Chapter 14 Gage
“Fuck, you’re a heavy bastard.”
I groan as I feel my body being dragged. My head is fucking pounding. What the hell is happening?
“Gage, wake the fuck up. Letty needs you.”
I hear Bullseye’s voice, but I can’t seem to open my eyes.
“Fuck, cuz. You’re scaring the shit outta me.”
I feel a slap on my face. It stings, but not much.
Somewhere close, I hear a scream. It’s Letty!
My body is weak as I struggle to open my eyes. When I blink, I see the sky above me. Are we still at the beach?
“Fuck. Those bastards hit you fucking hard.”
It hurts my head to turn it, but I do, looking up at my cousin. “Bullseye?”
“You girl is in trouble. You’ve got to get the fuck up so we can help her!”
My head is still throbbing, and my thoughts are sluggish. It’s like I’m trying to wade through a brain filled with thick mud.
“Liam and Theo have Letty, Gage. Get. Up!”
As he says the words, everything rushes back. My brain catches up, and I shove to my feet, stumbling as I crash into Bullseye. Somehow, he keeps us both upright.
“Where’s your gun?”
“Saddlebags,” I manage to answer. My words sound almost slurred.
“I’ll get it. Stay here.”
I lean against the side of the house. Every second that passes, I become more aware, clarity returning as I remember being whacked on the back of the head after I left the beach with Letty.
Fuck!
Bullseye comes back as I stand straight. He thrusts my gun into my hand and pulls his from inside his cut. We move together, rounding the house as I smell smoke. The fucking house is on fire.
I don’t know why I notice it now and not earlier, but I’m aware of everything now—the raised voices. Cynthia crying. Letty’s scream.
I don’t hesitate to rush up the stairs of the deck and toward the kitchen. With my gun pointed outward, I run into the house. I’m not prepared for what I see.
Cynthia is bleeding from two wounds, one on her head and another in her stomach. She’s slumped over. I can’t tell if she’s breathing.
But Liam has his hands on Letty. She’s naked, tied backwards to a chair, and I see what he’s about to do. Rage fills my body with adrenaline as I roar, “Get the fuck away from her!”
He doesn’t get a chance to shove his dick into her. I fire my weapon and hit him in the thigh. I’m too afraid to shoot anywhere else and chance the bullet hitting Letty, too. He falls into Letty before crashing to the floor.
Chaos erupts as Theo pulls out a gun and shoots in my direction. He doesn’t hit Bullseye or me. I know he’s a terrible shot. It’s not improved in the years since I’ve seen him.
Bullseye slams into Theo, and they both go down. I know my cousin can handle himself, so I don’t hesitate to rush toward Letty. She’s shaking, mumbling to herself about the beach, sand, and being in heaven.
What the fuck did they do to her?
When she turns her head, I finally see her face. It fucking guts me. She’s hurt. Liam and Theo fucking hit her!
Fury boils beneath my skin. I’ll fucking kill both of them for this. It’s the last fucking straw.
I kick Liam away from the chair so I can untie my woman. He’s not moving, so he’s no immediate threat. At least, I think so until I feel something stab into my leg.
I look down, snarling as I catch the blade he stuck into my calf. Motherfucker! Pain radiates from the wound, but I don’t have time for this shit.
Without mercy, I lift my gun and aim at Liam’s head. Right as I’m about to shoot, he throws his body into my stomach. We’re both knocked off balance. I tumble to the ground, and my gun scatters across the floor. The knife is yanked from my calf as I feel blood trickling down my ankle.
Fuck!
Liam punches the side of my head. The force knocks it back against the floor, and I see stars. He’s faster than I give him credit for, but he won’t be breathing long enough to inflict more damage.
I see the knife and lunge for it, wrapping my hand around the handle as Liam comes at me again. There’s only one way this ends. I stab him in the chest as we collide. The blade goes deep. It’s not a fatal wound, but it will be when I stab him again.
We roll as he tries to fight me off, but I plunge the knife into his body three more times until I know he won’t come after Letty or me again.
A pitiful cry leaves his lips. “Theo!”
Theo and Bullseye are locked in a brutal tug-of-war over one of the guns. The other is a short distance away. They don’t see me lunging for it as Theo turns his head and sees Liam bleeding out.
“No!” Theo shouts and shoves away from Bullseye.
My cousin doesn’t appear to be wounded, but he does look pissed.
Theo drops to his knees beside Liam. I can hear the death rattle in his lungs. I know my half-brother is dying, and I don’t give a fuck. He deserves far worse.
Letty is crying. She struggles to untie the last of the rope, and I run to her, covering her with my body. She’s shaking so hard that she can’t speak.
“I got you, baby. It’s okay now. I’m here.” I tug off the rest of the rope and tug her into my chest.
Her fingers clench my shirt, and I wrap my cut around her, glancing for her clothes, or what’s left of them. The bra and shirt are in tatters. But her underwear and shorts appear to be fine.
“Give me just a second, baby.”
