Children of Fire (Complete)

seventy-six

Gideon

My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach.

We were fucked. Royally fucked. Callahan knew. He knew everything. He knew that Emerson wasn't dead, he knew she was here, and he knew that we had assembled a fucking army to take him down. I was naive to think that this plan would work. How did Cassidy know? Who had told her?

"I see you seem to be slightly confused, yeah?" Callahan asked, letting go of Cassidy and taking a step closer to me. "Let me explain it for you. You see, Cassidy here has been fucking one of the guys from your other charters, I believe he's the President? What was his name again? Bones?"

Jonny fucking Bones. The guy was as stupid as he was strong, of course he would let his other head do all the thinking for him. Club whores weren't supposed to know anything about the inner-workings of the club, that was why they were whores. And he damn sure hadn't made her his ole lady, it was forbidden to claim someone's ex ole lady as their own. Honestly there was never even supposed to be such a thing as an 'ex ole lady' in the club-- but occasionally, exceptions were made. Usually only if they had died, but Cassidy didn't die, I just wished she would have. I knew Emerson was beating herself up about not letting me kill Cassidy when I had the chance, but it wasn't her fault. She was a good person, and she didn't need blood on her hands-- but it was too late for that, now. She had killed before, and I knew she would kill again.

I just didn't know how soon it would be.

I saw Cassidy's mouth moving but hadn't registered what she was saying. It wasn't until I saw Emerson standing up and striding quickly and confidently across the warehouse did my senses kick in.

"You fucking bitch!" Emerson roared, reaching into the waistband of her jeans and pulling her gun out quicker than I would ever be able to. Two shots rang out, and my whole body froze as I heard the thud of a body hitting the ground. There, before me, lay the lifeless body of the woman I had once loved, my high school sweetheart. But I didn't feel any remorse. The only feelings in my gut were pride... and utter terror. Because at that moment, the two men standing behind Callahan had reached forward and grabbed Emerson, knocking the gun out of her hand and dragging her backwards where she was now behind the man she hated most.

"Well, that solved that problem, didn't it?" Callahan said, his voice was amused and he let out a short cackle. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I watched as Killian took a few steps forward. "Ah-ah-ah!" Callahan taunted, wagging a finger in front of his face. "I wouldn't move any further if I were you, ginger. I'll gut her like a fucking fish." Callahan warned, producing a knife from his back pocket. Fuck.

"Now, here's how this is going to go, Gideon." Callahan stated, pacing back and forth in front of me. He was taunting me. He knew how terrified I was in this moment. Not of him. Not of his men, and not of my plans being ruined. He knew I was terrified for her, the love of my life, standing behind him panting heavily. She was pissed. I had never seen rage written all over her face like this, I had never seen her so angry. "You're going to call off your little army outside. Tell them that if they all go back home, I'll let them live. I mean, they haven't tried to kill me yet, why should I punish them? You, however, are a different story. One of you isn't making it out of here alive." He smirked, gesturing between me and Emerson.

My eyes scanned the room as I weighed out my options. I could give the signal, everyone that was waiting outside could come busting through those doors and Callahan would be dead before he even had the chance to speak. However, if that was the option I chose, Emerson would most likely die, and this would all be for nothing. But, if I did as I was told... I would have to think fast and come up with a better way to deal with all of this.