Jackson (MC Sinners #7)

14 – Jackson

P ain bursts through my shoulder, sending me flying backward as the loud sound echoes through the room. I stumble to the ground, gripping my flesh where the searing pain is radiating through my body. My mind swims, and it takes me a second to gather my bearings, but when I do, my eyes immediately swing to Serenity, who is standing by the shattered window, her eyes wide, confusion washing across her features.

“Serenity,” I bellow, leaping up and curling an arm around her waist, hauling her to the ground just as another gunshot rings out.

She gasps as she hits the floor, and my bellow of agony as I land on my shoulder fills the quiet room.

“Jackson,” she whispers, her voice laced with fear.

“We need to get out of here. Now.”

Scrambling for our clothes while keeping low, we manage to pull on just what we need. In a matter of seconds, my shirt is soaked with blood and the pain is nearly enough to bring me to my knees. I can’t stop, though. I need to get Serenity out of here, but first, I need to get to my daughter. Someone is trying to kill us, and they very nearly did.

We should have never been by the window.

A fucking stupid mistake.

“Ava,” Serenity whispers, crawling out of the door and down the hall.

I crouch low, following behind her. We burst into our daughter’s room, and Serenity doesn’t hesitate, she reaches into her crib, wraps the blanket around her, and pulls her out. Then we’re moving quickly through the halls and toward the back door. I snatch my phone from the kitchen counter as we go past, quickly dialing Spike.

Chaos unfolds out front, and I can hear the sound of fighting. Whoever was trying to shoot us has been caught by the guys watching my place. Whoever it was is a damn good shot because they had to be a decent distance away to be able to hit us without being seen.

“Spike,” I growl into the phone when he answers, “someone shot at the house. I’m hit. Serenity and Ava are safe. We’re movin’ out the back door. The guys sound like they have found the person out front. Need back up. Now.”

“Fuck,” Spike barks, and I can hear him shuffling. “I’m comin’.”

Shoving the back door open, I use my body to shield Serenity and Ava as we move to the back fence. I take Ava and order Serenity to go over first. She does, and then I carefully use a post to launch myself up with one arm, hanging onto my baby with the other. I pass her over the fence and Serenity stretches up to get her. The pain in my shoulder is unlike anything I’ve ever fucking felt.

My head is spinning.

I don’t know how long I can keep my feet on the ground, but I won’t let anything happen to my family.

“Move toward the road,” I order. “Go slowly, go quietly, stay low.”

“Okay,” she murmurs into the darkness.

I follow behind her, but little by little, my legs are forgetting how to move. I’m bleeding too much, and it’s slowing me down. My head spins as I stop, pressing my splayed hand to a tree and leaning against it, dropping my head, my body heaving.

“Jackson,” Serenity calls softly, but I can’t bring myself to answer.

I’m fighting to stay upright.

“Jackson,” she calls again, this time she is rushing toward me, stopping in front of me. “How bad is it?”

“Don’t know,” I grind out. “I’m good, darlin’, just give me a second.”

She reaches around into my pocket, pulling out my phone, then she turns on the flashlight. I don’t even have the energy to argue with her about lighting up our location. She holds the phone to my chest and a little gasp leaves her lips. “There is so much blood, I need to slow it down.”

She acts without thinking, and I don’t have it in me to stop her.

She pulls off her shirt, not caring that she is left with nothing on, and she bundles it into a ball, baby in one hand. It’s fucking impressive, the way she acts without thought, finding an inner strength she usually keeps locked away. She presses her shirt against my chest and then orders me to tear mine so she can use it to tie the bundled shirt down.

Once she has it secured, she reaches up, placing a hand against my cheek.

Fuck, how was I ever mad at her? This woman is incredible.

“We’re nearly there, can you walk?”

“Yeah, baby,” I murmur. “Let’s move.”

The pressure against my shoulder helps enough for us to move through the woods and closer to where someone will hopefully be waiting. Ava sleeps through the lot of it, only stirring a few times. Serenity hushes her back to sleep and she snuggles into her mama, not bothered by the fact that we’re bounding through the woods. That baby will sleep through anything. She has always been so calm.

We reach the road, and I can see headlights. I pull Serenity behind me as I try to focus, making sure we’re going toward the right car. Motorcycles rumbling in the distance alerts me to the fact that Spike has the club on board and they’re making their way closer. When Cade gets out of a large black truck, holding his gun out, I know we can move.

“Go straight to the truck, get in, lock the door,” I order, pulling Serenity and Ava close as we cross the road.

