“I want first crack at her,” Arson remarks slyly. “That whore and I have some unfinished business.” There’s a murmur of laughter from the others. Well, all but Silver. His eyes are intense, his gaze direct. He’s not letting emotion rule his responses. Either he’s planning on shit going wrong, or he’s waiting for his opening. It’s a strange thing to see, considering how he acted earlier.
An itch starts on the back of my neck. Something’s off here. I want to let the others know, but I don’t dare. Not yet. If I can feel it, then the others must as well. I can’t risk taking my eyes off the prize.
“You have two choices right now, Bullet,” Vlad continues as if Arson hasn’t spoken. “You can surrender, and maybe we’ll give you a quick death. Or you fight us, and we kill you all, take your women and children, and burn your precious club to the ground.” His lips pull up in a cold sneer. “Personally, it’s been too long since I’ve been in a good fight, so I know what I would rather you choose, but I’m a reasonable man. You have five seconds.” He lifts his gun. “Five. F?—”
The shot fills the air so suddenly that I barely manage to keep my composure. “Hold your fire!” Sniper barks loudly as all of us watch in shock as Vlad collapses to the ground, eyes open and blood spilling from his head from where the bullet entered. Tension builds, and my eyes don’t leave Nikolai, who lowers his gun, his gaze cold.
He just killed his own boss without hesitation. What the ever-loving-fuck is going on?
“Get ready to move,” Sniper whispers. “That fucker is in charge now, and he won’t give us a chance.”
I get ready to move, and I move my gaze quickly to where the Misfits are already advancing with the soldiers. Not one of them looks surprised by what’s just happened. Shit. We’ve had this all wrong. They’re not working for Vlad. They’re working for Nikolai.
Nikolai is the one who is trying to take over, and he’s the one who’s agreed with the Misfits to get shit done. The only issue that the Misfits haven’t considered. Nikolai hates MCs; he said that himself. Working with one like this? There’s no way he’s going to honor whatever the agreement is. He’s going to get all of us out of the way in one swoop and take over all the hidden places that Dagger gave the Russians.
A coup that will be lucrative for the Russians and give them the ins to the border and surrounding southern states to peddle more of their crap. The question is, is Nikolai doing this on hisown, or is he doing this as some sort of larger plan by bigger powers that be out west, or even back in Russia?
Either way, there is no good version of this fucked up situation if he manages to beat us.
“Go!” is the only thing Nikolai says before everything goes to hell.
I’m moving, my gun firing fast and accurately as I take out one soldier at the front of the line before I hit two more in quick succession. I’ve never been so grateful to have so many brothers at my back as we all get to work on protecting what’s ours.
The Misfits join in the fray, and it’s clear that we’re outgunned, but none of us falls. I wish I had time to put my earpiece in like the others. I’m going in blind, but I feel a hand on my shoulder making me drop to my knee in the practiced move as someone fires over my head. I don’t need to look to know it’s Bowie. We take out a couple more soldiers, but like a fucking swarm, more emerge.
“Everyone, split the fuck up,” Sniper barks. “Bowie, Hulk, take the south side. King, Torque, handle the north. Bullet, you and I will handle east, and the rest, you go with Viper and hold them off on the west side. That includes the Misfits on our side. Frost has us on the roof.”
“Who’s going to watch the clubhouse?” Milk yells, still firing his gun. It’s a bit wild, but he manages to hit one soldier before they can get too close.
“On it,” Viper barks. “The rest of you can go without me. Keep your heads up.”
“We need fucking Shadow,” Milk bites out. “The scary fucker would come in handy right about now.”
“Keep your fucking head in the game,” Sniper barks harshly. “There is no point in wishing when your life is hanging in the balance. He’s not here, so focus on staying alive until he fucking is. Now go. All of you.”
Bowie and I move quickly down the drive, guns firing, both of us ducking around the side of the clubhouse to avoid getting shot as we reload. Bowie suddenly thrusts his hand at me. “Put in that fucking earpiece. I grabbed a second one when I saw you weren’t down here.”
Thank fuck.
I shove it in my ear, and I instantly hear Cryos barking orders. “Sensors are going off, with more coming from Stone and Syn’s property. The ones along the fence line toward the road are quiet. They’re not coming that way. I’m counting at least another thirty. They’re bringing the fucking calvary to take us the fuck out.”
“I got my eyes on the ones coming through the treeline,” Frost says coldly. “I can take out at least ten of them before I have to reload, so everyone, keep your eyes open and be ready.”
“Misfits are spreading out,” Viper states grimly. “Arson, Crook, and Whiskey are heading straight for the two of you, Bullet and Sniper. Whip, Magnum, and Ace are heading for Hulk and Bowie. Don’t see Silver, Crow, or Cobra anywhere.”
“Fuckers gotta be around here somewhere,” Bowie says tightly. “Viper, keep your eyes peeled. If we don’t see them, they might be trying to get into the clubhouse to get to the women and kids.”
“I got it,” Viper assures us. “Crypt is watching the door to the safe room, and Theo is inside with the women and kids. Medic has my six until we need him.”
My gut tightens at the thought of any of these fuckers getting past us, but I have to trust my brothers and know they won’t let anyone get to the women or the kids.
“You good?” Bowie asks me, and I look over at him, his gaze hard and determined. He pulls one of his knives out of his boot and looks at me.
I nod. “Let’s fuck some shit up.”
We both move, guns already firing, just as some of the soldiers and Misfits come around the corner at us. I barely flinch at the burn of a bullet as it moves past my face, and I quickly take out the fucker who dared to try to kill me.
“You fuckers are gonna die today,” Whip taunts loudly as he ducks behind a tree to keep from getting his head shot off on the other side of open area. Magnum and Ace do the same, letting the soldiers be the ones to stand in the open. Fuckers are smart for that, but it won’t save them.