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I didn’t wobble as I was hauled to my feet, standing my ground as I glared defiantly at each man, waiting to act or lash out until the right moment. I was fast. Keys said that often. When I got in a brawl, I had a lot of stamina and I knew how to hit hard and fast in just the right spots to bring down my opponent. Wasn’t any different now.
I let my body go limp, chuckling at their frustrated expressions as it took four of their guys to haul my dead weight across the room. A couple of punches hit me in the gut and a decent one landed in my back close to my kidneys. Unfazed, I was just waiting to strike out and catch them all off guard.
One Scorpion was trying to snap my wrist into a leather cuff attached to a long length of chain that was anchored floor to ceiling. I wasn’t going to give him the chance to secure one of my arms. Snapping into action, I kicked out and twisted my body as I slipped from my captors, landing on my ass before I started swinging. My fists and shitkickers landed on kneecaps, ribs, and wherever else I could land a startling blow. Razr took a massive hit to the jaw and it was lights out. He didn’t move as Scar roared, pissed I wasn’t subdued.
Chaos ensued until the sound of gunfire announced this party just took on a whole new level of intensity. My gut burned as something sharp pierced the flesh, but I wasn’t stopping. A bullet bit into my chest below my right shoulder but I didn’t slow down. Adrenaline pumped through my bloodstream and I was fuckin’ lost in rage. Acid slashed with his blades and one nicked my forearm as another stabbed into my other shoulder. He yanked the metal free and a piece of flesh attached itself to the gut hook.
Blind fury took over and I wasn’t sure what happened next. I fought like a mad man, moving so fast I wasn’t sure I registered what I was doing or who was involved. Instinct took over and like a wounded animal I fought for my life and kept going until every man in that room was incapacitated in one way or another.
When it was over, I finally noticed the gun in my hand and the blood splatters. Razr was still passed out. Acid was coughing up blood, crawling over to his old man. Scar was dead. His blank stare focused on the yellowed plaster of the ceiling and I fucking smiled at that shit.
See ya in hell, asshole.
Groans echoed around the room, but I didn’t stop to assess who else was dead or alive. That would prove to be a mistake later, but I was injured, and I needed to find Lockjaw and Keys. A steep set of stairs led to the next level of the building and I ran up the flight, pausing just long enough to lock and latch the door shut with a small length of chain. It wouldn’t stop the Scorpions for long, but I needed to buy a few minutes to locate Lockjaw and Keys.
My side was aching and burned like a bitch, but I hobbled through the empty kitchen and out into the blinding brightness of the backyard. It wasn’t a backyard as much as an open field of desert sand, boulders, and tumbleweed that led into a thick patch of overgrown cactus. Up against one was Keys, lashed by a length of rope. He was bleeding from several deep wounds and one of his fuckin’ eyes was gouged out. Blood had long ago dried from the heat and brutal sunshine.
His cut was laying in the dirt along with mine and I scooped them up, pissed they touched the ground. There was gonna be hell to pay for that later.
“Keys!” I shouted, my heart nearly leaping into my throat when I saw the way he was rasping for every single breath he took. “Pres, you okay?”
All I got in return was a grunt.
Fuck. Not like my old man. Not like this.
I didn’t want to lose another father figure in my life. It wasn’t fucking fair.
Keys needed a doctor and we had to haul ass off this property. Took a couple of minutes but I finally untied him, and he slumped over, barely held up as I grit my teeth and caught him as he wobbled. Our bikes were parked around the front of the Scorpion clubhouse and I practically dragged Keys closer since I knew we were running out of time. Didn’t know where the rest of the MC was, and I didn’t want to bump into anymore Scorpions.
They had several compounds throughout central Nevada, and I was sure someone was calling in reinforcements. Time wasn’t on our side.
“Where’s Lockjaw?” I asked, scanning the vicinity. Didn’t see him anywhere.
Keys ticked his head in the direction we’d have to travel to leave. I thought he meant we’d be picking Lo
ckjaw up on our way out. Nodding, I helped Keys onto his bike and slipped on his cut before I limped to mine, sticking my arms through my own leather, and hissing as it stretched my wounds. I hopped on my bike, pausing as the sound of birds caught my attention.
About twenty feet to my right I saw Lockjaw. He was buried in the hot sand up to chest, slightly slumped over as if he was asleep. If I didn’t look any closer, I could have ridden away without a nightmare that would haunt me for years to come. Instead, I took a few steps forward and then abruptly stopped. It wasn’t his body at an odd angle that caused my stomach to roil or the rage within to climb to new levels. He’d been cut up and sliced open. Gouges from a knife were clearly marked on his flesh like someone had tried to cut out precise little pieces one chunk at a time. Exactly like the handiwork of a gut hook.
Ropes of his intestines had been yanked free and were looped around his neck, sliced open in several spots where blood and other bodily fluids had leaked free. A signal to the desert wildlife that a feast was prepared in their honor. He was also missing an eyeball, but it wasn’t gouged out. Lockjaw’s once pale blue eye was dangling from the socket right above his lips which had been sliced farther open on either side of his mouth in order to give him a bloody macabre grin much like the Joker.
“Gotta head out, son. Ain’t nothin’ we can do for him now.” Keys was right but I had a hard time leaving my brother sticking up out of the ground for the buzzards to feast upon. “We’ll come back for him. His body needs peace and that cut belongs inside the clubhouse.”
That was the only reason I listened. We’d be back and these motherfuckers were all going to die. Gunshots rang out and then a few curses as we rode off the private lot and into the waiting desert, our enemies hot on our tail.
The desert was a cruel mistress. During the day, she would lead you astray with mirages that promised relief from the cruelty of the sun’s heat and constant rays. At night, she ushered in the moon and predators, cool air, and a brisk breeze that robbed your body of warmth. There was no escape. Only miles and miles of no one will ever find you or recover your sun-bleached bones.
As the last of the sun’s rays slipped below the horizon, I knew Keys wasn’t going to see the sunrise. His bike weaved in and out and nearly collided with mine a dozen times. He was barely holding on. It was a testament to the brutality and ruthlessness of the president of the Royal Bastards MC and his will to live. He led with an iron fist. He didn’t do shit he wouldn’t demand of his own brothers.
We rode for over thirty minutes and out as far as we were able until forced to stop. Keys had barely shut off the engine when he fell over and landed with a thud. His normally vibrant green eyes had dulled considerably, and he was beyond the point of pain. A grimace filled his features as he righted himself and leaned against his bike as I managed to climb off my own and ensure the kickstand was down. He didn’t need his own ride forcing him to meet death any sooner.
“Never thought I would say this so soon, kid. Raptor was my best friend.” He pressed against his side as I noticed the heavy trickle of blood that soaked into his t-shirt beneath his cut and stained the fingers of his left hand. He’d lost the leather gloves he normally wore sometime over the last twenty-four hours, courtesy of Scar. “You’re a tough son of a bitch just like your old man was. Raptor would have been proud to see the loyal brother you’ve become.”
Fuck. This sounded like goodbye and I sure as hell wasn’t ready for it.
“Always knew I was grooming you for my position. You’re a hard-ass and you’ve got what it takes to lead the Royal Bastards. Mammoth and Papa already agree that you’re the best choice.”
Stunned, I landed on my ass as I sank down to the ground.
