Page 23 of Bloody Jack's Treat
I pressed my back against the clubhouse wall and nodded to Bug.He checked in with everyone else via the radio, then gave me a nod.“Everyone’s in position.”
"Let’s kill these motherfuckers."I stood and fired at my target.My brothers followed suit and emerged from their hiding spots, catching the Copperheads in a deadly crossfire.
The yard transformed into a killing field.Bullets chewed up dirt and concrete, sprayed splinters from wooden posts, punched through metal with high pitched pings.The air grew thick with gunsmoke and the coppery reek of blood.A Copperhead rushed me, switchblade glinting.I sidestepped, grabbed his wrist, and drove my knee into his elbow.The joint snapped with a sharp crack, his scream cut short as I put two rounds in his head.
"East side, three coming over the fence!"Rivet's voice crackled through the radio.
"I see 'em," Wren responded."On it."
I glanced that way just in time to see Wren drop to one knee, take aim, and fire three precise shots.Two Copperheads fell.The third made it over, only to catch a burst of automatic fire from Rivet's position.
Movement in the second story window caught my eye.Honey.She was exactly where I'd positioned her, shotgun braced against her shoulder as she kept watch.Her face was a mask of concentration, hair pulled back.For a split second, our gazes met across the chaos.
Then I saw it.A Copperhead scaling the drainpipe, heading straight for her window.
"Honey!Eight o'clock!"I shouted into the radio, already moving toward the building, knowing I'd never make it in time.
She whipped around, spotted the threat, and without hesitation, swung the shotgun toward the intruder.The blast was deafening even amid the firefight.The Copperhead's chest dotted with shot spray, blood staining his white T-shirt.His body tumbled back to the ground with a sickening thud.
Thank fuck!
I turned back to the clubhouse, needing to check on Honey, when the unmistakable roar of a Harley cut through the gunfire.A motorcycle burst through the smoke, engine screaming.The rider hunched low over the handlebars as he tore through the gate and into the yard.I recognized both bike and rider immediately.My bike.Stolen from where I'd left it by the gate.And Shank.
The Copperhead enforcer gunned the engine, heading straight for me.His face was twisted in a feral grin, eyes wild with bloodlust.I raised my pistol, squeezed the trigger.
Click.
Empty.
With no time to reload.I braced myself as the bike bore down on me.At the last possible second, I hurled myself sideways, rolling hard across the ground as the bike missed me by inches.
Shank skidded to a stop, spinning the bike in a tight circle to face me again.He dismounted, letting my bike fall to the ground.In his hand, a wicked hunting knife gleamed.
"Bloody Jack," he sneered, voice carrying across the yard."Time to find out if you deserve that name."
Around us, the fighting was being wrapped up.We’d seen several Copperheads hurry back over the fence when they couldn’t make it to the gate.If I was right, only two or three Copperheads remained.Along with Shank.My brothers knew better than to interfere at this stage.This was between me and Shank now.
I rose to my feet, drawing my own knife from its sheath at my lower back."Been waiting for this," I growled.
Shank lunged with a yell, blade slashing in a silver arc.I pivoted, feeling the wind of its passage across my face.My counter thrust caught his forearm, opening a long gash that immediately welled with blood.He hissed but didn't slow, coming at me again with a flurry of strikes.
We circled each other, blades flashing in the light of burning vehicles.I felt a sting as his knife found my side, slicing through my shirt and into the flesh beneath.Warm blood trickled down my ribs but I didn’t flinch or stop my attack.I drove my shoulder into his chest, following with a knife thrust that he barely avoided.
I drove forward, knife leading the way.Shank sensed the attack and twisted, my blade sinking into his shoulder instead of his heart.His howl of pain was savage, primal as we grappled, falling to the ground in a tangle of limbs and blades.His knife scored my chest, a line of fire across my pecs.My fist connected with his jaw, the satisfying crunch of bone giving way beneath my knuckles.Blood sprayed from his mouth, speckling my face with warm droplets.
"Should've never touched my woman," I snarled, driving my knee into his stomach.
Shank wheezed, spitting blood."Your woman's next," he gasped."After I'm done with you, I'll—"
I silenced him with a headbutt that shattered his nose.Raw hatred poured through me at the thought of him laying a single finger on Honey.He scored another slash across the top of my arm.
Somehow, I managed to knock his knife away with a sweep of my arm.Before he could recover, I had him in a chokehold, his back against my chest, my forearm as tight around his neck as I could get it.
"This is for Flowerz," I hissed in his ear, though she'd been a traitor."For dumping her body on my property like garbage.Traitor or not, she was mine to deal with.Not your to torture.”
Shank thrashed in my grip, clawing at my arm.I tightened my hold, then twisted violently.The crack of his neck was audible just before his body went limp.
I let Shank slump to the ground, rising to my feet.The remaining Copperheads were either dead or in the wind.Including their president, Acid.
