The Lies Between Us (The Devil's Dust #4)(73)

“You’ll pay for this,” I growl.

“One last time: you in, or out?” Zeek questions.

“I will never go into business with you, Zeek. Get that through your head now. I won’t put my family in danger because of our uncle’s power trip,” I reaffirm. He takes his aim from me to Cherry, and I react. I jump forward, throwing Cherry out of the way just as a bullet leaves Zeek’s gun. Cherry screams as we fall to the ground hard, and my right shoulder burns with such intensity my eyes water.

“Bobby, get Cherry!” I scream, rolling over to aim my pistol at Zeek’s arm. His eyes widen, and I pull the trigger. His body jolts backward and he falls to the ground. His men scatter, and Cherry is yanked from under me.

“Just me,” Bobby mutters, dragging Cherry to safety.

Rising to my feet, I run behind a green trashcan. My shoulder screams with pain; looking at it, I find blood oozing from it, trickling down my back. I’ve been shot. Better me than Cherry, though.

I peek around the trash can and a bullet goes zipping past me.

“Shit,” I curse, jumping back behind the dumpster.

Aiming my weapon first, I look around the trash can again and spot Zeek beside the building, aiming his weapon at me. Seems that bullet in his shoulder didn’t slow him down. I fire, and a bullet zings as it ricochets off the building.

“You done yet?” I holler.

“Not even close!” Zeek shouts, firing his weapon. Looking over, I find Bull firing his gun at men above me and Bobby holding Cherry behind the bikes.

Enough of this back-and-forth bullshit. I take a deep breath, glance at Cherry one last time and step out from behind the can. I spot Zeek instantly and fire my gun. I fire and fire until I run out of bullets, spraying and praying one hits Zeek’s worthless ass.

He shouts with distress and falls back. I smirk, knowing at least one hit him. His men catch him, and silence fills the air. A loud girlie scream sounds near Zeek, and fear hits my chest that they have Cherry. Checking my guys, I see Cherry is still with them, so I look back at Zeek and that’s when I see Dolly crying over him. That f*cking betraying bitch.

Knowing his men will retaliate, and I’m out of bullets, I turn and run back toward the bikes with the rest of the Devil’s Dust.

I slide in behind Tom Cat’s bike, and he helps pull me behind it.

“I got ya, brother,” Tom Cat states, standing up to walk in the line of fire. I grab his pants leg, stopping him.

“Don’t; he’s got more men than we do,” I add.

Tom shakes my hand off his leg.

“He disrespected ours. He needs to pay, or the rest of the West Coast will think they can walk on us,” he explains, and walks off.

“Fuck!” I yell.

“Here.” Bull hands me a gun and I cock it, loading a bullet into the chamber.

“Cover him!” I yell to the boys. I aim over the bike and start shooting Zeek’s men as they pop up over the rooftop of the metal building.

“Die!” shouts from the side of the building, catching my attention. Looking over, Zeek wobbles out with one arm wrapped around his mid-section, where blood pours down his shirt, and his other hand holding a gun aimed at Tom Cat.

“Tom Cat! To your right!” I warn. Tom Can turns and I aim, but Zeek is faster and pulls the trigger first. Tom Cat falls flat to the ground.

“Aaaah!” I scream, running out from behind the bike. Pulling the trigger, a bullet slams into Zeek’s chest. He falls to his knees, staring at me as the light of our childhood fades before he face-plants.

I fall to Tom Cat’s side as he begins to choke and suffocate on blood. I grab the back of his neck and pull him close.

“Bull!” I scream. Bull runs from behind the bikes and drops to his knees beside me.

“We gotta get him to the hospital now,” Bull states. Glancing at the Sin City Outlaws, they seem to be doing the same, looking over their president, not concerned with us.

“Let’s get him there then,” I tell him.

“Lip, we need to get Cherry there, too.” Bull looks at me with wide eyes.

“What do you mean?” I stand, worry snaking through my chest.

“Your bullet. It went through you, and hit her.”

Bobby comes running up to us.

“I called Doc; they have a helicopter on their way. Should be here any minute,” Bobby states, his hands rubbing through his hair anxiously.

“I got Tom, go to Cherry,” Bull orders. I look Tom Cat over one last time, his eyes pinning me.

“Thank you,” I mouth.

“Broth—” He chokes. “We’re br-brothers,” Tom stammers, and tears threaten to prick my eyes. Tom Cat is a brother of loyalty, a brother who would risk his own to protect my life. Whereas my own flesh and blood betrayed me and wanted to end my life.

Sprinting toward Cherry, she’s leaned up against a bike and panting heavily. Blood soaks her skintight top right below her breasts.

“Baby,” I whisper, pulling her head to me.

“You. Get. Piper?” She takes a breath between each word.

“Yes, I did. She’s ours now,” I state, brushing the hair from her face.

A small smile creeps across her face. “Ours?” she whispers, and I nod. The helicopter zooms above us, and I look up. About f*cking time.