Defining Darkness (Royal Bastards MC Tampa Chapter Book 1) Page 19

  Anarchy breaks out around me with men everywhere.

  Brothers fighting Andrés’ lackey assholes.

  Bullets pummeling into bodies.

  Punches being thrown.

  It’s a cacophony of chaos.

  Blood splashes on my cut as Void shoots a lackey at close range next to me. His brain matter exploding all over my president patch. Another one bites the dust. Void dips his head as I flip him the bird. He chuckles, then takes off in the other direction.

  Suddenly, a fist slams into the side of my face, knocking my sunglasses off. My head snaps to the side as I spit out a line of blood. Moving back quickly, I pull my fist back, but the lackey’s too quick and slams a punch to my stomach followed by his shoulder pushing me back. I let out a loud grunt as he winds me, almost knocking me over. His body pushes me up against the wall, mine slams back against the concrete. Sunlight beams into my eyes blinding me from seeing the next punch, which smacks me right in the side of my head. I hunch to the side, the pain reverberating through my scalp. This fucker is getting me good, but I won’t let him beat me.

  I can’t see.

  The sun’s too bright.

  But I aim, hoping for the best. If I get this wrong, it could end badly. I point, clench my eyes, and pull the damn trigger. Blood splashes all over my face as the lackey’s head is blown apart by my gun. He falls to the ground in front of me as I bring my hand up, wiping my face. “Fucking hell. The things I do for you, Eva,” I murmur to myself.

  I push away from the wall, but as I do, more of Andrés’ men file through the opening they created. It’s like an endless stream. I exhale, there’s no damn way out of this.

  We’re dying here today.

  But if I’m going out, I’m going to try like hell to get to Andrés.

  I search the room. The fucker’s sitting down with lackeys surrounding him like a human shield having a fucking drink at the bar. He thinks this is a walk in the park. Well, I’m going to put this dog down. With a steely determination, I head toward Andrés. A lackey moves closer, but before he fires, I shoot him in the left eye. His body spins, then falls to the floor. Another rushes over, and I unload two rounds into his chest, but then three more surge forward.

  Fuck.

  I pull out a knife from its position in the back of my jeans. Holding both the knife and my gun, they start circling. They aim their guns. I don’t know why they’re hesitating, so I lunge forward, slashing at one of them with the knife. It connects with his chest, slicing right through his torso. He groans as the other two make their move. I aim my gun at one of them, shooting him as the other kicks out my knee, making me stumble, then pushes me toward the bar. The shot ends up shooting the lackey in the arm. Another pins me, holding me down, and rips my gun from my hand. I fight against them, but it’s no use. My heart rate is so fucking rapid I can hardly breathe.

  Andrés steps in front of me.

  I curl up my lip staring at him while the fighting continues around the room.

  “Leave this one for me,” Andrés instructs, pointing his gun at my head.

  I tense as the lackeys let me go, then step aside.

  My brothers around me fall, wounded or dead.

  This is my fault.

  Eva and Ivy will be taken and sold.

  This is all on me.

  So, I look the barrel of the bastard’s gun dead on, accepting my fate. “Do it!”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  NYCTO

  Suddenly, the blasting of more weapons roars through the clubhouse, taking mine and Andrés’ attention. Andrés lowers his weapon as Hatch and the Miami brothers swarm in shooting everything to high hell. Energy swarms through me as Andrés grumbles, glares at me, then takes off.

  I need a gun.

  Something to kill that fucker with.

  Reaching around the bar, I search for the hidden Glock then check it’s loaded.

  My eyes meet Hatch’s, he smirks. I dip my chin in thanks, then turn taking off after Andrés. He runs toward the stairs to the lower bunker where the girls are located. Fear almost cripples me, but I won’t let it win. Instead, I run faster, putting all my energy into getting to him before he can do any damage.

  My feet race down the stairs faster than I thought possible, my gun at the ready, but as I enter the lower bunker, the air is stripped from my lungs. Andrés is holding Eva in a tight grip, a gun to her head as Ivy and the club girls cower in the corner. Though the glare Ivy sends him makes me concerned that at any second, she’s going to stand and fight.

