***Ramrod***

 

Fuck. I took a hit and although I’m wearing a vest, it still hurts like a bitch and I’m sure it’ll leave a fucking bruise that will last for days. Yeah, sometimes it just stops the bullet from penetrating but you can expect damage. And don’t get me started about the difference between one shot or multiple at a time, or in the same place for that matter.

“Stay with me dammit,” I growl at Doll who has her eyes squeezed shut. “Keep your eyes open.” I glance at Deeds and signal that I think there are at least two shooters.

He gives me a signal back that he’s aware and I expected no less. Lochlan and Chopper took cover and I hear Kray’s whistle indicating that he’s going around. This means Kray and North will each go in a different direction and meet up halfway. That’s how they work. Flawless.

These guys are twisted but in a good way. I remember when we were in training and they would always yell ‘go right’ when they mean go left…a no brainer to throw others off. And believe me when I tell you I learned that the hard way. Like I said, they’re a team, working like one. I might add that it’s the same way when it comes to fucking with those two, always having one woman for the both of them, but I shake that inappropriate thought away.

Deeds moves closer to me. “We need to get her out of here. Do you think you can head for the truck? Get her inside the armored vehicle?”

“I don’t like it, man. Let’s just give our two brothers a chance to do their magic,” I answer because I hate the situation I got her in but we needed her here.

With the shit she just mentioned, those written words in stone, messages to remember…maybe her sister left something for her to find.

There’s a guttural sound coming from the left before I hear Kray whistle, another one following close behind, and then silence. A few breaths later we watch how Kray and North come strolling toward us.

“All clear Prez. But we only found one…well, one live one anyway.” Kray releases the foot he was holding, so the rest of the body was dragged along with it. Looking down, he adds, “Gang member. He’s got the ink behind the ear to prove it.”

He eyes me and Doll and I fucking know he wants to say something else but Deeds’ voice rings out.

“Fuck.” Deeds stands up and rubs a hand over his mouth before his gaze goes to Doll. “If your sister would hide something; something only you would be able to find around here…where would it be?”

Doll’s hand comes up but it’s shaking and it’s killing me to see her so scared. “There’s a hatch over there but I didn’t bother to check it when I was here.”

Kicking away some dirt with his boot, Deeds searches in the direction Doll points to but comes up empty. Doll stands up and stalks past Deeds, drops to her knees and shoves away leaves with her hands.

“Prez…” Kray snaps, but Doll is unaware of Kray’s actions.

Shit. Why didn’t we notice that before? My mind is still processing the tracks on the ground when Doll exposes a round grip and Deeds takes over, opening it for her. But instead of opening it all the way, he closes it and calls my name before he adds, “Grab your woman. I don’t want her here when I open that shit. We don’t know what to expect.”

I’ve got an arm wrapped around her waist and hoist her up, taking a few steps back to let my brothers do the work. Deeds reaches inside and takes out three duffle bags. I don’t even have to open them to peek inside, I’m betting that’s two million right there…except…

“Is that…?” Doll croaks.

“The missing money? Yes, ma’am,” North tells her but Doll shakes her head.

“Blood…what’s with the blood?” I see the damn fear in her eyes and the pity on Kray and North’s faces.

There’s blood covering the duffle bags, and not just a little either. With the tracks we noticed a moment before surrounding the hatch, it’s clear they were shoved in there by someone who was heavily bleeding.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. But your sister is no longer with us. We found her before we took out this guy,” Kray says and no fucking matter how soft his voice is, or how sympathetic…the words hit hard and my woman crumbles in my arms.

“I’m guessing your sister knew she was followed when she got here to meet you…she probably left to keep you safe…someone from this gang,” Deeds kicks the dead guy on the ground, “or hell, maybe Arlo himself, followed her…she hid the money before anyone else could get to it though.”

“What now?” Doll’s timid voice flows through the air. “Will more of those gang members come? Will Arlo? What happens now? I need to see…I need…” She fucking swallows and I know what she wants to say next but that’s not going to happen.

