Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Fang
Wind whips through my hair. The engine roaring like an angry tiger chasing its prey.
After I told my brothers about Snake and Winter, they swore to eliminate the rest of the Hollow Bones.
Whether they would have agreed to it or not, I damn sure would have taken them out on my own just for daring to touch what’s mine.
White knuckling the handlebars, I zoom through the streets.
Every mile is time wasted getting Winter back.
Each second in their clutches means another second they can torture her.
No telling what she’s already endured. I should have never let her leave that clubhouse.
She would have been safer behind our walls.
Headlights shine in my mirrors. Our steel horses, and Dawg’s van, are storming the streets. The Iron Devils are coming in like a tsunami. The Hollow Bones have woken the demon and we’re coming to collect. No stone will be left unturned. Every one of their members will meet their maker.
Winter better be unharmed, or they will burn under my wrath. The rage running through my veins is venomous, deadly. I’m out for blood.
Thoughts of Winter scared and alone force me to up the speed.
She doesn’t deserve the hand she’s been dealt.
All because of me. Because I was selfish enough to take her home with me.
If I had left well enough alone, she would be happily living her life.
Writing some romance novel with cheesy ass men that fall in love too easily.
Being in Hollow Bones territory has my skin itchy. For all we know, they could have men in the shadows, ready to take us out. “Hold on, Winter, I’m coming.”
In this moment, every dark thought comes to mind. The torture Winter could be experiencing. How she must hate me for getting her mixed up in my shit. Winter’s death at the hands of the Hollow Bones. Yet another person taken from me by those snaky little bastards.
My throat threatens to close up just thinking about her demise.
The hairs on my arms rise. These are thoughts I need to push down.
They will only distract me from forming a plan.
Let’s face it, after that phone call, we made a mad dash from the buffer zone to rescue Winter.
Planning was the furthest thing from our minds.
Our two-lane road narrows to a single lane.
Everyone falls into formation behind Sinner and me.
Normally Wolf would have my position, but I took the lead without asking or waiting for our leaders.
Sinner was quick to catch up to me and thankfully did not send me to my rightful spot.
Wolf took up behind me, allowing me to take charge of our mission to rescue my girl.
Up ahead is a tunnel. We slow our speed as we wind through the darkened passage. Our engines like freight trains in the small space. Before long the tunnel ends, and the road opens back up to two lanes.
Sinner speeds ahead of me. After I got the news about Winter, my uncle sent out an SOS text seeking information on the whereabouts of the Hollow Bones clubhouse.
When we stopped to top off our gas tanks, we got the location.
It came in pieces from four different sources.
Once source being our Houston chapter. Now, here we are on the outskirts of Dallas.
According to one source, we’re looking for an old run-down warehouse in a junkyard. Seems about right for those guys. None of them take pride in anything other than sex and cheap booze.
Taking a left, we enter the side of town where houses are missing paint, and roofs have tarps covering large portions to keep rain out. Some residences have broken down cars littering the front lawns. Others have grass so tall, there’s no telling what critters are lurking around.
When the paved road transitions to dirt, we throttle down to a crawl. This is an area we haven’t been in before. No idea what’s out here, or if we’re even in the right place. Houses are far and few between now. The further we ride, the fewer the houses.
The road curves and it appears that this area is completely deserted. Dead crops are rotting away on either side of the road. This is the kind of place the Hollow Bones would enjoy. Quiet enough to torture and kill without drawing attention.
In the distance I can make out what appears to be a junkyard. The property is surrounded by chain-link fencing. By the looks of it, I would say this is the place. Lifting my hand, I signal the others to stop. Flashing my lights, I gain Sinner’s attention.
As one, we pull over on the side of the road. Sinner nods toward the makeshift clubhouse. “I reckon this is the place.” All eyes turn to our president as we await his instructions. My legs bounce with the need to get to Winter. “Fang, you got a plan?”
