Chapter Nine
Hatter
Two Days Later
The moment hung heavy, like the air before a storm. My gut churned, and my instincts sharpened. Trouble was coming, I could feel it in my fucking bones. From what Absolem had discovered by gaining access to Eddie’s emails and phone records, we believed he wouldn’t make a move for several more days.
I had a nine-millimeter on me at all times, with two extra clips in my pockets, but that was it. I didn’t like the idea of leaving our weapons in the main room, and yet… something told me it was a mistake to not have them closer.
A faint noise caught my attention. I cocked my head and listened and heard the telltale sign of someone trying to creep up to the front of the clubhouse.
“Everybody down!” I yelled, but it was too late. The clubhouse door burst open, and the front windows were smashed as Eddie’s goons stormed in, guns blazing. Why the hell had they made a move so fast? And how had we missed them coming?
“You’re all fucking dead!” shouted the man himself, hiding behind his little soldiers like the coward he was.
Panic erupted as thick as smoke, choking the room. My brothers scrambled for cover, grabbing anything they could use as a makeshift weapon. They turned over tables, shifted the couch away from the wall, and did their best to find places that didn’t leave them in the open. We’d been caught off guard, but we weren’t going down without a fight. As I thought about what Absolem had discovered in regard to Eddie’s plans, I had to wonder if someone had realized what we were up to and laid a false trail.
“Get the fuck out of here!” I heard one of my brothers shout, his voice laced with rage.
“Jo, get down!” I roared, spotting her near the bar, frozen in shock. My heart hammered in my chest, fear for her safety fueling my adrenaline. I needed to get to her!
“Fuck you, Hatter!” screamed one of Eddie’s men, spraying bullets wildly. Glass shattered, wood splintered, and chaos reigned. Blood painted the walls.
I had my own gun drawn and ready. The deafening sound of gunfire filled my ears, drowning out everything else. This was war, and I had no choice but to lead us through hell once more. I thought about my AR, which I’d left in my room. Hindsight was a bitch! I could have used the firepower right now.
I saw Tweedle stealthily move down the hall toward the back rooms. I hoped like fuck he was getting us more weapons. Cheshire was always carrying, and same for March. The others seemed to be mostly taking cover.
Tweedle came back with two duffle bags over his arm, opening fire on Eddie’s men. He tossed one bag to Absolem, and another to Knave. I didn’t have time to see if they distributed weapons to everyone. There was too much going on at once, and I needed to focus. My brothers could handle themselves, and I had no doubt Shake and his colleagues could as well. I’d have to put my faith in everyone.
But I’d thought Shake and his crew had taken care of fortifying the perimeter. They’d either done a shit job of it, or Eddie and his men were even better. I didn’t like that last thought. Not even a little. If a guy was going to play the role of a villain, I’d much rather he be a stupid one.
As I ducked behind a table, my thoughts raced. How many of Eddie’s men were there? Survival wasn’t just about firepower. It was about strategy. And right now, we were on the losing side, all because they’d blindsided us.
“Stay down, Jo!” I shouted again, watching helplessly as she tried to crawl toward safety. An enemy appeared from the shadows, aiming his gun at her. Rage surged through me, making my vision blur.
“Leave her alone, you fuck!” I roared, launching myself across the room toward the man. My fist connected with his jaw, followed by a swift kick to his gut. His gun clattered to the floor.
“Jo, run!” I yelled, my voice hoarse and desperate. She nodded, her eyes wide with terror, and sprinted away.
I picked up the asshole’s gun and unloaded the clip into him. Blood pooled under his body as his lifeless eyes stared up at the ceiling. I felt a bullet whiz past my head, and I turned, taking aim at another of Eddie’s men.
“Got your back, Hatter!” I heard one of my brothers shout as he took out another one of Eddie’s goons, one I’d missed who’d been aiming at me. The battle raged on, each side fighting with the ferocity of cornered animals.
“Die, motherfuckers!” screamed another of Eddie’s men, unloading his weapon in our direction. Bullets flew past, missing us by inches. We were lucky, but luck was a fickle bitch. It could change at any moment.
“Keep firing!” I ordered, my own gun blazing as I took down another enemy. I didn’t know about the others, but I was nearly out of ammo. I had one more clip in my pocket, and then I’d be fucked. “We can’t let them win!”
But even as we fought, I knew the odds were stacked against us. They’d come prepared, and we were vulnerable. As much as I hated to admit it, escaping alive might be our only option.
Right when I was about to give the order to abandon the clubhouse and fall back, I saw Eddie slip away. I didn’t know why he’d leave. It didn’t look like his side was losing. What else would make him dart out of here? Unless… I scanned the room. Where the hell was Jo? Had he run around back to try and sneak in to take her? Or had he simply gotten scared?
