"Jacks..." Evan slurred. "Where have you been?" he drew out slowly.

"So much for keeping him clean." Jackson waved toward Evan.

Jackson watched Cherry's fiery personality erupt. "I have to work. It's not my fault that most of these dimwits working here don't understand when I say to watch him." Cherry placed her hands on her hips. "Besides, the poor child is a train wreck."

"Don't I know it," Jackson agreed.

"Friendly visit, huh?" Cherry raised her brow as Dane dragged the bodies into the room. "Black is gonna flip his s.h.i.t when he finds out you came into his place and started shooting s.h.i.t up. He's probably gonna show up any second."

Once the bodies were inside, Dane closed the door. "There's no way that went unnoticed," Dane said with a shake of his head. "We need an exit plan in a hurry." Dane aimed his gun toward the door, knowing they would have company any minute.

Jackson walked over toward Evan "Get up," he demanded. "We need to move."

Evan tried to push off the sofa and stumbled.

"f.u.c.king great," Jackson cursed as he pulled his buzzing phone from his pocket.

"Get the f.u.c.k out!" Teddy yelled on the other end before the line went dead.

The sound of the door crashing open caused Cherry to dive behind a chair. "Oh s.h.i.t," she hollered.

Dane shot the man who came barreling through the door but his partner managed to get a shot off that grazed Jackson's arm before he dropped to the ground on top of his friend.

"f.u.c.king great." Jackson looked down at the blood seeping down his arm.

"Sorry, man, he came in shooting."

"It's just a scratch. We need to move." Jackson turned toward Cherry "You like working here?"

"f.u.c.k no," Cherry said, crossing her arms.

"Good, I need you to get help us get Evan out of here." He tossed Cherry the keys. "If things go to s.h.i.t, I need you to take him to the address in Freyview that's in the glovebox. We're parked in the lot at the end of the block. We'll cover you. Just worry about getting his sorry a.s.s to the car."

"How do you not know I won't just steal your car?" Cherry said, looking at the keys.

"You won't," Jackson threatened. "Besides, you really want to stay on this sinking ship?"

"f.u.c.k it," Cherry said as she grabbed Evan's arm and pulled him to his feet. "Let's get out of here, Country. Cherry needs a change of scenery, anyway."

"Jackson," Dane called in warning as he looked to see if the hall was clear.

"Stay close," Jackson told Cherry before they filed out of the room. Jackson and Dane fired on Black's men as they poured out of the club. They were responding to the noise without knowing the threat, making it easy to pick them off.

"In here," Cherry called. "The window is an easy drop to the back and we can get to the parking lot quicker." Dane and Jackson backed in behind her as they held cover. As soon as they were inside, Jackson closed the door and Dane pushed the desk over to barricade it.

Cherry leaned Evan against the wall before she pried the window open.

"Easy drop, you say?" Jackson questioned the rather high alt.i.tude from the alley below.

"s.h.i.t, they moved the dumpster," Cherry complained.

A large bang on the other side of the door had them picking up the pace. "Dane, you go first," Jackson said, waving him toward the open window.

"I'll stay in case they get through this door," Dane said, just as someone started shooting through it. They all ducked as one of the bullets came clean through and lodged in the wall beside them.

"Go," Jackson demanded. "I need your help to catch Evan when I pa.s.s him down."

Dane tucked his gun in the back of his pants and grabbed the window ledge. "Don't try any of your stupid heroics, Jacks. You come down with us," he warned before lowering himself down. Jackson ducked as more bullets fired through the door and someone began throwing weight against it. "Yeah, yeah, just go already."

Dane dropped down, giving a m.u.f.fled curse as he landed. Jackson looked down to check on Dane.

"I'm good," he said, waving for Jackson to lower someone down.

"Let's go," Jackson told Cherry, who was more than eager. She lifted her heel adorned feet through the window and began to lower herself down as Jackson held onto her hand. "Don't kill Dane with those f.u.c.king spikes for shoes you have on."

"You obviously don't have good taste," Cherry said under her breath. Once Jackson lowered her as much as he could, Dane eased her drop.

Jackson grabbed hold of Evan, who was barely able to support his own weight. "Move, s.h.i.thead, before you get us both killed," Jackson ordered. He helped Evan lift his legs and shimmy out of the window just as the door banged loudly and the desk sc.r.a.ped along the floor. Evan was barely out of the window before Jackson felt the barrel of a gun pressed against his neck.

"Don't move."

"f.u.c.k," Jackson breathed angrily. He let go of Evan and kicked back as he grabbed for the gun and twisted it away from the man holding him hostage. When he turned, he noticed the other armed men entering the room and his survival instinct kicked in with a fury. Jackson managed to move fast enough to catch his attacker off guard. Using him as a shield, Jackson used the man's gun to shoot the men filling the room. Gunfire rang out as they responded to Jackson's attack. He could feel the man in his arms jerk with every bullet he received until the body grew heavy and Jackson could no longer hold him with one arm.