Ramon is leaning against the van, staring at me. A Glock in each hand, waiting for his orders. I take a deep breath. This plan has to go off without a hitch. One hiccup could cause Winter her life.
If she isn’t dead already.
I shake off that thought. There is no room for that kind of thinking.
“Wolf and Hitch, y’all go in from the west.” The two of them nod, attaching silencers to their weapons. “Sinner, Rage, and Zeke, y’all get the east.”
“Copy,” Sinner says.
“Dash, Haze, and Zero, march through the front doors.” Normally, we don’t get prospects involved in these missions. Not on the front lines anyway. But today is a special occasion. “Dawg, you and Ramon are with me.”
Dawg’s eyes light up. “Yeah? I’m armoring up?”
“You’re armoring up.” Meeting Ramon’s gaze, I say, “We’re sneaking in through the back. Kill anyone in the way, but otherwise our mission is to locate Winter. Once she’s found, you’re free to unload bullets on every member of the Hollow Bones.”
Everyone splits into their groups and begins the trek to the warehouse. All is quiet. Almost eerily quiet. Like they know we’re coming. As we get near the large building, I survey the area. Looking for anyone lurking in the shadows of abandoned vehicles or keeping guard on the rooftop.
So far, the coast is clear.
Reaching the back of the building, I notice one of the loading dock doors is wide open. This is not something that would strike me as odd if there were people milling about. As I scan the place, all I see is one large open area, apart from a door to the left. The sleeping quarters, I presume.
There is no trace of our enemy anywhere.
Sinner comes out of the only room in this joint. “All clear. Beds are empty.”
Beds are empty. Damn. Where are they? I thought this was supposed to be their compound. No club member in their right mind would leave their home vulnerable. Not unless they knew we were on our way and went into hiding.
Ramon with his expert training, immediately starts searching the place. Looking in places that no human would be hiding in. Which makes me wonder what the hell he’s looking for. An icy chill runs through my bones.
A clubhouse void of members.
Ramon on the hunt for—
Then “Run!” Ramon motions for us to move. At first, I’m confused, until it dawns on me. The places he was searching, it wasn’t for a human. It was for a device. A bomb.
Shit.
I sprint as fast as my feet will carry me and don’t look back. All around me, footsteps pound the earth. Everyone running for their lives. Ramon with his injured leg is keeping pace with me. We are nearing the road when the explosion bursts my eardrums, and hot waves shove me to the ground.
The ringing in my ears leaves me temporarily deaf.
Beside me, Ramon pushes himself off the ground.
Fear swims in my gut. This is worse than the time I lost my father.
Worse than losing my twin. The unknown where Winter is concerned is weighing me down like iron shackles pulling me to the bottom of the ocean.
Pushing myself to my feet, I offer Sinner a hand.
He stands and immediately starts looking around.
Doing his duty and counting heads to make sure everyone is accounted for.
People talk around me, but it’s nothing more than marbled voices to my ears.
Plunging my fingers in my ear canals, I shake them in hopes of clearing the fog.
Not sure it helps. Voices still aren’t clear.
One thing does ring clear, the way Sinner takes off running toward the burning building. That is the action of a man on a mission to save one of his own. I can feel the color drain from my face as I glance around at my brothers.
Rage, Zeke, Dash, Hitch, Wolf, Ramon, Haze, Zero.
Oh, shit. Dawg is missing. Wolf realizes this at the same time and runs alongside me. By the time we reach the building, Sinner is dragging a severely burned Dawg away from the flames licking skyward.
I skid to a stop when I see his face. An ear is missing and the skin on his face is like wet pudding slipping away from muscle and bone.
Death is no stranger to me. I’ve been around it my whole life, but this.
This is grotesque. The man we were planning to patch in next month is not recognizable. Just a shell of a man.
Dawg is gone.
He’s gone and it’s my fault. I was in charge of this mission, and I let a prospect go into battle knowing that lives could be lost. How am I going to look his mother in the eye and tell her that her only boy is gone? Dead. Never coming back.