Page 71 of Taking What's Ours

Someone shuts off the music that’s coming from the bar, and the sudden silence is deafening after all the gunfire and screams from a moment ago. I’m shaking, and so is Rosie.

The men rush out the door to pursue, but there’s so much damage to their bikes, they can’t leave. When they stalk inside, I can hear them making plans.

Rock has a pickup parked around back. They’re going to take that and go out after these guys, who they’ve identified as the Rat Boys.

The women all gather.

Baja approaches me and cups the back of my neck, his face dipping low.

“I’ve gotta go. Rock’s leaving some men here to protect you. But I don’t think there’s any chance they’ll come back here.”

I clutch at his wrist, his words sending another fresh fear through me. What if something happens to him? What if he doesn’t come back? “I don’t want you to go.”

His eyes soften. “I have to, baby. You know that.”

I nod, and he kisses me, then we hug each other tight, but it’s over too soon, and he’s striding toward the door.

I watch him until he disappears, and then my knees almost buckle. This can’t be happening.

Isabella puts her arm around me. “They’ll be fine.”

I know she means to comfort me, but I shake my head. “You don’t know that.”

She rubs my shoulder. “You have to stay positive. If you think about what could happen, it’ll drive you crazy. I know.”

Kate walks over. “I heard someone say they were able to get the info from the plates you got on camera. They’ve got some addresses.”

“They could be gone for hours.”

I move to the doorway and watch the crew cab pickup pull out.

Rock’s driving. Darko’s in the passenger seat. Trez and Baja are in the bed of the pickup, which means Utah and Memphis are in the back of the crew cab. Wildman, T-Bone, Night Train, and the prospects remain here, guarding the clubhouse and all of us.

The prospects carry in some plywood and start boarding the windows.

Evelyn guides me toward the hallway. “Come on. We’re going to hole up in Rock’s office.”

I follow along with the other women, Rosie at my heels.

Evelyn unlocks the door, and we all troop inside.

I take a spot on the loveseat, and Rosie lays at my feet. Isabella sits next to me, and Kate takes the chair. Evelyn moves behind the desk and opens a drawer.

“I knew it.” She pulls up a bottle of whiskey and sets up five shot glasses, filling them, while Lola bends at the fireplace and tosses in one of those logs in a bag, lighting the corner.

It soon flames to life, warming the room.

Lola passes out the shots, then turns one of the chairs facing the desk around to face us. Evelyn comes around to take the other and lifts her glass in the air.

“Bottoms up, ladies. It’ll calm your nerves.”

We all drink, and I make a face at the harsh liquor.

“Does this kind of thing happen a lot?” I ask.

“No,” Lola replies. “Usually, it’s quiet and boring.”

Isabella puts a hand on my knee. “Things will be okay.”

---