Blizzard (The Brotherhood Journals #1) (26 page)

“Help,” I cried softly.

Footsteps raced on the floor above me and thundered down the stairs. “Lily?” Sith’s voice sounded both surprised and suspicious. I took note that Edge’s body still lay unmoving next to the sofa.

“Men came. They took the girl upstairs.” I steadied myself against the wall, the world was beginning to tilt. “Did this…” I lifted my arm, “…and that…” I pointed to Edge’s body.

“Who?” Sith growled stepping a little closer. Rip and Mal stood behind him, their faces blank so I couldn’t be entirely sure if they were buying my words.

“Men, wearing leather like yours, but different.” I acted like I was trying to remember. “Brothers by something.”

“Brothers by Blood?” he asked, leaning back a little.

My brain was fuzzy and light.

“Yeah,” I hummed, holding my hand to my head and going with it. “Ow!” I cried out loudly, followed by groaning as if I was in immense pain. I hoped his would cover any noise from the kitchen.

They didn’t move to help me, but I never expected them to. They were callous and uncaring bastards, and they deserved whatever was about to happen to them when Blizzard and the others got here.
If they got here.

“I think I need a hospital.” That wasn’t a lie, I think I did. But my body was running on adrenaline at this stage, I could break down later.

“Strange they would do this to you considering they’re friends of yours,” he said casually. “Didn’t their VP visit you just a few days ago at your apartment?”

Judge had sworn that there was no one watching my place, but obviously, someone had slipped by unnoticed.

He stepped toward me and I plastered myself against the wall.

“I don’t like liars, Lily.” He said my name like it was a curse word.

He knew I was a fake.

He reached out and his thick fingers wrapped around my throat. The air was already being cut off and spots were appearing in my vision.

“Now let’s have a little talk.”

We parked around the block and continued to the house on foot. Optimus had told me about Rose’s distress call and my mind was already running wild.

Judge and his boys had caught the Vultures in town, hoping a small confrontation would give Rose more time or that Edge would be called to back them up. They hadn’t taken the bait, though, and now we were in the middle of Plan C—the aggressive approach.

“Keep your head straight,” Op growled next to me as I stumbled, catching my footing before I fell.

“Yeah,” I muttered, moving closely beside him.

“I mean it, Blizzard. I won’t hesitate to pull you out and make you watch from the side.” I kept my mouth shut. I knew he’d do it if it were in the best interests of the club and its safety. We may be best friends, but he was still my president.

Wrench and Slider moved swiftly and silently beside us. Leo had gone ahead, as Sargent at Arms, he was responsible for any type of tactical operation. He’d spent time training brothers over the years in both fighting and firearms. His military background made him the most qualified and equipped.

Judge and a handful of their club members were coming in from the other direction, but they were a way behind us. We had moved as soon as we realized things had turned to shit, not being able to alert them until we’d parked our bikes and set off on foot. It was also easier this way, attempting not to draw attention to ourselves by having a crowd of brothers sneaking around the streets.

I saw Rose’s car parked at the curb up ahead, bikes parked on either side and one parked in the short driveway.

“They knew there was something wrong. They blocked her in,” Optimus said quietly as we approached.

Leo appeared out of nowhere, rushing around the side of the house with someone in his arms. I scanned the house, noting the curtains were all pulled tightly before I surged closer, trying to keep to the fence line but full of fear.

“Take her. Carry her down the road and call an ambulance,” Leo told Slider as he passed the girl to him. I let myself breathe when I realized it wasn’t Rose.

“Lane?” Optimus asked, taking a brief look at the girl before Slider hurried away.

Leo nodded. “Rose is still inside and it doesn’t sound good.”

I rushed forward, but Wrench threw his arms around me, pulling me back and forcing me against the tall fence that ran down the side of the property. “Calm down or we all get fucking killed,” he growled in a low tone.

I heard a loud thump and voices rumble from inside the house. I strained against Wrench’s tight hold, but I knew he was fucking right. Leo and Optimus moved in closer, Leo explaining calmly what needed to be done. “We have about ten minutes to get in and out and back to our bikes before the cops get here. Jackie and a couple of the old ladies are running interference with the local police, trying to buy us some time. But as soon as we start shooting the clock starts.”

I brushed off Wrench and he reluctantly released me.

There was more banging inside and my heart began to race. I couldn’t let her go like this. I needed to get her out. Enough damage had been done already, I wasn’t about to let these assholes take her away now.

“Op, go to the front door and bang. Call out that you’re the police, then get down behind Rose’s car. We need them to fumble and they’re less likely to shoot first at an officer than they are another club. Anything comes out, you shoot. It won’t be us,” Leo explained as he eyed both Wrench and me, making sure we understood. “Lane left the back door open so we use that.”

Op nodded and headed for the front porch as we rounded the back of the house, sticking close to the outside and low, so we weren’t seen out any windows. I pulled my piece from the holster I’d put on this morning, knowing full well that sending Rose back into that house might end in a shootout.

The yard was a mess, overgrown grass, and a small fire pit. Bottles and cans were flung everywhere and there was a small garden shed barely standing. There were a couple of steps leading up to the back door. We crept up them silently.

