“Welcome back, butcher,” Abel muttered, slinging the strap of the sheath over his shoulder.
I cracked my neck before removing my pistol from its side holster. “They want a war, we’ll give them one hell of a damn war.”
Crickett made quick work of rounding up everyone who needed to be protected in the back. As she started to walk into the back room, I grabbed her arm. “Give Raine a gun. I know you don’t want to, but she’s a better shot than most of the guys in that room.”
Crickett’s eyes filled with tears as she sucked in a harsh breath. “Did this really have to happen today of all days?”
“When is timing ever on our side, darlin’?” I kissed her cheek, giving her the sawed-off I kept under the bar top. “It’s what I taught Raine how to shoot with when she started learning how to bartend. She’ll be fine.”
“Thanks.”
I locked the door behind her and made my way behind the bar. Every weapon we had was in someone’s hands or strapped to them in some fashion.
Within seconds, machine gun fire peppered the windows and exterior walls. We took cover but waited. They were going to have to come in if they wanted to get to us. It wasn’t our first rodeo, and it sure as hell was not going to be our last.
The door burst open, and in a matter of seconds, our bar was filled with new members and prospects from the Sinners.
Fucking pussies.Not one of the ranking members had the balls to go along with their guys.
Ryder was standing in the doorway, gun drawn, eyes locked on me. He nodded to the guy directly in front of him. He had figured it out, and just in time. He lined his gun up with the back of the guy’s head, but I shook my head at him. It wasn’t a life for him to take—it needed to be Abel.
Abel followed my line of sight and smirked. He knew exactly what Ryder had just informed me of without skipping a beat.
“Now, gents, if you wanted to come to the funeral, all you had to do was ask. No need to come in here guns blazing, but bravo on a grand entrance,” Abel taunted, his Smith and Wesson trained on the scumbag Ryder had pointed out.
They were all scared shitless. I had half a mind to just open fire, but that could cause too many casualties on our end. Abel was right: we needed to outsmart them.
“Ryder, fucking do it!” the asshole yelled, glancing over his shoulder.
Ryder stayed frozen. This was his initiation. I couldn’t help but almost chuckle at the fuckery of it all. Of course the stupid-ass Sinners would make my kid’s initiation offing someone from my club.Man, they’re all going to feel like idiots within seconds.They were outnumbered by ten to one—first mistake. The second was all the damn hesitation. They should have just come into the damn place shooting, not holding anything back.
Dhonal started cackling. “Well, isn’t this just the most anticlimactic takeover in the history of gangs.”
Abel joined in with the laughter. “I couldn’t agree more with the damn mick.”
“Ryder, you fucking pussy!” The guy turned around, and Ryder pointed to his piece, which was level with his head.
“I think you’re the pussy here.” Ryder winked and cocked his head to the side. “Hey, Dad, told ya I would find the asshole that killed Rave.”
“You fucking traitor!”Famous last words.
Abel removed the ax from his sheath and swung hard right into the side of his leg. He wailed as he fell to the floor.
“Oh stop your griping—I could have decapitated you.” Abel spit on the Sinner as the rest froze and trembled.
Our guys moved in, forcing the Sinners to put their weapons down.
I heard the door slam behind me. Pivoting on my heels, I saw Raine’s rage-filled eyes lock onto the guy sprawled out on the floor.
Before I could stop her, she took aim and shot him right in the side of the head.
“Baby, no!” Abel yelled as he ran to his daughter’s side. She collapsed into his arms.
I jumped onto the bar top. “I should let my guys take each and every one of you out just for the principle of how terribly y’all fucked up today, but that’s too easy on you. Get the fuck out of here and tell your president he shouldn’t be sending boys to do men’s work.”
* * *
The threat had been neutralizedfor the time being. Once all the Sinners were heading down the road, we swept up the glass and threw the dead enemy into the back of a van to be dealt with late. We were in the middle of a memorial and come hell or high water, we were going to honor Rave’s memory.