ICE: Knights of Silence MC

by Amy Cecil

  Caden

  I pulled up to the house and found Reb’s car gone. Where were they? He knew I was coming. I went inside and there were grocery bags all over the counter, but nothing was put away; everything was still in the bags. Something was wrong. I called Emma, and I could hear the phone ringing. Her purse was on the kitchen counter, with her phone sticking out of the top. Fuck. I called Rebel – no answer. I sent him a text.

  No response. Now I was frantic. I called Hawk, and he answered on the first ring.

  “Hey man, have you heard from Rebel?” I asked.

  “No, why?”

  “Fuck man, I don’t know. They are not here! There are groceries on the counter still in the bags. Emma’s purse is here with her phone. I can’t get ahold of anyone.”

  “What do you need me to do?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. Stay by your phone. Try to get Reb on the phone. See what you can find out. Call Skeeter and Peyton. See if they know anything. Get back to me as soon as you can.”

  “Will do.” He hung up. For the first time in my life, I was at a loss. I didn’t know what to do or what to think. Even when my parents died, I’d had a plan. I always had a plan.

  Fifteen minutes after I arrived at the house, the door flew open and Rebel came in.

  “What the fuck man, where’s Emma?” I yelled. I didn’t have the patience for hellos, I had to know where my girl was.

  “Ice, man, I did everything I could. She was only out of my sight for a minute.” He was a mess, and I could tell he was as distraught as I was.

  “What? What? Tell me now!” I was losing what little patience I had.

  “Someone took her. She’s gone, and I have been driving everywhere trying to find her. It’s as if she has vanished.”

  “I told you not to leave her! What in the hell were you two doing up here?! You had one job: keep Emma safe!”

  “I know, I know … she was safe. She wanted to go grocery shopping today; we were running low on food. She bumped into a guy in the store that had a devil tattoo on his neck. We were both in the produce section getting things we needed. I went over to her to make sure she was ok – she was rattled, but fine. When we left, there was a Harley in the parking lot, but it never left and so I was sure we weren’t followed. We got back to the house and started carrying in groceries. I was coming in as she was going out. We were separated for mere seconds. Then I heard her scream and saw a black SUV pulling out of the drive. It was the same SUV that followed us that day from her apartment, I am sure of it. I tried to follow them, but lost them. I’m sorry, Ice … more sorry than you will ever know.”

  I could feel the blood in my face disappear. I was trying to process what I’ve been told. Emma was gone. Grayson had her, and I had no fucking clue where she could be.

  I was so pissed at Rebel, I couldn’t even look at him. I stepped outside and called Hawk. He answered, “Nothing yet, Ice.”

  “Grayson has her.”

  “What? Where in the hell was Rebel?”

  “He was here. I don’t get it, Hawk. Why would he let this happen?”

  “Ice, I know you are upset, but I know what you are implying and I don’t believe it. Rebel would never rat us out to another club. We are his family, his life. You know his past history. No, I don’t believe it.”

  “Then how could this happen? How did he just let them take her away? If he didn’t rat us out, then who did?”

  “I don’t know if that’s what happened. Get yourself back here and we will figure this thing out. “

  Defeated, I replied, “They got us, Hawk. They outsmarted us. All the planning that we have done … they just bought into it to fool us. They beat us at our own game. We need to find her. We need to find her now!”

  “We’ll find her, I promise you that. I’ll get some guys together and stake out the Satans’ clubhouse, Grayson’s house, and his workplace. We’re on it.”

  “Thanks man. I doubt that he is keeping her anywhere nearby. He will take her where he feels comfortable, which means they are probably on their way back to Edinboro. Keep your eyes and ears open. We are on lockdown. Bring everyone in, Skeeter and Peyton too. Send someone to Slippery Rock to bring Ari home. I’ll be back in town in four hours.”

  “Ok, Ice. If you need anything else, all you gotta do is call.” Hawk hung up and I turned toward Rebel. He was beside himself, but it left me no comfort.

