Page 53 of Always Been Mine

“Oh, no you don’t, Gabriel,” Beatrice whispered harshly. “You are not pulling your fucked up reasoning on me again. You begged me to take you back just a week ago. Well now, I’m taking you back. You better not fucking die on me. Got me?”

Gabe’s lips twitched. “Why didn’t you say so earlier?” His lighthearted words were dampened by a wince of pain. “This sucks.”

“You’re riddled with bullet holes and all you can say is ‘this sucks’?” She was trying to keep her voice steady, but it cracked. He was fading, bleeding out right in front of her. Beatrice found herself praying that if only they’d make it out of here alive, she would forget all the hurt of the past three years and only move forward.

“Gabe?”

“Love you, poppy,” Gabe whispered. “. . . damned much . . .”

“Don’t die . . .”

“Trying . . . not to . . . but you . . . go . . .”

“Never.”

“Now doesn’t this look tragic?” A man Beatrice had never seen before appeared a few feet from them. Her grip tightened on the gun. She lowered her hand fractionally.

“You’re not looking too good, Sully.” A wariness passed through the man’s face. “And not surprised to see me. Now why is that?”

“Fuck you, Ryker.” There was renewed vigor in Gabe’s voice.

Ryker? This was Ryker? The man who killed Eric and Kelly Winters just to send a message to Gabe. Another man, this one a Latino, appeared behind Ryker.

“No, buddy, I think you’re the one who’s about to get fucked,” Ryker said.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Why else? Money,” Ryker sneered. “And I’m so tired ofbeing second best to you. Well, guess what? I’m smarter. Better.” He laughed maniacally. “You know why? Because you handed some bitch your balls and it made you stupid.” Ryker’s eyes landed on her. A chilling fist gripped her heart. “But before I let you bleed out, you’re going to watch me shoot her.”

“No!” Gabe snarled. Where he got the energy, Beatrice had no idea, but he managed to get on his knees, and then using the wheelbase, he boosted himself up in an upright position, shielding her fully. “You willnot touch her.”

“Tsk . . . tsk . . . You’re as good as dead, Sully. Look at you.”

Beatrice readied the gun; Gabe was giving her the opportunity to shoot and she was taking it.

Before she was able to surprise Ryker, shots cracked through the air. Not losing focus though, she leaned to the right. Both Ryker and the Latino guy were already on their way down, but because Beatrice liked insurance, she shot Ryker anyway, forcing his body to jerk backward. Gabe sank beside her. He was done and all strength had left him.

More shots were exchanged.

“Gabe, hold on, please,” Beatrice begged. His eyes were closed and he was about to fall sideways to the ground. She steadied him against the tires of the SUV and took a tentative peek through the vehicle’s windows.

The Iron Skulls!

But how? She didn’t even hear their bikes.

Beatrice leaned toward Gabe and planted a kiss on his cold lips.

“Babe,” he rasped.

“Hang on, Gabe. The Skulls are here.”

There was a wailing of sirens in the distance.

“Ms. Porter!”

“Ashe?”

The Iron Skulls VP walked toward her, the blond bikerDuke and an older man about the age of her dad followed close behind.

---