Page 122 of Dagger

“Is that Layla?” Kennedy asked, studying the SUV we were heading toward and squinting her eyes.

Sophie’s eyes bugged out. “I think so.”

“She needs to lay off the moaning,” Kennedy muttered. “She sounds like she’s the lead in a porn movie.”

Reno’s head tilted back, and he muttered something under his breath.

Despite myself, I almost giggled.

“Who’s he talkin’ to?’ Reno asked, jerking his chin toward Shotgun.

“Don’t know,” I replied. “I wasn’t hanging around to find out, either. All I know for certain is that he’s bad news. We suggested turning the car around and going back to the clubhouse, and he lost his shit. Something’s not right, Reno; I’ve got a bad feeling.”

“Me too,” Reno muttered. “Why’s he on his fuckin’ cell instead of out here with us, protecting the women? I prospected with him, Chappy, and Break. We’ve been brothers for a lottayears, and I know him well enough to see that the shifty bastard’s up to no good. Get in the car with Layla and Cara, and keep your eyes peeled. I’ll phone the clubhouse.”

Approaching the SUV, I gave him a grateful smile, pulled the door handle, and froze at the sight before me.

Layla lay across the back seat, furiously typing on her cell, moaning out loud.

“Get in,” Cara hissed, pointing to the call she held to her ear. “I’ve got Cash on.”

“The men are on their way,” Layla added. “Hendrix’s men are closest.”

Cara waved at Layla to be quiet and explained, “Cash has a line to Hendrix. They’re just a few minutes out.”

“What happened,” Sophie demanded quietly. “Why do they suspect Shotgun of betraying the club?”

“They found out he was over in Mapletree at a hangout of the Sinners last night, and there’s no explanation why.”

“He was weird in the car, too,” Kennedy informed them. “He jumped down our throats when we suggested turning the car around.”

“Did you hear that?” Cara asked Cash. After listening to him briefly, she looked up and murmured, “He thinks there’s something going on…” A distant sound of tailpipes filtered across the air, and Cara’s eyebrows drew together. “Is that a motorcycle?”

“Yeah,” I replied, my heart beating out of my chest.

Cash must have barked something to Cara because her eyes slashed toward us, widening with horror. “He says it’s not Hendrix. They’re still two minutes out.”

Cara’s words sent a chill down my spine.

If it wasn’t Hendrix and his men, then who was approaching us? My thoughts raced, thinking of the possibilities, but there was only one I could come up with.

The rumble of motorcycle engines grew so loud they seemingly vibrated through the SUV. I glanced around the girls, seeing my own terror reflected in their eyes.

“Get down and stay quiet,” I hissed.

Everybody ducked as low as they could.

Kennedy pulled Kai down with her while I tugged Kady toward me. I covered her body with mine as the roar of bikes reached a crescendo outside. “It’s okay, honey,” I whispered reassuringly. “Stay low and stay quiet—” I was cut off by a sudden explosion of gunshots, then I heard Reno yell Maze’s name just before women’s screams filled the air.

I stared up at the window, my body frozen with shock. More gunfire exploded around us, and Reno bellowed something my mind was too petrified to make sense of. The shaking in my hands traveled through my body, and I reached out to touch Sophie, who was in a huddle with Belle, Ned, and Kai.

A click sounded through the car, and my eyes shot to Layla, who held a gun in her hand. “I’ll kill anyone who comes for us,” she muttered, cuddling Sunny and Willow into her.

More gunshots went off, and I cried out as one of them pinged off the SUV.

Wails filled the car as the twins awoke in their car seats and began to scream.

Layla scrambled for them, murmuring words of comfort as more gunshots thundered around the vehicle.

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