Page 100 of Salvation

My nights were spent with Dante, but even then, there was nothing major to update. We spent an hour together every evening and then went to bed. He slept on his side; I slept on mine. He had even started wearing pyjama trousers to bed,instead of being butt ass naked. There were no more near misses, no more teasing, and no more fights. We simply kissed quickly and rolled over to our own side of the bed. Sometimes I would wake in the middle of the night, and he was no longer next to me, but I assumed it was club business and kept my questions to myself.

We continued with our weekly therapy sessions, and Dante seemed much calmer when he came out instead of repeating the tantrum of our first session.

Things were calm. Quiet.

And yet…

I couldn’t help but feel like they were too calm.

Too quiet.

Today was one of those days.

On a weekday afternoon, Bee was at school, Axel with Heather, and no Church meetings were scheduled. Which meant the guys were either working, out on club business, or lingering around the bar. I was working a shift, having taken over the times Kitty used to work.

“Don’t you have a job?” I asked Vienna, who was shooting darts at the wall. “Why are you always here?”

“My jobs are done, nosey. Don’t pick a fight with me because you’re bored.”

“I’m not bored,” I scoffed.

He threw his dart at me, and I watched it as it landed in the wall next to my face.

“Careful, Vienna,” said a voice that had me narrowing my eyes in suspicion. “Miss Brooks could have you for assault if that had hit her.” He winked at me when he finished speaking, and I felt the familiar loathing rip through me.

“Officer Bradley,” I said with a pleasant smile. “What a surprise to see you at the old watering hole. I’m surprised they let you drink when you’re on duty.”

“It’s not a drink I’m after today. I was wondering if we could have a quick chat? Outside, if possible?”

“Now, you know my boys don’t like to leave me unattended,” I said sweetly, catching Vienna’s eye. He nodded at Bambi, who scrambled out of the doors, and then he walked over to me, leaning against the bar.

“It would be much more pleasant if you came outside, Rachel,” he said, his tone harder.

“I can assure you, it wouldn’t be more pleasant for you. As I said, my boys—”

“Don’t like to leave you. I heard. Fine,” he sighed heavily before nodding his head and gesturing to the doors.

I watched in stunned silence as four armed officers came strolling in, heading straight towards me. Three of them pinned Vienna to the floor, and the last one roughly gathered my hands behind my back.

“Rachel Brooks, we’re arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Hayley Foxcroft. You do not—”

“This is bullshit!” Vienna hissed, fighting to get the officers off him.

“—have to say anything. But it may harm your defence, if you do not mention—”

One of the officers yelped as Vienna clamped his teeth into his neck before head-butting him hard enough to have him loosening his grip. The other officers responded by handcuffing him as well, sitting on his back and pushing his head into the floor.

“—when questioned something which you later rely on in court.”

The doors flew open and in walked Dante. He didn’t hesitate for a second. He marched over to the officer keeping hold of my handcuffs and punched him square in the jaw. I flew to the side as Dante moved me out of the way, raining punch after punchdown on the officer's face. My head snapped to the door as more officers came charging in, followed by the rest of the club.

I closed my eyes as the carnage unfolded. Officers were punching club members, they were hitting back. Officer Bradley pulled out his phone and brought it to his ear, mumbling something.

I sucked in a breath as a riot van pulled up outside the clubhouse, and half a dozen officers ran out with their full body riot shields up and batons swinging at their side.

“Dante!” I called, watching officer Bradley walk to the door and accept the mask that was held out to him.

I watched in horror as smoke filled the room, and one by one every member, including myself, started coughing and spluttering. Tears streamed down my face, my eyes burning. I could barely breathe through the thick smoke, and I knew no one else was faring any better.

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