Rain Shadow(27)

Dreygon looked in the back at his cargo and then walked to where we were standing. “You did good. Everything is here. I’ll make some calls to see who double crossed us.”

“Dreygon. . . “ Gunner scrubbed his hair back as he spoke and then he looked at me.

“There was a casualty,” I said.

Dreygon turned to me.

“I took one of the men out.”

“You sure he was dead?”

I nodded. “Hole right between his eyes.” I’d only ever killed one other person while on duty as a DEA agent, and it had taken me a long time to deal with it. This time it was like taking out enemies in a video game. After what Bent for Hell had done to Dex, I was ready to blow all their heads off. It had taken a lot of restraint not to take out more of them, and by the look on Dreygon’s face, it had been a good thing too.



Dreygon stared down at the ground in thought. I never knew how the man was going to react. The night before I was sure I was going to be beaten into a bloody pulp for messing up his arranged marriage plans. Instead he’d congratulated me. Then without warning he pounded me for calling him crazy old man.

Dreygon brushed his hair back with his fingers. “I’ll let the club know to be on alert. In the meantime, no one enters or leaves this place. We’re on lockdown until things calm down. Gracie has breakfast ready, so eat up. We were going to make a supply run today, but now we’ll have to live on what’s left in the kitchen.” With that, he strode away.

I headed to the kitchen. Angel was standing on the front porch wearing a faded army green t-shirt, jean cut-offs and her black army boots. She was flanked on each side by the pit bulls. Everything about her was such an inconsistency. The gritty edge of her second-hand clothing couldn’t hide the delicate, gossamer beauty beneath. Just looking at her made the blood course through my veins.

I climbed the steps and put my arms around her. “Shit, what’s that phrase? Sight for sore eyes?” I breathed in her citrusy fresh scent. “In fact, you are good for every sense, not just my eyes.” I kissed her forehead.

“What happened?” she asked. “My grandfather looked worried.”

I didn’t answer at first.

“Luke?”

“We were ambushed by Bent for Hell, but everyone made it back. So we’re good. She would hear soon enough that we were on lockdown and the reason why, but it wasn’t something I wanted to tell her. She’d grown up in this wild, lawless world and little shocked her, but I wasn’t anxious for her to know that I’d taken another man’s life.

She reached up and pressed her palm against my face. “You look really tired, Reno,” she said quietly. Her eyes looked glassy as she continued. “I should have put some ice on your head and back last night.” There was a waver in her voice. “I should have at least given you an aspirin or something. I feel so terrible.”

I took her wrist and pressed her palm against my mouth. “I let you down, Angel. I’m sorry.”

She shook her head. “No, it was my grandfather who let me down, and I’m getting really tired of it too.” She took my hand and led me inside.

The aroma of pancakes and maple syrup made my mouth water. “Just remembered— I’m starving.”

I sat at the counter. “Where’s Gracie?”

Angel focused on her task of filling a plate with pancakes. “She’s got a headache again. My grandfather has to take her to the doctor today or I’m going to ask one of the guys to drive us into town.” She slid the plate across to me and immediately caught the look on my face. “What’s wrong? Not enough syrup?”

“No, the syrup is fine. I don’t think you’ll be able to take her to the doctor today.”

“I know he’s a stubborn old man, but I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve.”

The screen door swung open. Jericho and Gunner walked inside. “Hell yeah, you must have been reading my mind, Evie. I was just thinking pancakes and syrup.”

“Then it was Gracie reading your mind. She decided on pancakes.” Angel forked another stack of pancakes onto two plates and passed them across the counter.

Jericho pulled up the stool next to me. “Hell of a morning, eh, Reno? Shit, if I was ever in a bomber plane or in an army tank, I sure as hell would want you on the guns.”

Angel looked puzzled. “Why is that?” she asked the question to Jericho but looked at me for an answer. Gunner supplied her with it.

“Your boy shot down one of the Bent for Hell crew.” He added sound effects as he pressed a finger to his forehead. “Dreygon has us on lockdown.”