Page 103 of Sangre
Chapter Twenty-Four
When Sangre arrivedat Isla’s house, he saw Mark on the porch throwing a chair through the window. He jumped off his bike and ran over. Eagle was behind him, and in the distance, he heard the low rumble of motorcycles.
“Isla’s in trouble,” Mark said as glass shattered everywhere.
Sangre grabbed the other chair and threw it, breaking a second window, then climbed in, the glass ripping his jeans and cutting him. Ignoring the blood dripping down his arm, he heard noise coming from Isla’s bedroom. He took his Glock 9 mm out and carefully walked up the stairs. From the sound of glass dropping on the floor, he knew that Eagle had followed him. Sangre looked over the banister and saw Eagle turn the lock on the front door. The house walls shook as the roar of bikes permeated the neighborhood.
“Where the fuck are you, bitch?” a deep voice screamed.
Eagle was behind him as they plastered themselves against the wall, inching toward the doorway. Heavy footsteps thudded in the foyer, and Sangre saw Diablo, Goldie, Crow, Shotgun, Army, Skull, and Rooster standing at the bottom of the stairs. Sangre held up his hand indicating for them to stay where they were; they nodded their heads, their bodies poised for action.
Sangre heard a bang in the bedroom then Isla’s scream. He and Eagle ran in, and he found Colt in the closet with his arm in the air and a knife in his hand. In the distance, the wail of sirens pierced the air. Not sure where Isla was, Sangre didn’t want to fire into the closet, so he stormed in, knocking Colt down on his face.
“What the hell?” Colt cried out. “Ughh… I’m hurt.”
Sangre kicked him hard in the side with his steel-toed boots, the sound of splintering bones bringing him a modicum of satisfaction. “Isla?” he said.
“Sangre.” She came out of the corner of the closet and threw herself into his arms. Eagle had the fucker pinned down on the floor. Behind him, he heard the rush of footfalls.
“Everything okay here?” Diablo asked.
“Yeah. The badges are on their way. Go ahead and take off. We don’t need this to be more complicated than it already is.”
“You sure you don’t want us to take the fucker?” Goldie said from the doorway.
“I’m pretty sure he’s a goner,” Eagle said as he switched on the light. Colt’s body lay still on the blood-soaked carpet.
“Asshole fell on his own knife.” Sangre kicked him again and a low grunt emitted from the listless man.
“Poetic justice,” Isla whispered. “You came. How did you know?” She buried her face into his chest.
Sangre stroked her hair. “I told you I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, honey.” He kissed the top of her head and walked out of the closet with her tucked by his side. Eagle handed him a towel, and Sangre wrapped it around his bleeding arm.
By the time Wexler, Jeffers, and Carmody arrived, the only Night Rebel in the house was Sangre. The sheriff called the paramedics then asked Isla what had happened. As she told her rendition of the events, Wexler locked eyes with Sangre then tilted his chin slightly. Stone-faced, Sangre stared back at him, but he knew the sheriff was grateful that the reign of a madman had come to an end.
“You should go to the ER and take care of those cuts,” Wexler said as he walked to the front door.
“I’m good.”
The sheriff stood aside as crime scene investigators came in. “You should find somewhere else to stay for the next few days,” he said to Isla then ambled out.
Sangre pulled her close to him. “You’re staying with me.”
With a dazed look, she nodded slightly. “The sheriff’s right. You need to check out your arm. The blood has soaked through the towel.”
“DR will take care of it.”
“Who’s that?”
“He’s a doc who loves Harleys. He helps us out when we need it. You’ll have to drive. I won’t be able to ride.”
“Okay. Let me get you a second towel to add another layer.”
As she climbed the stairs, more law enforcement personnel filed into the house. He saw Wexler talking with Faith on the sidewalk. Neighbors had come out and stood on their porches and lawns watching.
Isla came over with a yellow towel. “Here, let me put it on the other one.” As she wrapped it around his forearm, he watched her. “Does it hurt?”
Like hell.“Not too bad.”
