Ride With Me (Paige and Jace) novel Chapter 128

CHAPTER 80

Jace’s POV

The convoy rolled out before dawn and the sky remained dark and the roads were almost empty as we left the warehouse behind and headed toward the delivery point.

Everything about the operation had been planned carefully. Routes had been reviewed, backup routes had been reviewed, communication channels had been tested and meeting locations had been confirmed.

Every member involved knew exactly where they needed to be and exactly what they needed to do.

That preparation was the reason the Iron Vipers had survived for so long. We didn’t get careless. We didn’t get lazy. We didn’t take unnecessary risks and at least we usually didn’t.

I rode near the front of the convoy while Hunter and Derek maintained positions nearby and Roman rode farther back protecting the rear vehicles.

The shipment remained secure and the road stretched ahead beneath our headlights while cool morning air rushed past us.

For the first hour everything went smoothly. Nobody spoke much because there wasn’t much to

say.

Everyone remained focused on the job and the only sounds came from engines, tires and the occasional radio update.

I checked my mirrors repeatedly. Nothing looked unusual. Nothing felt wrong which was exactly why the ambush worked.

We were approaching a narrow stretch of road surrounded by dense woodland when everything changed.

A pair of headlights suddenly appeared ahead. The vehicle wasn’t moving and it sat sideways across the road blocking both lanes.

My stomach tightened instantly and every survival instinct I possessed began screaming.

“Stop.” I ordered.

The order came through the radio immediately and the convoy slowed. Motorcycles shifted position and the lead truck stopped roughly fifty yards from the obstacle and Hunter moved beside me.

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CHAPTER 80

“You seeing this?” Hunter asked.

“Yeah.” I said.

Clanes

Something wasn’t right. Nobody parked a truck across a road at four in the morning. Not out here.

Not by accident.

Then another vehicle emerged behind us and my blood turned cold. The truck accelerated from a side access road before sliding across the pavement. Blocking our retreat and the trap snapped

shut.

“Damn it.” I said.

The words barely left my mouth before gunfire erupted. Muzzle flashes exploded from the tree line and bullets tore through the darkness.

Glass shattered, metal screamed and the peaceful silence of the morning vanished beneath

chaos.

“Contact left side!” I yelled.

The warning echoed through the radios and more gunfire followed immediately.

The Black Reapers had finally made their move and the realization hit instantly. This wasn’t random and this wasn’t robbery. This was an organized attack. I drew my weapon while moving toward

cover.

“Return fire.” I ordered.

The Iron Vipers responded immediately. Gunfire erupted from both sides of the convoy. Rounds cracked through the trees and several attackers disappeared behind cover.

The entire road transformed into a battlefield within seconds.

A bullet slammed into one of the trucks and another shattered a side mirror. Someone cursed

through the radio and someone else reported movement along the right flank.

The situation was deteriorating fast so I forced myself to stay calm. Panic killed people but control saved them.

“Hold positions. Protect the shipment.” I said as my voice remained steady despite the chaos and

Hunter fired several rounds toward the trees.

“They’ve got numbers.” Hunter yelled.

“I know.” I said.

Another burst of gunfire echoed through the forest. The attackers had chosen their position well

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CHAPTER 80

and dense cover surrounded the road.

Visibility was limited and movement was difficult. Everything favored the ambushers and everything except experience.

The Iron Vipers had survived too many fights to collapse’ under pressure. Derek coordinated defensive positions as Roman protected the rear vehicles. The convoy tightened its formation. Nobody broke and nobody ran. Nobody abandoned their responsibilities. That discipline changed

everything.

Several minutes passed in a blur of gunfire and shouted commands. One attacker attempted moving closer. Hunter spotted him immediately and the man retreated before reaching effective

range.

Another group tried approaching from the opposite side and they met heavy resistance.

The ambush wasn’t producing the results the Black Reapers expected.

That realization gradually shifted momentum and the longer the fight continued, the stronger our position became and then a voice exploded through the radio.

“Man down.” He yelled and every muscle in my body tightened.

“Status.” I asked as a pause followed and then relief.

“Minor wound.” He said.

Thank God. The injured member had taken a round through the upper arm. Painful and bloody. But

survivable.

The knowledge allowed me to focus on the fight because as long as everyone stayed alive, we

could deal with everything else later.

The Black Reapers continued firing for several more minutes and then something changed.

Their attacks became less coordinated. Less aggressive and more cautious. And Hunter noticed it

too.

“They’re backing off.” Hunter said and I watched movement disappearing deeper into the trees.

“Looks that way.” I said.

Another few minutes passed and then the gunfire stopped completely. Silence settled across the

road. Nobody relaxed. Not yet.

Retreats could become traps and false withdrawals happened all the time so we maintained

positions while scanning the surrounding area.

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CHAPTER 80

Five minutes passed. Then ten and nothing happened. The attackers were gone.

The realization finally settled over the convoy and the Black Reapers had retreated.

A collective breath seemed to leave everyone at once. Not relief exactly. More like temporary

survival.

We immediately began damage assessments and the results could have been worse. Much

worse.

Clau

Several motorcycles had taken bullet damage and one truck required repairs. Windows had been destroyed and body panels had been hit.

The injured member received medical treatment and fortunately the wound remained minor.

Nobody had been killed and that fact mattered more than anything else.

I walked slowly along the convoy while examining the damage and anger simmered beneath the surface. Not because of the attack itself. Attacks happened. Violence happened and that came

with the territory.

What bothered me was something else. Something far more dangerous. Hunter approached while

checking his weapon.

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Hunter asked and I looked toward him.

“Probably.” I said as his expression darkened.

“This wasn’t random.” He said.

“No.” I said.

“They knew exactly where we’d be.” He said and the words echoed thoughts already forming inside

my head.

Because the more I reviewed the situation, the worse it looked. The location, the timing, the

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