“No fucking way, Doll. You’re not going to see her like that. We’re calling it in right now and she’ll be transported. Then you can say goodbye but not like this dammit…not like this.” I hold her close and she grabs my vest to pull me even closer.

I hold her for a few breaths before Deeds orders me to get her to the truck. He’s holding his phone to his ear, waiting before he starts to give orders. I guide Doll in the direction where our bikes and the trucks are parked before two shots ring out and I watch how the impact throws her back.

Acting on instinct, I grab her vest and drag her along with me to take cover behind a fragment of a stone wall near some trees. She’s not fucking moving until she gasps and starts to tear at her vest, struggling to breathe. I fucking know damn well how hard an impact could be and two bullets in one place…I need to check and yet I know how risky it is to pull it off.

Although I’m not the one unstrapping, she is, I’m helping while doing my best to keep an eye on our surroundings. Kray and North are nowhere to be seen and that’s a good thing, believe me. I’m happy those guys are back after years of being undercover. Those two are a large army in itself.

The shirt that Doll is wearing has her blood on it. Fuck. It doesn’t look like the bullet went through and yet it made enough of an impact to cause damage. She’s breathing heavily and worst-case scenario, she could have easily cracked a rib or two.

I need to get her out of here. It’s a short distance to the truck and if I go straight forward I’m pretty much covered by the trees. I scoop her up in my arms and grab my gun so if need be, I can fire a few rounds. My back is covered because I’m still wearing my vest, unlike Doll.

I reach the trucks but all the tires are sliced, the two prospects are lying unconscious on the ground. Doll groans in my arms and I can see her shirt is getting soaked with her blood. Dammit, I need to get help fast. Rushing to my bike, I get on and put Doll on my lap and tell her to hold on. Her legs go around me as she snuggles close. I bring the bike to life and speed out of there.

The second I hear a bullet whooshing by me, I know I fucked up. The roaring of bikes behind us, and more bullets firing, but not aimed at us, takes away some of the worry, but fuck…I’m driving ninety miles an hour, leaning toward coming face to face with death, praying I won’t have to go eye to eye and come out on the losing end.

I’ve got the love of my life in front of me and a fucker demanding death behind me. In this fucking moment I have no clue where my fate lies. But I pray to God it’s tipping to what’s right in front of me because that’s where my heart and my life lies…fucking ironic that the love of my life was thrown into my path due to the seed of betrayal.

 Another bullet fires and hits my back. Grunting, I take the impact and I’m fucking happy to be wearing a vest and not have my ol’lady sitting behind me. Another bullet enters my leg, causing me to swerve, but I manage to keep the bike steady enough. Fucking hell, this can only end badly with this speed.

I hear another bike and shouting but I can’t make out the words. Risking a glance over my shoulder, I see four bikes behind me, one of them is Arlo and he’s damn close. Arlo looks back and raises his gun at Chopper’s bike, he fires, and I watch as the bike hits the asphalt, taking Chopper along with it. Fuck!

From the corner of my eye I see Kray point right at me and his hand goes right before I hear him shout, “Left.”

I hit the brakes and turn the bike into the other direction from what Kray shouts, causing Arlo to shoot past me and give my three brothers clear range. They take it without a single thought and all three of them empty their gun while blasting past me.

My bike comes to a stop and in this moment, I could fucking cry. I’m holding my bike steady while Doll is holding on to me so damn tight that I damn well know she might never let me go.

Lochlan comes into my blurry view and comes to a stop right next to me. “Chopper is limping but he’s upright and breathing. You guys okay?” he questions, eying the both of us. “Fuck man, are you crying?”

“Shut the hell up, you fucking idiot. I need to get to the hospital, she’s bleeding,” I growl at him while he fucking chuckles.

“Pussy,” he mutters before he raises his voice. “Full speed, buddy, you can get her there faster than waiting for a damn ambulance.”

“Don’t just stand there, idiot,” I bark. “Lead the way.”