When the last man dropped and the gun Jackson was firing ran out of ammunition, he heard a familiar laugh from the hallway.

"I should have known you would pull some s.h.i.t like this, Jackson," Black announced as he entered the room with his gun aimed at him, unfazed by the dead men around his feet. Jackson tossed the empty gun to the floor.

"It's a pity, Jackson. I didn't want to have to kill you," Black said as he raised his gun.

Jackson stared at the barrel of Black's weapon and the first thing that came to mind was the gut tearing awareness that he would never see Lexie again. The fear of this fact had his heart racing as he faced his last moment. It was not the fact that John Stodden was still alive, or that his father's murderer was still free, but the realization that he was in love with Lexie Wilder. Her very existence had forever changed him and made him capable of love. The fact that he would never be able to tell her how he felt was the most devastating thought of all.

"You seem disappointed, like you actually thought you would get away with this," Black said with a shake of his head.

"I did," Jackson confessed with a frown.

"Slash will be sorry he missed this." A sly smile curled the edges of his thin lips.

"Slash won't be anything at all, because he's dead." Jackson raised his brow.

Black's eyes narrowed as he stared down the barrel of his gun at Jackson. He was completely unaware that the tide was about to change.

"Don't move," Teddy said as he pressed his gun against the back of Black's head.

"It's about time," Jackson breathed out in relief.

"Yeah, well, there are a lot of distractions out there. Can you blame a guy?" Teddy pressed the gun harder against Black's head. "Drop the gun," he ordered.

"Why the f.u.c.k would I do that?" Black asked angrily.

"Because I'll let you live," Teddy responded. "And you will let Jacks and I walk out of here."

"I can't do that," Black refused, tightening his grip on his gun.

Jackson watched Black's eyes flicker back toward Teddy when he spoke. He only needed a second to grab the gun he'd noticed next to his foot that one of the men had dropped.

"It's your only option to get out of this alive," Teddy insisted.

Shouting and heavy footsteps sounded down the hall. Black ducked, bringing his elbow up into Teddy's side. Black grabbed onto Teddy's gun and wrestled for control. Jackson took the opportunity to make his move. He grabbed the gun off the floor and shot without hesitation.

The seconds seemed to slow as Jackson watched Black realize that he had been shot. Blood began to pool out of his right eye and nose as he stared blankly at Teddy. His grip slackened enough for Teddy to wield his gun around and take out the three men that charged into the room.

Black's body swayed and then collapsed onto his knees and Jackson looked up at Teddy standing behind him.

"That could have gone a little better." Teddy tilted his head as he looked at Black's body.

"No, it's about right. There was no way I was leaving while Black was alive," Jackson said, tucking the gun in the back of his pants. "Let's go." Jackson rushed toward the window and kicked his legs out before shuffling down. The jolt of the drop was welcomed after almost meeting his demise only seconds before. He welcomed the pain that was beginning to register in his body.

Teddy was just seconds behind him as he landed on his feet. The sound of sirens began to filter through the constant hum of the city.

"Move," Dane ordered them as he started jogging ahead of them. Cherry and Evan were already gone.

"You're bleeding," Teddy nodded toward Jackson's side and shoulder.

"Nothing to worry about." Jackson was in good condition considering that he was stabbed and grazed by a few bullets. He knew for a fact he could be much worse.

As they came out of the narrow alley Cherry was behind the wheel of Jackson's car and pulling up toward them. "Get in," she shouted as she reached across the pa.s.senger's seat and opened the door for Jackson. Dane and Teddy piled in the back, shoving Evan off to the side with a groan of protest.

As soon as their feet left the pavement, Cherry threw the car in drive and sped out of the parking lot. "Jesus, where did you learn to drive?" Jackson asked, grabbing the door handle.

"I used to drag race." Cherry flashed a smile.

"You're full of secrets, aren't you?" Jackson raised his brows.

"f.u.c.king right I am, sweetheart." Cherry laughed.

Jackson's ears felt like they were underwater as the sound of rushing waves echoed in his head. He opened the glove box and pulled out his headset. He quickly unwound the cord to place the buds in his ears when he realized the wave of torment was not crashing in on him. He looked down at the player and didn't move. It was the first time he welcomed the silence after bloodshed. Normally he would be desperate to drown his head in the familiar sounds of the music on his player*instead his heart swam with relief. His hands shook and his body thrummed with energy, but the only thing he could concentrate on was relief, true and pure. He was grateful to be alive.

CHAPTER SIX.

