Page 25 of Drive Me Wilde

Zander looks my way. I shrug. Very little rattles our dad, but something is definitely up, and as usual, it's not good. Roxi stands up quickly and looks close to tears. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have stayed."

Dad shakes his head. "No, sweetheart, you're all right. Just need you to get on home now." He looks at Zander, and the faint smile is gone. "What the hell are you waiting for?"

Zander hurries out to grab his shoes and shirt. Roxi follows close at his heels.

I'm the first one to ask the question that's hanging over all our heads. "What the fuck is going on, Dad?"

He doesn't answer but instead walks out of the kitchen to the front room. Colin gets up quietly and looks around the corner. "He's staring out the window, and here's another little detail—he's got his handgun shoved in the back of his waistband."

"Shit." I set down the piece of toast. I only managed to take one bite before Dad came in and blew away the casual Saturday morning.

I march out of the room. Zander steps out from the hallway with Roxi in tow. She clutches his hand tightly, and it's hard to blame her. I'm feeling pretty off-balance myself.

"Dad, what's going—" My question is interrupted by the loud roar of motorcycles.

Dad ducks away from the window. He spins around with a fierce expression. "She's still here?" he asks.

Zander holds up his hands to let him know there's nothing he could do to get out faster. Roxi tucks herself behind Zander. "Who's that on the bikes?" he asks. "Thought you paid that debt to Braxton."

"Not all of it. The asshole never finished the job." Dad pulls his gun out from his back.

"Great, so we're all going to die because you like to stand on principal?" Zander says. Roxi sobs behind him.

Nate comes through, takes Roxi by the hand and leads her to the back bedroom. No sooner has Nate disappeared down the hallway with Roxi when a gunshot cracks the air outside. We fallto the floor. The kitchen chairs scrape the floor as Ronan and Colin drop from the table.

More bullets fly at the house. I can hear them snap against the wood. The thickly stacked logs are as good a shield as any from bullets. I catch a quick glimpse through the window and count four of Braxton's thugs, all on dirt bikes and armed. We're not outnumbered but we're definitely out gunned. Zander and I crouch low and run toward Dad's study, and to the gun safe.

The motorcycles slow and the noise drops to a low vibration. "Where's the money, Finn? We're waiting. Just toss it out, and we'll be on our way."

"Stupid, fucking old man." Zander opens the safe and hands me one of the rifles. It's been a while since I've fired a gun and the feel of it, cold and hard in my hands does nothing to slow my rapid heartbeat. Zander grabs the handgun. We return to the front room. The twins are still on the floor, peeking around the doorway from the kitchen. I motion for them to stay down. Zander and I stay stooped as we reach Dad.

He pushes the front window slightly open. "Not getting your money. You never finished the job. Ingram didn't get his delivery, and he's not going to pay me, so you guys aren't getting yours."

Zander rolls his eyes. "How much is it?"

"Two grand," Dad hisses between his teeth.

"Just fucking pay them," I say, but I know he won't.

We duck instinctively as more shots are fired. This time they hit the front window. We cover our heads as the glass shatters.

"Well, that's gonna cost you more than two grand," I say.

Dad scowls at me. His scowls are the kind that can make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. "Shut the hell up."

"All right, Wilde!" one of the bikers yells. "Then I guess we'll go stir up some trouble in town courtesy of the Wilde boys. I hear there's a sweet little parade going on right now." They turn theirbikes and rev the motors. Four rooster tails of dust follow them as they take off.

"Shit. They're going to town," Zander says. "Let's get the bikes."

"Dad, give that gun to Colin. He's the best shot," I say.

Colin is already there taking the gun. Zander shoves his in the back of his waistband. There's no way to carry the rifle along, so I leave it for Dad in case they come back. We've been riding a lot on a homemade track, so the bikes are ready to go. We don't even wait to roll them out of the shed and instead start them up inside.

The motors are deafening in the shed, so it's hard to talk. I look over at Zander and motion to the gun behind his back. "Z," I say loudly. "Try not to use it."

He nods in agreement. Dad has put the five of us in terrible situations, dangerous situations plenty of times, but this is by far the worst.

I blast out first. Colin might be the best shot, but I'm the best rider. The four of us are nearly exploding with adrenaline by the time we leave the ranch.

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