Page 65 of Ride Long
Reaching up, I kissed him softly on the lips. I would tell him to be safe, but Chaser didn’t need good-luck charms. I edged around him and made for the door.Gameon.
“Sloane?” I turned. “Take the back stairs,okay?”
I nodded, leaving Chaser to go his ownway.
The way was clear as I powered up the stairs and into the upper level. Ahead, light was trickling out from underneath the door, and I could hear murmuring coming from the kitchen. Seemed everyone was already inresidence.
I rapped my knuckles on the door, and it inched open, revealing Hopper. I didn’t know him well, but ever since I’d helped Sam get out of Fortitude, he’d softened toward me. It also helped I’d won over his woman, Shondra, too. It was comforting to know not all bikers around here were into owningwomen.
“Come in,” he said, opening the door so I could slidethrough.
“Sloane?” Shondra stood as I entered, looking on the verge of tears. “What’s goingon?”
I glanced at Hopper, who only shrugged. He’d told them shit all, so no wonder everyone lookedshaken.
“Something big is going down,” I said, glancing around theroom.
“Like what?” It was a woman I’d never spoken to before but had seen around thecompound.
“Sloane, be real with us, girl,” Emilysaid.
“Hopper won’t tell us anything, and I suck his cock on a daily basis,” Shondra declared, rolling hereyes.
“He won’t let us leave,” Raquelcomplained.
“I can’t even get Stewie on his cell,” Kelly added. “There’s no job on, isthere?”
I sucked in a deep breath. How did you tell someone their whole life was about to change? If this went badly, who knew what was going to happen to them. Gasket’s plan was simple, but there was still so many things that could gowrong.
“Fortitude is undergoing a change in management,” I said straight up. “You’re in here so we can protect you from thefallout.”
“I knew it,” Sierraexclaimed.
“You did not, bitch,” Shondraspat.
“It’ll all be over soon,” I reassuredher.
“Who’s leading?” Kelly asked, glancing at Hopper. “Who’s taking down Marini?Chaser?”
Hopper narrowed his eyes, aware she had the hots for a man who wasn’t his buddyStewie.
“Fuck, no,” he drawled. “It’sGasket.”
The room full of women visibly relaxed and talked among themselves. It seemed the old man’s popularity extended to the female population and the big, bad, burlybikers.
Pop, pop, pop. My head spun toward the door, and Hopper straightened up, reaching for his gun. Was that an automatic weapon?Shit.
“Something’s wrong,” I said, listening to thegunfire.
“They weren’t supposed to shoot,” Hoppersaid.
“Do you think they wereambushed?”
“Likely.”
I strode toward the door and twisted the handle, but the biker grasped my arm and wrenched meaway.
“Do not go out there,” he barked at me and realization hit me square in theface.
