“No,” I denied.
“Lady, I don’t have a problem shooting you right now and then them. But I do want to avoid bloodshed with Hellfire and Rage MC. Move or die there.”
“Don’t harm them,” I warned.
“Bunny, don’t you dare. Wraith would have called for back-up,” Calamity said. I looked up, surprised.
“Wraith was following us in a car. He’s outside and already reported this shit,” Fanatic agreed.
“Wraith can’t stop me putting a bullet in your head,” Tanner growled and fired into the ground at Calamity’s feet. Calamity didn’t even move, but I shrieked and did. As soon as I was within arm’s reach, Tanner grabbed me and shoved the gun to my forehead.
“Bunny!” Fanatic roared. Tanner chuckled grimly.
“Let’s walk, lady; if there is another member of Hellfire outside, they’ll be on me. You get to live a little longer, Janet; how lucky is that? You’re gonna be my shield.” Tanner began dragging me towards the back, and I glimpsed Sorrow collapsed with blood around her own head. I didn’t know if she’d been shot or knocked out, and I prayed it was the latter. Tanner glanced away to open the door leading to the rear, and Fanatic jumped at him. A loud bang echoed in my ears, and Fanatic spun and hit the ground.
“Fanatic!” I screamed as Calamity stood with hands in the air and a grim stare on his face. As soon as we were through the exit, Tanner jerked me to the rear door and pushed me into a car. The last thing I saw was Calamity leaping for Fanatic.
“That was Chance’s nephew and Drake’s son. You’ve got no chance of whatever you expected to happen. Hellfire and Rage will tear you to pieces!” I shrieked at Tanner, trying to leave. Tanner yanked me into the passenger seat and shoved my seatbelt on before zip-tying my hands. He started the car and raced down the alley. As we skidded out into traffic, I saw Calamity running out of the shop’s front and searching for me. Calamity’s face was white as a truck sped towards him, and then we were out of sight. I tried watching over my shoulder, but Tanner was whipping the vehicle around traffic, and I was sliding all over the place.
“Why didn’t you come quietly, you stupid bitch? Now you’ve caused more trouble, just like pussy does!” Tanner snarled.
“Why kidnap me? I saw Linus do the murder, not you!” I gasped.
“Because Line was my friend and that psycho Justice only went after Line because of you,” Tanner responded.
“Justice has no relationship or ties to me,” I replied and reached up to cling to the oh shit strap. A car flew into place behind us, and Tanner swore. I glanced over my shoulder and saw three figures inside, although one slumped forward.
“That was Micah Michaelson you shot. Drake’s son, Chance’s nephew. Any hope you had of them, considering this just business, went out the window. Drake and Chance won’t allow you to walk away. Are you listening to me? Chance and Drake will slaughter you! Let me go and run. They’ll stop for me,” I blurted. The car shuddered as someone rammed us, and Tanner swore.
“Hold the wheel, darlin’, and try not to kill us because I ain’t taking my foot off the gas.” Tanner grinned. Tanner released the wheel, and I screamed and grabbed the wheel, trying to steer the car. He fired three bullets through the window, and Wraith skidded and corrected himself. Tanner snatched the control back, and I scrambled to see if Wraith remained with us. Tanner swerved between cars and hit the exit for the highway. Calamity leaned out of the window and fired, and I squealed again.
“Nice try, asshole,” Tanner murmured and took the turning. There was a rumble of pipes, and a biker shot out of a side street and discharged a weapon. I ducked down low as bullets shattered the glass, and then the bike swung behind us. As soon as he hit the exit, Tanner floored the car, and I shrieked as he just missed hitting a jeep in front of us.
The biker and Wraith followed suit, Wraith leaning on the horn, warning people as he shot out of the exit on our heels. I peered over my shoulder, wondering who the hell the biker was. I didn’t recognise him or his bike. Long hair flew in the wind with a bandana at the front, and he rode an older Harley Fat Bob and was easily keeping up with Tanner. Tanner swung into a lane, nearly sideswiping a Ford, and I squealed.
“Shut up bitch; why did you make shit so hard?” Tanner growled. He wildly veered the car again, and I slid in the seat.
“Why try to kill me? Linus is dead, and you’re an asshole,” I yelled.