Stephanie A quiet shuffling sound pulled Stephanie from a restless sleep. Her mind was trying to sort between dream and reality when suddenly her heart was sent pulsing frantically. She couldn't remember where she was. Unable to determine if she was still behind the bars, she jolted up, pushing the blankets off her that had tangled around her sweat-soaked body. Her eyes took a moment to focus on the soft cream color of her walls and the pale blue pattern of her sheet before she released a sign of relief. She was home, but still the reprieve only penetrated so far. She was still heavily drenched in a sickening feeling that refused to leave. She wondered if her mind would ever truly be free of the fear that still clung to her memories.

Stephanie pushed the knotted dark curls from her eyes and glanced around her room. The late morning sun was filtering in through her curtains. Even though she had gone to bed relatively early, she still felt exhausted from waking up so often through the night to a restless mind. Movement in the corner of her eye pulled her attention. A scream tore through her throat when she noticed someone standing at the foot of her bed.

It was only a matter of seconds before a rush of footsteps thundered up the steps and Lexie came barrelling in the room.

"Steph*" Lexie gasped as her eyes fell on Stephanie and then Nate standing at the foot of her bed with his hands raised in surrender.

"I'm sorry. I need to talk to Stephanie and that a.s.shole boyfriend of hers won't let me in the house," Nate said defensively.

"So you break in?" Lexie asked in disbelief.

"Yeah," he answered with raised brows. "How else would I get in?"

"Next time try calling me, Nate." Lexie pulled her phone out of her pocket and waved it in his face. "You're lucky her parents stepped out for a bit or they would probably have you arrested. Why are you even here? Aren't you supposed to be with Jackson and them?"

"Jacks wanted me to stay behind to make sure the officers were keeping an eye on you two."

"Obviously not if you snuck in Steph's bedroom." Lexie placed her hands on her hips.

"Hence the reason he made me stay." Nate raised his brow.

"What the f.u.c.k!" Mike hollered as he came into Stephanie's room. "I told you to leave!" Mike tried to push past Lexie but she held her ground as she pushed back.

"Stop, Mike, he's here protecting us," Lexie said.

"The f.u.c.k he is. I don't trust him." Mike narrowed his eyes and practically frothed at the mouth as he glared at Nate. "Get the f.u.c.k out of Stephanie's room."

"I want to talk to her. It's important," Nate said, standing his ground. He was obviously not feeling guilty enough about barging in Stephanie's room and causing a scene to drop his attempt to speak to her.

"Cool it, Mike." Lexie shoved back at him.

"Stop," Stephanie said quietly. Her hand was still clamped against her chest, trying to calm her racing heart. Her voice went unheard over the commotion Mike was making. Stephanie reached down deep inside her and pulled all the strength she had. "Stop!" She surprised herself how demanding her voice actually sounded.

Everyone turned toward her. "Leave, Mike," Stephanie said, quieter this time. She didn't have to force her words now that everyone's attention was on her.

"No, I'm not going anywhere while this f.u.c.ktard is in your room." Mike shook his head as he clenched his jaw angrily.

"You don't have a choice," Stephanie answered. "I'm telling you to go calm down. Nate is a friend of Jackson's and I trust him." Stephanie listened to his accentuated breathing as he tried to contain his anger. "Go." Stephanie nodded toward the door.

Mike looked taken back by her demand he leave and the crease in his brow deepened.

"I'll be right outside if you need me," Lexie said before shoving Mike toward the door. Despite Mike's anger, he finally let Lexie guide him out of the room, but not before throwing Nate one last heated glare.

"Don't try anything!" Mike threatened. Stephanie knew Mike was barely holding himself together. He seemed reeled too tight since she had gotten home and his insecurity about their relationship had her turning in the other direction. She knew he was looking for signs that things were good with them, but she didn't have it in her to give him comfort when she couldn't even console herself.

Mike was never the most considerate of people, and it never really bothered her too much before because she was never in a situation where she really needed him to be. Right now the fact that he couldn't see past his own face made a bitter taste form in her mouth. He seemed to have no concept of what she needed. She was seeing the truth of who he was without the veil of l.u.s.t that had once drawn her to him.

Every time he looked at her she could tell he was impatiently searching for the old version of her. What he couldn't understand is that there was no going back, and she wasn't sure what that meant for their relationship. The only thing she could see was an end, but she wasn't strong enough right now to shoulder the weight of a breakup, she just needed a little more time to find her feet to stand on.

Lexie cast her a gentle smile as she left the room. She knew Lexie was being strong for her despite her own mourning; she could see the sadness in her eyes. Just like she knew that's what Lexie saw when she looked at her. They clung to each other like two broken pieces, desperately trying to make the other feel better when they couldn't even do it for themselves. They both had so much to talk about but they were still dealing with the shock of each other's pain, so quiet consolation was what they both relied on for now.

Every time she thought about the fact that Lexie's mother was gone, it carved away at what was left of her. She would be Lexie's family and she had no intention of letting her down.