Page 38 of Patchover Fright Night
“Jesus, I can’t move my fucking arm without being in agony,” Stitch cursed, as he crouched beside me, and checked both silent men.
“The cunt under him is dead, but your man is alive, okay? Just breathe, Soph, he’s okay. Jesus, we need help. We fucking need backup.”
“Help’s coming,” murmured Grease, who’d been quiet since he faceplanted on the ground, and looked like something out of a horror movie, with all the blood on his face.
“You got through to Rossi?”
He nodded, pointing upward, and bringing to my attention the new sound I hadn’t realised I was hearing, above the din of the outlandish bikers around me.
“That’s help coming in right now,” he said with a groan, as a bright light suddenly washed over the us from above, dazzling us all for a moment.
“Jesus. Cunt’s gonna blind us,” Micro murmured, and I turned back to him to see him blinking slowly. He was awake! Thank god he was awake, and speaking. My heart was racing so fast I felt dizzy, but I wasn’t moving from his side for anything.
“Oh my god, baby, are you okay?”
He groaned, his eyes darting around before returning to me.
“Uh. Think I’ve been shot.Again. It’d be real nice if people would stop shooting me.”
Amen to that. I watched the helicopter, which was making its descent outside of the grounds, and we all froze and turned our heads toward the sound of rapid gunfire, which seemed to be aimed in the direction of our salvation.
“Fuck! How many of these fuckers are there?” Grease snapped, struggling to his feet, and staggering in their direction, something glinting like gold in his hand, as he lifted it and headed unsteadily away from us.
Stitch turned and tucked two fingers between his lips, a shrill whistle filling the air, and bringing the attention of four men with guns.
“Sir!”
Wow, he had soldiers to command? Why didn’t he just get them to save us earlier?
“The women and children are safe, but there’s enemy fire by the gate. They’re taking down our reinforcements. Disarm them by any means necessary!” Stitch pointed, and the four of them headed rapidly in the direction he’d sent them.
“How the hell did you do that?”
Stitch groaned, lifting Cammy up from the ground, and starting to lead her to the gates.
“Blind fucking luck. I don’t know. We need to get to the gates. Come on.”
Chapter Sixteen
There are moments inlife when you feel a sense of relief, so pure and devastating that it could bring you to your knees. I’d had one of those moments when Ryder saved me from that bastard who I refused to name in my mind anymore, because he no longer had power over me. This was another of them. Inside that compound, people I loved, and cared for, were fighting for their lives, even if some of them didn’t realise it.
This was our reinforcements arriving, our fucking salvation, and I could barely breathe for how much I needed them to fix things, and get Ryder out for me. Every moment we were apart, I was living in fear of returning to find him dead, and lost forever.
“Tor, back up a step,” Torch grabbed my arm and hauled me out of the range of the helicopter, and I couldn’t help it. That kneejerk reaction I had, to being touched by someone other than Ryder, kicked in, and I jammed my elbow into his gut, turning to punch him. It was a reflex. An instant reaction that I couldn’t hold back, especially with my nerves so wrought, and my fucking body trapped in the fight mode of the adrenaline rush.
“Fuck!” He cursed, backing up from me, with one hand up, and the other clutching his nose. I could see blood running down his chin, so I knew I’d scored a direct hit, but the guilt was punchingmenow, because I never meant to do that.
“I’m… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-”
He waved me off. “It was my fault. Don’t worry, just don’t block their landing, okay? We need their help.”
I pulled some tissues from my pocket, thankfully clean, and passed them to him, watching him use them to staunch the blood flow.
“Thanks. Look, I’m gonna head back in, and see if I can help hold them off, and get the gates held open. Brief your dad’s guys as fast as you can.”
I nodded, gesturing to his face again. “I’m honestly sorry, Torch, I’m not used to-”
“I know. I deserve it. Impressive moves you’ve got. Guess you learned those growing up as the daughter of a mafia prick, huh?” He grinned as he backed up, and turned to run toward the gates. Dickhead. Still, I’d paid him back, hadn’t I? He’d have to explain he got punched by a woman, and I liked that.
