Page 4 of War

His other hand fumbles with his buttons, his knuckles digging into my stomach as he attempts to free himself.

No.No.No.

The world becomes a vacuum around me.His lips move, but there’s no sound.Harley’s image bursts into my mind, followed by Kitty’s and Callan’s.It can’t end like this.The thought offers me a surge of strength.A roar vibrates my chest.My hands come up to Larkin’s face and I gouge my thumbs into his eye sockets.With every last ounce of fight left in me, I force my thumbs in deep until he can’t take anymore and wails in agony before clambering off of me.

I take the reprieve and scrabble toward his hunched-over frame, my eyes drawn to his unclipped holster.Within the next heartbeat I seize his weapon and pull it free.Exhilaration fills me at the feel of the heavy weapon in my palm.He attempts to grab me once more, but I stumble away just out of reach, aiming the weapon at his stunned fucking face.Hands splayed, eyes wide and bleeding, he’s dumbfounded at how I turned the tables on him.

Fuck you.Fuck you.Fuck you.

“Put the gun down.”His voice has dropped to a soothing whisper, starkly contrasting the threatening tone from seconds ago.Blood and stones cover his face as he wobbles on his feet.He looks ridiculous.God knows what I must look like.

“Put the fucking gun down, cunt.”The insidious intent has me stroking my finger over the trigger.

“Fuck you, you animal.”

The sharp crack of the gun warps through the air, over and over, as I shoot five shots into his legs and groin, dropping him to his knees.He attempts to move, but I stop him instantly with one final shot to his forehead.His mouth is agape, a red hole blossoming.He falls like a stone from a cliff, hitting the road with a thud, sending a cloud of dust around him like smoke.Silence follows.The night appears so calm around me.A scream claws it’s way up my throat as I collapse, terror streaking through me, seeping from my pores.My body vibrates like I am caught in an electric current, and the realization of what’s just happened sends ice crystalizing up my spine.

I just killed a cop.I’m going to jail for the rest of my damn life.

He was going to rape and kill me.It was self-defense, but who will believe me?I’m a Devil club member playing girlfriend to a King club member.No judge will take pity on me.Cops won’t care or believe that I had no other choice.My chest constricts and I sob, horror clawing inside me, pain bursting from the seams of my soul.

When I finally return to myself, my eyes are crusted shut, and my body aches and throbs all over.I push myself to my feet and wince.Not knowing what to do, I pick up clothes and delicately pull my jeans back on.I find my torn top and hold it with my panties against my chest before I begin walking.

I don’t stop until I find my way back to the compound gates.They take a couple of minutes to open, and I almost turn around, but Tim comes jogging toward me, concern etched across his face.

“Rogue?What the fuck.”

“I need to speak to Callan.”

My words don’t sound like my own.They’re distorted and my lips feel too big for my face.

Will he even listen, or will he dump me on the curb?

I killed a cop.

The blaring alarm rings in my head.

“He’s not here.He went looking for you.”

“What?”I look up into his caring blue eyes.

“Tell me what happened.”I don’t notice that he’s walked me up to the club door until it opens, and Dodger spills out, holding a couple of beer bottles between his fingers.

“What the hell?You okay, Princess?”He looks me over, squinting one eye, trying to focus.

“No,” I state, a tear streaking my cheek.

“Tim, what the fuck happened to her?”With a gentle shrug of his shoulders, I find myself entering the clubhouse and walking down the corridor to Callan’s room with Tim and Dodger following.

Tim calls out to someone out of view.“Go get Kitty.Now.”I push open Callan’s door, and relief sags my limbs.His scent is everywhere.It’s like walking into a hug.I limp over to his bed and sit, keeping my shirt pinned to my chest.

“Has she said anything?”Dodger asks.

“Nope.I didn’t even know she had left.The front gate called me when she strolled up to it.Said she’d been gone a couple of hours.”

Hours?My head whips up to Tim.

Footsteps pound from the hallway before Kitty enters the room.Her mouth drops.“Rogue?”She rushes toward me.Tears prick her eyes, as she crouches before me.“Where did you go?Tell me what happened.”Her hands hover over my body as if afraid to touch me.

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