Reign (Sin City Outlaws #1)(76)

Before he puts the car in reverse, headlights beam from across the way, shining right into my windshield.

Raising my arm to shield my eyes, I try to look past the light but can’t see a damn thing.

Lights flare at my dad’s side of the car, too, and he curses a prayer.

“Do you hear that?” I ask nervously. He stills, trying to hear what I am.

The sound of thunder, or a sequence of rumbles from afar.

“Jillian, I need you to stay in this car. Do you understand?”

My heartbeat stammers in my chest, fear running down my back.

“Why?”

The sound gets louder, and a bunch of tiny little lights shine our way from the road. There are a bunch of motorcycles heading our way.

“Just do what I ask.”

“I’m not going to just stay in the car!” I shout.

He turns and palms my cheek. “Jilly Bean, I want you to know I love you. I know I don’t say it much, but I do. When you came into our department, I hoped a new leaf would turn for our workforce. I want you to promise me you’ll keep that spitfire that burns so bright inside you.”

My eyes prick with tears, my fear escalating to the point I may hyperventilate.

“Why? What’s going to happen?” My mouth trembles, tears springing from my eyes.

“Promise me!” His tone is on the verge of pleading. All I can do is nod.

Movement catches my eyes. Looking out the windshield, there is a man in an expensive-looking suit, another man a little shorter standing next to him. But what catches my attention are the rest of the guys standing beside him wearing leather vests.

The man in the suit holds out his arm, his hand in a ‘come here’ motion.

“You get out of this car, they will kill you!” I cry at my father.

“If I don’t get out, they will come get me, and find you.” He pats my head and steps out of the car.

I want to scream, want to get out of the car, but I’m frozen to the seat.

My stepdad walks around the car, his hand on his gun.

They’re talking but I can’t hear them, so I roll the window down some.

“Frank, what seems to be the problem?”

Frank snaps his fingers, and Felix and Zeek step out of the crowd. My eyes widen, my hands gripping the dashboard without mercy. Zeek has that look, the one of a monster, his eyes gleaming like a wild animal caught in the headlights. His body is puffed out in anger, his eyes hollow and emotionless.

Before my dad has time to react, Zeek plows his fist into his gut.

I can’t help the scream that escapes my mouth. I grip the door handle to get out, but remember my dad making me promise I’d stay here.

I can’t help him.

There are two of us, and at least a dozen of them.

Grabbing the walkie, I call for backup.

“5paul69, open all lines. Officer down. Send backup to Old Highway Seven, mile marker 127!” I nearly scream the words I’m so worked-up.

The radio does a weird sound before the dispatcher repeats my call. Seeing how we’re so far out, it will take them forever to get here.

Zeek and Felix step back, and Frank steps forward, the short little guy I don’t know following closely behind him.

“I’m sorry it’s come to this, Lieutenant Oaks, but I’m afraid you’re a lesson that needs to be taught.”

My father is on his knees on the old broken highway, his head hung.

Felix steps forward and grips my dad’s hair, pulling his face to look up at Frank.

“What lesson? We had a deal, Frank!” my father shouts.

A deal? What deal? My mind races trying to figure it out, but everything is happening so fast I can’t keep up.

“I’m afraid that was off the table when lines were crossed,” Frank informs.

“Fuck you!” I wince at my father’s courage.

Frank smiles like the devil and turns, facing Zeek.

“The lesson will come to light very soon. I’m sure of it.” Zeek frowns in confusion, as does Felix. “Finish the job.”

The shorter guy hands Zeek and Felix a rifle. Everything around me blurs, my ears ringing.

My hand grips the door handle.

They aim at my father.

I scream.

A loud bang sounds, a second following quickly after, and I scream so loud I can’t hear anything else. I kick the door open and fall out of the car, trying to get to my dad faster than my body can keep up.

“No!” I sob.

Zeek’s eyes pop to mine, and Felix’s gun raises in my direction.

I skid to my father’s side and find little bullet wounds all over, his breathing barely audible as he struggles for air.

Blood soaks my uniform, staining my hands.

“Dad, wake up!” I cry, rocking him.

Sirens sound in the distance, snapping me out of my deaf state.

“I—I didn’t know,” Zeek stammers. Slowly, I take my gaze from my father to Zeek. He drops the rifle, his hands in his hair as his eyes look at mine with pure panic.

“I told you everything would come to light.” Frank chuckles at Zeek before walking in front of a line of men, all wearing leather vests.

“Kill the girl, too!” Frank orders. “You’ll learn, Zeek, that it is I who owns you. If it takes me taking another female from you for you to learn that then so be it.”