Twisted Asphalt (Asphalt Outlaw Series Book 1) (21 page)

CHAPTER 27

Beep, blip. Beep, blip.

The heart monitor was the only thing regular in the sterile
room of the ICU unit, and it was going to drive Amy crazy. It was shrill in the
silence, except for the labored breathing of her friend. Maggie wheezed a
breath in, and almost choked it out as it was exhaled.

Amy was doing her best not to cry at seeing her best friend
lying against the stark white sheet. The swelling on her face had gone down,
but black and blue wasn’t her color. Sinking back into the chair, she plucked a
tissue from a box and wiped her eyes. Nose crinkled as she threw it in the
garbage. Even the damn tissue smelled sterile.

She took Maggie’s left hand into her own, gently cupping it
as she patted the top. Her other hand had several pins in it to reset the
obliterated bones to a semblance of a hand.

“Maggie, I know you might not be able to hear me, but you’ve
got to be okay. You need to wake up, sweetie. I can’t do this without you.” Amy
tried not to tear up, sniffling as she looked at the ceiling like it would stop
her tears. Looking back to Maggie, she reached out and tenderly brushed a
strand away from her bruised face. “You’re my rock, Mags. When I turn to run,
you stop me. If you leave me, who’s going to look out for me?”

Beep, blip. Beep, blip.

“You’re so damn confident and make me do things I normally
wouldn’t do and would totally miss out on. Like Mace.” Amy tried to smile as a
tear slid down her cheek. Wiping it away, she gave a sardonic laugh. “I never
would have fallen for him or would have even looked at him after I found out he
was a prospect if it wasn’t for you pushing me. Who’s going to organize the
herbs and teas? Antonia will screw it all up. I’ll have thyme in the oregano.”

Maggie moved!

Amy jerked her head up. Holding her breath, she stared at
Maggie. She had felt her hand move, she hadn’t imagined it.

Had she?

She looked to the heart monitor; it was regular, no
abnormalities. Same beep in the same timing as it had been since she walked in.
“I’m going to kill whoever did this to you, Maggie. I promise you that.”

“N—no, you … won’t.”

Amy’s eyes grew wide when Maggie’s raspy voice answered her.
“Maggie, shhh … let me get the doctor.” She jumped up to leave, but Maggie had
a death grip on her hand. “Maggie, sweetie, they need to know you’re awake.”

“Sit down.”

Amy stared at her friend in disbelief. Her eyes were barely
open, mere slits from the swollen flesh. She did as Maggie requested; squeezing
her hand gently, dropping her voice in urgency. “Mags, they need to know.”

“Ames, shut up.” Maggie gasped, the heart monitor skipping a
beat, then going back to its regularly scheduled programming. Her breathing was
labored and sounded painful as she drew in short, ragged breaths. “Stop. The
run.”

“Stop the run?” Amy asked in confusion, leaning closer to
her friend. “I can’t stop it, Maggie, you know that.” Amy glanced at the clock.
Looking back to Maggie, she frowned. “It’s nearly eleven; they’ll be on the
road. There’s no way I can reach them.”

The blackened eyes pleaded with Amy, “Trap. Stop it.”

“It’s a trap? Maggie, I don’t understand.” That overwhelming
feeling of dread settled in the pit of her stomach once more. She had felt it
this morning when Mace walked out the door; now it resurfaced at Maggie’s
accusations.

“Water.”

Amy let go of Maggie’s hand, scrambling to get her what she
wanted. Amy couldn’t stop her hands from shaking, spilling some of the water
onto her hand when she tried to pour it into the plastic cup. Placing the straw
into the cup, she gently pushed her hand under Maggie’s head and slowly lifted
it up, not wanting to cause her undo pain. Placing the straw against her lips,
she watched Maggie take small, hesitant sips.

She couldn’t stop the icy tendrils of fear seeping into her
veins at the thought of the run being some sort of trap. Feeling Maggie finish,
she set the cup on the stand and took her hand once more, urging Maggie to
continue.

