“Fucking hell, man, could you stab any harder?” I growled.
Cole chuckled. “Didn’t know you were such a pussy, Porter.”
I hissed again. “You were a god damn combat medic and you don’t even know how t—ouch!”
“Hey, guys! Porter’s a pussy with stitches!”
I glared at the man as he howled with laughter. But I wasn’t the only one cursing up a storm. Brooks took a damn bullet to the back of his leg and Archer was still attempting to dig some damn gravel rocks out of his fucking knee. I hated to admit it, but those little Black Flag shits fucked us up.
I just hoped that Archer called Astrid to let her know I wouldn’t be back for a while.
“What the hell happened!?”
The front door burst open and we all turned to see Chops storming into the clubhouse. I shook my head and nodded for Cole to keep stitching me up, hoping no one would answer that traitorous bastard. He didn’t deserve to know. He didn’t deserve a damn thing as far as I was concerned.
He was the one who walked out on us. He was the one that didn’t stand up for this crew. He was the one that sullied the title of “President.”
He could get shoved out of an airplane without a parachute for all I cared.
“Well!?” Chops bellowed.
Brooks scoffed. “Can’t you see? There was a shootout. Use your eyes.”
Chops growled. “Use that tone of voice with me again and see what happens.”
I craned my head over my shoulder. “I mean, you could have just used your eyes.”
Chops lunged at me and Archer hissed trying to get up on his leg. I raised up in the blink of an eye, carrying with me a determined Cole that quickly stood and continued to stitch up my arm. I wasn’t badly hurt. The bullet only grazed me. But the wound was deep enough to need stitches, according to our own personal used-to-be military medic.
And as Archer pushed Chops away, I eased myself back down into my seat.
“Anyway,” I murmured.
Finn finally spoke up. “We met up with the Black Flags and it was a trap.”
Chops scoffed. “That’s what I told you idiots! And you still went anyway!?”
I shrugged. “Not like you care.”
I could practically see the smoke coming from Chops’ ears, and I had my back to him. “Why the hell would this crew—after all it’s been through with those idiots—actively attempt to piss them the fuck off? Huh? You dick-measuring or something? Because all those assholes needed was a reason to start trampling onto our territory again.”
Finn stood to his feet. “Actually, Brooks handled it pretty well. After you left, he called and rescheduled the time and place of the meet in order to avoid a trap. Then, thirty minutes before we were supposed to head out, the Black Flags changed the meet-up place to a park. They didn’t care about the women and children around. They didn’t care about the collateral damage. All they wanted was to make a statement, and I believe that was the point of this meeting.”
The room fell silent as Chops slowly walked up to our prospect. And when Brooks darted to Finn’s side, I prayed I wouldn’t have to pull my gun and shoot Chops in the back of the head.
Mostly, because I wanted to see the light drain from his eyes myself.
“Keep going,” Chops said heatedly.
Finn looked up at Brooks before continuing. “Their initial location wasn’t as remote as we thought. So, we changed it to a remote spot. Then, they changed it again to a public park. I believe their motive was never to attack us or take us out. It was to make a statement while wearing their leather cuts. I believe they’re planning an attack to take our territory away from us. And I think their calculated moves tell us that someone else is behind this particular attack.”
Chops drew in a deep breath. “And what makes you think that?”
Finn swallowed hard. “Because this attack is more organized. It leads me to believe they’ve had a change in leadership, and that leader is strategically more advanced than their old president.”
We all hung on every word Finn said, because while the boy was young and kind of asinine at times, he had an incredibly rational mind. He could find patterns in just about anything and he read people’s actions like a fucking book. The man was a walking war manual at times, and it made me wonder what other plans he had for his life before he found us.
But Chops broke the silence. “None of you should’ve ever gone out into that field without me.”
I shook my head. “You’re the one who walked out on us.”
“I gave my men a direct order and disobeying it almost got them killed!” he bellowed.
I whipped back up and turned around, bringing Cole quickly with me. “You can paint it as concern for us all you want, but no president I’ve ever respected would’ve backed down from a meeting with their rival gang. You’re the one who decided to do that. You’re the one that became chicken shit the second you walked out that door, and Brooks had to step up to the plate.”
Chops gnashed his teeth at me. “And look at where it got you. With a bunch of bullet holes, rocks in your knees, and ruined leather jackets.”
Finn piped up again. “And knowledge. It gave us knowledge of what’s probably coming next, which means we can prepare.”
I pointed at Finn. “Exactly. And sometimes, that’s worth a few bullets.”
Chops shook his head. “You should’ve never—”
“Had a president that abandoned us?” I asked as I walked closer to him. “You’re right, we shouldn’t have ever had that. You’re the one who told us this was our mess. You’re the one who told us to essentially ‘figure it out’ for ourselves. You don’t get to march in and take the high ground when we’re the ones trying to not only push them out but save our town in the process.”
