Page 109 of Devil's Due

“We’ve got your back,” Thunder says quickly. “Get in there, Beef.”

Chaz holds the door open for me. Still with my gun in my hand, I step inside.

It’s dark, dingy, the windows have been painted black. There’s a light switch I flick but it doesn’t work. Thunder passes me a flashlight and I switch it on to reveal a world of horror. About a dozen women are cowering together, half dressed, clearly beaten and cowed.

“Stevie!” I call out, but there’s no answer.

Fuck no. Wrong place.

I turn in horror as Devil steps inside, pushing past me and rasping out, “Go find her, Beef. I’ll take care of these.”

More bullets are flying. Screams of pain as they meet their targets.

“Stevie!” I shout louder now.

“Beef!” Comes an answer. It’s her voice. She sounds terrified. But fuck, where is she?

Chaz kicks a door open behind which is chaos and action. Men are hiding behind overturned furniture firing toward the door. Our entrance has startled them, and I get off shots before they realise they’re fighting on two fronts now.

Stevie. Stevie. Where the fuck are you?

“Stop firing or she dies.”

I turn, slowly. My eyes widening in horror as I see one of the Jokers has Stevie held in front of him, a gun pressed hard against her forehead.

Quickly I analyse the scene. There are four other Jokers. Two dead or incapacitated, two alive. One of whom I recognise. My eyes narrow. It’s Cray.Fucking knew we shouldn’t have let him go free.

“Stay where you are,” Stinger snaps as they try to move closer to the man holding Stevie.

Guns are pointed at Stevie and us. Guns are pointed at them. We outnumber them, but as far as I’m concerned, the only important person is the woman I love.

I might be standing in the room with four presidents, but that’s my girl there. Without consultation I take a step forward, my action causing the gun to be pressed harder into her forehead.

“You’re not going to get out of this,” I tell the man who’s obviously the leader of this group of men. “Give yourself a chance. All we want is the woman.”

“Allow her to testify? We’ll all end up in the pen. Nah. My prez gave me orders. See that she never gets to court.”

“You haven’t got a prez any longer. You haven’t got an MC. It’s over for the Warped Jokers and for you if you shoot her. Yeah, you might take a couple of us down with you, but you’re outnumbered and outgunned. You kill her? We kill you.”

“Shorty…” His comrade I don’t know is looking around nervously. Cray’s eyes are wild, and I’m worried about the way he’s holding his gun. He’s recognised me and Thunder.

“Shut it. You know what Mad Bull wants,” Shorty replies.

“You let her go, we let you walk out of here.” I’m making a promise I’m certain Stinger won’t keep, but I’ll try any ploy to get Stevie back into my arms, alive and unhurt.

Stinger’s leaning lazily against the wall. He doesn’t seem bothered about what’s going on. Casually he takes out a cigarette and lights it. After he’s drawn smoke into his lungs and let it out to pollute the air, he says, lazily, “Shorty, is it? Well, you know who I am?”

A nod confirms he’s been recognised.

“We’re stepping into your trade. All we want is the girls, and that includes her.”

“Satan’s Devils want to protect her. Want to get her to court.”

For once, I’m grateful I’m not wearing my cut when Stinger responds, “You see any Devils here? All the cuts I see are Soulz.”

Shorty looks left and right, and finally at me. I stare back stoically.

Cray opens his mouth. Then, for some reason he doesn’t say anything.Has he calculated he’s got better odds to get out of here if he stays quiet? Thinks he’s doing us a favour?

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