Page 69 of Property of Rattler

The prospect seems to glow under Words’ recognition, and despite the circumstances, there seems to be a spring in his step as he walks off to complete his assigned task.

“I need a gun, too.”

Words had been focused on the prospect, my demand takes him by surprise. “We may be outnumbered, but I’m not giving a fuckin’ weapon to someone who’s more liable to shoot herself.”

I stand my ground. “Flynn taught me how to shoot up at the cabin. I might not be a sharpshooter, but I can hit a target more often than not.”

“Give her a weapon.” Pippa’s sudden appearance startles us both. I don’t miss the way Words silently communicates with her, she answers with her voice. “I’ve done all I can for now. Saint’s on his way back. But traffic cams show there’s four identical sedans, and I think they’re headed this way.”

“Malachi had three cars when he attacked the cabin.” Fear has made my voice shrill.Has he got even more men with him now?

“How far out?” Words asks Pippa.

“Five minutes,” she responds, her jaw tight.

Dum’s back, his arms full of weapons which he starts laying out. The front door opens to reveal Piston and — for moment I think I’m seeing double as it’s a second Dum, then I remember seeing twins last night though I hadn’t been in a state to take it in at the time. They both run to the pile of guns and start arming themselves, filling their pockets with ammunition.

Not wanting to be left out, I go, take a gun that looks like the one Rattler trained me on, selecting the right magazine to go in it. Which earns me a look of approval from Pippa, who’s also stocking up.

The temperature seems to have dropped even further, the air thick and heavy to breathe. While I wouldn’t say the men, nor Pippa, look scared, they’re obviously uneasy. And why shouldn’t they be? Who knows how many men Malachi has with him? Or what weapons he’s brought to make a full assault on the club?

“Gate should hold them,” the second prospect says.

“I’ll go up on the roof now,” his twin confirms. Then the two touch fists, pull each other in close, and slap each other’s backs.

Suddenly the answer dawns on me. I know I’ve bought the club’s protection, and I’m not reneging on that. But maybe there’s something I can do to prevent total bloodshed. “Stop!” My loud one-word command causes them all to turn in my direction. I raise the gun I’d just picked up. “Malachi wouldn’t expect me to be armed. I’ll go outside to meet him. As soon as I get a clear shot, I’ll shoot him. No one else needs to be hurt.”

Pippa shakes her head. “As soon as you step out the door, you’ll get a bullet in your head. It’s far too risky.”

“Even Malachi isn’t crazy enough to shoot me in front of witnesses.”

Pippa’s sharp eyes focus on me. “Yeah, what you said. So he’ll come in and try to kill us all anyway. He wouldn’t want to take a chance that your death could be laid at his door.”

A loud crashing outside shows the time for talk is over. Rushing to the windows, we peer out. One of the cars has tried unsuccessfully to break down the gate. Four men escape from the crashed vehicle, one already covered with blood. I can’t find it in me to feel sympathy.

Shooting sounds from overhead and two of the men go down.

“Dee, get upstairs and help Dum.” The Words pulls me back from the window. “Keep your fuckin’ head down.”

“Glass is bulletproof,” Pippa tells Words as if reminding him.

“Don’t fuckin’ want to put it to the test,” Words grumbles.

“Any of the fuckers that went down Stone?” Piston asks.

“No,” I answer. “And the other cars have blacked-out windows. I can’t see which one he’s in, or if he’s even with them.”

“And the cars are fuckin’ armoured,” he points out, as more shots are fired from the roof, but there’s no real damage to Malachi’s vehicles.

Suddenly a boom comes from behind the clubhouse.

Pippa glances down to the tablet I hadn’t realised she was holding. “They’ve breached the fence. Six men coming in from the back of the compound.” Piston takes off running, Words looks undecided. “Go,” she urges. “Ames and I have got this.”

“Fuck!” Words exclaims, but runs after his brother, picking up an automatic rifle from the pile of weapons on the way.

“Pippa…”

But she can see what I’m seeing. Using the cover from the crashed car, someone’s appeared and he’s thrown…