Unlawfully Yours (Lawless MC #1)

44

I never anticipated just how much seeing the woman I love standing at the altar with a man who isn’t me would piss me off.

Though, the term ‘pissed off’ is a colossal understatement, especially now that her would-be husband has his hand wrapped around her throat with a gun to her head.

I’m raging. So much so the hand clutching my gun shakes as I aim it at Tobias’ head, imagining pulling the trigger and watching every ounce of life in him drain away. It’s nothing less than the bastard deserves and I’d enjoy it immensely.

I meet her eyes briefly from across the room, a fiery rage burning in them as she stiffens in Venom’s grip.

“Venom, I suggest you take your fucking hands off my woman,” I say.

To my left, one of Tobias’ guys makes a grab for his weapon, but Kill cracks the butt of his gun into the side of his head before sweeping his feet out from under him. “Try that again and see what happens, asshole.”

Behind me, my men have all of the Cobra bastards covered. Some of them have been forced to their knees with a gun to their heads, others are pinned up against the wall.

“You’re outnumbered, Tobias,” I point out. “Seems your little plan to marry off my woman didn’t go to plan after all.”

“On the contrary. Sure, taking her from you would’ve been a bonus, but what I really wanted was you. You played right into my hands, and it seems my nephew had a hand in that, too.”

His gaze finds his nephew, pinning him with his eyes. “You disappoint me, Drew. I had a feeling you were going to Stillwater when you left earlier, but I had hoped I’d raised you better than that.”

“I’ve been raised on lies. If anyone should be disappointed, it’s me,” he replies.

Despite my initial doubts, Drew came through on his end. Maybe he’s not so bad after all. He’s got a Cobra face down on the floor with his hands behind his back, his and Allie’s mother safely out of the way, backed up against the far wall.

“Seems his Lawless blood runs deeper than you thought, huh, Tobias?” I make a mental note to repay Drew. Hell, I might even make him a member of Lawless just to spite his uncle, not that he’ll be alive long enough to see it. “You know, I have to wonder just how many of your men actually believe in what you’re doing. Kidnapping a woman, shooting up innocent kids in the street… and for what? Some twisted vendetta over something that happened twenty years ago?” I turn my head slightly to the men in the room, but keeping my eyes fixed on Tobias. “I have no fight with any of you. None. Only him . Whatever this is, it ends now. You can either die here today, by his side, or you can leave, freely . Nothing will happen to you or your families, I swear. But either way, Tobias is not leaving this room alive, it’s up to you if you want to join him.”

Tobias turns to face me and the hand around my gun tightens instinctively, the tip of the barrel now pressed against the middle of his forehead. “Come on, Lawson. I know you, you’re no murderer.”

“You wanna bet?”

There’s movement in my periphery and Tobias flicks his eyes to two of the younger members of his crew who inch towards the exit. “Dex. Ash. Don’t you fucking dare abandon me,” Tobias spits.

The tall blonde one shrugs. “I’ve got a kid to think about, man. I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t become a Cobra to be party to murdering kids, Prez,” the darker-haired one says, and with that, the two of them leave.

“Anyone else wanna abandon me? Huh? You bunch of pussies!” he spits. Every second that ticks by, Tobias becomes more and more unravelled. Rattled by the fact his men are so quick to leave him and his club behind.

The anger radiating off Tobias is palpable as he watches two more of his men leave without so much as a glance in his direction, dropping their kuttes onto the bar before disappearing out the door and all I can do is watch on in satisfaction.

“Being President of your club was never about brotherhood for you, was it?” I ask him. “It was only ever about power, all to serve yourself in your search for revenge. Your father was a good man from what I remember, and all you’ve done is taint this once great motorcycle club and turn it into something dirty and evil. Your father would be so disappointed in you.”

A split-second after the last word leave my mouth, Tobias snaps. His fist comes out of nowhere and collides with my face. I’m knocked backwards, my gun landing somewhere at my feet with a clatter. I shake off the pain radiating through my cheek. As if Tobias’ first punch was a signal, the entire room erupts in chaos around me. Fists fly and glass shatters, the sounds of grunts and the crack of bone connecting with bone fills my ears.

I return Tobias’ hit with one of my own, putting my entire body behind it as I swing, my fist colliding with his face with a grunt.

Tobias and I go back and forth, the both of us landing hit after hit. The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth, the inside of my cheek split from his punch. He comes at me again, only this time I block the blow meant for my head. My fist connects with his nose and despite the ruckus that fills the room, I hear the distinct sound of it breaking.

He reaches for his face as he howls in pain. His knees buckle and it gives me an opening. I scan the room for Allie, desperate to make sure she’s okay. Venom has her pinned against the far wall with his hands around her throat.

Something glistens and I watch as Allie pulls out a knife from the sheath strapped to Venom’s thigh and plunges it into his leg.

My chest swells with pride.

That’s my girl.

Venom drops to the floor clutching the blade still lodged deep into his leg. He makes a grab for her, gripping her ankle as he tries to pull her down with him but she kicks out with her other foot, the blow hitting his face.

