“Two from what I can tell. One I got, and the other Ryder stabbed. Nice work with thatknife,kid.”
“Can you walk?” I asked Raine as my dad putherdown.
She nodded. “I don’t know if I can run, but walking has been allright.”
“Ryder, you carry Raine and we’ll cover you,” Abelinstructed.
They all surrounded me as I pulled Raine up into my arms with Abel directlybehindus.
He put his hand on Raine’s cheek, wiping a tear away. “Let’s get you home,sugar.”
In the middle of the circle, I ran for the exit as fast as I could. When we were all almost out the door, a single shot was fired. I heard a body drop behind me and I knew who it was but I couldn’t stop. I had to get Raine tosafety.
Holt and Bear both turned back and I heard them yell and unload their clips. Jaxon, Raine, and I were in the back of the van waiting for the rest of ourgroup.
Rigger jumped in right after us. “Holy shit that was close.” His chest was heaving as he took a seat oppositeJaxon.
“Where the fuck were you?” Jaxonaskedhim.
The look of satisfaction on his face was sinister. “Finishingtheplan.”
“What the fuck doesthatmean?”
Rigger pulled his gun out of its holster, pointing it right at Jaxon’shead. “This.”
Before Rigger could pull the trigger, I shot him right in thetemple.
Jaxon was frozen for a few seconds before his fist slammed into the metal side of the van. “Fucking traitor!” he screamed, “I cannot believe that my own brother would double cross uslikethis.”
I tried to think of ways to calm him or ease his rage, but there was nothing. Nothing that I could say would make treason all right. We had a fucking Benedict Arnold in our midst and none of us caught on fastenough.
Raine looked up at me. “Who are they?” she whispered inmyear.
I laughed at the simple question. “This is Jaxon. He tailed the van that brought you here.” Then it all clicked—it was never about Raine. It was all a trap to get usthere.
My eyes got wide and I shoved my pistol into Raine’s hand. “The safety is off. Just point and shoot if anyone gets near this van that you do not know.” I looked at Jaxon. “Guard her withyourlife.”
I didn’t even wait for either of them to respond as I rushed back in to find the rest of my guys. Bear was standing over a kneeling body with another on the ground. “Dad? Abel?” I called out as I ran overtothem.
I couldn’t believe my eyes: Abel was lying motionless on the ground in my father’s arms, the back of his head gushing blood. My dad started to attempt CPR. It wasn’t working. Abelwasgone.
Bear dropped to his knees as a burly scream rose into the air. Looking past them, I saw three Sinners’ bodiessprawledout.
“Come on, Abel. You can’t die like this. Not here, not now.” My father growled, “I will kill every last oneofthem.”
I pulled him to his feet. “Let’s get him outofhere.”
Bear and I carried Abel’s limp body towardthevan.
“Give me a second.” I set him down before getting back intothevan.
“Raine, baby? I need you to be so strongrightnow.”
She batted her eyelashes at me, waiting for me tocontinue.
“It’s your dad.” The words formed a lump in my throat. I didn’t know how I was going totellher.
Her cuffed hands flew to her mouth. “No….Ryder? Please…don’t…he’s fine. You’re just fucking with me,right?”