  “What the hell is going on here, Reb?” I knew Hawk didn’t believe my suspicions, but I had to know for sure. “Is there something you need to tell me?”

  “Ice, no, it’s not what you are thinking. I swear!” he pleaded.

  I still was not buying it, so I probed some more. “Then why don’t you explain to me how they found her in a place that I was sure they didn’t know even existed? Someone had to rat, Reb … was it you?”

  “Hell no! I would never rat out our club, no matter who was involved. Ice, I’ve been your sergeant at arms for three years now; you know me better than anyone. Do you really believe I would turn on you?”

  “For a price, even the most loyal brother would rat.”

  “I’m no rat!” he yelled. “You asked me to watch your girl and I did! I did everything I could. We were fucking carrying in groceries, the last thing I expected was for someone to take her!” He paused briefly and added, “Look man, I know you are upset. If it were me, I would be going batshit crazy right now. But we are wasting time arguing about this. Let’s get back to Edinboro and find your girl!”

  He was right on so many levels. I wanted, no, I needed to blame someone. But really, I had nobody to blame but myself. I should have been here with her. I took a deep breath and said, “Reb man, I’m sorry. I’m just so fucking lost. If I lose her now, because of this, I don’t know what I will fucking do.”

  “I know. Come on, we need to head back to Edinboro. You go ahead and I’ll get Emma’s things together and be right behind you.” He hesitated for a minute and then said, “Ice, I know I let you down. I’m sorry.”

  I walked over to him and patted him on the back. “You did the best you could. I don’t blame you for this. I blame myself. I thought we had them. I underestimated Grayson. This is my fault.”

  I got on my bike and was back on the road to Edinboro.

  Chapter 32

  Emma

  “Mark? Why are you doing this?” I asked in the darkness. “Where am I? Why am I bound?” Silence. I couldn’t take it anymore. “Say something, damnit!” I yelled.

  Instead of responding, he laughed. He was scaring me. Nothing about this was funny, and his laughter was terrifying. It wasn’t the normal reserved laugh that I was used to. No, this laugh sounded as if it came from Satan himself. Terrified at what he would do next, I cringed as he leaned down to me and brushed his nose against my ear. Chills ran down my body. I didn’t know what to do, so I just stayed silent and still. He then whispered in my ear, “You don’t get to ask questions, bitch. I’m done playing it your way. From now on, my dear Emma, you are going do things my way.” He took his hand and ran it down my body, lingering and touching my breasts, down my stomach, straight to the waistband of my jeans. He fumbled with the button and zipper until they finally came free.

  “He’s going to rape me,” I thought to myself. “Oh God no, please no. If he does this, I know I won’t survive it.”

  “Mark, please. Please don’t do this. Let’s talk this out between us. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m so sorry,” I pleaded. He removed his hand from my jeans and suddenly his fist made a beeline for my face. Ouch, that hurt like hell! My head was spinning and the darkness started to consume me. My face was screaming with pain. No, no, no! I refused to let him win. I was slowly fading, but I knew that I had to stay awake. I couldn’t lose my head now. So, I fought with everything in me to remain conscious.

  The room was extremely dark, and I couldn’t see him clearly. But he smelled. His smell, combined with the stench of the room, was making
me sick. I could barely make him out, but he was so close to me that I sensed that he was not dressed in his usual suit and tie. He was always so polished, but the man before me was more like a savage. He put his head in my face and smirked at me – it was the scariest expression I had ever seen on him.

  “I told you, you don’t speak. If you do, I’ll hit you again.” He paused for a moment and then continued. “You know how long I have been waiting for this? To get you here, like this?” He gestured toward me lying on the bed. “It was all I thought about when I was working Brianne over. That little bitch, she was gonna open her fat mouth and tell you everything about me. I had to teach that little cunt a lesson. Then you had to go and hook up with the Knights. So, my darling fiancée, now it’s your turn. I’m gonna break you. Use you over and over again and then send you back to those assholes.”

  Oh God, Brianne. Is she still alive? I wanted to speak, but the pain in my face was a reminder to keep my mouth shut. Mark seemed like he was in the mood to talk, so hopefully if I didn’t make him mad, I would find out why he was doing this.