“Listen carefully.” Maggie struggled to breathe, softly
coughing. “Demon and his crew.” Her coughing grew more violent as she tried to
raise her voice.

Amy bolted up, grabbing a tissue to wipe at Maggie’s lips,
dabbing away blood. Frowning, Amy was near panic mode. “Maggie, please. Let
me…”

“NO!” Maggie yelled as best as she could. Lifting her hand,
she beckoned Amy closer, whispering to her. “They did this. Called me. I met
him and he let them do this to me.”

Maggie’s breathing became wheezing as Amy glanced to the
monitor, and saw her heart rate elevating. Maggie was determined to tell her
what had happened. Amy searched for the nurses call button as Maggie continued
her warning.

“Raped and tortured me. Information on run.” Maggie lifted
her hand to grab the front of Amy’s blouse. “I heard them. Plan on killing
Stone. Stop. Them.”

Amy froze, hovering over Maggie. Demon wanted to kill Stone.
It was all a trap set up by Temer Gallo. "Their phones will be off.” Amy
said more to herself than to Maggie.

“Get to Mace, Amy. Tell him. Set…” Maggie jerked as a
gargled breath was quickly inhaled. Her body went rigid, then slumped and began
to violently shake against the bed.

Amy yelled for help while the heart monitor wailed warnings.
She ran to the door screaming for the doctor, for anyone to come help. Shoved
aside as an arsenal of scrubs and white coats filled the room, Amy could only
watch from the sidelines, trying to detach herself from it all. It wasn’t
working.

Orders were barked by doctors, defibrillator cleared and
used, an airway shoved into her mouth and down Maggie’s throat. A solid shriek
from the heart monitor followed another order to clear.

No. No, this wasn’t happening. Maggie wasn’t allowed to
leave her. She was all Amy had. It became hard to breathe. Amy clutched her
heaving chest, her vision blurring as the doctor shook his head and took a step
back, pulling off the latex gloves. Amy’s whole body sank to the floor and an
anguished scream tore through her.

They were supposed to have a double wedding one day. Have
their children together. Grow old living next door to one another. This wasn’t
supposed to happen!

Scrambling to her feet, she launched herself at Maggie, her
fists beating against her chest. “No! Damn you, Maggie! Do not leave me!”

Amy wrestled the grips trying to take her from Maggie,
clawing at hands that pinned her, finally falling on top of her friend’s chest,
her sobs muffled against the hospital gown as she clung to the only true friend
that she ever had.

“Please, Maggie.” Her voice waivered with her tears as she
looked up at her. “Please don’t go. I love you, damn you. Please.”

She looked around at the faces staring at her, full of pity
and sympathy for what she was going through. She didn’t want pity. She wanted
to kill the ass who did this to her friend. She had to get to the meeting
place. She didn’t know where it was, but she knew who did.

Charging out of the room, hands wiped at her tears. She
needed to steel herself against the hurt, turn it into anger. She would murder
that son of a bitch before he hurt Stone or anyone else. He had killed her best
friend, the only person she ever trusted next to her family. Demon was going to
pay dearly for his sins.

Rounding the corner to Thorne’s room, Dalton looked up from
the couch and scrambled to his feet as she stalked toward him. “Where is the
meet taking place?”

“I don’t know what—”

“Fucking save the bullshit for someone else. Where is the
meet?”

“Amy, you know I—” Dalton yelped and jumped, his hands
flying for his nuts.

Amy pulled the .380 from her concealment bra Stone made her
promise to carry, shoved it against Dalton’s groin and pushed. “I. Will. Shoot.
You. Where the fuck is the meeting taking place? They’re in danger.”

The urgency in her voice, mixed with the gun pressing
against his jewels, must have triggered his memory as he spilled out the exact
address of the meeting. Amy didn’t care that it was against the rules to tell
her. Everyone in the club was in danger and she may be one woman, but she
needed to get there and get to Stone before Demon did.

