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o knows what that means? Men are unpredictable.”
I couldn’t argue. She had a point. With her experience, men were probably all ruthless, destructive assholes who only wanted to use and abuse her. Even so, my sister wasn’t bitter. I couldn’t say I wouldn’t be jaded and broken if I was her. In some ways, she was. Naomi was coping and adjusting one day at a time. It was all she could do.
I’d be here for her every step of the way. Something told me that Patriot would as well.
There was a quick pop, pop from outside the bedroom door and I startled, staring at Naomi and then the door. “What was that?”
“Gunfire,” she answered quickly, jumping to her feet.
We both turned to the door and the sound of chaos outside in the hall.
“I don’t think we should stay here.”
Naomi looked at me sharply. “Patriot doesn’t want us to leave the room. I don’t think it’s safe.”
“What if the Crossroads is under attack?”
More gunfire could be heard, and I wasn’t about to sit here and wait to be shot with no place to run. I grabbed my sister’s hand and tugged her toward the door. We needed to hurry. The door flew open just as we reached it and Patriot gestured for us to follow.
“Move. Stay close and quiet.” He held a gun in his hand and was staring down the hall, making sure it was clear before he headed down the hall. His empty hand reached for Naomi’s at the same moment she reached for him. “It’s okay, sunshine. You’re gonna be just fine.”
“Dale,” she whispered. He gave her a swift kiss on the forehead and walked faster, leaving the hall and moving into the common room.
The bar was empty, and I wondered where everyone had gone. Patriot moved faster, practically running as we moved toward another hallway. This one was narrower. I had never been to this part of the compound yet. He led us through a maze of rooms, the kitchen, and then toward a side exit. Bright sunshine was beaming down from above, glowing with an amber hue as the sun was making its nightly descent.
“Through these doors is the entrance to the garage. If we can make it in there, I can get us into a vehicle and out to safety. Don’t make a sound. We need to be as quick and silent as possible.”
“Is the Crossroads under attack?”
The sound of guns firing again could be heard but sounded farther away than a few minutes ago.
“Yeah,” he confirmed reluctantly. “We’re on the opposite end of the compound. We’ll be fine.”
I wanted to believe him, but it was hard not to be worried. I wished Rael was here.
Patriot led us outside, across a narrow gap between the two buildings, and then into the side of the garage. I wasn’t sure what I expected but it was a massive space. Part was set up like a workshop with bays, rows of metal shelves and toolboxes, vehicles and bikes in various stages of repair. An office sat at the back with vending machines in front. The far side, where Patriot seemed to be heading, was filled with multiple vehicles parked in rows. Several SUV’s and a few vans, all black in addition to work vehicles with the shop’s logo plastered on the sides.
It was odd to see the bay doors wide open and no one working. All available employees were now probably defending the Crossroads. I heard the exchange of more gunfire. It sounded just a bit closer. We needed to get out of here as soon as possible. I was certain Patriot thought the same because he was weaving in and out of the clutter at a determined pace. Naomi was clutching at his arm, her eyes wide with fear. He brought her against his side.
“I’ve got you,” he promised.
Patriot led us over to one of the SUV’s. He lifted his hand to open one of the doors when a voice stopped us, no mistaking the thick Russian accent.
“Hello again, blad. We meet again.”
My sister screamed as Patriot shoved us both behind him. “You should walk away,” he replied calmly to the Russian. “Or I will kill you.”
The Russian smirked. Before anyone could react, he lifted his hand and shot Patriot in the chest, knocking him backward and into the two of us. We all fell to the ground as Patriot grunted, blinking up at Naomi. “Run.” His eyes fluttered and then began to close as we both screamed.
“No! Patriot!”
We didn’t have time for sorrow. I had no idea if he would survive that bullet. I fought against my training and the urge to lean over our friend, attending to his wound. The only thing I could do was press my hand against his chest and hope that he wouldn’t bleed out before help arrived. I pulled off my sweatshirt and balled it up, using his limp arm to hold it in place. Patriot was out cold.
Naomi whimpered.
“Come.” The Russian was staring us down with a calculating sneer.
Our lives were in danger, I had to pull Naomi away as the Russian smiled. His gun pointed to us next and there was nowhere to go that a bullet wouldn’t find us next.
