Page 4 of Bonita Brynne

I smashed my face against his shoulder and swallowed the sob bubbling up in my throat. Crying wouldn’t do a damn thing to save us. I wouldn’t fall apart. I might hate my father for lying to me and staging my mother’s death, but I was a Gallo. And Gallos were fighters. We called the shots.

Dorian wouldn’t win.

2

Tina

My daughter rode off into the distance with a man I thought of as my son. My stomach twisted into knots as dozens of scenarios played in my head. Good and bad things, some happy and sad.

How would Raymond and Valerie feel about their brother and sister being together? Would they understand Track and Brynne weren’t breaking any ethical rules? Perhaps Ray would since he was thirteen, but Valerie was only ten years old.

What a mess.

My poor children would be confused on some level. All they’d known about Brynne was she was their older sister and would come home to us one day.

I placed my hand on my stomach and gulped. My sweet baby. He or she was biologically connected to BrynneandTrack. Nothing had turned out how I’d imagined when we finally got Brynne. I refrained from laughing at all my silly fantasies of being one big happy family. I guessed we still could be in a weird sort of way.

Be safe, my loves.I exhaled when they disappeared into the thick forest. I hadn’t realized I’d been holding my breath.

“Tina,” Raul growled from behind me. “Call Storm. The cops are on the property! They’ll be in the house in less than a minute.”

“On it.” I dialed Storm, my eyes wet with worry. With the sudden invasion of chaos, my mind was erratic. I’d meant to call Storm a while ago, but hadn’t.

“Tina? What’s wrong?” Of course Storm would assume something was wrong. I never bothered him unless something horrible had happened.

“Do you have eyes on Raymond and Valerie?” My hand fell to my stomach, so thankful my precious baby was safe inside me.

“Yeah, two prospects. One at each school the entire day. Why?”

“Oh, God.” I rushed inside the house to find Raul. “Dorian called and asked Track how Raymond was. Dorian’s up to something. A line of cop cars is heading up the mountain toward the compound.”

“Son of a bitch!” Storm yelled. “Where’s Track and Brynne?”

“They took off on ATVs into the forest. Dorian threatened Track. Said he would be arrested for the murder”—I nearly gagged on the word—“of the college girl.”

“I will kill that motherfucker!” A loud bang came through the earpiece. It sounded like Storm had thrown open his office door, and it slammed into the wall. “Ire! Verify that Jax has eyes on Ray, now!” He barked more orders, but I couldn’t pay attention as cop cars surrounded the front of the log home.

My babies’ faces flashed behind my eyes. Raymond. Valerie. They had to be okay… and Brynne and Track too.

Sirens blared, and my heart raced. A tremor worked through my body as I anticipated the worst for those I loved most.

I swear to God, Dorian. You better not hurt my family. I’m not the frightened little mouse you once knew. I’m Raul’s, old lady. I’m strong and fearless and will defend my family to the death.

“They’re here, baby.” Raul took the phone from me. “Storm. A major shitshow is coming, brother. Keep your phone close and make sure my kids are okay.” He pulled me in close. “Yeah. Bye.”

“What’s going to happen to us?” I asked my husband and buried my face in his chest.

“We’ll have to—”

“We have the place surrounded,” a man shouted through what sounded like a bullhorn, but I knew it was a speaker in his vehicle. “Come out with your hands up.” His voice was tight, as if nervous.

Did he know the compound belonged to Bone’s club? He should be afraid of the Knights. Their memory was long and vivid, and they never forgot who went against them. My Raul had proven how dedicated and unforgiving he and the club could be for as long as I’d been his old lady.

“I want you to walk out behind me,” Raul told me. “Just in case.”

“Just in case they shoot?” My throat constricted.

He turned toward me. “Yes. But they probably won’t.” He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me against him. “I love you, mama.” His lips descended on mine, and they left way too fast.

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