The Jeep sped down the highway, hot tears stinging her eyes
as she fought breaking down and losing her mind. Why the hell would Demon do
this? He had to be trying to bring down SOMC, but why? He was the one who
turned against them, not the other way around. It didn’t make sense. He was a
fucking psycho. That made perfect sense.

He raped, tortured and killed her best friend. He let other
men rape her friend and torture her. Demon said he loved her? What kind of love
was that? One that needed a bullet between the eyes, and she aimed to do just
that.

How the fuck was she supposed to tell Thorne? The girl
wasn’t even healed herself and now she had to put her sister in the ground? She
didn’t want Thorne to know what happened. She had to be kept from that. The
club was all Thorne would have looking out for her now. The hospital hadn’t
made the connection between the sisters, and she hoped it stayed that way.

Amy glanced to the clock through her tears. Eleven
forty-five. The meet was in fifteen minutes. Looking back up, Amy jerked the
wheel to the left, nearly driving off the road into a mountain side. That would
have been fucking great. “Get it together, Amethyst James!” Amy yelled at
herself, trying to stay focused on the road. She would be no help if she hit a
rock wall and burst into flames.

The exit loomed ahead and she took it at twenty miles over
the posted speed limit. She still had a ten minute drive after the exit. Amy
prayed no guards were at the gate. Flashers on, she put the pedal to the metal
and opened up the Jeep like she never had before.

“Fuck!” Amy screamed at her windshield when she spotted the
looming gates. They were locked shut.

Oh well.

Dropping a gear in the Jeep, she screamed loud and long as
she drove right through the wire fencing, not caring that it crashed against
the doors and the top, thundering to the ground behind her. Her windshield
splintered, making it difficult to see. She spotted the trailer with the
product in it. Slamming on her brakes, her back tires locked, sending the Jeep
sideways to a stop.

Jumping out, she ran for the set of warehouses she heard
Romeo and her father talking about this morning. Rounding the corner of the
furthest set, she stumbled to a stop.

Demon and Stone were arguing. It looked heated and full of
anger as Demon pulled a gun and pointed it at Stone, who held up his hands in
defense.

Why was he not pulling out his gun? Her dad always carried.
“Dad!” Amy screamed as Stone lurched toward Demon, a loud bang reaching her
ears.

Stone was still, then he crumpled to the hard black ground.

CHAPTER 28

How much more was she going to have to take?

How many more people she loved were going to get hurt?

Seeing Demon shoot her father at point blank range had put
her feet into motion, though it felt like slow motion. With no thought for her
own safety, she threw all of her weight into Demon, who looked shocked to see
her. Her weight forced him back, but didn’t make him fall.

Instead, Demon laughed and threw her at her father’s
lifeless body. “You’re too late.”

“You fucking bastard!” Amy snarled at Demon, crawling over
to her father. Picking up his head, she brushed her lips against his forehead.
“I’m here. Stay with me.”

Stone remained unresponsive to her.

“Call 9-1-1!” Amy yelled at Demon, who stood there, his gun
on Amy.

“Let him die. He was a worthless piece of shit anyway.”
Demon snorted and shrugged, leveling the gun on Stone. “Here, I’ll solve our
little problem.”

He pulled the trigger again.

Stone’s body jerked, then stilled as Amy’s frightened scream
pierced the air. “Dad!” Amy shrieked when the rise and fall of her father’s
chest came to a sudden end.

She felt for a lifeline against Stone’s veins and icy fear
twisted around her heart. A large gasp brought her attention to Stone’s face;
wild pain filled eyes stared up at her. “Dad! Stay with me!”

“Lucky bastard. Well, you know they say three is the charm.”
Demon pulled back the hammer of his gun, pointing it once more at Stone.

Stone grasped Amy’s hand, tears squeezed out of his eyes as
he grimaced in what must have been pain. “Amy, everything I did, was for you
and Romeo. Keep that close. Never forget that—or let anyone tell you
different.”

“Oh boo-fucking-hoo.” Demon dramatically rolled his eyes,
moving the gun around in over exaggerated movements. “Cry me a fucking river
with this shit. Just fucking die already!”

