Ruining Me: The Insidious Seven MC, Book Two, page 21
I glance over my shoulder as static fills the air, the feeling of doom right along with it. I catch Liam’s stare, and a look of unfiltered rage clouds his eyes just as surely as it does mine.
Has Matteo always had the upper hand, and we didn’t know it?
He speaks of playing games with what belongs to us. Has he been able to get his hands on us this entire time? On Sofee? But before I can question his words anymore, his voice fills the room once again.
“Oh, and one last thing. To show you that I don’t take this intrusion lightly, I have left you with one last gift. You need not move; it will come to you.” A lead ball coated with terror settles in my gut as his words strike chords of fear deep within my being. Something is coming, right now.
Suddenly, Dom is barreling back into the room like a bull in a china shop, heading right for Rome. Matteo’s next words almost fade into the background as Owen drops the recorder and moves toward us.
“I would look for something to hide behind if I were you.”
His words seem to echo throughout my head as movement from outside the window catches my eye, right before the world explodes around me.
“Everyone, down!” Owen’s voice booms just before all the windows in the suite shatter and explode. Glass is thrown everywhere, making me shield my eyes and crouch down as the bullets start flying.
I barely make it out of the way as four men come flying in through the windows on ropes. Each of them is dressed in all black and armed to the teeth. I pull my rifle up and fire two quick shots at the closest one. Blood squirts from the wounds before he crumples to the floor in a massive heap. But just like a Hydra, you cut off one head and two more appear with automatic rifles of their own.
Gunfire sounds echo through the hallway, diverting my attention to Cooper and Ace. Both of them fire into the hallway as if we are surrounded by Matteo’s soldiers. Amidst the chaos, I find Liam and yank him behind a nearby sofa by the lapel of his jacket. He fires off shot after shot into the bodies of strangers as we move. Reacting quickly, Liam and I turn off our flashlights as more bullets pierce the back of the furniture shielding us.
“Pull out! Now!” Owen shouts at us as he fires into the hallway with my brothers by his side. I’ve lost track of Romeo in all the havoc, so I can only hope that Dominic got him out safely.
Crouching behind the sofa, I still myself and listen, trying desperately to hear anything other than the sound of bullets leaving rifle chambers. The room is dark, illuminated only by the stray lights on top of a single intruder’s rifle. Idiot. It doesn't take a genius to know that if you find yourself in a life-or-death situation, you need to make yourself invisible. Which is exactly what Li and I have done.
I watch as the novice soldier’s flashlight grows brighter with each step he takes towards our hiding spot. Breathing silently, I slowly reach for the blade I had used to stab myself only two nights ago. Removing it from my boot, I prepare myself to strike as soon as the opportunity presents itself. And thank fuck I don't have to wait long.
Just as the unnamed assailant steps into my line of sight, I move with practiced grace. The roar of anger I emit is a feral thing as I slam the wicked hunting knife down into the man's boot-clad foot. The sharp blade slices through the thick boot, into his foot, and only stops once it hits the filthy carpet below. The man howls and loses his grip on his rifle as I move.
With quickness most will never possess, I yank the blade free as I rise to my feet, seize the barrel of his rifle to control his movements, and ram my blade up into the soft spot behind his chin. Though his flashlight casts limited light, I can still see the terror and agony in this stranger's eyes as I bare my teeth savagely. I ensure he sees the deathly vow reflected in my own eyes as he chokes on his own thick blood.
I shove the slowly dying man away, and he stumbles to the ground, trying his best to quell the bleeding as his strength slowly vanishes.
Not wanting to waste any more time, fearing that my MC brothers might still need help, I crouch back behind the sofa and reach for Li again to pull him toward the door. He grunts as I tug on him roughly, but I don’t have time to be gentle. We need to get the fuck out of here.
The remaining bodies of those who came through the windows litter the ground around us. Empty shells and jagged pieces of glass coat the floor as we make our way out of this bloodbath. With a quick glance, I'm sure there isn’t anyone left alive in this room other than Li and me, but it's still not safe here. The sounds of bullets raining down hell and loud crashes coming from the surrounding hallways, I know we’ve been completely ensnared, and our brothers need our help.
