Page 22 of Ringo

I watched as Lemon and Rocket had a heated discussion. I didn’t miss that it was only after the other men were gone. Until that point, they’d stood shoulder to shoulder, backing each other up on whatever was going on.

“Yeah,” I said. “Same.”

Apple stood then, seeming to know her role in all this. She’d waited until Lemon nodded in her direction and went with Rocket before she took charge. “Let’s go,” she said. “Safe house and into the panic room.”

I probably should have been scared that they needed a panic room, but one thing I’d learned since I’d been here was that these guys meant business. They were off the grid for a reason, but they never took safety lightly.

We followed Apple. As we headed to the safe house -- which was in the very center of what they called the family area -- several more women and some older children met us, following without complaint. I didn’t know everyone yet, but I did know that there was more than one club girl in our midst, so I figured this represented all the women in the compound. Well, except for Venus. She and Lemon had gone with the men to what I could only assume was to take care of the problem. I wasn’t even going to pretend to myself that people weren’t about to die. If they were Borris’s people, I wasn’t all that broken up about it. I did feel like a coward for not going with Ringo. Not that I’d had much choice in the matter.

“Come on.” Apple looped her arm through mine. I hadn’t realized I’d been slowing until she did. “We’re all supposed to go here and stay until Rocket and Lemon come for us.”

“I want to go with them.”

“Me too,” she said with a grin. “Unfortunately, the only women Rocket allows at stuff like this are Lemon and Venus. Venus because that woman can be fuckin’ scary sometimes. Lemon because Rocket would like to keep his balls. When Lemon wants something, she gets it. One way or another.” Apple smiled at me, but there was strain on her face. She wasn’t happy about not being included either.

We moved with a hasty but controlled pace toward the safe house. The air around us felt thick, charged with the tension and unspoken fears of what lay ahead. The kids and the other old ladies were filing inside the house along with the remaining women -- I had trouble calling them club whores or even club girls. I got there was a whole other culture I hadn’t gotten used to yet, but I couldn’t wrap my mind around it yet. Apple and Cecilia tried to hurry me inside, but something felt just that little bit… off.

“Come on, Calista.” Apple took my hand, tugging me after her. “In you go.”

I nodded and was about to let them force the issue when someone moved from the side of the house in our direction. Apple must have sensed something too because she turned her head in the same direction, frowning.

“Redwood? Aren’t you helping the rest of the guys?”

“Yep.” He pulled a gun from behind his back and let it hang at his side. “Helpin’ bring this wayward child home to her daddy.”

I gasped. Apple pursed her lips. I could see her tongue curling behind her lips, and she let out a very loud, very shrill whistle.

Two things happened at once. Redwood raised his gun, pulling the trigger. And Apple dove, shoving me aside…

And jerked as the bullet struck her before she collapsed to the ground.

Chapter Eleven

Ringo

The second I shut off my bike, I heard the sharp whistle, faint with distance. Had I been three seconds later, I’d have missed it. My head snapped in the direction of the noise. Then there was a gunshot. A scream. Then nothing.

“Rocket!”

“Go, Ringo!” Dom sounded as panicked as I felt. “Get to my daughter!”

I knew Dom would order others to go with me, but I wasn’t waiting. If Calista hadn’t gotten to the safe room, if some bastard had shot her…

I’d been through hell before I came to Grim Road. I’d tortured, been tortured. I’d fought for my life and the lives of my team. I’d lived with monsters only to kill them when they least expected it. Never once had I truly felt fear. Not like I felt now.

I was on my bike, full throttle. Straight back to Calista. My woman.

Soon after, I spotted Redwood and two women on the ground in front of the house. As I got closer, I realized it was Apple and Calista. I couldn’t tell which one of them was hurt, but I didn’t miss the gun in Redwood’s hand. Especially when he raised it to point at the women on the ground.

“Redwood!”

I was afraid he might shoot the women, but he turned and fired at me twice. I felt the wind from the first bullet whiz past my face. The second one kissed my cheek with a fiery tongue.

I grunted, jerking and nearly laying the bike down as I sped toward them. I heard Calista scream as Redwood turned back to the women. There was movement in front of Redwood. Calista and Apple struggled with something, then Calista launched herself at Redwood.

“Calista!” It only took seconds to reach her, but it felt like an eternity. It was like everything was happening in slow motion and I was slogging through quicksand.

I was almost there, tensing to spring and tackle the son of bitch to the ground when Redwood fell. Calista was on top of him with what looked like a chef’s knife. She screamed like a fucking banshee, driving the knife into his chest over and over. Apple crawled away from Calista and Redwood, but not to get to safety. She saw the gun and made a grab for it, rolling toward me.