  I shake my head subtly, warning her to back down.

  “Let her go, Andrés,” I call out, taking slow, purposeful steps into the room.

  “Did that once before. You think I’m gonna do it again so easily?”

  “You and your lackeys are outnumbered. There’s no way you’re making it out of here with her.”

  “Then I’m not making it out of here at all. It’s with them both, or I’ll die trying.”

  Andrés edges forward, and I sidestep, stopping him. “Get your fucking hands off of Eva.”

  His gun pulls away from Eva’s temple, he’s waving it around like a madman while keeping a firm grip on her with his other hand. Andrés curls his lip, his focus solely on me. “You think I won’t shoot you in front of them all? Then what? How will you save your precious cargo then, Nycto?”

  “You don’t have to do this, Andrés. You can walk away… pretend you never saw them.”

  “But I did. I did see them, and I know their worth. Do you? Do you understand how rare they both are?”

  I furrow my brows. “Both?”

  “You knew the price for them was higher than normal. You didn’t just assume because one was higher than the other it meant only she was special, did you? Surely, you’re smarter than that?”

  I glance over at Eva, a shudder running over my body. Shit. I knew Andrés’ girls normally sold for around 50K. Why didn’t I consider Eva selling for double the asking price was for a reason?

  “What’s he talking about, Nycto?” Eva murmurs.

  “It’s eating at you now, isn’t it? Crawling under your skin, clawing at you to find out.”

  I grit my teeth. “Shut up, Andrés.”

  “Tell me,” Ivy calls out.

  Fuck.

  Andrés cackles. “Of course, the special one wants to know.”

  I have no idea what the reason is, but knowing it could be worse for them. Sometimes shit’s better off not known.

  “You’re sisters. So, you’re special for the same reason.”

  “Genetics?” Ivy figures it out before even I have a second to.

  “Exactly, your blood is rare. They call it golden blood.”

  That sounds like some real bullshit right there.

  Ivy takes a step forward. “Rhnull blood? It’s rare!”

  Eva’s head snaps to Ivy as does everyone else in the room. Andrés sighs in content. “And Ivy, this is part of the reason why you cost more. Your intelligence, your blood, and… your virtue makes for a great selling point, my dear.”

  Ivy’s face turns bright red as she wraps her arms around herself.

  Eva balls her fists at her sides. “That’s none of your damn business. My sister’s virginity is not something you should even know about, you disgusting pervert.”

  Andrés cackles from deep in his belly—he finds Eva amusing. He pulls Eva against his body, and that movement takes everything in me not to launch at him and punch his fucking cock into the middle of next fucking week. “That’s literally my job. To know everything about the women I sell. That little car accident you had left your medical records wide open. And we knew Ivy’s the full package. Brains, beauty, and ready to bed.”

  “Jesus Christ,” I murmur under my breath.

  “Bastardo!” Eva yells.

  He presses his gun into the side of Eva’s temple for good measure. His eyes, however, fixate on Ivy. “Ivy, come with me, or I’ll shoot your sister.”

  “Like hell
, you will!” I blast.

  Andrés inches forward, his finger twitching on the trigger.

  Ivy exhales while stepping willingly into Andrés’ arms, and he shoves Eva away from him. She stumbles slightly with the force of his thrust. “If I can’t have them both, then I’ll take the one. You seem attached to the sister, so I’ll take the important one, and you can keep the other in a show of good faith.”

  “Good faith? You think I’m gonna let you walk out of here alive and with Ivy?” I grunt.

  “I think you don’t have a choice.”

  My gun aims directly at Andrés, while his points at Eva. I have a second to decide. So, I make it. “Fine, you win… take the girl.”

  Eva gasps. “No! Nycto, no. How could you?”

  I lower my gun.

  As Andrés moves off, Eva’s eyes well up, overflowing with tears. The hatred in her eyes for me is palpable while Trixie holds on to her tightly.

  Andrés edges past me, and I bring my gun back up quicker than Andrés comprehends, pulling the trigger. The bullet slams into his leg. The instant pain triggers him lowering his gun, which goes off in the process. Andrés lets go of Ivy as I rush in, grabbing his weapon, kicking his knee out from under him. He falls to the floor in a wail of pain as I aim both guns at his head.

