Halley #3
All hell broke loose after that. Shots fired.
Bottles and chairs were smashed. Most importantly, there wasn’t a gun to my head anymore.
I crawled across the floor with my elbows, military style and squeezed myself between the jukebox and the wall.
Being short and skinny was good for something.
From there I instantly worried for Snakebite, for LuAnn, for everyone, but only for a bit. Too soon, there was silence again.
One more gun shot rang out before chaos ensued.
Dice heaved me out from behind the jukebox.
Judging by everyone, recovering, and the mess, I gathered Serpentine and others had showed up and run the Gods off. But why did Dice have another gun to my head?
A terrible wail came from the corner. My eyes found the blood, a red halo around little Betty and her mom, Viper, clinging to her lifeless body. I sputtered as rage and sadness filled me. Tears flowed hot down my cheeks. I blubbered loudly as I cried for her.
LuAnn whimpered, “Don’t do it. She doesn’t even know.”
At her words, somewhere it registered, he planned to shoot me dead. I dunked down, breaking away from the barrel of his gun and tried to run to LuAnn, but Dice caught me. He held onto me tighter this time. His gun stuck in my ribs now.
“A life for a life,” he grumbled out.
Serpentine calmly walked toward us.
Dice went on, “She’s trouble and you know it.”
Serpentine held up one hand and offered to take me with his other. “Hold your horses. If anyone is going to kill her, let me.”
Dice hesitated.
Disgusted with his disobedience, Serpentine bellowed out, “Betty was my blood. I’ll be the one to kill her.”
Dice handed me over with a shove.
The president of the Sons of Satan, bastard he was, pointing the gun at me was even scarier than Dice. Before someone could’ve come to my rescue. I figured Serpentine would’ve been the one.
“Wha…” I cried out, not getting out why or what.
The devil explained to everyone, after a big belly laugh, “Stupid little bitch, doesn’t know.”
Snakebite roared, “Do it, and I’ll kill you.”
Serpentine jerked, again, sick of defiance. “Where’s your gun, son?”
Snakebite raised his hand, unarmed. Without a command, two officers held him back from finding one.
“I swear, if you kill her…” Snakebite threatened his father, his voice stronger than ever.
“Muzzle him,” Serpentine commanded, like he was swatting a fly.”
LuAnn pleaded, “Don’t you dare. It’s not her fault. Diablo will roll over.”
Serpentine barked back, “I don’t give a fuck about Diablo anymore.
His Kathy meant nothing to me. Injun blood, nothing but trouble, anyhow.
It’s always the Gods, her brother beating down our door.
Could be the Ghosts next.” He bumped his gun against my skull a couple times, like he was knocking.
“You hear me, honey? That Injun breaking down my door and threatening to kill you. That was your brother. You are Halley.”
“Edmond,” I said automatically.
“Better known these days as Scar. Dumbass didn’t recognize you with your hair dyed whore blonde…
and you didn’t know… Your precious Daddy Diablo and I…
we killed your mama and papa. We’d have killed your brother, too, if we could’ve found him.
The only reason Diablo didn’t kill you, well, he was waiting to see how much like your mama you’d become if you catch my meaning. But now your time is up.”
My world shattered as I made sense of his words. I closed my eyes sure he’d pull the trigger, but the old man wavered, “Anyone opposed?” He was asking the officers now. “Anyone want a turn while she’s warm?”
At that point, LuAnn had had enough. She flew across the room and tackled me, knocking me away from certain death. Still, her frail body barely covered mine. “Don’t you dare,” she screamed, as she shielded me.
Serpentine threw up his hands. “What am I going to do? Dale wants blood as much as I do.”
“You’re the president. You have the power to do as you please.”
“It’s not that simple, woman.”
Viper spoke up from her dead child’s body. “Kill her, daddy. She’s the reason Snakebite won’t pledge.”
“Is that true, boy?”
The men ungagged Snakebite so he could answer. “Spare her, and I’ll pledge,” he said, desperation evident.
Serpentine lowered his gun a bit, like he was thinking about it.
Dice’ blood boiled. He fired in our direction, destroying the jukebox. He warned, “I’ll kill your old lady and the little bitch.”
LuAnn started crying, and I couldn’t help but join her.
Before you could blink, men were holding Dice back.
Serpentine held all the power. He asked his son, who’d been dropped to his knees, “I’ll have your full loyalty if I let Star live?”
“Yes, I promise,” he answered quick.
“You’ll do anything, from now on, be the son you should’ve been. Be my second. Fill my boots someday?”
“Yes, I swear.”
Snakebite pointed his finger. “If you challenge me boy, any man here has my permission to kill her.”
“I understand,” he said, his voice flat.
“Okay then. The girl lives until my boy goes against me.”
Snakebite had saved my life.
Dice grunted out, “What about your only daughter, your only granddaughter?”
“Boy’s worth more than a girl, any day. Besides you and Viper can try again. Get it right next time and have me a boy.”
“I’ll fucking kill you, old man.” Those were Dice’ final words as the bullet meant for me landed square in his chest.
When he fell, Viper’s wails renewed, but her Dad consoled her by saying, “That child wasn’t his no how, as you were sleeping with Big Mike of Big Mike’s Pies, and we all knew it.”
As LuAnn hugged me and kissed my cheek, the men proceeded to cut the snake like slit into Snakebite’s tongue, splitting it in two, making him an official prospect.
My world changed when I turned fifteen. There’d been a raid. The Asphalt Gods’ MC had come to rescue me. Snakebite’s promise had saved my life, but Serpentine would be damned if he’d let my life be worth living.
“I didn’t say she’d be living the high life,” he told Snakebite when he locked me into the rabbit hole, what they called the basement of the bar, for safe keeping.