Cade spins toward us and then lowers his gun when he realizes who it is. Shoving it into his jeans, he moves closer. “You’re hit,” he growls, his eyes dropping to my shoulder.

“I’m good. We gotta move. Anyone could be watchin’.”

He doesn’t hesitate.

We get in the truck and get the fuck out of there.

Once we’re in a safe location, Cade stops the car and dials Spike to find out what’s happening.

“Talk to me,” he demands, his voice rough.

“Whoever it was managed to get away. They think it was Hound or someone workin’ for Hound, but we can’t be sure. He fucked off into the darkness when they went after him. They’re scourin’ around now, seein’ if they can find anything. You all good?”

“We’re safe,” I mutter from the background. “Need a location to go to, got to stitch up my shoulder.”

Serenity’s eyes flash, but she doesn’t say anything.

If she had her way, we’d be on our way to a hospital. But right now, that can’t happen. It’s too risky.

“Go to the southside warehouse; we have men surrounding it, keepin’ a look out, it’ll be the safest we can get right now.”

“On it,” I growl.

Cade speaks to Spike for a minute or two longer about swapping cars so we’re not followed, then we hit the road again.

We can’t stay still for too long.

The risk is just too big.

We need to finish this.

Now.

“YOU GOOD?” CADE ASKS , holding the knife in his hand, his eyes scanning over Serenity before meeting mine again.

“Do it,” I growl, holding a bottle of whiskey in my hand. “Just get it out.”

The bullet is lodged in my upper shoulder, and we can just feel it stuck there. The only way to avoid infection and the hospital is to get it out, but that means Cade has to dig into my flesh with a sharp knife to get deep enough. Then we have to stitch it up. I’ve been stitched up before, it’s not new, but being cut while I’m awake isn’t going to feel good.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Serenity whispers, holding onto my hand even though I’ve told her not to. I’ll crush it when he starts cutting, and I don’t want to hurt her.

She refuses to let go.

“Got no other choice, baby,” I murmur. “Do it, Cade.”

Cade hesitates for only a second, then he meets my eyes and nods before taking hold of my shoulder and plunging the knife into my flesh. My roar fills the quiet warehouse, and nobody speaks as I bellow with agony when the searing pain shoots through my body. It’s fucking excruciating when you know it’s coming, and even though I can feel how tightly I’m holding Serenity’s hand, I can’t bring myself to let it go.

“Nearly there,” Cade yells over my roaring. “One more ...”

He twists the knife and then the sound of a bullet bouncing off the floor can be heard amongst my growls and curses. He presses a clean towel over the wound to try and steady the bleeding, giving me a moment to calm down. The pain is out of this world, and I’m panting, a fine layer of sweat trickling down my body.

“Hey,” Serenity says, her voice soft, “you’re good, honey. You’re good.”

My jaw is so tight it fucking burns, and I can’t get my body to relax.

“Just finish it,” I manage to grind out.

Spike appears with a first-aid kit, and he hands it to Cade who quickly gets to work stitching the wound, but not before he pours something that fucking burns like acid onto my open flesh.

By the time he’s done, I’m so tense it feels like I might just pass out, but, instead, I force myself to my feet and take the joint Spike hands me, walking outside as I inhale, waiting for the sweet fucking relief.

Serenity follows me, and when she stops beside me, her hand goes out to my chest, and she looks up at me with those sweet eyes, making my heart fucking full. I know she’s scared, and I don’t blame her, I could have died tonight, and now shit is getting very real.

“I’m sorry for what I did, Jackson, I need you to know that.”

“We’re good, baby,” I murmur, inhaling deep, the warm sensation slowly traveling through my veins. “We’re good.”

“I was scared,” she whispers, her voice cracking. “The thought that something could happen to you, because of me ...”

“Look at me,” I growl, taking her chin in my free hand and tipping her head back. “There ain’t a single thing in this world that you could do that I wouldn’t die tryin’ to fix. Even if it was wrong, I’ll always fight for you.”

“That’s just the thing,” she croaks. “I don’t want you to lose your life because of me.”

“I’m right here, I’m standin’ in front of you. I’m good, darlin’.”

I release her, and she steps toward me, pressing her cheek against my chest and wrapping her arms around me. I only have it in me to lift my good arm, so I swap the joint over and use that arm to drape around her, holding her close.

“We’re goin’ to finish this,” I murmur into her hair.

“I know.”

“You gotta trust me.”

“I do.”

Closing my eyes, I stand there in silence with her.

She always knows what I need, even when the world feels like it’s standing still.

Without her, I’d be nothing.

I have to finish this, because I can’t live another fucking second knowing she’s in danger.

Nobody will take her from me.

Nobody .