Page 30 of Surviving the Darkness

I text Ethan to warn him that shit is about to go down and to take care of Meadow if something were to happen to us tonight.

Knox gives us the signal, and we step out of the car, getting into formation and watching his six. The headlights on our car shut off, and the three of us move silently toward the ship in the pitch dark. Luckily, we've been here so many times that we know where we are going without light. Our saving grace is the one floodlight shining on the ship in the distance. It’s barely noticeable, but it’s there. Now we need to make it there without injury.

As we walk, with our heads on a swivel, I hear something move in the dark, and when I turn to my right, I see a man charging at us. It looks like he’s wearing night-vision goggles. Why didn’t we think of that? Fucking unprepared bastards. I shout a warning to Knox, who turns to his right and hits the guy with a headshot before the man reaches us. The body drops with a thud and somewhere voices are screaming in the dark. I can’t see where they’re coming from, but Knox grabs the night-vision goggles from the dead guy and hands them to Aidan. I’m not sure how he avoided hitting the goggles, but I’m impressed.

Aidan puts them on and looks around. After a quick survey of our surroundings, he informs us that we are surrounded by roughly fifteen men who are watching us. What are they waiting for?

“Gentleman, so good of you to finally join us,” a voice with an Irish lilt says in the dark.

How do I know that voice?

“Why are you here, Quinn?” Knox asks.

“A laddie told me that ye don’t want to work with us, and that is just too damn bad. I’m not giving ye a choice. See, when I learnt ye refused to marry my baby girl, Maeve, I had to take matters into my own hands. But ye bloody messed it up again by finding that useless whore in the basement. I guess when ye want the job done right ye’ve got to do it yer self,” Quinn says.

“What the fuck?” I growl out.

“Well, Meadow, of course. Ye didn’t think Damon was the one stalking her, did ye? I paid him to do it, but he fucked it up. He was supposed to get rid of her but decided he wanted a new toy to play with,” he continues.

Wait one fucking second… Did he just admit he was the one who orchestrated Meadow’s kidnapping? If he’s saying what I think he is, he’s a dead man. I will skin him alive for what he put her through.

“I let him keep her alive as long as ye three didn’t find her, but someone couldn’t keep their mouth shut and gave away the location where she was being held. All my plans ruined the moment ye saved her. She was supposed to be buried six feet under by now, but the stupid whore has nine fucking lives,” he continues rambling.

I see red.

“Turn the lights on, you fucking coward, so we can face you like fucking men. Instead, you're hiding in the dark like a fucking pussy!” I shout.

Suddenly the port is awash in light. Every light in the parking lot turns on, momentarily blinding me . Quinn is about ten feet from us. I could shoot him right now without missing, but I know if I do, we’re dead because his men have us surrounded. We need to be smart about it. Hopefully once backup arrives, we can take that fucker out.

“I’m in the light. Come get me,” he taunts.

Fucking Irish bastard. I wait for Knox’s signal before doing something stupid. I’ve learned from the past, well mostly learned, and I need to stay alive for Meadow. She needs us, so we can’t go getting ourselves killed because we act impulsively.

I whisper to Knox, “What’s the plan here, man?”

“Just follow my lead,” he whispers back.

“I told my father I wouldn’t marry her months ago. You have no need to align yourselves with a low-ranking gang,” Knox shouts.

“That’s where ye’re wrong. See, yer father and me are in business together and have been for a while. Your marriage to Maeve locks in our business, then I assume control over everything. Yer men will be mine. I will own ye, all three of ye,” Quinn says, his expression filled with glee.

“No one will ever own me. You must be high if you assumed I would ever agree to that. My father is a piece of shit who makes shady deals in the dead of night. No wonder he allied himself with you. Problem is... he doesn’t control the Wolverines anymore. I do. And I have for a long time. He just tells himself he’s the leader because we allow him to believe it. Those men follow me. They’ll never fall in line with you,” Knox spits out.

“Those who don’t fall in line will die”—he shrugs—“I don’t care how many men I have to kill before they listen. Ye just need to marry, Maeve, and we can put this all behind us,” he says.

This crazy fucker really thinks Knox will do as he’s told and fall into line. Is he out of his damn mind? Knox listens to no one, not even us most days, and he wants Knox to follow him like a fucking dog. No way.

“Say I listen to you, what’s in it for me?” Knox asks.

“Well, ye families lives will be spared, and Meadow can go live happily in London with that new British friend of hers,” he taunts.

He knows about Ethan. What else does he know?

I shake my head; no, not happening. Knox is mine damn it. He isn’t going anywhere, especially not to marry some stuck-up princess who has to be pampered on a daily basis. Fuck that. I’ll die before I let him wed that bitch.

Before Knox can respond, the lights go out again and gunshots ring through the darkness. He grabs Aidan and I blindly, and wehit the pavement to avoid getting hit by stray bullets. Looks like the calvary has arrived, but why did they turn the lights off? Now we can’t see well enough to fight.

“Get to the fucking car, now!” Knox shouts as he presses the key fob, so the headlights illuminate our path.

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