Page 133 of Reaper

I snort. “Really? My father would have never left the club to a spineless prick like you.”

William laughs, rubbing his chin with one hand, his other still holding the gun at my chest. “You know that bullet was meant for you. It wasn’t accidental friendly fire. I was aiming for you, but he got in the way. So really, his loyalty to you got him killed.”

I grit my teeth, wanting to attack him, kill him, but I withhold it. Glancing up, I see the smoke beginning to fill the room. We don’t have much longer to go.

“Give me the girl, and I’ll let you leave here. I won’t lie. I’ve been enjoying this game we have been playing. Tell me, are the Medina’s hungry for your head yet?”

Whispering to Spider, I make my decision. “Protect her at all costs.”

Then I spring into action. I rush William, making him fire off an errant shot, but it goes wide right, missing me. For half a second, I wonder if it hit my girl, but I brush it away, focusing on the fight in front of me.

I would have shot him, but William is smarter than that. I saw through his fancy suit. He’s obviously wearing a bulletproof vest below it.

So instead, I take him hand on hand. I throw a punch toward his face, landing right on his jaw. He grunts but stays on his feet. What it does do though is make him drop his gun. Good thing too.

Kicking his gun away, I take his responding hit on the side of the head.

I can hear Natalie yelling in the background, spurring me to end this quickly.

Swiping my legs down, I manage to take him to the floor, then I’m on top of him. Then I give him punch after punch. He manages to knee me in the gut, pushing me back. When he stumbles to his feet, I know what I have to do. Taking my gun out, I point it at him.

Without thinking, I shoot. Danworth jerks back as he grabs his chest, eyes widening as he falls back onto the floor.

I want to rush to him and put a bullet in his head, but the smoke is so thick I can barely see. Hearing Natalie cough solidifies my actions.

“Coming out the front,” I tell the guys as I grab Natalie’s hand and start running. As soon as we step inside, something blows from further down the building. The sound of glass shattering has us ducking.

“Come on! Welcome back, Queen Bee,” Wrath yells as he runs by us.

We all rendezvous around the bikes and catch our breaths.

“What the fuck happened?” I ask as I try to catch my breath.

Wrath cringes. “Found Jug and shot him. I didn’t realize he was standing in a puddle of some kind of accelerant while smoking.”

“He went poof.” Fang makes an explosion-hand gesture and smiles. “It was fucking awesome.”

“Did you find Danworth?” Midnight asks.

“Shot him twice in the chest. He was wearing a vest though. When the fire dies out, we should recover his body,” I tell him.

Wrath gives me a look that says what I’m thinking. I should have made sure he was dead.

Natalie comes first though. Always.

“You okay, Natalie? Do we need to get you checked out?” Wrath asks her.

“I think I’m in shock, but I’m okay for now.” She smiles weakly.

“Come on, let’s get you home,” I say as I pull her into my arms.

Thank fuck she’s safe.

* * *

As soon as we pull up to the clubhouse, panic sets in.

Oh no. no. no. no.

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