Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 144908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
“Did you hear what he did to my truck?” Jackson demanded.
“I understand it was a masterful stroke to pull off,” Jonas said, “and why you’d be upset, but it isn’t like you to mix professional with civilian.”
Jackson sighed. “Damn it, you’re right. I apologize, Master. It’s just that it’s my truck. My truck is sacred.”
“So was my bike,” Savage pointed out. “Although I’ll admit, you pulled off a hell of a great prank. My bike wears it proudly.”
A small smile broke through the dark veil of anger on Jackson’s scarred features. “Yeah, I do like the way that hat sparkles when the sun hits it just right.”
“We’ll just have to call it even,” Savage suggested.
“Not quite yet,” Jackson denied and abruptly strode out of the shop.
“Brilliant,” Jonas conceded and followed him out.
Czar nodded to Blythe as he preceded her to the front door. She tugged at Jimmy’s hand. He went with her, but only because she had a firm grip on his wrist. Maestro fell into step behind Czar’s family.
Master swept his arm around Ambrie’s waist, indicating she cut short her good-byes and they follow Czar’s family out.
“It was so nice meeting everyone,” Ambrielle called. She wanted to leave, to get Master home, where she felt he was safe. Where they could talk, just the two of them, not surrounded by so many people.
They stepped outside onto the old-fashioned, quaint cobblestone walkway. Torpedo Ink motorcycles lined the street just down from the Floating Hat. One of the prospects, Hyde Kedrov, stood at attention, watching as Czar, Blythe and Jimmy walked toward the RAV4 parked just to the right of Master’s truck. Ink shadowed behind them.
Blythe laughed at something Czar said, and leaned down to listen to Jimmy as he tipped his head up to speak to her.
Reaper suddenly tensed and the entire Torpedo Ink club went electric, as if each member were on the same nerve pathway and that one telling move alerted them.
“Cover! Cover!” Reaper yelled.
FIFTEEN
The instant Reaper yelled a warning, gunfire erupted, a hail of bullets striking all around them, hitting the concrete, buzzing like angry bees past Ambrielle and Master to lodge in the thick walls of the building behind them. Reaper’s large body tackled Czar, who had flung himself over Blythe, taking her to the ground. Czar tried rolling with her beneath Master’s truck. Blythe resisted, fighting him, reaching for their son as he wrenched himself out of her grip.
“Jimmy,” she called, her voice filled with desperation.
“Mommy, my drinks.” Jimmy turned back toward the Floating Hat, running on his little legs to get to the door.
Instead of seeking the refuge of the tea shop, Master shoved Ambrielle toward the building. “Get inside and stay on the floor.”
Ambrielle, her heart in her throat, stumbled backward from the shove Master had given her, watching the scenario play out in slow motion. Master was so big. He was already in motion, his large body running the few steps, arms out, making himself even larger to cover Jimmy completely before wrapping him in his arms, lifting him, turning toward the street and the cover of the cars.
She saw him wince. Stagger. That galvanized her into action, and she sprang forward, ignoring the yells of Jackson, Jonas and the outraged Torpedo Ink members who poured out of the Floating Hat, creating a human wall around Czar and Blythe as they located the shooters and sent a storm of bullets back.
She ran to Master, tried to make herself larger, taller, tried to take him to the ground and cover him with her body. Anything. Any way to keep him safe. The sound of gunfire was loud, the whine of bullets sounding like angry bees as they whined past her. Something burned along the top of her shoulder, and another tore a strip of skin from the side of her thigh as she leapt onto Master’s back.
“Damn it, Ambrielle, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Master snarled as he went to the ground, wrapping Jimmy in his arms. He pressed one knee down and then the second one, trying to turn to take Ambrielle from his back. She stuck like a second skin, refusing to allow him to detach her.
Both the sheriff and deputy sheriff identified themselves and ordered the shooters to put their weapons down and surrender. They were answered with another volley of bullets. Jackson returned fire and a body dropped from the roof onto the street.
Czar swore. “Who are they shooting at, Jonas?”
“Everyone,” Jonas replied. “Hannah, stay the hell inside and keep down.”
Ambrielle turned her head enough to see Hannah standing just inside the doorway of the shop. Sabelia stood beside her. Both lifted their hands and looked toward the ocean, or more precisely toward the Drake home where it sat on the cliff overlooking the ocean. The wind began to pick up, blowing in from the sea, turning a vicious cold as it washed over them in a rush that lifted all loose debris in the street and sent it swirling in the air like a mini tornado.