Liam’s hand grips my arm before he stumbles, nearly pulling me down with him as he lands on his knees.
“Fuck,” I barely hear him groan as I turn to support him. “Tate is going to kill me,” he says, his lips trembling as he clutches his middle. “This is her favorite shirt,” I glance down to where his hand is pressed against his side. Dark red blood oozes out from behind his fingers as he applies pressure to the obvious gunshot wound.
Panic flares as I swing my rifle to my back and move to apply more pressure. I cover his hands with one of my own and push down on the wound, causing his eyes to tighten as he winces. Quickly, I tap the transmitter in my ear. “Li’s been shot,” I speak in a much calmer manner than I should be for a man who is watching his brother bleed out in front of him.
“Get him out, the East entrance is clear. We'll keep them occupied.” Cooper’s commanding voice sounds in my ear, accompanied by the sounds of gunfire in the distance.
I slowly help Li to his feet, my hands covered in his sticky blood, as we stumble out the door into the hallway. A sharp breath escapes between my teeth as the stitches in my thigh pop and tear through my skin. Groaning low in my chest, I try to ignore the sharp pain as blood pools and leaks from the wound. I’m not worried about myself though. Li’s losing too much blood for me to give a shit about my own needs. I have to get him out at any cost, even if it means I have to fucking carry him out myself.
“Stop being a pussy and help me get you out of here,” I grunt as I force him to walk with his weight on me. He chuckles, but the sound is weak, causing the cold clutches of fear to snake down my spine.
“Sofee’s right, you are a dick,” he winces as he stumbles on. I force a laugh, even though all I’m feeling right now is panic.
“Speaking of, just wait until your sister sees what she has to fix now. I don't think we have to worry about Tate being the one to kill you,” I say, trying to make light of the situation. In reality, I’m wondering how the hell I’m going to get Li down three flights of stairs by myself. Even now, I’m barely able to keep him on his feet.
But just as I contemplate dragging his big ass down the grimy, blood-stained hallway, I hear movement approaching from behind. Quickly, I push Li against the wall and pivot, positioning myself between him and the unknown threat. Reaching past my vest, I grab my Glock and raise it, completely prepared to shoot until I recognize who it is.
Romeo is bleeding from a large gash above his eye, causing the thick blood to cover most of his face, making him almost unrecognizable. His button-up shirt is torn at the collar, and his slacks look as though he had been wrestling in the dirt. His rifle is gone, replaced by a pistol. He rushes up to us, not fearing the Glock in my hand.
“We have to go; first responders are on the way. We don’t wanna be here when they find all this,” he rushes to say before sliding up next to Li’s other side.
Liam’s normally tanned skin is now pale white as Rome pulls him to lean against him. He’s lost too much blood, and we need to get him to his sister before he passes out. I take up his other side and split his weight with my brother. I say nothing as we start to walk, too afraid for my best friend to speak.
The distant echoes of gunfire finally lull as we push through the door that promises freedom, signaling that someone has emerged victorious. Only, I fear, there are no winners today. Because as we reach the stairwell and descend into the shadows, death continues to stalk us.
SEVENTEEN
SOFEE
“The Proposal or How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days?” Tatum chirps from the floor of my apartment. She’s sitting with her legs crossed in front of her, holding up both DVDs as if this is the most important decision she will make all day. Her deep purple ponytail shimmies as she shakes both of them in her hands, trying to prompt us to make a choice quickly.
“Yuck,” Max grimaces beside her. She’s lying on her belly with her feet up in the air, ankles crossed. I suppress a snort as she stuffs a handful of popcorn into her mouth, stretching it impossibly wide to fit all the kernels behind her lips. “Why do we have to watch a rom-com?” Her words are garbled by the buttery popcorn, but she still tries to speak. “I vote for Deadpool,” she manages around loud crunching before finally swallowing.
