Chapter 26
BEASTY
"I'm driving," Lake called over his shoulder as he jogged to our SUV.
"I'll lead." Books started to peel off toward his own car, but Atlas caught his arm.
"You're riding with us."
Books didn't fight him. Parker and Grey were already climbing in their own vehicle as their men jumped in their second SUV.
"We'll follow," Parker yelled.
Could this really be it?
I was afraid to let myself hope. Yet, fear crowded in knowing this could be another fight. Would we be so lucky to walk away without a scratch this time?
Shocking me out of my thoughts, Joaquin planted a hard kiss on my mouth before he winked and slid in the back row.
Not willing to be outdone, Atlas bent me backward and traced his tongue along my bottom lip before tangling it with mine until my toes curled.
When he steadied me on my feet, he smirked and took the spot next to Joaquin.
I blinked through the sensual haze as Kim used a soft hand to guide me into the middle seat.
Once he was buckled in next to me, he threaded his fingers through my hair, leaned in close, and brushed his mouth against mine in the lightest of touches.
Not an outrageously showy kiss like the others, but so sweet it burned.
“That’s enough of that, I think,” Books griped as he twisted from the front seat.
We laughed, and somehow my nerves settled down. I wasn’t surprised. These boys always frazzled me.
Wait. Had they done that on purpose?
Kim just smiled. Those shits, they had. And I loved them for it.
Lake started the car, checking the mirrors. In the back, Joaquin and Atlas had positioned themselves so they could watch the road behind us.
Books gripped his seatbelt in both hands as the SUV shot into drive. "The Christmas shop is owned by a lady named Tandy. She's not connected to the Pescis, as far as I can tell, but that has to be where they're at."
I thought of Desiree. How she and Rocco weren't really connected either, but that hadn't stopped the brothers from storming into their lives and demanding things that weren't theirs. Like money, food, and Desiree's body. Anger fizzled under my skin.
I wanted this to be over. Needed it. Yet as much as I knew the end was near, I wished we could barricade ourselves on a private island far away from here.
All it would take was one fucking dart and we'd be unable to defend ourselves. I didn’t want to think about what would happen with a well-placed bullet.
The closer Lake got to town, the harder I shook. So much for the medicine of kisses.
"Beasty, it’s going to be okay." Kim rubbed his face into the side of my neck.
"I'm scared," I whispered, closing my eyes.
When he released his next breath, it skated across my skin in a shuddering wave. "Me too." He slid a finger under my chin, turning my face to him. "But we have to do this."
There was almost a pleading in his eyes, as if he was begging me to understand.
I did. There was nothing I wouldn't do for these men. I'd dirty up my soul and rip it to shreds if it meant keeping us together. Any trauma that came afterward would be worth it.
Lake took a hard turn and I fell back into Kim’s chest. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, holding me tight, protecting me from bouncing against the door.
"What's the plan?" Kim gripped the back of Lake's seat with his other hand.
Lake scowled at the road. He wanted this over more than any of us. "We park a block away. We run in, and take out anyone who's a Pesci. If we're lucky, they'll have taken care of Gio and Adrian on their own." He tossed Books a look. "Any issues with that?"
Books was loading his own weapon, his hands trembling. "No. We know we're walking into enemy territory. Nothing to be ambushed by."
Because the day had gone to shit and we could expect attacks from every angle.
Lake nodded.
"What about the police?" The thought popped in my head, bringing a whole new bout of terror with it. I couldn't watch the boys go through another trial. The detective already had it out for them.
"After I left Ricosta’s, I found a trail of documents—information—that I'm pretty sure is the reason they've managed to get a partnership with the police in the first place." Lake found my gaze in the mirror.
"Me too." Books finished loading his gun and set it carefully on his lap. "But it wasn't hard. The police in this town are as corrupt as any I've ever come across."
Lake grunted.
The closer we got to town, the more an eerie feeling crept down the back of my neck. There were no cars passing us. No people on the streets. It was a ghost town.
"Park here." Books pointed to an empty spot on the street. I remembered it. We were just a few blocks from Main Street.
Instead of parallel parking like he was supposed to, Lake pulled right up on the curb and cut the SUV off. Grey and Parker did the same, stopping next to us with a jolt. Their other car, holding Jorge and some of their men, pulled up on the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street.
