Fuel and Fire

CHAPTER 6

The clubhouse exploded into motion so fast it almost gave me whiplash and suddenly every man around me was moving with brutal purpose instead of drunken laziness.

Phones rang and weapons cases slammed open while boots thundered across the floors.

“Get Torch and Bones to the highway now and tell Saint I want eyes everywhere.” Roman shouted as he shoved past me barking his orders into his phone.

Crow’s name kept getting repeated through the chaos and every time I heard it the knot in my stomach tightened harder.

“You stay here.” Knox said grabbed keys off the counter while turning toward me sharply.

“You already know I’m not gonna do that.” I said crossing my arms.

“Maze.” He said.

“I’m not sitting in this clubhouse wondering who’s bleeding out on some highway.” I insited.

“You don’t understand what this is.” He said.

“Gunfire and injured bikers. I understand enough.” I snapped.

“Prez, we gotta move.” Roman said appearing beside us while loading a pistol.

Knox started at me hard enough to make heat and irritation crawl together through my chest.

“Don’t leave this clubhouse.” He warned.

“Yeah, okay.” I relented.

His eyes narrowed because he clearly knew I was lying. Then he was gone.

The roar of motorcycles shook the entire building seconds later while Devil’s Hollow tore out of the compound like a storm and silence settled afterward thick and ugly.

I lasted maybe six minutes before I grabbed my boots and headed for the parking lot.

Torch had left one of the old police scanners running near the bar earlier and chatter crackled through the speaker while I drove toward the highway.

“...multiple shots fired…”

“…vehicle overturned…”

“…possible fatalities…”

My hands tightened around the steering wheel harder with every mile.

By the time flashing lights appeared ahead in the distance smoke already curled into the sky.

The ambush scene looked like absolutely f*****g c*****e.

Two pickup trucks sat sideways across the highway shoulder riddled with bullet holes and shattered glass glittered beneath flashing emergency lights while motorcycles blocked the road.

Devil’s Hollow members moved everywhere yelling over each other while blood streaked the pavement. Then I spotted Crow.

“Shit.” I said.

Crow leaned against the side of a truck clutching his side while blood soaked through his shirt and Bones was trying unsuccessfully to stop the bleeding with one hand while screaming into a phone with the other.

I jumped from my truck immediately.

“What the f**k are you doing here?” Roman snapped as soon as he saw me and he looked genuinely furious.

“Helping.” I shot back while dropping beside Crow.

Crow’s face looked pale beneath all his tattoos and he managed a weak grin when he saw me.

“Well damn. Pretty waitress came to save me.” He wheezed.

“You flirt while bleeding out?” I snapped while pulling his hand away from the wound.

“Usually works better than this.” He said.

“You know what you’re doing?” Bones asked staring at me.

“A little.” I said.

That was technically a lie. I knew a lot. Years of private self defense training came with medical training too because rich people like preparing their daughters for every possible disaster except emotional stability apparently.

I shoved my jacket against Crow’s side hard enough to make him curse loudly.

“Hold pressure.” I ordered.

“You’re very bossy for someone this hot.” Crow groaned dramatically.

“Shut the f**k up before I let you die.” I said.

Roman crouched beside us while gunfire echoed faintly somewhere deeper into the woods beyond the highway.

“EMS got delayed. Reapers blocked the back roads.” He muttered.

Of course they did and Knox suddenly appeared through the smoke while carrying an assault rifle and his expression darkened instnatly the second he saw me kneeling beside Crow.

“You disobey every f*****g thing I say?” He brarked.

“You wanna yell now or save you people?” I asked looking at him angrily.

His jaw flexed hard while Roman stepped between us slightly.

“She’s helping.” Roman said stepping between us slightly.

That surprised me enough to almost miss it completely. Knox looked down at Crow’s bandaged side beside looking back at me. Then another scream echoed nearby.

A wounded Black Reaper tried crawling toward a dropped handgun near the ditch while blood poured from his shoulder and before anyone else reacted he pointed the weapon directly toward Knox.

I moved first and adrenaline slammed through me instantly while I grabbed a tire iron lying near the wrecked truck and swung hard enough to crack against the side of his skull.

The Reaper collapsed unconscious immediately and silence hit for half a second.

“Jesus Christ.” Bones said.

“I f*****g love her.” Crow said starting to laugh despite the blood loss.

Knox stared at me like he didn’t know whether to kiss me or strangle me.

Roman looked almost impressed. Which honestly felt more concerning than flattering.

Sirens wailed louder in the distance while Devil’s Hollow members dragged injured men toward safer ground. The smell of smoke, gasoline and blood hung heavy in the cold night air.

A groan nearby pulled my attention sideways.

Another Black Reaper lay against the guardrail coughing blood heavily while one of Devil’s Hollow prospects held him at gunpoint.

The Reaper looked young. Too young.

His eyes landed on me slowly and something strange flickered across his face. Recognition.

“You.” He rasped.

“Do I know you?” I asked frowning.

He laughed weakly before spitting blood across the pavement.

“No. But your daddy sure as f**k knows me.” He wheezed.

“Everyt sound around me seemed to dull immediately.

“What the f**k are you talking about?” Knox asked stepping closer.

The dying Reaper looked directly at me while blood bubbled at the corner of his mouth.

“Your daddy owns half this f*****g state.” He said.

My entire body went still as cold spread through my chest while confusion slammed into me hard enough to make my stomach twist.

“What?” I whispered.

The Reaper grinned through blood and broken teeth.

Then his head dropped sideways and he stopped breathing.