Tate whips her head in her direction and furrows her brows. She gestures around the room. “Why would we watch anything other than rom-coms? It’s girls’ night,” she shakes her head with clear exasperation. “And though I haven't been a part of many girls’ nights, I do know that most girls like romantic comedies,”
Max moves to her hands and knees before quickly twisting to sit on her hip. Her oversized sweatpants cover her bare feet as she curls her legs behind her. I’m not even sure how she isn’t sweating to death underneath the suffocating fabric. All I’m wearing is the shortest pair of bedtime shorts I own and a worn, ragged tank top, and I’m still feeling the heat of the day.
Her mouth drops open as she glares at her friend before swinging her gaze toward where I sit on the bed. She waves her hand in my direction. “There is literally a boy here,” she screeches as she points at the man lying on his back next to me.
Miles looks extremely comfortable in my bed. He’s relaxed on his back with one ankle crossed over the other and his hands behind his head. Like the rest of us, he’s in pajamas for the evening. He smiles broadly, letting that one dimple wink at Max as he responds to her accusation. “Just because I have a penis doesn’t mean I can’t be one of the girls,” he puckers his lips and blows a kiss into the air.
I can’t help but snicker as he sits up and swings his legs around. He then wraps his long legs on either side of my thighs before pressing himself against my back. I lean back against him as he wraps his arms around my middle and places his chin on my shoulder. “But even if I am a real boy, I’d pick my girl Sandy B over a gory action movie any day of the week,” he shrugs.
Miles has spent the entire day with us, so it stands to reason that he is an honorary girl. This is the first time I’ve invited him over to the clubhouse to meet Tate and Max. I figured it was far past time for the three to meet if they are all going to force their friendships on me. And since Tatum barged into my room this morning and declared it girls’ day, it seemed as good a day as any to introduce them. Needless to say, after a day spent doing all the girly things like at-home manis and pedis, he fits right in with the rest of us. He’s even staying for the sleepover I seem to be hosting.
Max rolls her eyes before glancing back at Tate, who raises her eyebrow in an “I told you so” way. I giggle as Max curls her nose and tosses a handful of popcorn right at her face.
Tate tilts her head to the side before sucking her teeth. “Rude,” she says before picking up a piece of the discarded popcorn and tossing it back at her. Max moves quickly and catches the piece in her mouth. Miles chuckles at my back at her display as she does a quick fist pump before flipping off her bestie with a smile.
Tate squints at the smaller woman, but I can still see the smile of fondness twitching at her lips. “Sofee,” she says before flicking her dark gaze to me and shaking the DVDs in her hands once more, rattling the discs within. “Ryan Reynolds in a regular suit or Ryan Reynolds in a rubber suit?” she says with a wiggle of her eyebrows.
I bite my lip to stop my giggle. “Well, when you put it like that—"
A loud crash coming from downstairs interrupts me before I can finish speaking. The smiles on both girls' faces vanish instantly as they turn their gazes toward my closed door. I jump in Miles' arms, feeling him tighten his grip around me.
Before I can even think to untangle myself from him, Tatum stands and rushes toward the door. She stops at my dresser and reaches behind the big mirror at the top. I furrow my brows in confusion as I hear something tearing, and then her hand reappears with a pistol in it. My mouth drops open as I inhale, and my eyes widen. I didn’t know that was there… Why is there a gun in my apartment?
I have no time to vocalize my confusion before she turns back to face us. Her eyes are harder than I’ve ever seen them before as she releases the safety on her gun and catches me with her intense dark eyes. Gone is the friendly girl who was just smiling and arguing about romantic comedies, and in her place is a cool professional I’ve never met before.
“Stay here,” she orders before glancing at Max. She nods quickly before turning and rushing out the door, leaving it wide open as she does.
No sooner than she disappears down the hall does Max roll from her spot on the floor and stands on light feet. She rushes to my closet, pulling the shutter doors open wide. Stretching up on her tiptoes, she reaches for one of the old boot boxes Liam left behind when he moved out.
I pull Miles’ arms away from me before standing up from the bed. “What are you—” I start, but my thought is interrupted as Max pulls yet another pistol out of the box and checks the clip. I hold my hands up as she walks out of the closet with confident steps. “What is going on?” I ask in a rush.
