. But they wouldn’t go down easy.

“Form up!” I shouted. “Don’t let them flank you!”

There was no way they could get out of there right now. Not without fighting back. They’d set a trap, and my brothers had walked right into it.

Bull and Rocky moved like a well-oiled machine, Rocky’s military training kicking in instantly. They dove behind an overturned truck, using it as cover.

“Rocky, lay down suppressing fire!” Bull bellowed, his voice cutting through the chaos. “I’ll flank left!”

Rocky nodded, his face a mask of concentration. He popped up, firing in controlled bursts, forcing the cartel members to duck.

I watched in awe as Bull used the distraction to sprint to a better position, his bulk moving with surprising agility despite his age. He signaled to Rocky, who immediately shifted his fire.

“Tempest!” Bull’s voice said in my earpiece. “We need to regroup! Rally point at the abandoned gas station!”

I was about to respond when a heart-stopping scream pierced the air.

“Sam!” Rocky’s voice was filled with panic. “Sam’s down!”

My blood ran cold. Sam, the Prospect -- Hammer’s son. Thunder’s father-in-law. He was caught in the open, blood blossoming on his chest.

Bull’s face hardened. “Cover me!” he roared, already moving.

Rocky laid down a blistering barrage of gunfire as Bull charged toward Sam, bullets kicking up dirt at his feet.

My heart was in my throat as Bull reached Sam, dragging him behind a concrete barrier.

“He’s hit bad, Tempest!” Bull’s voice was strained. “We need evac, now!”

Rocky was already moving, his movements precise despite the urgency. “Use his belt as a tourniquet,” he called out. “I’ll keep them off us!”

My brothers needed me, no matter what Savior had said about me remaining behind. I ran for my bike, knowing if I didn’t get there soon, we could lose good men. I wasn’t the only one who’d been listening. Hopefully, someone would coordinate a rescue. Right now, I needed to get there and do what I could.

I gunned the engine of my Harley, pushing it to its limits as I raced toward the ambush site. The wind whipped past my face, but it couldn’t drown out the sound of my heart pounding in my ears. I was too late. Too fucking late.

As I skidded to a stop, the scene before me made my stomach churn. Bodies lay scattered across the asphalt, both cartel and Reapers. The acrid smell of gunpowder hung in the air, mixing with the metallic scent of blood.

“Tempest!” Bull’s voice was strained as he waved me over. “We need you here, now!”

I sprinted toward him, my eyes scanning the carnage. Sam lay motionless on the ground, Rocky working furiously to stem the bleeding.

Guilt crashed over me like a wave. I should have been here. Should have seen this coming. Rage built in my chest. “How bad?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Bull’s eyes met mine, grim determination etched on his face. “Bad. But we’re not losing him. Not today. Where’s everyone else? You brought help, right?”

I pushed down the anger threatening to consume me. There’d be time for vengeance later. Right now, my brothers needed me. “It’s just me right now.”

“Jesus,” Bull muttered. “If we can’t get the fuck out of here, we’re all dead. What were you thinking?”

“That this was my fucking fault and I needed to get here as fast as I could. Now, what do you need?” I asked, already reaching for my phone to call for backup. If our brothers weren’t already on their way here, they would be as soon as I made the call. Now that I was here, I could see just how bad the situation was.

As we worked to stabilize Sam and secure the area, I couldn’t shake the weight settling on my shoulders. This was on me. As Sergeant-at-Arms, I should have anticipated this. The cartel would pay, I’d make damn sure of that. But first, we had to get our people home.

The ride back to the clubhouse was somber, our usual rowdy convoy replaced by a grim procession. Sam’s limp form was cradled in the back of Bull’s SUV, Rocky keeping pressure on his wounds. We’d had to leave the other vehicle behind, but I’d get it later.

As we pulled into the lot, I saw the fear and anger on the faces of our waiting brothers. Savior stepped forward, his usual stoic expression cracking as he took in the scene.

“How many?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

“Three wounded, including Sam. He got hit the worst,” I reported, the words tasting like ash in my mouth. “Two… two didn’t make it. Gears and Bats.”

A collective growl rose from the gathered Reapers. I felt it in my chest, matching the fury building inside me.

“Get the wounded to the infirmary,” Savior ordered, his eyes meeting mine. “Tempest, my office. Now.”

I nodded, knowing what was coming. As I followed him inside, I couldn’t shake the image of Sam’s blood-soaked body. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. The cartel had just started a war they weren’t prepared to finish.

I stomped into the clubhouse, my fists so tight my knuckles turned white. The rage inside me was a living thing, clawing to get out. I needed to hit something, to break something, to make someone pay.

I followed Savior to his office and took a seat. He glared at me over the top of the desk.

“This is a clusterfuck of epic proportions. You should have told us when Kasen was taken. We would have at least known something might be coming. Thanks to your negligence, we were blindsided, and now we’ve lost two brothers. Hell, Sam may very well die. Are you going to be the one to tell Amity you’re responsible for taking her father away?”

I swallowed hard. “Look, I know I fucked up. I can’t change the decisions I made, or how things played out. Want me to step down as Sergeant-at-Arms? Because I will.”

Savior sighed. “No. Tank personally picked you for that position, and I’m letting it stand. But there will be repercussions. I’m docking your pay fifteen percent for the next six months, and you’re footing the bill for any funerals.”

“Thanks, Pres.” I rubbed at my chest, trying to get rid of the ache settling in from the lives we’d lost today.

“Now, go figure out how to get us the hell out of his mess. For one, we need to know how they knew to come here. I doubt you left a calling card.”

