Page 145 of Dagger

My cell—which sat in a mount on my handlebars—lit up with a message.

Mason: Gate opening

Raising my hand, I pointed ahead and made a twirling motion with my finger, my lip curling in satisfaction at the loud revs that indicated my brothers were at my back.

The gates slowly began to open, and I adjusted my speed, timing it so we could shoot through the gates without having to stop and wait, which no doubt would give the Sinners an advantage. We needed this mission to go smoothly. We’d sat back and taken their bullshit for too long, but now the boot was on the other foot.

It was time to show the motherfuckers how an ambush was done.

The gates parted and we roared through them. My head swiveled to take in the circular driveway that once would’ve looked pristine but now was full of potholes and oil spills. My bike rolled up next to the huge house, and my focus locked onto the dark mahogany doors with bushy trees planted in a pot at either side.

I reached inside my cut for my loaded weapon, simultaneously closing my eyes and pushing my emotions down to allow the monster to rise. My chest burned as it roared to life, filling me with the craving for violence, blood, and death. My jaw clenched with the desire to feed it until its belly was sated.

The door of the house flew open.

Instinctively, my hands went up, and I pointed my gun, before cursing under my breath and lowering my weapon atthe sight of Mason running outside. “Where is everyone?” I demanded.

“They’re mostly passed out,” he relayed. “There was a shitload of smack gettin’ passed around last night. There’s a crowd of them in the kitchen you need to watch out for. It’s at the back of the house, and their music’s so loud it drowned out your pipes.”

“Is Bear here?” I asked, my tone flat.

Mason shook his head. “I haven’t seen him here at all. Henderson came around one time, but it was days ago. They’re laying low after the arrests. I overheard that Bear’s orders were to ride it out.”

“Go, Mase,” Atlas ordered. “Get your ass out of here. We’ll pick you up on the way home. You’ve been a fuckin’ champ, brother.”

“But—”

“Get your ass out, Son,” Atlas repeated. “Things are gonna get bloody and messy. Iris will kick my ass if you become traumatized.”

“I can handle it,” Mason argued. “I’ve had to deal with these fuckheads for what seems like forever, brother. There’s nothing I want more than to see them get their karma. Believe me, there’s nothing you can do that could traumatize me more than they already have.”

Atlas’s hand came out and curled around the back of the prospect’s neck. “What did they do?”

“Nothin’ to me,” he said flatly. “But they don’t treat women good.”

Atlas’s eyes met mine. “No mercy,” he bit out.

I jerked one nod.

“I’ll deal with the upstairs,” I declared, pointing to a collection of single-story structures I assumed were the staff quarters Elise told us about. “You guys check those buildings,clear them and the lower-level rooms, and I’ll meet you in the kitchen. You’ve got twenty minutes. Only fire your weapons if you find yourselves in a situation. I’ll come to you.”

Atlas’s eyes flicked over my face. “You don’t have to do this alone.” His eyes narrowed as he stared into my blank eyes. “Kit?”

I turned and rounded the wall to head around the back of the house while blending into the shadows. The closer I moved to the patio area, the louder the sound of thrash metal became. I could’ve crashed through the fucking fence, and the stupid bastards inside wouldn’t have heard a thing.

A tinge of disappointment hit me. I would’ve loved to go in shooting, but at least this way, I could concentrate on moving through the house, killing silently as I went.

I turned a corner and was met with a window that had been left wide open. Without a thought, I grabbed the pane and hauled myself up and through, landing in a downstairs bathroom.

I held my breath, trying to regulate the rush of blood in my ears. My heart hammered in my chest, and my blood pulsed. My ass hit the toilet seat, and I bent my neck, steepled my fingers to my forehead, and closed my eyes. Breathing gently through my nose and past my lips, I succumbed to the adrenaline surging through my veins, allowing it to take me over.

My heart rate slowly began to settle, and I continued breathing in and out, rinse and repeat. I imagined a mountain, a sunrise, and peace. My heart slowed and began pumping steadily again.

I stood and crept to the door, putting my ear to the lacquered wood, trying to listen for sounds outside.

As soon as I was certain it was clear, I cracked it open an inch and peered through the gap, seeing the hallway was empty. Then, I unsheathed my knife from its holder strapped to my side, gingerly stepped outside, and headed to the wide staircasesituated in the middle of the hallway, which fanned out left and right at the top. Silently, I ascended, backing into the wall the second I reached the top, then headed right, toward the far bedroom.

As I neared the last door, it suddenly opened, and a straggly-haired huge behemoth of a man emerged, bare-chested with his jeans undone. His eyes came straight to me, his stare fixating on my cut. He opened his mouth to shout out for one of his asshole brothers.

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