My heart rate quickens as my adrenaline spikes. Max glances at me, and for a moment, I think I see sympathy shimmering in her honey-colored eyes before they harden.
“Sofee!” Tatum yelling my name with panic in her tone makes me rush for the door. Max moves as if she's going to jump in front of me. I quickly push past her and the door, practically jogging for the staircase.
My palm squeals against the handrail as I fly down the steps, not caring about my state of dress. In my rush, I trip and end up stumbling down the last few steps. Barely managing to stay on my feet, I search the room for Tatum as chaos surrounds me.
Tables and chairs have been pushed out of the way, with some seeming to have tipped over in the rush to move them. Several men, all clad in black, are bustling around the room. The majority gathering near the kitchen doors. I recognize some of them as members of The Insidious, but there are a few others I don’t recognize at all.
I stare at the back of one in particular. He seems familiar to me, even though I know deep down that I haven't the slightest clue as to who he is. His hair is pitch black, and the only exposed skin I can see is his corded forearms covered with dark, unfamiliar tattoos. A glimmer catches my eyes and draws them to his right hip, where a shiny golden pistol sits in a holster. I swallow thickly as a rush of nerves expands in my chest before quickly flowing to my extremities.
“Sofee!” I hear Tatum’s panicked voice again and rip my gaze away from the familiar back and move toward the kitchen. I can barely make out the top of her purple hair as she’s surrounded by the MC.
My stomach drops at the feeling of dread enveloping every one of my nerves. I quickly glance back and see Max and Miles hovering by the stairs. Max’s eyes mirror the wildness I feel in my own, while Miles appears to be curiously observing his surroundings.
“Get my bag,” I say quickly, already knowing I’m probably going to need it. I don’t wait for either of them to follow my order before turning and rushing toward the kitchen.
I shove through the crowd of men as the bright lights of the kitchen shine light on what’s happening. I notice most of The Seven gathered around one of the numerous prep stations in the industrial kitchen. I take note of their ruddy faces, each adorned with splatters of blood. In fact, there is blood everywhere. On faces and hands, even the floor. Something I only realize when my bare foot slips in a puddle of it, causing me to almost fall on my ass.
Then I see Declan standing with his back to me, as rigid as I’ve ever seen. He seems to be leaning over the stainless-steel countertop, and it takes me a full moment to realize that someone is lying on it. But when I do, I rush to push through the men.
All the warmth leaves my body as a shiver snakes down my spine at the sight I see. There, on the shiny countertop Cooper always keeps so clean, is my brother. He’s shivering as if he feels the same chill I do, only I know it has nothing to do with the temperature but the lack of blood. The same blood that’s dripping from the counter onto the floor below.
Declan’s hands cover the obvious GSW right below Liam’s ribs on the left side of his torso. Although he is slowing down the flow of blood leaking from the wound, I can tell it will do no good. I’ve seen far too many gunshot wounds during my years as an ER nurse. I know that the patient won’t stop bleeding until the bullet is removed from the body. And bleeding out isn’t the most pressing matter at the moment. If Liam has a punctured lung, it could spell disaster, and I won’t even have a hope of helping him with my limited tools.
“What happened,” I ask dumbly as I step forward. All eyes fly to me as my heart threatens to climb up my throat and suffocate me.
“Help him,” Declan’s voice is the first one I hear.
“Shit,” Liam groans as his eyes fall on me. “Now I really am dead,” he smiles. “Hey, baby sis.” I know he’s trying to make me feel better by teasing, but it’s not working as I visually assess him. He’s paler than I’ve ever seen him before, and his lips have a purple tint to them.
Not good.
“Hey, you’re gonna be fine, look at me,” Tatum says as she hovers over my brother’s head, forcing him to look at her. “It’s just a flesh wound,” she lies.
“Move!” Max’s voice draws my attention to the doorway where she’s pushing through the men blocking the way. She holds my heavy backpack and swings it like a weapon to get them to move.
