“She’ll heal. Tank beat her pretty bad, but the asshole didn’t rape her. He probably couldn’t get it up. That’s why I think he’s beating the women so badly, and he didn’t want the others to know, so he left her. She’s busted up, but she’ll be fine.”
Broni wanted to tell the stupid man that the woman would never be the same again. No woman would after being attacked with such viciousness.
Adam didn’t reply until Bones finished. “Thanks, Bones. Jace, get the brothers together. Tank back yet?”
“No, I checked. I stayed with her, but Adam, they could have taken someone else and I wouldn’t know.” Broni saw from Jace’s features that he didn’t like the chances that Tank had hurt someone else.
“Are you sure she doesn’t need to go to the hospital?” Broni interrupted the men, her only concern the woman in the bedroom.
“Yes. Besides, the hospitals have their hands full right now,” Bones replied.
“What do you mean?” Adam asked.
“The police are dealing with a riot downtown. The radio didn’t say what set it off, but it started a couple of hours ago. That’s why I drove the long way around town,” he said at Jace’s questioning look. “You were so occupied with the woman I didn’t think about bringing it up.”
“What did the radio say was going on?” Broni asked, the hair on the back of herneck standing up.
Bones shrugged. “Fires, looting, people being attacked.” Broni stared at the man, unable to believe he was taking it so lightly. “It’s not like it’s the first time a riot has happened here,” he explained. “A couple of years ago, a young boy was killed by the cops. It set off a two day free for all.”
Broni thought the chances of the same incident occurring randomly with her in the nearby vicinity were slim to none at all. She had a much better reason for what was happening in the city, and if they didn’t listen to her, they were all going to die.
“Adam, listen to me carefully.” She walked around the counter, grabbing his arm, trying to make him understand how important it was that they listen to her.“It has begun. They’ll come for me. We have to prepare ourselves.”
“What in the fuck are you talking about?” he asked, jerking his arm away.
“My mother’s enemies; they are coming for me.”
When they all stared at her like she had lost her mind, Broni didn’t know how to convince them.
She turned to Dee. “Go to the store next door, grab as much water and food as you can. Jace, you and Bones should go with her. Adam, you should wake your men and prepare the clubhouse to be attacked.”
None of them moved.
“Adam, if I’m wrong, you won’t have to buy groceries for a month, but what if I’m right?”
“Do what she says.”
Broni gave a sigh of relief as Adam moved toward the hallway.
“Layla, close the shutters. Jace, close the gates when you come back with the groceries.” Adam paused. “I don’t believe the shit you’re saying, but I would be stupid not to take precautions with a riot going on.”
“I don’t care why you’re doing it, Adam, only that you are. Thank you.”
Broni went to the doorway, opening the front door and then staring out at the large city. Her eyes widened at the view, and a moan of anguish surfaced that she barely managed to hold back with her hand across her mouth as she witnessed what her mother had warned her and her sisters about since they had been children.
There was smoke billowing from different buildings, the faint shrill of the sirens sounded in the distance. Any doubt she’d had about being wrong disappeared.
The Apocalypse had begun.
Chapter 9
As the men came out of their rooms half asleep, Broni was sure it was the earliest most of them had been out of bed in years. They each shuffled in as she stared out the window, seeing Dee, Jace, and Bones coming back across the compound loaded down with groceries. Each was pushing a buggy that looked like it would topple over as they raced back. Jace only stopped long enough to close the gates. By the time they made it to the doors, Broni could smell the smoke; the fires were drawing closer.
“Adam, if you have any water hoses, I would get them ready,” she advised.
He came to stand in the doorway next to her. “Rucker, get the water hoses. Rhys, go to the kitchen and get the fire extinguisher. Fin, open the door to the gunroom. Everyone get prepared, the riot is getting closer.”
Broni went back behind the counter to help Dee put up the groceries while the men stood in the doorway watching.Fin brought out a radio and plugged it in. The news bulletins sent chills down Broni’s back as they described seemingly normal people suddenly turning violent. They had formed in large groups and were slowly moving from one end of the city to another.