Chapter 14

Fourteen

Angela

I keep my eyes locked on Lobo. I can see the fury in his gaze along with the terror. He really does care for me. As much as I tried to convince myself that maybe it wasn't something real between us, just this one look in his eyes lets me know that it's real. He meant every word he said about caring for me. He loves me the same way I love him.

Miguel tightens his grip on my neck as he repositions himself behind me, using me as a human shield. Every last part of my body hurts from the beating he gave me earlier, but I don't want Lobo to see it. I don't want him to know how much pain I'm in and then be distracted for what's about to happen.

When I sent out the notice on the dark web for people to come out and help, I never thought it would reach this many people. It just goes to show that even though the RBMC may look like the villains in this story to the people in this small town, they are the heroes. I'm sure the people here would do whatever they need to do to make sure their club is here to stay.

"Let her go! Now!" One of the men from the club calls out. I think he's the one Lobo calls Digger. I peek at the side of his neck, and sure enough, the word "Dig" is tattooed there. One day I'm going to have to figure out why they call him Digger. At least I hope I'll get the chance to do so.

"Don't be a fucking pussy. Fight me one-on-one," Miguel yells out to Lobo.

Lobo's eyes go wide, and he drops the gun, taking one step in Miguel's direction. It's clear he's about to give in to what Miguel wants.

Vado steps forward just in time and stops Lobo before he has a chance to move any further.

"Nah, that's bullshit. This isn't a problem just between you and him anymore. The minute you put your fucking hands on Angela, it became our problem. Then you had the bakery burned down—now it's everyone's problem. You're not getting out of here with just a few bruises from one man. No, you're going to hurt today. You're going to hurt worse than you've ever hurt in your life." Vado's words send a wave of fear through me. I'd swear the man is crazy.

"Then when everyone else is done with you, I'll finish the job." Lobo smiled and rubbed his hands together like a kid about to get a full bag of candy. He was having way too much fun right now.

"Miguel, she's not worth it."

My eyes jerk to the side, and I'm surprised to see my father next to me, his forehead splattered with sweat. Even the gun in his hand is shaking with nerves. I've never known my father to be a scared man, but right now I'd say he was one loud noise from pissing his pants.

"Shut the hell up. Don't tell me what to do," Miguel hissed at my father.

"My father is right. We can get you another girl. Angela isn't worth all this. What good is she if you wind up with a million bullets in your body? She's not worth your life." My brother pipes in, and I turn to look at him. I'd be thankful that someone was trying to get me out of this mess besides Lobo, but I know exactly why the two of them are doing this. With all the people from the club and the people from the town, Miguel, my father, and brother are sorely outnumbered. If they choose to fight, they are going to lose. Horribly.

They are only looking out for themselves.

"Fuck the both of you. I'm not going to let them have her. No. If I can't have her, no one can."

I squeeze my eyes shut as I listen to what Miguel is saying. I've heard those same exact words several times from every thriller movie I've ever seen in my life. The obsessed man says them just before he kills the woman for not wanting to be with him.

I feel Miguel moving around behind me, but I'm not sure what he's searching for. Part of me is worried that he's about to disrobe me or something that will humiliate me. When I feel the cold metal being unhooked from near his waist, I realize how wrong I am.

My eyes search for Lobo in the crowd. Everyone is already moving in closer to me and Miguel. My father and brother have already laid their weapons down and are moving away. They may not be against me anymore, but they're certainly not here to help me. At least I don't have to worry about them anymore.

Lobo moves further and further to the front, and the second he steps to the head of the pack, I feel Miguel tug hard at whatever is at my back.

In a final act of desperation, I try to tug out of Miguel's hold, moving the gun that's pressed against my head and pushing him back, trying to get him off balance.

As he stumbles backward, he raises the hand that he had hidden, and in it is a grenade. The people are so close that there's no way less than a handful of them won't be killed.

I glance in Lobo's direction one more time before I throw myself back at Miguel, ramming him off the dock and against the side of the yacht.

I hear Lobo scream my name as Miguel and I tumble over the edge. The cold water shocks my system as we plunge beneath the surface. I struggle against Miguel's grip, kicking and thrashing. His fingers dig painfully into my arm as we sink deeper.

Suddenly, a muffled boom reverberates through the water. The grenade. The explosion sends a powerful shockwave that slams into us. I'm ripped away from Miguel as debris rains down around us.

My lungs burn for air as I'm tossed about by the turbulent water. Panicked screams pierce through the surface above. The splintering of wood echoes all around me. I fight to swim upward but my limbs feel like lead.

My vision starts to darken at the edges. I can't hold my breath any longer. Water rushes into my mouth and nose as I inhale involuntarily. The world spins and fades away as consciousness slips from my grasp.

The last thing I'm aware of is a strong arm wrapping around my waist, pulling me up towards the light. Then everything goes black.

Even in my unconsciousness I can feel that everything is all wrong. The arm around me isn’t Lobo but the one man I’d spent so much time trying to get away from.

Miguel has me all over again.