  Roughly, he push his hand down my jeans, his fingers jabbing into me. He was pushing violently, making my core burn and throb with pain. Please stop. Caden, where are you? Please find me.

  “Why are you so fucking dry, bitch? You were always that way when we were together. Wasn’t I enough for you? Didn’t I turn you on like your badass biker Iceman does? You think I don’t know about the two of you? I’ve known about the two of you a lot longer than I have known you, sweetheart. You better get those pussy juices flowing baby, or you are in for a long and painful night.”

  I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. I hurt everywhere, and I was terrified. I just kept praying that he wouldn’t rape me. As if God listened, Mark suddenly stopped pushing against my core and looked back up at me. He got this evil look in his eyes and said, “But first, I want you to know what kind of man you’ve been shacking up with.”

  He got up from the bed and walked over to the other side of the room, disappearing into the darkness. I heard the sound of a button being pushed and then the room is illuminated with the light from a TV. At first the screen is fuzzy, but then suddenly I was watching Caden at the Knights’ clubhouse, hanging all over some blonde. They were kissing. Mark said, “This video was taken last night. Apparently the Knights had a big party. Funny you weren’t there. Why is that?”

  Devastated, I looked away from the TV screen. I just couldn’t watch any more. Mark grabbed my head and turned it toward the TV again and held me there, making me watch every second of Caden with this other woman. My heart broke into a million pieces and I realized that he wasn’t coming for me. Nobody was. I was utterly alone at the hands of a madman. I love you, Caden!

  “So, now that you know that your big bad biker is a cheating asshole, perhaps you will give me your undivided attention.” He smiled and mused, “Where to begin? I had so many plans for this moment and I have to say, I am a little overwhelmed.” He left the video on and walked over to the bed and sat down next to me. Then he added, “I need to touch you.” He ran his hands down my body and I tried so hard not to flinch, but I couldn’t help it – his touch repulsed me. His reaction surprised me. Instead of getting angry at my reaction to his touch, he gave me a wicked smile and continued. Oh my God, he was enjoying my disgust for him. What a sick bastard!

  “Well, my little bitch, I think this is the first time since we have been together that you have actually gotten me this hard. I’m ready to fuck you now.” My stomach turned and I felt as if I was going to throw up. He roughly pulled my jeans off me along with my panties. He pulled out his knife again and slid it up the center of my shirt and bra, slicing them in two. I was completely naked, and I had never felt more vulnerable. Tears started to roll down my cheek and I started to cry uncontrollably. He slapped me, hard. “Keep crying, baby. Cry out for me, ‘cause I know you are gonna enjoy this as much as I will.” I started shaking my head no, which only angered him more, and he slapped me again. Still, the pain radiating through my head wasn’t nearly as bad as the pain I was feeling in my heart. Caden had abandoned me.

  I felt that I had nothing left. Even if I got out of this alive, I would have nothing left. I wished that Mark would just get this over with. I had given up. I went completely still, and my crying stopped. I had no more fight in me.

  Mark could sense my defeat and suddenly he backed off of me. “What the fuck, Emma, you are ruining this for me.” He began to pace and then turned back toward me. “Fight back, you little bitch. This reminds me of when we were together before. You always just laid there. You were a lousy lay. I want the excitement. I want you to claw at me to stop. I want to hear you cry, damnit!” I was silent and he just stared at me, infuriated. He raised his hand and struck me again, and again. I did the one thing he didn’t want me to do: I just laid there, not making a sound, not even crying. Suddenly, he turned away from me and angrily stormed out of the room.