My heart pounded like a jackhammer, threatening to break through my ribcage.
“Shake, get your men behind cover!” I barked, my voice barely audible over the deafening sound of gunfire.
“Copy that, Hatter,” Shake replied, his eyes locked onto mine for a split second before he sprang into action, rallying his crew.
“Fucking hell,” one of my brothers muttered, ducking as a bullet shattered the window behind him. Splinters of glass rained down like deadly confetti. “That was too fucking close.”
“Stay sharp!” I growled, firing back at Eddie’s men.
My mind raced, trying to keep up with the chaos unfolding around us. Our clubhouse had become a war zone, every corner filled with the sounds of destruction and desperation. Bullets tore through the walls, reducing tables and chairs to splinters.
“Rabbit, cover the front door!” I shouted, catching sight of another wave of attackers pouring inside. “Mock, help Shake’s guys hold the line!”
“Got it, Hatter!” Rabbit yelled back, taking position near the entrance. His fingers flew over the trigger, each shot precise and deadly.
“Son of a bitch!” Mock cursed, narrowly dodging a hailstorm of bullets as he scrambled toward Shake and his men. “They just keep coming! How many of these assholes are there?”
I clenched my teeth, frustration boiling inside me like molten lava. This wasn’t just a random attack -- Eddie had planned this, knowing our weaknesses and exploiting them ruthlessly. But I’d be damned if I let him win.
“Keep pushing them back!” I roared, my voice raw with determination. “We’ve got this! Don’t let up!”
I tried searching for Jo again, but still didn’t see her. Worry ate at me, but I couldn’t run off and find her. I had to hope she was hiding and safe.
Bullets screamed past me, each one carrying the promise of death and destruction. And as I fought alongside my brothers, my veins coursing with adrenaline, I knew one thing for certain: we wouldn’t go down easy.
I finally caught sight of Jo pinned in a corner. Time slowed as I watched one of Eddie’s bastards raise his gun, taking aim at her fragile form. She was trapped, fear etched onto her bruised face. Fuck. No.
“Jo!” I hollered, rage boiling inside me. Every muscle in my body tensed, ready to strike. I charged forward like a wild beast, shoving aside the debris and broken furniture that littered the floor.
“Get away from her!” I growled, my voice a guttural snarl. I moved with predatory grace, my training kicking in as I closed the distance between us. A bullet whizzed past my ear, close enough to feel the heat, but I never wavered. Jo was in danger -- that was all that mattered.
“Hey, asshole!” I roared, lunging forward with brutal force. My fist connected with the thug’s jaw. He staggered back, stunned, and I seized the opportunity to wrench the gun from his grip.
“Back off!” I barked, leveling the weapon at him. He raised his hands in surrender, but the fury coursing through me wouldn’t be quelled so easily. I swung my leg, connecting with his kneecap, and he crumpled to the ground with a bone-chilling scream. I knew without looking I’d shattered it.
“You okay?” I asked. She nodded, tears streaming down her face, and I pulled her close, sheltering her with my body. “Stay behind me. We’re gonna get out of this.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, clutching at my arm. The desperation in her voice fueled my resolve, reminding me why I’d fight to the death for her, for all of us.
“Take this,” I said, pressing a spare gun into her trembling hands. “Just in case. Safety is off, so be careful. All you have to do is point and shoot.”
“Okay,” she replied, determination flickering in her eyes.
The battle raged on around us, its intensity escalating as Eddie’s men began to fall, one by one. Each gunshot echoed through the clubhouse, punctuated by anguished cries and the crunch of shattering wood. It was hell on earth, but we’d be damned if we didn’t fight back with everything we had.
“Cheshire, Rabbit, flank them!” I yelled, taking charge once more.
“March, Absolem, take the left side! Knave, you’re with me!” I barked out orders, knowing our familiarity with the clubhouse would give us an edge. We had to stay alive, protect each other at all costs.
“Copy that, Hatter!” March’s gravelly voice rang out as he and Absolem moved into position, guns blazing.
“Cheshire, Rabbit, keep them pinned down!” I felt a primal rage surge through me. My hands gripped my gun tightly, knuckles white as I prepared to unleash hell on these bastards.
“Got it, boss!” Cheshire called back, his grin never faltering even in the face of certain death. His finger pulled the trigger with deadly precision.
“Stay sharp, everyone!” I focused on my breathing, tried to steady my shaking hands. This was far from my first fight, but the stakes had never been higher.
“Damn it!” Knave cursed as a bullet nicked his ear. He fired back with ruthless efficiency, his eyes narrowing as he tracked his target.
