Page 82 of Waiting Game

The static noise coming from the TV was drowned out by the sound of squealing tyres pulling to a stop in front of the safe house. I shot up, grabbing my gun from the side table, and I peered through the window. It was Antoni’s car, but Rome stepped out of it.

I tucked the gun into the waistband of my jeans as she jogged towards the house. The door flung open with a crash, and her head whipped around. We caught eyes and she looked me up and down, and before I had time to speak, she rushed to the corner of the room and started to rifle through my bag.

“Rome?” I asked, stepping towards her.

She pulled out a shirt and threw it at me.

“We need to go,” she said, turning on her heel and heading back towards the car.

I followed her, running down the steps as I pulled the shirt over my head. She had already thrown the car into reverse as I stepped into the passenger seat, and she pulled out onto the road before I even got to close the door.

“Did they figure out where I was?” I asked, as she sped down the suburban street.

She shook her head, and looked at me from the corner of her eye.

“Antoni doesn’t know that I was coming to get you.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“So why did you? What’s going on?”

She took a deep breath, before she turned a corner hard, causing me to fly against the door. Even though it was Antoni who had the love of sports cars, Rome was the one who drove them how they were supposed to be driven.

“The boys are getting ready to storm the Redliner base,” she said.

“But Antoni said I wasn’t allowed to help them,” I rolled my eyes.

She shook her head, “you’re not going to help him, you’re going to help me.”

I frowned, “can you just tell me what’s happening, Rome?”

“Look Ren, don’t freak out, okay?”

“What?”

“I’m only bringing you because I know that if we can get there before all the boys it’ll end less violently. I don’t want her getting hurt, just as much as you don’t. Antoni wouldn’t fucking listen.”

“Who’s getting hurt?” I pushed.

She turned hard again, and I gripped the dash in front of me as the back tyres slid. Rome didn’t seem phased, and continued onto the freeway with only one hand on the wheel.

“They have Valerie,” she said quietly, looking at me directly for the first time.

“What do you mean?” I yelled, my voice too loud as I curled my hand into a fist and punched the dash of the car.

I already knew that Antoni would hit me for the dent that it left.

“Hey, chill thefuckout,” she snapped, “we’re going to get her right now. Antoni wanted to storm in there, all guns blazing. He’s pissed off and not thinking logically. But if we get there before him, we can sneak her out before any bullets need to fly.”

I nodded, checking that my gun was properly loaded.

“There’s more in the glove box,” she tilted her head towards it.

I opened it and at least five handguns were stuffed inside the small compartment. I pulled out another, loading it and tucking it into my waistband. I loaded another one and handed it to Rome.

We soon pulled up outside the base of the Redline Angels. Rome parked a little ways down the road and we both sat in silence, watching.

Valerie was in there.

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