27. Rook
ROOK
I see Ace go down, a bullet hole tearing into the back of his cut.
I turn, spotting the man who’s just shot him.
He widens his eyes, as though he’s realized he’s just made a terrible mistake, and dives back behind the huge container he’s been hiding behind, but not before I manage to get a bullet in his shoulder.
A scream sounds, and then Camile sprints over to Ace, her hair flying, her arms pumping.
Ghost, who’s been weirdly nonchalant until now, takes off after her.
She shouldn’t have left the car. I shout her name, but she doesn’t even look at me, She’s focused entirely on Ace on the ground.
Her face is white, her dark eyes filled with terror.
“Ace, oh, God, Ace!”
Still lying on the ground, Ace lets out a groan and rolls onto his back.
“Holy shit, that hurt. Good thing we all decided to wear these body armor things.” He grins up at us.
Camile bursts out laughing, which then turns into a sob as she hits the ground, her knees surely hurting with the impact.
“Goddamn it, Ace.” She berates him as she bends over him, crying into his chest.
Our men are slowly gathering around us
I bark out an order. “Secure this area.”
We are sitting ducks out here for any stragglers remaining from Hector’s little gang. I don’t know how many got on that plane. There are some bodies strewn around, but I haven’t exactly done a headcount.
Four of the club members do as I say and, with weapons raised, scout the area.
“Fuck me, Ghost. I assume that was down to you.” Ace speaks over Camile’s shoulder, from where he’s still on his back on the ground, Camile sniffling into his cut.
Ghost shrugs as though it was nothing. “They made the mistake of taking their eye off me.”
Ace chuckles and stroke’s Camile’s hair. “Come on, Princess. Let me up. I’m okay.” He gently moves her off him and sits, shaking his head. “I’d really hate to know how that feels without a vest.”
Camile pushes to her feet, holds her hand out to Ace, and helps him up. “You are in so much trouble for scaring me like that.” She pouts.
Ace barks out a laugh. “Princess, you have no idea. Your stunt tonight, demanding you stayed until you saw Hector dead? Oh, boy, when I tell Jack.”
“Why?” she demands. “What was wrong with that?”
“I can’t focus on the gunfight when I’m freaking out about you still being in harm’s way.” He points out what should be obvious.
“Oh.” Her face falls a little.
“Yeah.” Ace nudges her gently. “Don’t worry. I’ll enjoy thinking of an appropriate punishment.”
Ghost is rubbing his arms where they were bound.
Camile springs from Ace’s side and runs up to him, and as if no one else is here, she throws her arms around him and kisses him.
Not a soft kiss, no, she kisses him like she’s auditioning for a passionate role in a sexy movie.
It is intense and involves lots of tongue, from what I can see.
Damn, Ghost is a lucky man. For someone so stoic, I half expect him to gently push her away, but he doesn’t. He pulls her into him and wraps his arms around her as he groans into her mouth.
Phoenix clears his throat as though to remind the pair of them that they have an audience. Ghost and Camile pull apart, and she places her hand to his cheek.
“I’m so happy you’re okay.”
He gives a rare smile. “Same.”
I turn to him. “What did you do to the plane?”
“A little bit of airplane maintenance with a razor blade, is all.”
“Fucking hell. You beautiful bastard.” Ace nudges Camile out of the way, grabs Ghost by his face, and kisses him loudly with an exaggerated smack on the lips.
Ghost rubs at his mouth with his hand and frowns. “Gross. Cut it out.”
Ace only laughs and throws me a wink, and I wonder if he’s thinking about what happened during the hazing, which is what I happen to be thinking about now.
“Area is secure.” One of our men approaches, glancing from me to Ace. “Now what?”
“Was Shelley’s sister on that plane?” Camile asks, her voice sad.
Ghost’s eyebrows shoot up his forehead. “Shelley’s sister? Fuck. Is that who she is?”
“Yeah,” Ace says, blowing out a breath. “Her name is Megan. It’s a long story and one we’ll tell you once we’re back at the compound.”
“I thought I recognized her but couldn’t place it. It must be because she reminded me of Shelley.”
“Yes,” Camile interjects, “but is she still alive or was she on that plane?”
“I’m hoping not.” Ghost gives a grim smile. “The last time I saw her, she was in the bathroom in the hangar.”
“Please, can we go and see? She must be so frightened.”
Ghost takes Camile’s hand. “Seeing another female face might be good for her, assuming she’s still there.”
“I’ll come with you,” Phoenix offers. “I still can’t believe those fuckers brought poor Shelley and her sister into this. Like they haven’t been through enough.” He shakes his head in dismay.
They leave us to cross the runway and enter the hangar. I really hope Shelley’s sister is safe and they’re not about to find an empty bathroom. I’m sure none of us wants to return to the compound with that news.
A couple of guys jog up to me, distracting my thoughts. “How’s it looking?” I ask.
They nod. “Coast is totally clear now, Rook.”
The men talk to me as if I’ve got the same status as Ace. I don’t. I’m still a rookie. And hell, Jack might still decide not to patch me in, but I think that’s unlikely. At least, I hope so.
I glance toward the hangar to see Phoenix, Ghost, and Camile helping a woman out of the dark building into the night.
She looks worse for wear, and I immediately feel a massive surge of anger at the men here and what they might have done to her.
Her dress is ripped, and she holds it together over her bra with one hand.
When they near, Phoenix slows to take his cut off, then pulls his t-shirt over his head, leaving him bare-chested.
“Here, put this t-shirt on.” He hands it to her before pulling his cut back over his shoulders.
She smiles up at him weakly and pulls the top over her head, covering her torn dress and exposed bra.
“You ride in the car, Megan.” Camile gestures to the vehicle. “I’ll be right behind you on one of the bikes.”
“Won’t you stay with me? Please?” Megan asks in a shaking voice.
Camile glances at me and Ace, and we give her a quick nod each.
“Okay, if you’d feel better that way.” Camile smiles at her.
Ghost grimaces. “I’ll take the car, too. I’m far too fucked to ride a bike, even on the back.”
“We’ll get you patched up when we get you back.” Camile looks at his face and winces. “I’m sorry. I bet it hurt when I kissed you.”
“Darling,” Ghost drawls, “don’t you ever apologize for kissing me. Now, come on, let’s get the fuck out of here.”
Ace orders a group of men to start a cleanup operation. The pig farm is going to get some more food this week.
“Fuck, what about Jarrod?” I suddenly ask.
I think he got hit, but I haven’t checked he’s definitely dead.
Ace glances back at the bodies. “He got shot. You might want to check he’s not breathing, though.”
“We checked,” Cash says. “No one is breathing from their side.”
Still, I want to see for myself. That fucker got everything he deserved. Ace points to a form face down on the ground.
“That’s him.” He laughs. “Dumb fuck should have stayed down, but he stood up and tried to run for it and took two bullets for his troubles.”
I stride over and roll him onto his back. I stare into his unseeing eyes. With disgust, I spit on him, kick him, and walk away.
With a determination to put all the terrible shit behind me, I join Camile and Ace and the people who are now my family.