  Andrés’ pleading eyes lock onto mine. “Just kill me, Nycto,” he pants.

  I snicker. “I have something much, much better planned for you. You won’t get out of this easily.” I turn to Ivy. “I need to lock this asshole in your room for a while until I prepare the walls.”

  A whispered whimper catches my attention. As I turn my head, Eva hunches over, falling to the floor. Her hand clenched to her chest as she gasps for air. My heart slams hard, then stops a beat as fear cripples me.

  “Stace, help her,” I call out, my voice breaking slightly.

  I need to get to Eva, but I can’t take my eyes off Andrés. So, I rush forward, grabbing him forcefully, shoving him in Ivy’s room and connecting his hands to the handcuffs hanging down from the pole. I slam the brick wall shut, entombing him inside, then race over to Eva. My breathing is sharp as I slide in on the ground next to her.

  Ivy and Stacey are pressing hard on Eva’s chest as blood pools from the bullet hole. Eva’s eyes meet mine as the blood seeps all over her shirt like a goddamn river.

  “Fuck, Eva! Stay with me!” My hands tremble as I pull Ivy’s palms back to assess Eva’s wound.

  She’s been shot in the upper chest.

  I have to get her to a hospital.

  Adrenaline soars through me as I bend, hoisting Eva up into my arms. “Ivy, keep pressure on the wound. Stacey, Trixie, Pepper, I don’t fucking care who, race ahead and get Nerve, tell him I’m coming in hot.”

  All three club girls run off as Ivy and I race toward the stairs.

  “C’mon, Eva, you’re okay,” I tell her.

  Ivy’s eyes flood with tears as we take the stairs together. Her sister means everything to both of us, we can’t lose her now. Not like this.

  We reach the top of the stairs as Nerve is rushing over with Trixie. “Put her on the table. Let me assess what we’re dealing with,” he instructs.

  I lay her flat as Trixie pushes the condiment shakers off the table. They clang on the floor as I lay her down. Her writhing body makes my muscles tense as I watch her, knowing there’s absolutely nothing I can do to help her right now.

  Nerve shoves me out the way, stepping in to assess her. I step back running my bloodied hands through my hair as everyone rushes over to see what’s going on. Luckily, the fighting up here has stopped. Ivy moves to my side, wrapping her arms around my waist for security, with tears streaming down her face as she watches on. Normally, the move would make me uncomfortable, but right now, I can do with some comfort.

  We all stand back as Nerve works on Eva. “I can’t do this here, Prez. The bullet’s in too far. We have to take her to my clinic.”

  “Do what you have to, Nerve. You know how fucking important she is to me.”

  His eyes meet mine. There’s nothing but reservation in them, and it scares the absolute shit out of me.

  I grit my teeth, needing to get my point across. “Let me be clear, Nerve. You save her. She dies, there will be hell to pay.”

  “Spark, grab the cage, I need a transport now,” Nerve calls out. He turns back swabbing gauze on her chest. I walk over and stand above her head, leaning down and looking into her eyes. My hands smooth down her cheeks to calm her.

  “You’re gonna be fine, Chiquita. Nothing will happen to you. Believe me!”

  A fat tear falls down her face. Her breaths are shallow as she struggles to breathe.

  I take in the state of my clubhouse, the front portion of the bunker is demolished. Our wise one, Crow, is dead beneath the rubble. There are bodies everywhere. The Miami guys are gathered in the corner.

  I’ll need to thank Hatch for coming to the rescue, but that will have to wait.

  I lean down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She’s pasty. I hate the fact that all I can do is stand here holding her. “I got you, Eva. I got you.”

  I just need Spark to hurry the fuck up with the transport. “What’s the ETA on the fucking—”

  That’s when I hear the tires screeching outside the bunker. I clench my eyes, relief flooding through me. I lean down, my eyes meeting Eva’s. “Help’s here, Chiquita. Just hold on.”

  Spark rushes in with Whiskey at his side. They clear a path, pushing bodies out of the way to get to us. “The cage is ready for you, Nerve,” Spark advises.

