Page 41 of The Tempted

Chapter Fourteen

I pointed my gun down the center of the smoke-filled hallway prepared to shoot anyone who dared to come toward us. I had no idea what was going on in the main area of the club, but it didn’t sound very promising in fact it sounded scary as all hell. The music had come to a screeching halt the booming sound of the bass of the music replaced by the screams of people and gunshots as they blasted off the walls.

I glanced down at Nikki her body shaking beneath mine as she cried. Fuck this wasn’t how I pictured it would be when I finally had her underneath me. I dropped one hand from my gun keeping it steady as I continued to aim it down the hallway. My eyes shot back and forth between her and the end of the corridor. I placed my free hand on her head, stroking her hair soothingly

“It’s okay baby just please try to calm down,” I asked desperately. “I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do here, I’m a fuck up not a gangster so work with me Princess,” I said hoping that she’d muster up some sort of control. I had no fucking idea what was happening, and I wasn’t really experienced in this shit. I was having a hard time keeping my own shit together, but seeing her so terrified, forced me to keep myself focused.

I glanced around trying desperately to come up with some sort of plan. I needed to get her out of here and to safety. I was about to head to my office but thought better of it, how safe could that be? I didn’t know what these people wanted, but they didn’t come charging into a nightclub guns blazing for nothing. They’d tear this place apart until they got whatever it was they craved. I looked down at Nikki again, she lifted her head off the floor turning her head slightly so eyes met mine the fear reflected in them sent me over the edge. I reached for her hand and scrambled off her to stand up slowly. I looked around cautiously before looking back at her

“You trust me?” I asked her watching her nod. “I’ll keep you safe,” I vowed. I may not have a fucking clue as to what I was doing, but I had never been surer of anything in my life as I was in that very moment promising to keep her out of harm’s way.

I pulled her to her feet and brought her body to lean against the wall that was behind me. I spread my free arm across her shielding her while I pointed my gun towards the main dance floor. The gunfire wasn’t so loud anymore, neither were the screams that echoed through the club. I motioned to the other end of the hallway the smoke clouded our vision, but I knew the emergency exit was down that way.

“Start walking,” I told her keeping my arm across her as we walked sideways along the wall. She covered her mouth, coughing as the smoke attacked her lungs. “The fire exit is down the hall.”

“Mikey… what about everyone else?” she choked out as we made our way struggling to see the door. I had no answer for her. The truth was grim people died here tonight I just hoped for Nikki’s sake, it was no one she loved.

People were shouting in the distance ordering directions sirens sounded in the distance. The dust was settling and I couldn’t help but wonder what the newspaper headlines would read tomorrow. We made our way to the exit, and I pocketed my gun pushing the heavy metal door with all my might but it was jammed or fucking locked all I knew was that it wouldn’t budge. Nikki whimpered beside me clutching the sleeve of my suit holding onto me as if her life depended on it for all we knew it might.

“Fuck!” I shouted as my forehead touched the door and my fist slammed against it. I took a deep breath, trying to figure out what I should do next.

“Is there another way out?” she asked me nervously. “Or do we have to go through the main floor,” her words sounded full of dread. I couldn’t blame her I didn’t want to see the ruins that undoubtedly filled the main floor either. I glanced at her reaching out to touch her cheek, I opened my mouth to speak, but I had no idea what to say. Suddenly the metal door opened abruptly I pushed Nikki behind me quickly as she screamed in terror I reached for my gun. I raised it aiming it directly at the person who opened the door, holding my breath as I psyched myself up to pull the trigger.

“Don’t shoot it’s me!” Anthony said, pulling me by the lapels of my suit through the door before he grabbed Nikki and forced her out the door. Just as she cleared the doorway, someone fired down the hallway we just left. Anthony returned the gunfire as Nikki and I crouched down to the concrete along the side of the building.

“There’s a car waiting for you down the alleyway. Go!” He hollered as he continued to fire down the smoke engulfed hallway. “GO!”

I grabbed Nikki’s hands pulling her back to her feet. I took her hand in mine ready to run, but she wouldn’t budge. She turned around to face Anthony her face streaked with tears.

“My sister’s in there! Anthony, you have to get her out of there!” She thrashed as she pulled her hand from mine and grabbed onto Anthony’s arm. “Please!”

I grabbed Nikki from behind and Anthony shrugged free of her hold on him. Christ, didn’t her father teach her not to latch onto someone when they were firing a fucking gun?

“I’ve got her,” he said to Nikki quickly diverting his eyes to me. “Get her out of here.”

I nodded, pulling her against my body, but she wriggled to break free. She shook her head and cried out. “My family is in there! I can’t leave them, Mikey!” She screamed at me fighting with every fiber of her being.

That was the difference between Nikki and me her family meant everything to her, she was so afraid of losing them as opposed to me who had already lost mine. I knew that place she was in I lived there the night before my mother died, I succumbed to that hell and I wanted more than anything to take her away from it.

I hauled her over my shoulder, her fists beating against my back as I ran down the alleyway with her secured in a firefighter’s hold. She kicked her legs, her heels nearly colliding with my crotch the last thing I needed was to be kicked in the balls right now.

I skidded to a stop when I reached the curb taking in the black SUV that was running. I cocked my head to the side readjusting Nikki in my arms to see if I recognized the driver and nearly toppled over when I saw Jack “Bulldog” Parish behind the wheel. Ah, shit!

“Get the fuck in the car!” He shouted out the window. I didn’t know if he was the enemy or the ally I didn’t know who the fuck to trust. I looked behind me, but Anthony was nowhere in sight. I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked back at Jack. I could hear the roar of motorcycle engines creeping closer to us.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I spat, looking all around the deserted area for an escape. He must’ve heard the suspicion in my voice as I answered him back because he sighed exasperatedly.

“Look, kid, I told Vic I’d see to it that you and his daughter were safely tucked away. Now I’m telling you if you don’t get the fuck in the car you will be the one responsible for your death and hers,” he glanced in the rear view mirror as half a dozen Satan’s Knights pulled up behind him. I tore my eyes away from Jack to take in the badass men and their bikes the first biker closest to me nodded to me assuring me that he had my back.

“Clocks ticking kid,” Jack said his patience wearing thin.

I guided Nikki down from my shoulder, placing her on wobbly heels cursing the fucking stilettos that she had decided to wear. She looked over her shoulder squinting her eyes against the bright headlights of the bikes.

“Jesus Christ,” she murmured before turning back to me.

“These men are friends of your dad’s they are going to take us somewhere safe, okay?” I said running my fingers nervously through my hair.

Her lip quivered as she nodded her head slowly wrapping her arms around her body.

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