Cracking his window, Lake angled his head toward the gap. He didn’t need to. Distant gunfire rattled off like hail on a tin roof.
"Fuck." Lake was out of the car like a shot, slinging my door open, and leveling an indecipherable look on me. "What can we do to get you to stay here?"
"Nothing." I gave a slight shake of my head. "We need to stay together. Get this done once and for all."
Lake clenched his jaw as he went to the back, slinging the hatch open. As we came around the side, he had the bottom of the trunk up and was handing out bullet-proof vests and weapons. Lots of them. More than I thought they could have stuffed in such a small compartment.
My chest squeezed, yet I held out a hand.
He hesitated.
I knew why. I couldn’t pull the trigger before, and he didn’t want to put me in that position again. Knowing Lake, it was probably offensive to him that he couldn’t protect me from this. There wasn’t any way around it though, not if we wanted to be free of these people.
"I won't use it unless I have to. But I don't want to be separated from you guys. That means I need a weapon to protect myself." I glanced at the car and the deserted street. "Even if I agreed to stay here, I would need it to protect myself."
After a quick nod, Lake handed it over. I kept the gun pointed at the ground, pretending my heart wasn't racing as he turned to Parker and Grey.
Both men wore tactical vests with about four times more weapons and ammunition than we had.
It was sobering to see how comfortable they were.
Parker cheerfully slapped Lake on the back.
"Sounds like we're missing all the fun. Let's split up, and go around these two streets.
That should put the Christmas shop right in the center. "
"We'll take the right." Lake waved his hand for us to follow.
Everything was happening so fast, I was still reeling.
In a single file line, in the bright morning sun, we crept down the street. Joaquin was second, then me, Kim followed, and Atlas took up the end. I glanced around, watching for anything that looked like it would bite us.
Books rounded the corner behind Atlas, a severe frown on his face as he watched behind him. He was covering us.
The pressure in my chest eased just a little. He caught me looking and dipped his head. I wished I could be so casual about storming Gio and Donnie.
Sucking in a deep breath, I faced forward.
More shots were fired, and a woman screamed. My chest clenched.
"This isn't how I envisioned getting you on your knees." Gio.
Lake picked up to a jog, no longer taking care to be quiet. When he got to the corner, he stopped and raised a hand, then slowly glanced around the edge.
"I'm not on my fucking knees, you asshole." Donnie. I'd recognize that voice anywhere. How he’d made me uncomfortable at the club, how he’d set the boys on edge.
We all crowded behind Lake. He held out an arm as if to stop us, but I was too curious.
Too antsy to not be able to see what was happening.
If I couldn't see them, it meant we were seconds away from a fatal surprise attack.
But if I could, then I could prepare. Ridiculous, but it gave me peace of mind.
"Could have fooled me,” another voice said wryly. That was Adrian.
Inching around Joaquin, I wedged myself between Lake and the brick wall. He pinned me against it in warning. Or fearful protection.
Both Adrian and Gio stood in the center of the street, black pants and shirts with the same tactical gear as Parker and their guys. Adrian held some kind of military-grade weapon that required two hands.
I glanced down at the handgun in mine, and in all of our hands. Suddenly, our weapons didn't provide me with the sense of safety they had moments ago. Not when their weapons looked like they could fire off multiple rounds a second.
Images of my boys being peppered with bullets took control of my vision as a cold sweat broke out over my body. I squeezed my eyes shut to block it out.
I had to focus!
Donnie glared at Gio and Adrian like he wasn’t on his knees with blood smeared across his face. Even his hair was mussed, a direct contrast to their slick backs. His mouth twisted in a hateful scowl. "Listen here, you—"
Adrian slammed the butt of his weapon into Donnie's face. "I really hate to be insulted."
Donnie's head snapped back.
"For all you jackasses inside..." Gio yelled.
The street was empty except for Gio, Adrian, and Donnie.
If I thought coming into town was eerie, this street was post-apocalyptic.
Lights were on in businesses, yet there was no one in sight.
Abandoned cars in the middle of the street had their doors open as if the drivers had jumped out as soon as the shooting had started.
Gio fired off a shot toward what I assumed was the Christmas shop. Glass shattered and “Jingle Bells” rang out. "Are you listening?" he screamed, his eyes bulging and his face turning an alarming shade of burgundy.