  “Your medical gear is all inside,” Whiskey adds.

  Nerve pushes me out of the way as Whiskey hands Nerve some kind of medical machine. “Sorry, Prez, we need room to move.”

  I stand back as they get to work. They hook the machine up to her, running tests as I stand back with Void and Ivy watching on helplessly.

  “Fucking hell! I did this,” I murmur as they hoist her onto a makeshift stretcher.

  Ivy wraps her arm around me. “You deflected the gun, Nycto. You couldn’t have known it would go off.”

  “No, I brought this damn war down on us. If I didn’t give in to Eva and take her to the damn beach, we wouldn’t have been made. All these deaths, maybe even Eva’s, are on me.”

  They begin moving her out of the clubhouse as Ivy and Void say nothing to defend my realization.

  They say nothing because I’m right.

  This is all on me.

  We follow Nerve, Spark, and Whiskey out to the cage.

  On the way out, the Miami guys are crowded around a body. Damn it all to hell, one of their men has obviously fallen, but I can’t do a damn thing. I need to keep going.

  Hatch will have to wait.

  Whiskey and Nerve load Eva, and Spark looks at me. “You coming with us?”

  As much as I want to go, as much as I need to go, I’m a president, and there’s so much shit happening here that I need to deal with this first. Nerve’s a fully qualified doctor. I trust him with my life, so I trust him to make all the right decisions for Eva. And she’ll have Ivy right by her side, I will make sure of it.

  “Ivy, you need to be there. Nerve, I trust you to make all Eva’s medical decisions. I’ll meet you guys at your clinic. I have to make sure everything is okay here, then I’ll be leaving as quickly as my ass will carry me.”

  Nerve exhales. “You sure, brother?”

  “No, but it’s for the best. I have to make sure shit’s okay here. Then I’ll get on my bike and head over. Nerve, you watch her. I’m trusting you.”

  He grips my shoulder. “I got her, brother. Don’t worry, everything will be okay. I’m gonna make sure she gets the best. Ivy, let’s go,” he commands.

  Ivy mouths ‘thank you,’ then they both turn jumping up into the back of the cage. I stand at the back looking in as they work on her. “I’ll be with you soon, Eva. Hold on.”

  Spark edges past me closing the door, shutting her from my view. My st
omach rolls in nerves. Every part of me wants to be in there with her. It’s killing me, but I need to be a president right now. I’ve failed on that front, and I need to make sure things are taken care of before I can do anything.

  The cage takes off, and I kick into gear. The quicker I get this shit done, the quicker I can be by her side. Problem is, right now I need to think of my club and wear my patch with pride. As I hurry back inside, walking past the rubble, Crow catches my attention—the old man didn’t make it. As he was walking to the bar for a beer, the falling debris landed right on him. I bend down pressing my hand to his patch and exhale. “I’m so fucking sorry, brother.”

  My chest squeezes remembering all the good times I had with Crow. Of all the shit he gave me. Of all the laughter we shared. He may have been old, but his time wasn’t up. Not by a long shot. Now he’s dead. Taken far too soon, and I know who’s to blame.

  Rolling my shoulders, I make my way over to Hatch. It’s a somber scene as the Miami brothers gather around their fallen brother, Deep. A single bullet wound penetrates his skull. My stomach falls at the heavy loss Miami must be feeling.

  I feel their loss too.

  Fuck.

  I slide in beside Hatch. “Fuck, brother...”

  Hatch turns, glaring at me. “Tell me this shit is worth it, Nycto. Tell me this pussy is worth two brother’s lives. If you ain’t thinking of Ol’ Ladying this bitch, so help me God, I’m gonna gut you right here.”

  If I said I hadn’t thought about making Eva my Ol’ Lady, I’d be lying. Maybe it’s time I made this shit official. We haven’t talked about it—not even sure if she wants the life. I’m not sure if she even understands what it means to be an Ol’ Lady, but I want this. I want her by my side. No one understands me more than Eva.

  But I need her to see me.

  All of me before I ask this of her.

  “She’s worth everything, brother. It kills me that we both lost men today for a war I started, but, Hatch… to me, she’s worth it.”