“Shut the fuck up!” Tanner retorted, and I spat at him. Tanner’s hand snuck out, grabbed the back of my head and tried to shove me into the dashboard. My seatbelt snapped tight. I laughed as Tanner swore.
“Twat,” I jeered. Tanner’s fist jerked out, and I caught a glancing blow on the jaw. “Still a cunt.” Tanner growled wordlessly as the biker suddenly sped up and came alongside us. The biker peered at me and nodded. Tanner hit the brakes and attempted to get behind him, and I frowned. The biker wore a Hellfire MC cut, but he wasn’t a member of Hellfire that I recognised. Who the hell was he? Tanner tried shoving the biker off the road, and the biker swerved out of the way and fell back. I craned my neck to watch as the biker pulled up beside Wraith and shouted. Wraith leaned out the window and yelled a reply, and the biker roared something and pumped a fist.
Concerned, I watched as Wraith pulled out and sped up. Was Wraith going to ram us? The biker drew up at my side and formed a wrenching motion. I frowned, struggling to understand what he meant. He made a circle, pointed at the steering wheel, and made the wrenching motion again. Tanner swung violently towards him, and the biker fell back. Did I trust him? Yeah, he wore a Hellfire cut, but he wasn’t Hellfire. Wraith belted past, and I saw Fanatic slumped in the rear seat, but his eyes were on me. Fanatic pointed to himself and then at the biker and offered a thumbs up. Tanner yanked the steering wheel to the right, seeking to run Wraith off the road, but Wraith hit the accelerator and raced past.
A scream left my lips as Tanner crunched into another car’s side and nearly spun us out. He wrestled for control, and his speed eased up. That was when Wraith made his move in the distance. Wraith skidded across the lanes, sending cars flying in every direction as he swung the car across the highway. Tanner yelled as he hit the brakes, and I jumped forward and yanked the steering wheel hard. The vehicle wobbled, and the shrieking of Tanner’s brakes screeched in my ears, and the car flipped. I struck my head as it rolled twice and finally came to land on four wheels.
I sat dazed as the biker thundered up and leapt off his bike. He ran full out towards me, a gun in his hand and had it held up at arm’s length. Around us, cars skidded to a stop, and it was a damn miracle no one hit someone else. I felt a trickle of blood drip down my face, and slowly my hands rose, and I tried to jerk myself free of the car. No airbags had gone off, and I idly wondered why. A roaring sounded from my side, and I saw Tanner sitting up. Behind him, Wraith and Calamity raced towards us while the unknown biker came from the other side.
In slow motion, Tanner lifted his arm and pulled his gun. My eyes widened as I stared at the nozzle and the small black hole which would end my life. Refusing to look death in the face, I shut my eyes and sank to one side. Glass shattered, the bullet fired, and something whizzed past me, and I sat there as another shot a mere second later echoed. Blood dripped down my cheek and onto my chin as the world fell silent. I revelled in it, the chaos of what was going on around me fading, and there was a moment’s beautiful peace.
And with a roar that deafened me, I heard sirens, screams, shouting, and banging. I opened my eyes, wiped the blood from my face and stared at my hand in disbelief. Someone was screaming my name as they kicked the car door, and I twisted my head and saw Calamity frantically trying to free me. Wraith jogged away and came back with a crowbar, which they inserted and yanked furiously on. The grinding screech of metal upon metal made me flinch, but the door opened, and somebody reached out and cupped my cheek. Wraith held his hand there, and I leaned into his warm palm.
The strange biker checked Tanner for a pulse, and I stared at him with shock in my eyes. He’d fired through my window, hitting Tanner in the face, and I could see where the bullet had gone through Tanner’s cheek and out the other side. My stomach rebelled as I dry heaved, and the biker looked across at me. I rechecked his patch and saw it definitely was Hellfire, and even stranger, it said VP. Who the hell was this? He straightened up and spoke to Wraith. But there was a ringing in my ears, and his speech was muffled. Wraith dropped back down to my eye level, and I watched his mouth form the words, ‘Are you okay?’
“No,” I replied, and Wraith frowned. I coughed and repeated the word.
“Where does it hurt?” Wraith demanded.