Page 97 of Menace

“Love you too, sweetheart.”

And then he was gone and I sat on my bed staring sightlessly out the window.

I don’t know how long I sat like that before I sighed, put my phone down and got up. I had to talk to Bren and let him know we were going home.

But first I had to get into the shower and wash away the evidence of my disturbed night and my tears. I wanted to be ready when Ry woke up.

I showered with the music on then got dressed. I was smiling as I walked back into the room.

My smile disappeared when my bedroom door crashed open and I whirled around. There was no way to stop the soft shriek that burst from my mouth.

Bren with his chest covered in blood stumbled into my room, a gun in his hand, pain and determination on his face.

“You need…to come…with me. We’ve been breached…by the fecking cartel.”

For a second I was frozen in place and then my survival instinct kicked in. I realised we weren’t going to get far with Bren bleeding the way he was. And I needed to strap Ry in his baby pack on my chest to leave my hands free. Thank the pope he wasn’t screaming his head off with fright, he just lay there staring with big eyes. So I left him and focused on Bren.

“You’re bleeding heavily, Bren. We’ve got to sort it out or we’re not going to get very far.”

I ran for the bathroom, grabbed a hand towel and got back to him as fast as I could. Shoving the towel over the bleeding hole in his shirt I pressed down hard. Wincing at his grunt of pain I kept the pressure on. Grabbing the towel from my hand he shoved it up under his shirt. Thank heavens he liked wearing tight tees because it held it in place.

“We’ve…got to…go. Viper and Magic can’t hold…them off…for very much…longer. Get Ry.”

I shoved my feet into a pair of flats and grabbed my phone off the bed. Damn, my leggings didn’t have pockets, with a shrug I shoved it into the back of my pants and panties. Hopefully it would stay there.

Next was Ry’s pack, I slipped him in it then strapped him to my chest making sure it was secure if we had to run. What was I thinking? Obviously we were going to have to run. If they breached the house…hang on, how did they do that without Bren, Viper or Magic noticing?

“How the hell did they get in? I thought this place was virtually impenetrable.”

“We were…betrayed. One of…the fecking bikers… sold us out.

“Which one?” I asked as I held Ry to my chest with one arm and shoved my shoulder under his arm when I saw him wobbling. I hated the way his breathing sounded and how he had to pause several times as he tried to speak.

“Don’t know his…fecking name…he’s dead when I…get a hold o’ him. Fecker…shot me as he came…through the fecking tunnel…shouldn’t have relaxed…me guard around these…motherfucks. Asa’s…gonna have…me nuts…for this.” He grunted.

That’s when I realised I didn’t hear gunshots or shouting. All I heard was the music playing in my room.

The house felt heavy with malice.

“I think it’s too late to run, Bren.” I whispered. “We’re going to have to fake them out. If they get in here and you’re on your feet they’re going to kill you.” He started shaking his head because he knew where my plan was heading.

“You have to pretend to be dying. They’re here for me, not you. Let them take me.” I whispered urgently, my eyes constantly checking the open door.

A daring plan was taking shape in my mind.

“You know you can track me, and Asa and Rider are on their way. I called Rider this morning. No one knows they’re coming and you need to be alive to help them find me when they get here. My boy and I are counting on you. Please Bren, please don’t die for real.”

I ripped my phone out of my pants, silenced it then shoved it back in then pulled the long thigh length top down over it.

Hopefully they wouldn’t look back there.

“Fecking…hell, I don’t…like…this.” Bren muttered as he slowly sank to the floor.

There was no time to lose. I had to set up the scene and do it quickly. Running to my desk I took out the deep red ink I was going to use in a project. Ry, the little angel, stayed silent as he was jostled about. I ran back and dragged the bloody towel from under his shirt, shoving it on his chest then clamped his hand over it. He was battling to stay conscious as he watched me. Opening the bottle of blood red ink I dumped it underneath him, it instantly spread on the carpet, soaking in and looking like blood.

If you didn’t look too closely you would never spot the difference.

I was putting my faith in that. That the bastard who was coming for me wouldn’t check.

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