Page 58 of Rain or Shine

Instead of turning toward the bookshop, Harloe’s brothers reach around their backs and pull out their own guns. If everything around us wasn’t a disaster, I’d laugh. There’s nothing like small-town Texas to even the playing field.

“Max good?” East asks Lawson when he reaches us.

Lawson nods, and I don’t miss that it was the first question out of East’s mouth. We haven’t known each other long, but I’m starting to see that doesn’t matter. We look out for each other—especially Max.

There’s a time when you see exactly who a person is in their core. Gunshots in a crowd tend to be one of those moments. If I had any doubt about the Ironside Ridge crew, it fades as we assess the scene and head toward where we heard shooting.

None of my brothers hesitate or think twice about protecting this town, no matter what they’ve put us through since we arrived. Harloe’s brothers are on one side, and my crew is at the other. We weave through the crowd, quickly clearing the streets.

A few eye our guns but don’t even blink. They point us in the direction of the gunshots. They might not like us, but clearly, they believe we’re here to protect them.

Zander, to his credit, isn’t running away either. He’s helping a girl find her family in the mess. He narrows his eyes as we walk past, but then he goes about his business.

“Do you think these are the same guys who fired shots at the ranch the other night?” Asher asks Will, his teeth gritted.

“Shots were fired on your property?” I glance at Will.

“We figured it was the neighbors shooting at coyotes. Didn’t think anything of it. But now…” Will drags his hand through his hair. “Someone might be sending a message.”

“Might not be for you though,” Aiden says, stopping dead in his tracks.

The crowd has cleared at this end of the street, leaving our bikes and truck in plain sight. Aiden, East, and I rode our bikes, but Lawson took the truck since he had Max with him.

The front tires on all our bikes have been slashed, and the truck’s windows are blown out.

I lean down, picking up a shell. “That explains the gunshots.”

“Whoever it was, they’re gone.” Asher and Will circle the scene, guns ready, while Liam is already on the phone with the cops. Not that they’ll do anything.

“Fuck,” East grumbles, circling the truck. “You’re going to want to see this, Shane.”

He pauses at the other side, scratching his jaw.

Aiden reaches him first, freezing when his eyes snap to the side of the truck.

“What is it?” I head their way.

“Whoever did this left a message.”