“Stop!” a deep voice yelled and we all froze, wondering if for a second we’d been caught out. “Let her go. You’re going to fucking kill her.”

“You’re sticking up for this fucking rat?” another voice boomed. There was a loud crash and I heard Rose cry out in pain. “Are you a rat too, Edge?”

There was a series of loud knocks, followed by Optimus’ deep rumbling voice. “Police! Open up!”

“Did you call the cops you fucking whore?” Leo was fast, using the guy’s voice to cover his footsteps as he moved inside the house. The men inside became frantic, asking each other what they should do in freaked out voices.

Good.
Wrench and I used the distraction to follow Leo, who now had his gun raised in front of him. I followed suit, but just as I did one of the guys appeared in the doorway. He was about to make a run for it out the back door. His eyes widened when he saw us and his mouth fell open as if he was about to yell.

BANG.

He didn’t get the chance. The bullet from my gun hit him in the chest. He fell to the ground, writhing in pain for a minute before it became a small twitch. Leo stepped over him, shooting off several shots as he moved like a soldier into the other room. His body was stiff and calm, every movement precise, never hurried.

“Fuck!” someone screamed.

I followed behind him, turning the corner just in time to see a man run for the front door and throw it open. Obviously more willing to take his chance with what he thought was the police as opposed to a handful of outlaws whose rule was shoot first. He flung the door open and another shot resounded from outside, dropping the man instantly.

I scanned the room, Leo had his gun pointed at the head of a man who was on his knees. He held his thigh, blood seeping through the gaps in his fingers. I knew it wouldn’t be long until he bled out too.

I spotted Rose, crumpled on the floor with a man at her back—Edge. The one she’d met at the strip club, the guy who’d brought her into this mess. His head was bleeding and he seemed dazed, but it was the knife he held to her throat that made me still.

“Let her go, Edge,” I told him sternly, attempting to keep my voice from cracking. I couldn’t tell if she was conscious or not. Her eyes were shut and her head hung limp, the only thing holding it up was his palm on her forehead as he used his other hand to press a large hunting knife against her neck.

“Fuck you, bastards. This is just the beginning!” The man Leo held captive spewed profanities.

Optimus stomped through the front door, stepping over the man he’d taken down. He eyed the situation, assessing his options.

“Kill him,” Op said, nodding to Leo.

“Wait!” he screamed.
Not so tough now.
“We won’t come back.”
Ah, the bargaining of a dead man.
It was still strange to see, no matter how many times you had to deal with it. The things a person will say or do in hopes that they would live was simply mind blowing.

Edge still hadn’t said anything, watching the whole interaction with his eyes as Rose’s limp body lay on top of him. My trigger finger itched, I had my gun poised on him, just waiting for a moment when he was distracted enough to let the pressure off his knife. At this point, I could shoot him, but still risk her throat being sliced open with the jolt.

“She breathing?” Op asked, turning his attention to Edge.

He flicked his head in confirmation. I could see blood on her, some hers, some maybe not. There was swelling on her face and her shirt was torn. Her arm hung, blood dripping from her fingertips.

Anger started to flare.

I’d let her get hurt again and his time I could have stopped it.

“Time,” Leo warned us sternly, the awkward stand-off was taking too long.

“Do it,” Op ordered. The gunshot rang out in the small room. Edge’s head whipped toward his club brother as he fell to the ground with a spray of blood covering the wall beside him.

I used that second to fire my gun, hitting Edge in the arm. He roared in pain and the knife fell from his hand, knicking Rose’s collarbone on the way down.

Op moved quickly, grabbing her arm and pulling her from his grasp as he fell to the side.

“Out the back and over the fence,” Leo ordered, tucking his gun away.

I hurried to do the same, leaping over the sofa and wrapping my arms around Rose, throwing her over my shoulder.

“What about him?” Wrench asked, nodding to Edge. He was the only one of these men who was still alive, even if barely.

Edge groaned as he pulled himself to a sitting position again, his back against the wall and a hand now covering the bullet wound in his arm. “She’s a good liar. I'll give her that.”

Raising my gun, I directed it at his head. “She did what she had to do.”

“You think you can trust her?” He laughed darkly, his temper clearly rising as he eyed Rose’s limp body. “It comes naturally to her. It's who she fucking is.”

Taking a step forward, I forced myself to stay calm as I glared down at him. “You don't know fucking shit about her.”

“I know how much she hates it. I know how much her conscience is gonna eat at her. I hope it fucking haunts her!”

I fought to keep my composure as he smirked up at me, blood seeping between his fingers.

“You really wanted her didn't you?” I growled. He tried to hide it but I saw on his face that my words hit their target. “Remember this as you bleed out in this room with your so called brothers. Eventually she will forgive herself for what she did here. Because I'll be at her side, reminding her that it was the right choice. And soon, your face will be a blur, a distant fucking memory.”

I took one last look at the bloodbath that we’d left in our wake.

That was when I realized I’d do fucking anything for this woman. I would walk straight into the depths of hell with a hail of fire, not knowing whether I would return.

And I knew now, that she’d do the same fucking thing for me.

That’s got to be fucking love.