Page 18 of Girth (Marked Skulls MC 1)
Chapter 17
Lila
I saw the men loading their guns before they jumped out of the car, all five of them. I tried to escape, making a move for the lock on one of the doors, but the men held me back again while I kicked and screamed to be let go.
The guy who was holding me close to himself, made sure that I didn’t escape before he locked all the doors shut when they got out the car. None of my struggles had made any difference to them. I was no match for these five hulking men.
I screamed and tried to wriggle free from his grasp, but in the next second, all the doors were shut and I was trapped inside the car. Even though I knew there would be no point to it, I slammed my palms against the windows, thudding against it in the hopes that one of the doors would give way.
I could hear my sharp breathing, I could feel the dried up tears on my cheeks. That throbbing ache at the back of my head had become stronger and I was suddenly feeling very cold.
I gave up after a few minutes. There was no escape. I was trapped in the car.
Looking through the back window of the car, I could now see Girth approaching the five men who were standing in front of him in a row. I stared at him, relieved to some extent just to see him.
He looked strong and muscular, hovering tall as he stood in an attack stance, with his gun pointed at the men. However, no matter how strong and brave he was, no matter how much bigger he was than the other five; he was human and just one man against five others. I felt sick at the thought of what they could do to him. They could take him down with just a few bullets. They were going to kill Girth.
I screamed at the top of my lungs, and even though my voice was muffled by the car, I knew Girth had heard me. His eyes twitched and I thought I saw a tremble in his fingers as he held his gun. But he was concentrating, he hadn’t turned to look at me. He was focused on the men.
All I wanted was for both of us to survive this.
I could hear the five men laughing, stroking their beards and pleased with the situation that Girth and I now found ourselves in. I could sense that they were making fun of his tall height and I cursed under my breath. They had no idea how strong he was.
Behind us was an abandoned warehouse, where I assumed they were going to hold me captive after they had done away with Girth.
I was shivering and cold, I could feel the sickness in the pit of my stomach. I was stuck in this car and I was going to have to watch Girth die in front of my eyes. They were going to shoot him and kill him and he was going to lie bleeding there on the ground while they dragged me away and locked me up in the warehouse.
My heart was racing, I was sweating and cold at the same time. I was going to lose Girth forever, if I had any kind of life left for myself.
While I stared at Girth, I heard a shot that startled me. For a second I thought it was Girth who’d been shot, but then I saw one of the five men stumble and fall to the ground. Girth had killed him. In the next second, the men started firing at him and he ducked, then started running back towards his bike.
I hadn’t even realized that I was screaming. My screams filled the car now and I screeched till the back of my throat chaffed and I couldn’t scream anymore.
I could see Girth jump on his bike. He was still alive. There were too many shots being exchanged for me to know who was being hit and who wasn’t. I rammed my hands against the windows again. Could I break through? Maybe I could crack the glass, and then what?
Girth was riding his bike now. Taking shots at the four remaining men while he rode. Even though he was at somewhat of an advantage now, on his bike, he had to have been hit. He couldn’t come out of this unscathed.
I watched as he started circling the group of men who now stood huddled together. There were loud screaming voices. They were cursing him, shouting at him and I could see some of the guys bleeding. Girth must have been shot too, he must have been bleeding too but he was still riding his bike, circling around them and shooting at them.
It was difficult for the men to aim at him because he was riding too fast for them, sending them in a tizzy round and round for them to take a shot at him.
“Girth!” I screamed his name even though I knew he couldn’t hear me. I was smiling now, out of nervousness. There was still some hope! He might be able to take all of them out. Maybe his injuries weren’t life threatening.
The roar of another bike alarmed me and I looked up in the distance. There was a dust cloud being kicked up and through it, I saw a group of bikes emerge.
I recognized Rodeo’s bike immediately, I’d worked on its maintenance myself! I laughed out loud, unable to control myself. The Marked Skulls were here! They’d found us! Perhaps Girth had alerted them when he was chasing behind the car.
We were going to be okay, they were going to outnumber the remaining four men, all of whom were injured and bleeding by now. Now, the only thing I wished for was that Girth wasn’t fatally injured himself.
Chapter 18
Girth
The Marked Skulls arrived behind me just when one of the bullets grazed my arm and I felt a searing burning pain in my flesh. I staggered and lost control of my bike, falling sideways on the dusty ground.
While my face remained pressed to the ground and I could feel my limbs aching with fury, I sensed the Marked Skulls bikes rage around me and ride towards the four men who were still standing.
I jumped up off the ground, straightening my bike and still covered in dust, I ran through the bullets being fired towards the car where Lila was.
I could see the fear in her eyes and I knew she was screaming inside, but all I heard was her muffled voice. I tried some of the doors but they were all locked.
Using my elbow I shattered the window that was farthest from her in the front and I sensed some of the shards pierce through my jacket and shirt and lodge into my skin.
“Lila!” I screamed her name as she stumbled on to the front seat of the car.
“Girth! Oh my God! You’re okay!” she shrieked and I reached for the lock on the door.
She lunged at me, just when I managed to get the door open. Her hair was ruffled and matted to her face, while her clothes looked dirty and torn in places. I could see that they had handled her roughly and she had fought back.
“Let’s get out of here,” I whispered in her ear as she clung on to me, refusing to let go.
“Oh my God, Girth! You’ve been shot and you’re bruised,” she cried as her eyes roamed all over me, drinking in the spots I was bleeding from and the gash on my arm where the bullet had grazed me.
“I’m fine. I can still ride my bike. Let’s get you out of here,” I said, and using as much force I still had in my limbs, I pulled her out of the car.
“Girth,” she mumbled softly as I strung her over my arms and holding her tightly I swerved around the bullets as I ran towards my abandoned bike.
She was shivering and shuddering in my arms as I sat her down on it.
“Lila! Lila, look at me!” I said, and pressed her cheeks with both my hands, hoping that she wasn’t going to pass out. She was crying, her makeup was streaked on her face but when she heard my voice, she clamped her mouth shut and her blue eyes widened and she stared at me.
I was relieved that she was okay, that they hadn’t hurt her like I thought they would.
“Point to the man who touched you, who do you want me to kill?” I was hissing as I spoke. I knew that this wasn’t the time for vengeance but I needed to do it, for my own sanity.
Through the bullets that were being fired, Lila pointed at a man with a bald head and a long brown beard.
“Stay here,” I growled at her and then turning from her, I walked straight up to the guy. He was on the ground on his back. He’d been shot multiple times already by the Marked Skulls but he was still alive. He was bleeding from his arms and from the base of his groin.
“You should have fucking kept your hands off her you motherfucker!” I raged and with my eyes bloodshot and streaming with anger, I t
ook my fist right to his jaw and his face was thrust sideways.
“This is how you die,” I growled and straightened up again, before I took my gun out.
“No. No!” he managed to slur just when I shot my bullet straight into his heart. His voice died down immediately and I turned from him. He was going to die anyway.
I caught Rodeo’s eye, who was now kicking one of the other guys on the ground and I tipped my head. He did the same and I ran back to the bike where Lila was sitting.
She was crying still. She’d seen me kill that man.
Even though I knew that I should have ridden her back to her house immediately, I wanted to hold her first.