Chops held his head high. “Then tell me: what have they done to our town that you’re seeking retribution for?”
He had me backed into a corner I couldn’t talk my way out of, but I didn’t have to. Because the second his eyes locked with mine, the front door burst open again.
And in strode Astrid.
“Porter! Brooks! Where are you guys!?”
Cole patted my arm. “Done. You’re good.”
I slowly turned around. “Astrid? What are you doing here?”
Her eyes fell to my arm and she instantly sprinted toward me. She had her arms outstretched, but it was my eyes that darted over to Brooks. He had his eyes narrowed at the two of us and I took a step back, hoping to shock some sense into the woman charging me with watery eyes and a worried stare.
I watched it click behind her eyes and she quickly stopped her pursuit, sinking her arms to her sides.
Then, I nodded to Brooks. “He’s over there.”
She swallowed hard. “You good?”
I raised my arm. “Just a graze. Nothing a few stitches couldn’t fix.”
Brooks raised his voice. “I’m fine, thanks for asking.”
Astrid gave me one more second of her attention before she rushed off toward her brother. I watched with attentive eyes as Brooks stared me down. But when Astrid flung her arms around his neck, he turned his attention to his sister. She hugged him tightly and cried against his shoulder. He rubbed her back and did his best to calm down.
But that didn’t stop him from glaring at me before Astrid rattled off at the mouth.
“What happened? Are you all right? Did you get shot, too? Where does it hurt? Does Raven know? Should I go call her or something?”
Brooks placed his hands on her shoulders. “Astrid, I’m good. I promise.”
“So, you’re not hurt? Like, at all?”
He shook his head. “I was one of the lucky ones.”
Astrid shoved his chest. “Then, what the hell happened!? Why in the world have you guys been shot up and beat up to hell and back?”
“Thanks?” Archer asked.
She shook her head. “You know what I mean. Who did this to you?”
Brooks shrugged. “Just some assholes. We taught them a lesson and it’ll all be good from here.”
“I don’t believe a syllable of that.”
Chops scoffed. “Smart gal.”
Astrid tossed him a look before her eyes connected with my stare. “What happened, Porter?”
Brooks stared a hole into the profile of my face as I shrugged. “Just some bullshit.”
Astrid narrowed her eyes and she looked just like her brother. “It was clearly a big deal, and I want answers. Now.”
Chops ground his teeth together. “Everyone, shut up.”
Astrid clicked her tongue. “Someone start talking or I’ll call an ambulance.”
Brooks rolled his eyes. “Can you just let it go?”
I shook my head. “Just tell her, dude. You know she’s not going to stop.”
Astrid held her hand out. “Thank you. At least someone gives a shit about me.”
Brooks pointed to his chest. “I give a shit about you.”
“Then act like it, asshole.”
The two of them stared one another down for the longest time before I broke the silence. “She’s not your kid sister anymore, Brooks. She’s not that thirteen-year-old with braces and pigtails. Look at her.”
Brooks chewed on the inside of his cheek as his eyes fell down Astrid’s body. Then, he slowly looked over at me and a wildfire burst behind his eyes. “Why don’t you stay the fuck out of family business?”
I scoffed. “Funny. I thought I was family.”
Brooks nodded curtly. “And you’d do well to remember that.”
But Astrid’s shrieking made all of our ears ring. “Someone start talking right now or so help me God I’ll fucking go to the police and every other law enforcement agency and throw all of you where I sometimes feel you deserve to be! Now tell me why the fuck you guys have been shot to hell and back, god damn it!”
My eyes widened as she drew in a sobering breath. “He’s right, Brooks. I’m not a little girl anymore that you have to protect. That’s not your job. I’m a grown ass woman and I can handle what you throw at me. But if you don’t start talking, then understand this: not only will I move away, but you’ll never hear from me again. And you’ll get to spend the rest of your life living with the fact that you pushed your only other shred of blood family away with your bullshit. So, what’s it gonna be?”
Chops chuckled. “Might want to be more specific about who’s exchanging information, since you seem to have secrets of your own, sweet girl.”
Astrid hissed at him. “Call me that one more time and I’ll show you exactly what I carry in this purse. Got it?”
Brooks narrowed his eyes. “The fuck does that mean? What are you hiding from me?”
She shook her head. “You’re one to talk, you stupid bastard.”
Brooks towered over her. “What the fuck did you just call me?”
I charged over to them and stepped between them both. “Enough! That’s enough out of both of you.”
Brooks yelled in my face. “What is Chops talking about!?”
And before I could calm the situation, Chops did something that sealed his fate in eyes.
He signed his death certificate with the words that flew out of his mouth.
“Isn’t it obvious? Porter and your sister are clearly sleeping together.”
And the look that painted itself across Brooks’ face was one I’d never forget as long as I lived.
Mostly, because it was the closest I knew I’d ever come to death in my life.
