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Dana met his gaze. “I know,” she admitted, “But it’s the best way to distract Panther and the Crows.”
“Your woman’s right, Cross,” Priest said. “This way, the three of us would be able to catch the Crows off guard. We don’t know how many we’re facing.”
Cross nodded in reluctant agreement, well aware that Dana’s plan was their best shot at success. But it didn’t sit right with him. Dana shouldn’t have to put her life on the line for her dad, but it was also the best plan they came up with.
He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the mouth. She cupped his face, responding with equal passion. Spike let out a whistle. Dana pulled back.
“You ready?” Cross asked, searching her eyes.
Dana nodded. Cross handed one of his guns to her. “In case of an emergency,” he said.
Dana nodded. Since she moved to Hanging Grove, he’d been giving her shooting lessons.
The sight of Dana striding down the desolate road was like a jagged knife to Cross’s heart. Every step she took away from him and toward the unknown felt like a painful twist of the blade.
He wished he could just grab her, whisk her away, and head back to the safety of Hanging Grove. The thought of her willingly taking such a huge risk, of putting herself in harm’s way, weighed heavily on him. But he knew, deep down, there was no going back.
Once Dana vanished through the entrance of the roadhouse, Cross looked at Priest and Spike.
“Let’s go,” Cross said.
Cross and his crew revved their bikes, the engines growling as they rode toward the roadhouse. They approached the roadhouse cautiously, their senses on high alert. As they neared the parking lot, they spotted two Crows standing beside their motorcycles.
Without warning, the situation escalated into a sudden eruption of gunfire. Shots rang out. Two more Crows emerged from the roadhouse, both armed.
Amidst the chaos, Priest’s voice cut through the noise. “Go rescue your woman, Cross!” he yelled.
Without a second thought, Cross swung his leg over his motorcycle and charged toward the roadhouse. Gun in hand, he pushed through the entrance, the adrenaline coursing through his veins.
As he crossed the threshold, a Crow caught sight of him and opened fire. Cross’s instincts kicked in, and he dropped to the floor, narrowly avoiding the barrage of bullets. His heart raced, but he couldn’t afford to be distracted.
Amidst the chaotic scene, he glimpsed Jeremy sprawled on the floor, clutching his injured leg, and groaning in pain. And then, as if in slow motion, he spotted Panther, a wicked grin stretching across his face, his gun menacingly pointed at Dana’s head. The sinister smile on Panther’s face sent Cross into a blind rage. No, Cross couldn’t let his anger get the better of him. He needed to think on his feet, or risk losing Dana forever.
“Dana, get down!” Cross yelled.
Dana might not have initially spotted Cross, but she recognized his voice. Without hesitation, she dropped to the floor.Good girl, Cross thought.
Cross reacted swiftly, firing a shot in Panther’s direction. The slippery bastard, however, darted behind the bar, evading Cross’s bullets with an eerie calmness.
“You won’t get out of this alive, Cross,” Panther said with a laugh . “It’s three of us against one of you.”
Realizing Panther wasn’t firing back, Cross grabbed Dana’s arm, helping her to her feet. He planted himself in front of her as a shield in case Panther started shooting again.
“Priest and Spike are outside. Leave Panther and your dad to me,” he told her.
Dana bit her lip but nodded. She leaned in, planting a swift but heartfelt kiss on Cross’s cheek before making a break for it.
Just as Cross was about to advance further, another Crow lunged at him with a gleaming knife, the blade glinting in the roadhouse. Cross swore, but before the attacker could reach him, a gunshot rang out. Cross glanced over his shoulder, a wide grin spreading across his face when he saw Priest.
“Nice one, Priest,” he said.
“Spike has your woman, she’s safe,” Priest told him.
Swearing in frustration, Panther’s voice carried from somewhere in the roadhouse. The Crow was making his way toward the kitchen, likely to find a way to escape.
Cross trusted Priest to handle Panther’s remaining minion and provide Jeremy with the medical attention he needed. There was no time to lose. He gave a final nod to Priest before he sprinted after Panther.
Cross made his way through the roadhouse, and as he approached the kitchen, his eyes locked onto the open back door. He pushed through the door.
