Page 6 of Mason

"No time." I jerk my head toward the back, where my brothers are already forming a wall. But Walker' boys are closing in fast, slinking through the crowd like they own the damn place.

A bottle whizzes past, smashing against the wall. The sound echoes like a starter pistol. Fists fly. Grunts and curses blend into a symphony of chaos.

"Pres!" Dagger shouts. He's holding his ground, throwing punches with practiced ease.

"Got it, brother!" I call back, steering Carlie with one hand and clocking some punk with the other. I can't let these assholes get the drop on us.

CARLIE

"Mason, what's happening?" My voice is barely a whisper against the roar that fills Perdition. Fear twists in my gut, but there's no time to indulge it. Mason's got me tucked behind him, his body a shield against the violence erupting around us.

"Stay down," he orders, and I crouch, hands over my head as a chair splinters nearby. All I can smell is the scent of sweat and spilled beer.

Motorcycles rev outside, their engines snarling like beasts clawing at the gates. Glass shatters, a scream cuts through the air, and someone's laughter rings out, maniacal and chilling.

"Keep your head down," Mason commands again, and I nod, though I'm not sure he sees it. His focus is everywhere, anticipating each move, each threat, not letting anyone near me.

MASON

"Fuckers never learn." My boot connects with a ribcage, and the guy goes down with a wheeze. Another swings at me, his eyes wild, but I sidestep and send him sprawling into a table.

"Mason, look out!" Carlie's shout pierces the cacophony, and I twist just in time to block a crowbar aimed for my skull.

"Thanks," I grunt, disarming the bastard before landing a blow that sends him to dreamland.

"Anytime," she replies, and I almost smile. She's got guts, I'll give her that.

"Stay close," I tell her again, my voice rough as gravel. "Almost through this."

We're a storm of fists and fury, the Iron Reapers holding the line. I won't let anything happen to her. Not on my watch.

"Pres! To your left!" Dagger's voice cuts through again, and I pivot, taking down another rival.

"Stick with me, Carlie," I say, and even in this bedlam, I know she will. We're in this together now, whether she knows it or not.

A fist grazes my cheek, and that's when I feel her—Carlie—pressed against me. Her breath hitches, but it's not fear I'm reading in those wide eyes. It's something fiercer, wilder. The heat between us ignites something primal. My arm wraps around her waist, not just to keep her safe, but because it feels like the most natural thing in the world.

The bar is a war zone, every shout and shatter underlining the peril we're in. But right now, with her body molded to mine, the chaos blurs at the edges.

"Careful," I growl as a chair flies past us, splintering against the wall. Her fingers dig into my leather vest, and I can't help but pull her closer.

"Mason," she breathes out, her voice a siren call amidst the mayhem.

"Focus on me, Carlie," I command, and she does. Oh, how she does.

CARLIE

I'm lost in the storm of his presence, the iron-hard muscles shielding me from the madness. Mason's scent—leather and sweat—fills my senses, grounding me. His grip is unyielding, yet there’s a gentleness there that belies his fierce exterior. Our eyes meet, and there's a promise in his dark gaze—a promise of protection, and something deeper.

"Okay," I whisper, clinging to him as another bottle shatters nearby.

The fight rages on, a feral dance of violence and vengeance. Mason moves with lethal grace, an avenging angel in a world gone mad. His brothers are a force to be reckoned with, their loyalty to one another as palpable as the danger that threatens to engulf us.

"Damn it," Mason curses as he spots a Viper charging our way, his eyes bright with fury.

"Watch out!" I scream, the words torn from my throat.

With a swift motion, he sends the attacker reeling back. He's relentless, every fiber of his being focused on keeping the IronReapers' turf—and me—safe from the threat. It's terrifying and exhilarating, and I can't look away.

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