“Watch your six, Rabbit!” I cried out, seeing one of Eddie’s men creeping up behind him. Rabbit spun around just in time, his gun barking in response, and a spray of red painted the wall behind the attacker.
“Thanks, Hatter!” Rabbit called out, relief etched across his face. “That was too close.”
“Can’t hold them off much longer!” Cheshire yelled, his voice strained as he continued to lay down suppressing fire.
“Stay strong!” I bellowed, my eyes darting from brother to brother, assessing their condition. “We fight together, we survive together!”
“Damn right!” Knave’s gaze never leaving his target.
“Let’s show these fuckers what the Underland MC is made of!” Rabbit shouted, defiance in his voice. It was the least anxious I’d seen him in a while. Sometimes, a fight would make his anxiety worse. Other times, it seemed to let him relieve the pressure building inside him, leaving him calm afterward.
“Bring it on!” March roared in agreement.
“Fight to the end!” Absolem added, his calm demeanor unshaken even in the midst of chaos.
“Let’s finish this!” I shouted.
Blood and sweat dripped from my brow as the firefight raged on. But in a split second, that rage was punctured by three sharp cries of pain. Shake and two of his men were hit. My heart pounded in my chest, blood roaring in my ears. I glanced over to find them clutching their injuries.
“Shake, hang in there, man!”
“Fuck… It isn’t fatal,” he said through gritted teeth, gripping his shoulder where blood seeped between his fingers.
“Rabbit, Knave! Cover me!” I ordered, my voice hoarse from shouting. I sprinted across the room, Jo still hanging onto me, as bullets zipped past us. I reached Shake and his men, assessing their wounds. One of his guys had taken a bullet to the thigh, another in his side -- both bleeding heavily but still conscious.
“Stay with me, boys,” I urged them, pressing makeshift bandages against their wounds to stem the flow of blood. “We’re not losing anyone today.”
“Damn right,” Shake rasped, his eyes locked onto mine with fierce determination. “Eddie’s going to pay for this.”
“Fucking coward,” one of his injured men spat, bracing himself against the pain.
“Bastard slunk away already,” I said.
My brothers took down two more of Eddie’s men, then the rest turned tail and ran. “Let them go for now. We have wounded to tend to.”
The silence was nearly deafening. Every window within sight had been shattered. Bullet holes decorated the walls. Every piece of furniture would have to be replaced. But at least we were all still alive.
“Any ideas where he might’ve gone?” Knave asked, eyeing me carefully.
“His operation’s got to have a base somewhere nearby. We find that, we find him,” I replied, my gaze flicking between each of my brothers. Their expressions mirrored my own -- determined, unyielding. We were ready for whatever came next.
“All right, then,” March said, nodding in agreement. “Let’s get everyone back on their feet and hunt that son of a bitch down.”
“The rat… I saw him,” I muttered. “It was Teddy. Fucker escaped with the others.”
Teddy? Of all the damn people… He wasn’t one of us, but we’d allowed him to get close. Had even considered him a friend. It never occurred to me he’d picked up enough things to leak intel on our club. It seemed we’d been sloppy.
“Shit,” March mumbled, running a hand over his head. “We’ll get him.”
The tension hung heavy over us as we prepared for the next phase of our war against Eddie and his men. We were battered, bruised, but not broken. And as long as we had each other, we’d keep fighting -- until we drew our last breaths or finally brought that sadistic bastard to his knees.
Jo clung to me like a lifeline, her body trembling as she surveyed the devastation. I could see the fear in her eyes, but also iron-clad determination -- she was a fighter.
“Are you okay?” I asked, keeping my voice low so only she could hear.
“I’m fine,” she whispered. But her pale face told me otherwise. Her body was shaking in shock, and there was a haunted look in her eyes that made my blood run cold.
“We’ll get him,” I promised, squeezing her hand reassuringly. Her grip tightened momentarily before relaxing. “You’re safe.”
But I knew that was far from the truth right now. Eddie was still out there, and he’d proven he could hurt us. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but it didn’t mean we were going to give up.
“We’ve got a score to settle with Teddy and Eddie,” Knave said harshly, his gaze as cold as ice. I merely nodded in agreement.
Cheshire snickered. “All right, Dr. Seuss.”
Knave flipped him off.
In that moment, I vowed to bring Eddie down no matter what the cost. For Jo, for my brothers, and for our club. We were the Underland MC, and we wouldn’t be bullied into submission.
I lifted Jo into my arms and carried her down the hall. The main part of the clubhouse might be trashed, but it looked like the bedrooms were intact.
“Get some rest,” I told Jo as I laid her down on the bed in her room. “We’ll be right here. Just call out if you need me.”
I pressed a kiss to her forehead and walked out so I could help those who were injured and confer with everyone. We needed a plan. A better one than before.