Another gunshot rang through the warehoused area, blood
splattering in Amy’s face as the bullet tore into Stone.

Amy cried out in fear as she frantically wiped the blood off
of her face, terror taking hold of her sanity and turning it against her. Panic
like she had never known before welled in her throat when she looked at Demon
and saw the madness in his cold, onyx eyes.

Frantically checking her father, she couldn’t get a pulse or
feel him breathing. “Dad!” Something inside Amy broke. She felt the snap of
whatever held her together. Her body and mind became a maelstrom of anger and
devastation no one should ever feel. This so-called man had just taken two
people from her and showed no regret in doing so. Breathing in, Amy looked to
the heavens and let out a bloodcurdling scream that could be written down in
books as a woman whose soul was taken from her. A wail filled with so much
grief it could shatter even the Hand of Death’s heart.

Through blinding tears, Amy thrust her hand into Stone’s
vest and pulled his gun from the shoulder rig. In one fluid moment, her body
turned, her arm swung her father’s gun up and aimed at Demon’s head.

It was as if the angels themselves heard her cry of anguish
and wept with her. The heavens opened up and spilled its own tears, lightning
ripping through the sky when a summer storm took hold of the rural area.

“Put the gun down, Amy, before you hurt yourself.” Demon
cajoled. “Put it down or I’ll shoot you, too.”

Thunder cracked overhead and her heart pounded in her ears.
All she saw in her mind’s eye was her father falling over, followed by Maggie
having the seizure that took her life.

“I’m going to enjoy killing you.” Amy yelled through gritted
teeth, trying not to let her grief overwhelm her, to use it for anger and
avenge Stone and Maggie’s deaths.

“Amy! Stop! Put the gun down!”

A voice registered in her brain, her heart quickened a beat
when she looked toward the voice.

Mace.

Amy tightened her hand around the gun, allowing it to bite
into her palm, keeping her in a reality check. She looked back to Demon, raising
her other hand to cup her right. She wanted to see Demon bleed, to see him take
his last breath, like she had watched Maggie and her father do.

“Amy, baby. Listen to me. Lower the gun. You don’t want to
go to jail for killing him.” Mace pleaded with Amy.

Through her tears, she never took her gaze off of Demon,
though she shook her head at Mace. “No one would know if I kill him.” She
rocked her feet apart, taking the stance one would take to shoot targets. “It’s
just club here. No witnesses.” She never blinked. She squeezed the trigger, the
bullet grazing Demon’s shoulder, knocking him back a few steps.

“You bitch!” Demon laughed, shifting his weight back, so he
stood straight once more. “Quit fucking crying over spilled milk. Stone wasn’t
worthy of being the president of the club. Wasn’t worth a pot to piss in. He
was getting too fucking old for this shit. He wasn’t up with the times. The
club needs new blood and I can bring that.”

“So you raped, beat and tortured Maggie? You killed her.”
Amy screamed.

Demon laughed again, shaking his head. “You don’t have the
balls to kill me. You’re nothing more than a whore, just like Maggie.”

Amy breathed in, held her breath and squeezed the trigger.
The second bullet hit where she aimed. His knee.

Demon yelped in pain, tumbling to the wet blacktop,
screaming obscenities at Amy.

Amy felt nothing seeing Demon lay there, grasping at his
nonexistent kneecap. That ended when Mace drew down on her and ordered her to
lower her gun.

Confusion filled her as her tears continued to fall. “You’re
sticking up for this piece of shit? He fucking killed Maggie! She died begging
me to save you and Dad and you’re going to defend him?”

“He is not worth going to jail, Amy! Drop the fucking gun!
Now!” Mace’s voice took on an authority Amy had never heard from him before.

Demon pointed his gun at Amy as he struggled to rise on his
feet once more. “I’m going to fucking kill you, you bitch!

Amy ignored Demon and stared at Mace. His face had darkened
with an unreadable emotion. A pang hit her when realization slowly dawned, a
nagging at the back of her brain. “You sound like a cop.”