I grab the clothes and dress her lower half. At least her private areas are covered now. Shrugging off my cut, I set it aside while I rip off my shirt. I slip it over her head, ensuring she’s covered. Then I pick up my cut and slide my arms through the holes, placing it back on.
There’s a howl of fury, and I turn my head, catching Theo as he pushes away from Liam’s body. He lifts his gun and aims at Letty. I don’t have a chance to stop him or move.
Two shots fire.
One comes from Bullseye’s gun. The other is from Brekker’s. My cousin’s bullet hits Theo’s chest, but it’s the marshal’s bullet that pierces Theo’s brain.
I didn’t expect that.
Brekker stands in the doorway, legs braced a short distance apart. He looks agitated as Theo falls, his body dead before he collapses on Liam.
Fucking hell.
“This is a goddamn nightmare.” Brekker scrubs a hand over his face before holstering his weapon. “The house is about to collapse. Get out. Now!”
I pick up Letty, wrap her legs around my waist, and run toward the open sliding doors.
“Mom!”
Letty’s cry almost makes me stumble, but Bullseye grabs Cynthia’s chair and hoists it up, carrying it as he follows us. He’s a fucking beast.
We make it out of the house without further injury.
Brekker’s gaze roams over Letty. “You okay?”
She shakes her head.
“Fuck,” he responds. “I’ll get the paramedics to look you over.”
My gaze follows him as he rushes toward the stairs and out of the yard. I spot a fire truck and ambulance. Black smoke billows into the sky as firefighters point a hose at the upper level of the house. The same room I slept in with Letty is ablaze. Everything in it is gone.
My heart aches for Letty and Cynthia. They’ve lost almost everything. It seems unfair after having to leave everything behind in Summit Hill. They have to start over again.
Bullseye follows me as we carry the women to safety. Rescue personnel surround us. Cynthia is unconscious. She’s lost a lot of blood. They untie her from the chair and place her on a gurney.
Letty reaches out to her, but can’t follow. Paramedics take her from me and place her on a stretcher. My jaw clenches as I see the bruised skin on her face, the swollen eye and cheekbone, and the split lip. She took a beating.
I should have been there to prevent it.
Liam and Theo used her to get to me. They planned this shit. It turned out to be a deadly mistake.
But I can’t take all the credit. Neither can Bullseye.
It’s Brekker who brought help and fired the shot that saved my life, probably Letty’s too.
I reach for Letty’s hand and hold it, following along as they roll her toward the back of the ambulance. I have to release it when they push her inside. No one says a word as I hop in beside her and take a seat.
She tethers our fingers, wincing as an IV is inserted into her arm. My brave girl stares at me. Fierce love, enough to bring me to my knees if I were standing, staggers me. I don’t deserve it, but I’ll never let her go.
A throat clears, and I turn to see Brekker. He grips one of the back doors, and I can tell he’s a bit shaken. My guess? He feels guilty for not arriving sooner. He should.
Letty should never have been hurt on his watch.
He sees the accusation in my eyes and nods. He knows I’m right.
“Is my mom okay?”
Brekker’s jaw clenches as he looks at her face, cataloging every bruise and injury. He has to live with it. “I think she will be. A trauma and surgery team is standing by. They’ll do everything they can to save her.”
Letty sniffles. “Thank you.”
Brekker sighs. “I should have been there sooner, Leticia. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Daniel.”
He blinks like he’s not used to her saying his first name.
“Make it right. Theo and Liam are the criminals, not Gage, Bullseye, or the Vipers. Clear them. They should be left alone after this.”
She doesn’t realize it, but Letty just returned the favor she owed Storm and the club.
“Done,” Brekker agrees. He pushes off the door as the paramedic tells him we need to leave and head to the hospital. “Take care, Letty.” He nods at the paramedic. “Get him checked out, too.”
I forgot my calf is sliced open, and I’m still bleeding. The wound on my head isn’t, but it’s still achy. I’m not worried. I’ll be fine.
The doors shut, and Brekker smacks the outside, letting the paramedic know we’re good. The ambulance begins to move as we drive away from the curb and head to the closest hospital.
My gaze returns to Letty and falls on her face. I hate that she’s in pain. It makes me feel like I failed her.
“Hey, I’m going to be fine. Just a few bruises.”
The paramedic snorts.
It doesn’t make me feel better. “Don’t lie to me, beautiful.”
“It doesn’t hurt that bad.”
“Little liar,” I softly contradict. “My heathen princess.”
“My stepbrother biker.”
The paramedic jolts. Yeah, we shocked her.
“I love you, Leticia Marie Jacobs.” I say it with every bit of love that I carry in my heart.
“I know. You’re going to fuck me later and prove it.”
Goddamn, she’s perfect.
The paramedic gasps but doesn’t look either of us in the eye. She can’t be that shocked. I’m sure she’s seen and heard a lot worse.
“Marry me.”
Letty smiles. “Ask me later.”
Oh, she’s a vixen. “I will.” When my cock is buried deep in her pussy, I’ll pull out the ring I bought four years ago and slip it on her finger, then I’ll fuck her as she says yes.