Tobias stumbles onto his feet, stealing my attention. “You want to kill me, Lawson?” He spits a mouthful of blood onto the floor. “Go ahead, but you’re gonna have to watch her die first.”

I don’t see the gun concealed behind his back until it’s too late. He smirks as he raises it in the air towards Allie who is unaware she has a gun aimed at her and time seems to slow.

Everything plays out in slow motion like a movie.

I lunge for his gun, desperate to rip it from his hand, but he’s already pulled the trigger. The gun goes off, the sound cracking through the air.

I watch on in horror as the bullet rips through Allie’s abdomen, the force of it thrusting her backwards.

“No!” A sound I’ve never made before tears through my chest as the woman I love sinks to the ground clutching her stomach, crimson blood seeping through her fingers and soaking into the stark white fabric of her dress.

Something comes over me. Almost like a cloud. A dark cloud of untameable rage that surrounds me. It seeps into every part of my body, heats my blood and darkens my mind.

All I see is red.

Like a bull in the ring I charge for Tobias. I tackle him to the ground, knocking the gun from his hand and it clatters to the ground. I take a fist full of his hair in my hand and slam his head down onto the floor. I do it again and again.

I’m wild. Unrelenting .

His eyes are heavy and weary as I drag his head back up one final time. Blood stains the floor beneath his head, a string of it dripping from the corner of his mouth. His brow is split, so is his lip.

It’s a fucking picture.

“This is for Allie. Thomas. Kit. And Maddie and every other person you have ever hurt, you piece of shit.”

One more blow and it’ll all be over.

Before I get a chance to deliver one final blow, something heavy hits the side of my head and I’m knocked off balance.

Dark spots dance in my vision, a loud buzzing filling my ears as I rise up onto my knees to be met with a gun pressed against my forehead.

I stare down the barrel of the gun to find Christina on the other side of it. “Go on. I dare you.”

“You might not believe it, but I did love you, Myles. Once .”

I snort a laugh. “You’re right, I don’t believe it. You don’t get to claim to love your family and turn your back on them as easily as you did. I don’t give a shit about me, but I do about Kit. He didn’t deserve that. And you don’t deserve him.” There is nothing in her eyes. They’re empty, void of emotion as she towers above me. “Go on, you already left him without a mother, why not destroy him even more and take his father from him too,” I goad.

Her hand shakes, her finger tightening around the trigger and it clicks but nothing happens.

Her eyes widen in surprise.

She flips off the safety but before she can pull the trigger, a shot rings out and a bullet-shaped hole pierced her forehead. The gun slips from her hand as her body drops to the floor in front of me with a heavy thump.

I glance over my shoulder to find Allie holding the gun that shot Christina, her arm shaking with the weight of it as it falls into her lap, her head tipping back against the wall, her eyes fluttering closed.

I rush to Allie’s side, the world around me spinning as I sink to my knees beside her. Her eyes are closed, her body still and her skin drained of colour.

“Allie? Allie, wake up, baby. Come on.” I feel for a pulse on her neck. It’s there but it’s weak. So goddamn weak and there’s so much blood.

I tear off my kutte and tug my shirt over my head. She cries out as I press my shirt against her abdomen. “Don’t you dare fucking die on me, pix. Don’t you dare. You hear me?”

Her lips twitch a fraction, opening her eyes a crack. “Can’t get rid of me that easily, Lawson,” she croaks out.

A smile tugs at my mouth. “We gotta get you to a hospital, baby.”

A hand clamps down onto my shoulder and I’m ready with my gun as I spin around to find Killian. “Chill, it’s just me. Get her out of here! Go! I’ll cover you.”

I slip my arm under her knees and my other behind her back as I gather her into my arms, her head falling against my chest, heavily. Every part of my body aches but I have to stay strong for her if I want her to make it out of this alive. She groans as I rise to my feet, carrying her to the exit while Kill covers us.

We make it outside and the cool air hits my heated skin and I welcome it.

“Myles! Over here!” Drew opens the door to my truck that’s still parked up where I assume Allie left it earlier.

“Oh my God! Allie!” her mom wails, rushing towards us. “Is she okay?”

“She’s been shot. She needs a hospital. Now .” I lower her gently into the back seat while Drew climbs in behind the wheel, the engine rumbling to life. “Get in, I’ll drive you.”

I hesitate. As much as I hate to leave her, I can’t abandon my club, not when we’re so close to ending this once and for all.

“I’ll meet you there. Go ,” I tell him.

“We’ll take care of her, I promise,” Drew assures me from the driver’s seat.

“You better.” I turn my attention to Allie, praying to whatever God is up there to not let this be the last time I see her.

I press my lips to her forehead, stroking her hair with my hand. “I love you,” I whisper.

It takes every shred of strength within me to tear myself away from her, wanting nothing more than to be with her, but knowing how much she needs a hospital right now, I slam the door closed and take a step back. The tyres squeal as Drew peels out of the compound, carrying my heart with them as they disappear out of sight.