Page 38 of Torching Vixen
“Then what the fuck is going on in there?” I’m not holding onto the edge very well.
“Just fucking wait,” Edge says, and I think I hear some panic entering her tone.
“Edge, talk. What are you seeing?” Wesson asks.
“I see a lot of heat and fucking smoke,” Edge says, just as cool as ever, even though she just told us that my woman is in a burning house.
I lunge through the trees toward the door, unable to stop myself. Just shy of me leaving the tree line, Razor tackles me to the ground. If he hadn’t, the bullet that sank into the tree would have found my head. The world stops spinning for about five seconds.
“Dumbass! Stay fucking put until we get the fucking clear,” Razor hisses in my ear.
I drop my head to the ground, trying to catch my breath. I fucking know better than to act on impulse in these situations. The sound of gunshots brings my head up again, looking for the source. I see Dad’s crew taking out the two snipers that were left.
“You are good to go. All the fuckheads have been dealt with,” Edge says.
We decided not to breach the basement and let them come to us when we made the plan. Now with the house on fire, I know that was the best option even if I don’t like the fact I have to trust some asshole I don’t even know. We make our way across the opening, leaving Smith and Wesson just outside the clearing with me on one side of the door and Razor on the other. A gunshot makes me come to attention.
“I can’t stand this shit. All this fucking waiting is making my skin itch!” Prez says.
“Me too. They can’t be in there much longer. That building is filling with smoke,” Coin states, sounding panicked since he does not do fire.
“Be easy, Coin,” Edge says, soothing him.
“We got you, man,” Pretty Boy says seriously.
The door beside me flies open, almost hitting Razor in the face. Out runs Ice, the stranger, Vixen, and Fire, who looks nothing like the man I saw just weeks ago. I place my rifle to the back of his head.
“Move or breathe in a way that I don’t like, and I’ll happily put a bullet in your brain,” I say loud enough for everyone to hear me.
27
Vixen
Istart coughing as the smoke continues filling the room. I look at Moose, pleading for him to get us out of this. We watch Fire walk back and forth, muttering to himself. This asshole has really lost his fucking mind.
I try one more time to reason with him. “Fire, we really need to get going. It’s smoky in here.”
He finally stops the pacing and agrees. “Ice, you and Moose go first. Vixen and I’ll bring up the back.”
“Fire, man, let’s send her out first. We all know those assholes are out there. They won't shoot her. It’ll give us time to return fire,” Ice says.
Fire just pulls his blank stare up to Ice along with his gun. “You’ll do what I say, and you won't run your fucking mouth about it.”
Ice puts his hands up and nods before turning toward the door. Ice slowly pushes the door open before stepping out with Moose right behind him. Nothing happens when they step out, and I can’t help but sag with defeat. Fire sticks the gun in my back, pushing me forward. I make it through the door with Fire so close to me there's barely room for the gun.
“Move or breathe in a way that I don’t like, and I’ll happily put a bullet in your brain.” Torch’s voice breaks the silence, and the calm that comes over me when I hear him nearly brings me to my knees.
“I would be very careful about what you do next,” Fire says.
“And why is that? From where I’m standing, you're the one with the gun to your head and no way to fix it,” Torch says.
“Are you sure about that?” Fire asks, taking a small step back so Torch can see the gun stuck in my back.
A few muttered fucks are heard all around. I look out of the corner of my eye and see how tired and stressed he looks. While trying to clear my lungs of the smoke I breathed in, I start coughing and lean forward to place my hands on my knees. I hope Torch and his men will do what they need to do to end this.
A gun rings in my ears, and then I feel something warm splatter all over the back of my arms and legs. Fire is dead. He can’t hurt us anymore. He has no control over anything.
I can live my life and not worry about someone coming to take my baby from me. The relief is so profound that it brings me to my knees. When I start to fall, a set of arms catch me, bringing me close. Torch’s smell wraps around me like a blanket. It’s over. It’s all over. I pull back and look up at Torch with tears running down my cheeks.