“I’m on it.” I stood and left his office, heading for the main room. I spotted Prophet nursing a beer at the bar.

“Prophet! Wire! Church. Now.”

Both nodded, Prophet’s face grim as he fell in step beside me. We strode into the small, windowless room.

“We need intel,” I growled, slamming my palms on the table. “Where are they holed up? Who’s calling the shots? And how the fuck did they know to come here?”

Prophet’s eyes narrowed, his mind already working. “I’ve got a contact in the sheriff’s office. Might be able to tell me if they’ve noticed anything on their end.”

“Do it,” I snapped, then forced myself to take a breath. “Sorry, man. It’s just --”

“I know,” Prophet cut me off, his voice low and steady. “We’re all feeling it, Tempest. But we need clear heads if we’re gonna hit back effectively.”

I nodded, grateful for his level-headedness. It was why we worked so well together -- my fire and his ice.

“I’m still doing all I can, but I think the cartel has their own hacker. Maybe several considering how well they’re trying to cover shit up and hide like a bunch of damn rats,” Wire said.

“All right, what else?” I asked, my mind racing. “We need to know their supply routes, their safe houses. Every Goddamn thing about these pricks. They set that up too neatly for this to be their first time in this area.”

Prophet pulled out his phone, fingers flying over the screen. “I’ll reach out to some friends. I don’t agree with their life choices, but if anyone is hiding out in those areas, they’ll know about it.”

“Good thinking,” I said, feeling a spark of hope amidst the anger. “I’ll get Bull and Rocky to map out the ambush site, see if we can figure out how they knew we’d be there.”

We locked eyes, a silent understanding passing between us. This wasn’t just about revenge -- it was about protecting our family, our way of life.

“We’re gonna make them regret ever setting foot in our territory,” I growled.

Prophet’s lips curved into a cold smile. “Amen to that, brother. Let’s go hunting.”

“I’ll call in help from Surge and Wizard. Maybe they’ll see something I’m missing. I’ve been staring at this shit for some long my eyes are crossing,” Wire said. “But we’ll figure it out.”

* * *

Kasen

I watched Tempest from across the clubhouse, my heart aching. His eyes blazing with that fiery intensity that both thrilled and terrified me. He was in full Sergeant-at-Arms mode, barking orders and radiating danger.

God, I wanted to go to him. To wrap my arms around his taut frame and tell him it would be okay. But I couldn’t. That wouldn’t be helpful to him right now.

I bit my lip, fighting the urge to fidget. Tempest’s gaze swept the room, and for a split second, our eyes met. My breath caught.

“You okay, sweetie?” A gentle voice broke my trance.

I turned to see Ridley, concern etched on her face. Venom’s wife. If anyone could understand, it’d be her. Although, I knew she had a lot on her plate right now. After being shot, Venom had been in a coma for months, only to wake up without over thirty years of memories. He still hadn’t remembered Ridley, his kids, or grandkids. I knew it had to be hard on all of them. I felt awful for even wanting to ask her for help right now.

“I… I don’t know,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “Can we talk?”

Ridley nodded, leading me to a quiet corner. “What’s on your mind?”

I took a shaky breath. “It’s Tempest. I want to help, to be there for him, but…”

“But you’re afraid he’ll push you away,” Ridley finished, her eyes knowing.

I nodded miserably. “How do I show him I can be of help to him?”

Ridley’s hand found mine, squeezing gently. “Oh, honey, trust me, he knows you want to. But Tempest… he’s got a job to do, and right now, that’s where he’s focused.”

“So what do I do?” I asked, desperation creeping into my voice.

“Be steady,” Ridley said firmly. “Show him you can handle the storm. Don’t push, but don’t back down either. Let him see your strength.”

I straightened, resolve filling me. “I can do that.”

Ridley smiled. “I know you can. Just remember, Kasen -- you’re worth fighting for too. He’s not just doing this for his brothers.”

I glanced back at Tempest, my heart racing. This time, I’d be ready when he looked my way.

I squared my shoulders and took a step forward.

“Kasen.” Ridley’s voice was low. “Be careful. He’s not his usual self right now.”

I nodded, not looking back. My heart thundered, but my stride was steady as I crossed the clubhouse. Tempest’s gaze snapped to me, dark and turbulent.

“What?” he growled.

“Need anything?” I kept my voice neutral, chin lifted.

His eyes narrowed. “What I need is for everyone to stop asking me that.”

“Okay.” I didn’t flinch. “Then I won’t ask. I’ll just be here.”

“I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Good. Because I’m not offering to be one.”

For a moment, the anger in his eyes flickered, replaced by something I couldn’t quite read. Then it was gone, his walls slamming back into place. “Whatever,” he muttered, turning away.

I didn’t move. The clubhouse buzzed with activity around us -- men cleaning weapons, voices low and urgent. The air crackled with anticipation and fear.

Tempest glanced back at me, irritation clear on his face. “Still here?”

“Yep.”

His gaze narrowed again, but this time, I caught a hint of… curiosity?

Before he could speak, Savior’s voice cut through the room. “We know where these fuckers are hiding, and it’s time to settle the score. We ride in an hour. Get ready.”

The energy in the room shifted. This was it. We were going to war. Or rather, our men were. All the rest of us could do was sit back and pray, hoping they came home.

Tempest’s gaze held mine. “Make that two. There’s something I need to do first.”

My heart nearly skipped a beat at his words.

“I’ll give you longer,” Savior said. “Hell, maybe we all need a night or two. Who knows how many of us will come back alive from this shit storm.”