Mace grimaced and lowered his head slightly. “Because I am.”

His answer echoed through her. She didn’t want to believe
what he admitted. She breathed in shallow, quick breaths, unable to grasp the
heavy reality of the situation and the direction it had turned.

“I fucking knew it!” Demon beat his forehead with the heel
of his palm, the gun rattling with the motion. “I fucking knew you were a pig!”

Everything about Mace was a lie. She had fallen in love with
a ghost. He wasn’t who he said he was. Was everything he said to her, what they
had done—was it all lies? She only half listened to the two men as she
struggled with her conscience. She had given herself to this man. Heart and
soul, and he had been lying to her since day one. Was she just a tool in his
game? Get close to her, get the guns?

“I’m such an idiot.” She turned her head to look at Mace,
who pointed his gun at her. “I believed you! I believed everything! I gave
myself to you!”

Mace shook his head, his jaw clenching before his spoke.
“Amy, I only lied about my name. Don’t give up on me now. What did I tell you
this morning?”

Amy turned her body slightly as she screamed at Mace, “You.
Lied.”

Everything was a blur, slow motion that felt like an
eternity when she heard a roar from Demon. Turning to face him, her eyes
widened. She saw his trigger finger twitch, the muzzle of his gun flashed
orange. Before a thought could register what had happened, Mace’s body crashed
into hers, sending her flying to the side.

Amy saw stars when her head cracked against asphalt,
fighting consciousness. A
thunk
  was heard with a grunt of pain as a
second gunshot echoed in her ears. Her vision blacked out for a moment, slowly
clearing as she blinked away rain and tears, and struggled to push up from the
ground. Lifting her hand, she started to shake, seeing her palm was red.

Hearing sirens, she saw club running toward her and the
fallen. Several bikes roared away from the scene, unmarked vehicles screeching
to a halt before the bikes, followed by local police and ambulances, forcing
the bikes to stop.

Turning her gaze from the chaos, she saw Mace, or whoever he
was, lying in a growing pool of blood. Demon lay opposite of them, a single
ribbon of blood trickling down from the hole in his head. Rolling to her knees,
her vision swimming, she crawled over to him, collapsing next to him,
struggling to pull him to her.

“Mace?” Amy wept as she brushed his wet hair from his face,
the pale silver eyes staring at her. “Please, God—don’t you die on me, too. I
can’t do this. Please. You owe me the truth.” Tears spilled over her lashes as
she tried to contain her sob, but it escaped anyway.

She couldn’t breathe, her chest too tight, as if she had
been shot and was slowly dying. A raw and primitive grief overwhelmed her while
she stared at him, trying to understand what just happened as her hand covered
the gaping wound in his chest.

“Damn it! Mace! Stay with me! I’ve lost everyone, damn you!”
Amy’s whole body shook, her throat closing as her anguish went beyond any form
of physical pain.

She refused to move while the medics jumped out of the
ambulance and rushed over to them. They had to physically remove her hand from
his wound to rip his shirt open to see the extent of damage. As they placed
electric pads on his chest to monitor him, Mace’s breathing grew labored and
shallow, almost wheezing.

“He’s taking blood in his lungs, get an airway going. We
need to airlift him! Call it in!”

Amy ignored the brothers surrounding her, only focused on
the man she had loved. The pain in her heart became sick and fiery, gnawing as
his hand touched the side of her face.

“I never lied about loving you.” Mace swallowed and stared
into her eyes.

The resolve in his eyes shattered what little heart she had
left. All hope vanished when his hand dropped and his head slowly rolled to the
side. His eyes became vacant and listless, his lips a tint of blue.

“No—no!” Amy felt hands against her, trying to pull her away
from Mace. She fought like a hellcat, grabbing at Mace’s cold hand and placing
it back against her cheek, only to have it fall lifeless to the ground. “NO!
Mace!” Amy grasped at the last straw of reality and his hand, trying to get him
to touch her and tell her he was still lying.

He didn’t respond.

He didn’t move.

Mason Younger would never tell her he loved her again.