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21
Ephraim
We’re just finalizing our plan to get Harper back when someone bangs on the door. The women know not to disturb us when we’re having church so this must be important. Blaze opens the door and a frantic Alise rushes in, looking distraught and holding her cell phone. Eagle, seeing his wife looking panicked, goes to her and asks,
“Angel, what’s wrong? Is the baby okay?” He asks with concern.
She doesn’t even acknowledge him. Brushing past him, she comes up to me and hands me her phone. Looking at the screen, I see it’s an address and the message said for the person to come alone if you want to see your daughter alive.
“She was already gone when I went to your room to check on her. She slipped out without us knowing. I tried to tell her to come back, to let you guys handle this, but she hung up on me. Ephraim, I’m so sorry,” Alise says with sympathy.
My heart sinks as I try to get a grip on how this whole thing has gotten a lot worse and instead of rescuing Harper we now have to plan to rescue my wife. Time is of the essence and we can’t wait any longer. Tossing Gearhead the phone, I tell him to pull up the address so we can get the exact lay of land. Turning back to Alise, I reassure her that this isn’t her fault and we’ll get them both back. I can’t afford to break down again, so I focus solely on the plan. We all have our assignments and set about loading up the vehicles. The Devils came ready to roll so it wasn’t long before were heading to Grants Pass.
It seemed as if hours have passed, but it’s only been thirty minutes. Once we are within a half a mile, we park the SUVs, make sure our silencers are on and proceed on foot. Overgrown grass and trees help us blend into the darkness. It isn’t long before the house comes into view and we immediately notice that several men are posted outside, surrounding the perimeter of the property, fully armed. This isn’t going to be easy, but we have more than enough men to overpower them. Krack aims and takes out two of the men walking along the fence. Advancing forward, I take aim and easily eliminate three men posted on the side of the house. One of them falls at an angle, knocking over a garbage can and the crash alerts the men situated at the front of the house. For sure our cover is blown because one of them radios for someone to check in, but all he gets is dead air. Patiently I wait for them to move out into the open, careful not to give away my position. Coming down the stairs they walk backwards, scanning the area when Hawk sneaks up behind the one furthest from the porch and places him in a chokehold. The other guard turns, sees what’s happening and immediately opens fire, killing his own man.
Krack, Eagle, and I watch as Micah emerges from the woods, rage etched in every line of his face, with his sight set on the guard. Digg has already disarmed the man, but that doesn’t deter Micah. Although he used the guy’s body as a shield, Hawk took a bullet to his forearm and before I could ask the guard any questions, Micah takes him out.
“Why the fuck did you do that?” I demand.
“He shot my son,” He flippantly replies.
I was about to rip him a new one when the front door is yanked open and bullets fly past us. Running for cover, we dive behind the thick brush and return fire. One thought occurs to me as we take out every man that comes through the door. My wife and daughter are inside as windows shatter from the barrage of bullets. What if they’re in the line of fire? Harper must be so scared right now and my heart breaks in the midst of the carnage. It’s been a long time since we’ve been in a battle like this, but with the help of the Devils and our other Rebel chapters, we’re getting the job done quickly. I never would’ve imagined that the Devils and the Rebels would be fighting side by side. I’m not sure this will change our dynamic, but at least for tonight, we’re on the same mission.
The ground is littered with bodies as one after another they fall. The Grim Reaper celebrates as we send soul after soul straight to hell. These fuckers messed with the wrong family and they will pay with their lives. When no more men come through the door, we all sprint toward the house. Krack, Digg, and Blaze head down a long hallway, while Eagle, Knight, and Bane run up the stairs. I call out for Lizzie and Harper when the sound of gunfire comes through a door off the foyer. Deafening silence follows and the only thing I hear is the thundering of my heart as blood rushes through my veins. It feels as though concrete is weighing down my feet as I slowly move toward the room, staring at the door like I’m playing a cruel game of Let’s Make A Deal. What will I find behind door number fucking one? My stomach twists in knots when I reach for the doorknob and turn.
The only outcome I’m willing to receive is Lizzie and Harper safe in my arms. Anything less will break me and change the course of my life forever. Slowly, I turn the knob, preparing for the worst as fear grips me. The same feeling of hopelessness from earlier strangles me in its clutches and suddenly I feel as though I can’t breathe. Closing my eyes, my throat feels dry as I swallow down the fear and surge forward through the door.
“Oh God! Lizzie!!