  So now I was naked and alone again. The room was freezing, and I couldn’t do anything to cover myself. I was hungry and thirsty. I glanced over at the TV and realized that Mark had left the video playing. The images of Caden and that blonde chick kissing were playing over and over again. I tried not to think about my current situation and instead stared at the screen. I couldn’t take my eyes off them, and my heartbreak was getting worse and worse with each kiss. Suddenly something caught my eye, and I looked a little more closely at the girl. She was wearing my clothes. And my boots! I know they’re mine because I left them at the clubhouse. Wait a minute … he was acting! Caden was always very casual and easygoing with me, but he was forcing this. I could see it now, on his face. Even she seems a bit uncomfortable. This was a show. This was staged for Mark’s benefit. I just know it. They must have wanted to make Mark think that I was at the clubhouse. Suddenly, I had hope. I still doubted I was ever going to leave this place alive, but I knew one thing for sure. I was not going to go down without a fight. Bring it on, Mark Grayson – you will never be half the man that Caden Jackson is.

  Chapter 33

  Caden

  Fuck, fuck, fuck! I can’t take this waiting game. I’d been back at the clubhouse for an hour now. My boys were busy scoping out the Satans’ compound, but I’d heard nothing. I was losing all sense of sanity. It had been five fuckin’ hours, and nothing. Grayson was good, I’d give him that. He had left no trail, no sign of either of them. For the first time in my life, I didn’t know where to turn. I had nobody to call and nobody to question. How in the hell was I supposed to get answers?

  I needed to keep it together. I couldn’t lose my head over this. We would find her. I just had to keep telling myself that so I could continue to think clearly. I needed to stop beating myself up about this, as well. But how could I? I failed her.

  I’d been trying to get ahold of Skeeter for a couple of hours now, but his phone just goes to voicemail. As I grabbed my cell phone and look down, trying to find Skeeter’s number again, it rang in my hand: the caller ID read REBEL. Thank fuck! “What do you got?” I tried to keep calm because he could be giving me bad news or good news. I had to keep my composure no matter what he says.

  The voice on the phone wasn’t Rebel, and it sent chills down my spine. “I got your girl, Iceman,” he hissed with distaste.

  What the fuck? How did he get Rebel’s phone? “You fucking cocksucker! You better not have harmed a single hair on her head, you son of a bitch!”

  “Take it easy there, Ice. You piss me off and I’ll do more to her than I have already done.” His voice sounds like a snake slithering across the asphalt; he was putting me on edge. This man was Satan reincarnate.

  I needed to proceed with caution. I took a minute to compose myself and then calmly, I asked, “What do you want? And while you are at it, why don’t you fucking tell me how you found her.”

  He laughed. “Now you are asking the right questions.” He paused and then continued proudly, “Well Cade, p
erhaps it is time that you understand why I am making your life a living hell. You have thought all this time that this is about Emma. You are so fucking wrong. I’ve had my eyes on you for a very long time. I know all your club safe houses and probably more about your club than you do.” He paused and asked, “Have you figured it out yet?”

  “Figured what out?” I asked, confused.

  “This has been about you since the beginning.”

  Me? What in the hell?

  “I can hear the wheels turning in your brain right now. You are wondering why in the hell this is all about you, aren’t you?” He waited for me to answer.

  Calmly I said, “Yes.”

  He laughed again and it echoed through the phone like Satan himself. It was unnerving, but I kept telling myself that if I wanted Emma safe, I had to keep calm. He said, “So, let me ask you something. Do you remember Ace?”

  Ace? What did he have to do with all this? Ace died ten years ago. “Of course I do. What does he have to do with this?” I asked.

  “Again, you are asking the right questions. If I understand your history with Ace, he was your sponsor into the club. He was your mentor, and after your parents were killed, he was like a surrogate father to you. Am I right?”

  “Yes, that’s right.”

  “Well, he was a fucking asshole to me. I am his son, his own flesh and blood, and he gave me up. He said he didn’t want this life for me. Instead of being a good father and taking his own son under his wing, he took you. He chose my brother over me.”

  Brother? What the fuck?

  “I bet you are really confused now.”

  “You are not my brother,” I said confidently.

  He laughed again. I wished he would just get to the point. None of this was making any sense. “Actually, you are wrong. I am your brother. You and I share the same father. Ace was your father.” What in the hell was fucking going on?

  “That’s impossible.”