Lizzie
My mind races in different directions trying to comprehend all of this. All this time, the baby that I thought was dead is alive and he looks just like me. Harper has a brother. Oh no! What will Ephraim say? If Max thinks that we’re going to ride off into the sunset and be a big happy family, he has another thing coming. He’s so caught up in spinning his fairytale that he doesn’t notice when I reach down and grab my glock. I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to be left-handed. With my right wrist being broken, I’ll have to rely solely on my left to keep my aim steady and sure. The fact of the matter is, one of us won’t be walking out of here alive. He wouldn’t allow me to take Nicholas and there is no way in hell I’m leaving my life in Iron Forge to live in some twisted universe that Max created.
I’m just about to tell him this when the sound of gunfire erupts outside. Max reaches into his desk drawer and pulls out a gun of his own. The commotion outside is no doubt the Rebels coming to rescue me and Harper. I knew that they would come through as they always have. Glass shatters everywhere as I dive behind the couch and take cover. Pain radiates through every part of my body as I hit the floor with a resounding thud, but I can’t think about that right now. Holding tightly to my gun, I peak over the couch and see Max crouching by the desk, yelling into his cellphone.
“What the fuck is happening out there?” He shouts as more glass shatters and falls all around. My heartrate is through the roof as I try to come up with a plan to get out of here. The thunderous sound of several footfalls rush past the door as more gunfire erupts. My thoughts go to Harper and Nicholas. Are they safe? They must be so scared hearing all of this. Nicholas was raised by a monster and there’s no telling what he’s seen in his short life.
Sweat pours down my back as I crouch lower to the floor, trying to avoid getting hit by the bullets coming through the window. Max continues to yell into his phone, telling someone to secure the children. What he doesn’t realize is that the gunfire has ceased and I’m already making my way toward him. More footfalls rush by the door as I hear my husband’s voice calling my name. It momentarily distracts me and when I look toward Max again, he already has his gun aimed at me. Cursing myself, I inadvertently leveled the playing field and now we’re in a standoff with neither one of us willing to lower our weapons. Backing away slowly, I do my best to talk him down from this insanity.
“Max. You don’t want to do this. If you kill me, my husband will kill you and where does that leave Nicholas?”
“We could’ve lived a beautiful life together, Bethie. You had to go and ruin everything by leaving us all those years ago, and now I have no choice but to kill you. If we can’t be together in life, then we’ll reunite in death.”
He’s not even thinking about Nicholas. His twisted desire to have me again overshadows any rational thought and I’m not sure what to say to get him to see reason. Looking in his eyes, I see nothing but darkness and death. He doesn’t care how this ends as long as I don’t get out of here alive. Just like his father before him, he believes he can control me as if I were the same broken girl I was all those years ago. And just like his father before him, he will die tonight with a bullet between his eyes because there is no way in hell I’m leaving my family like this. Not at the hands of this asshole.
At this point, I have nothing to lose and in a split-second decision, I pull the trigger once and then again for good measure. His eyes go wide as the bullet slices through skin and bone, annihilating his face. The momentum sends him flying backwards over the desk as a bullet from his gun whizzes past me. With only having the use of one hand, the force from pulling the trigger knocks me to the hard wooden floor, taking the wind out of me. Gasping for air and unable to move, I desperately try to pull oxygen into my lungs needing to relieve the burning in my chest. I struggle to catch my breath and after what seems like an eternity my lungs finally comply and inflate with air. Closing my eyes, tears flow down the sides of my face as I replay today’s events and several emotions crash into me all at once. In the span of less than twenty-four hours, my daughter was taken, my dog is clinging to life, I learned I had a son, and I’ve eliminated the monster who kept him from me.
The door suddenly swings open and E runs over to me calling my name. Relief washes over me as I look at my husband’s beautiful face. Scooping me into his arms, I wince as pain radiates through me. Although he’s being careful and gentle, this hurts like a bitch. Sitting on the couch, he cradles me in his arms, he moves my hair away from my face, kissing me gently on my forehead and whispering comforting words to me. It settles me and despite the pain I’m in, I feel his love as he pours into me.
“Lizzie, baby. Are you alright?”
“I am now,” I reply as I look into his eyes, feeling his warmth as I burrow into his chest.
“What were you thinking, coming here by yourself?”
“Please, E, don’t be angry. My only thought was saving Harper. When he said to come alone, I didn’t want to risk anything happening to her. Oh God! Harper, where’s Harper?” I frantically ask as panic rises replacing the comfort of being in my husband’s arms. All of a sudden my baby’s sweet voice calls for me and when I look toward the door, Eagle stands there with an excited Harper in his arms. She wriggles her little body until Eagle sets her on the floor and runs over to us. Climbing onto my lap, E, and I both hold our little girl as we both cry tears of joy.
“Are you okay, nugget?” Ephraim asks her through his tears.
