We soon make it to the entrance of the grounds. The stark brick building is like some sort of old warehouse. The mixture of white exterior and metal shutters at the windows makes this look like a motherfucking prison.
“We should go around the back,” Aston advises, waving his hand and gesturing for me to follow him. We walk all the way around; the high metal fencing secures the entire perimeter of the building.
“The surveillance cameras don’t cover this side, so we need to make our way over the fence and through that small window,” he says, pointing at a window that looks like it leads into some sort of basement.
I nod. Following him over the metal fence, I climb and drop down on the other side. My eyes dart all around us, constantly checking for signs we may have company. We rush over the gravel path, and I crouch beside Aston as he starts working a small screwdriver under the seal of the window.
“Keep checking, man. We don’t want someone sneaking up behind us.”
“I got it,” I reassure him, resting my hand on his shoulder as my eyes roam the surrounding area.
Within seconds, I notice the window is open and just big enough for my large frame to fit through. I slide all the way in, resting my foot on a box below. I flick on my pocket-sized flashlight, checking the area around me. Looks like we landed in some sort of storage closet.
“Check the door,” he whisper-shouts. I slowly walk over, trying the handle on the door. It opens easily, and I peer through the small gap. It’s some sort of hallway. The lights flicker, and I slowly and quietly close the door.
“I’m in,” I say with a nod.
“I’ll be waiting in the car.” He shuffles back from the window, loosely closing the window. He disappears from my sight, and I know I’m going this alone, that I’m risking it all for this girl. But I’m doing it willingly, and I’d do it a thousand times over just to know she’s okay. I rest my back against the door, my heart pounding so fiercely in my chest that it’s the only sound I can hear.
I’ve done this so many times before.
Walking into the unknown.
Putting my own life at risk.
But this is different.
She is depending on me. I’m depending on me to get her out of here alive. This time, it means something. This time, I’m teetering on the edge of life.
Kailee
I quiver as we sit in the corner of the room. Waiting. I’m not entirely sure what we are waiting for, but no one has been in since Jax left with the crazy guy hitting on Layla. I look at her face; the redness is beginning to fade, and I smile. She slowly reaches for my hand, taking it and squeezing gently. “Thank you,” she mouths to me. I’m just glad I could finally calm her down. I stare down at the floor as all sorts of evil thoughts race through my mind. Images of what those guys might do to me, what they might do to poor Layla, ravage my mind.
An almighty thud against the door has me up on my feet. I look down at Layla, gesturing with my hand for her to stand up. “We need to be ready,” I croak out.
Her eyes start to glisten as tears appear.
“Stay strong, Layla. I know we can get through this.”
She coughs a little, clearing her throat. My anxiety rises as my eyes fixate on the door, waiting for something to happen. Everything happens in slow motion. I can see the door opening, but it’s all happening so slowly. I swallow the huge lump in my throat as I watch him walk in. His green, piercing eyes land on me as he pulls up the black ski mask, completely revealing his face. I have nowhere to turn. I look at Layla and back at him.
“Kailee.” He races over to me; his eyes darken and roam over my mostly naked body. He stops just in front of me, his arms around me, pulling me close. “Thank fuck you’re okay.”
“Ryder,” I gasp. “What are you doing?”
“I’m getting you out of here. We have no time to lose. We have to go NOW.” He releases the hold he has on me and our eyes connect.
My brain tries to process what’s happening. Ryder is here, but I’m not sure if it’s another one of Jax’s tricks. A way to lure me out without a fight.
“Has he put you up to this?” I ask, taking a cautious step back, folding one arm over the over and holding them tightly against my chest.
“No,” he growls angrily, “I had nothing to do with this, pip. You have to believe me. I traced you based on Jax’s cell phone location. We have to hurry, pip. There’s a dead guy outside the door, and I’m not sure how long he will go unnoticed. We need to move, now!”
“B-b-but how?” I ask. There was no sound of gunfire, only the thud against the door.
He quickly reaches inside his waistband, holding a gun out in front of him. I widen my eyes, stepping back ever so slightly, before Ryder’s arm grabs me firmly around the waist.
“This one has a silencer,” he says with a light nod of his head. He pushes it back into its prior position.
He holds out his hand to me, and my eyes meet his one last time. There is something genuine about the way he’s looking at me. Trusting him is a risk, but not trusting him could lead to a lot worse. I reach up, grabbing him, my hand shaking more than ever. He tugs lightly on my hand, pulling me closer to him. “I don’t like this look on you. Here, put this on.” He slides off his leather jacket, placing it on me as I slide in my arms. It’s miles too big but covers the parts of my body that are on show. It smells of him, and I can’t help but pull the collar closer to my nose, inhaling the musky smell that defines him. Defines Ryder.
He resumes the hold on my hand, pulling me close. My body rests against his. The thud of his heart beats against me. His head drops as he leans in and softly kisses me on the cheek.
“Happy birthday, pip,” he whispers, his breath warm against my cold face. He squeezes my hand then leads me to the door. I had completely forgotten about my birthday. It seems so unimportant, considering what’s happening right now. I smile, mouthing, “Thank you,” as he turns and looks at me, before reaching for the door.
“Ryder,” I call out. He turns his head toward me, his eyes wide and waiting. “What about the others?” I look around the room. The other girls are slumped against the walls, barely paying attention to what is happening. Then my eyes catch Layla. She’s watching us; silent tears stream down her cheeks.
“I can’t leave her behind,” I squeak, reaching my hand to her. She runs over to me, taking my hand in hers.
“Pip.” Ryder’s tone is like an unspoken warning. “She ain’t my responsibility.”
“Please, she’s so young, so very young. I can’t leave her here alone.”
He sighs loudly. “Let’s just get outta here.” His hand lands on the door handle as he swiftly pulls it open. “Close your eyes. This ain’t a pretty sight,” he orders. I can’t help but look around me as we step through the door, despite Ryder’s warning. I step over the limp body of the guard; the light from the room we are exiting highlights the blood splattered against the wall. I snap my eyes away, looking back at Layla. Her hand flies to her mouth before she closes them tightly as if desperately trying to rid herself of the images.
“I have no idea which way is out,” I whisper to Ryder as my legs struggle to keep up with his frantic pace.
“Just follow me,” he continues as we race to the end of the corridor, following it to the left. Ryder reaches inside his waistband, taking hold of the object he has wedged there. Layla’s hold on my hand loosens, so I look back to check on her.
I gasp loudly.
I turn to see Jax behind us, holding Layla around the neck with a gun pointing at her temple.
“Ryder,” I screech, panic rasping through my tone. He stops dead in his tracks, spinning on the spot, his eyes widening.
“Brother,” Ryder snarls. “You can have her, but Kailee’s coming with me.” Ryder has his gun held out, pointing it directly at Jax.
“No,” I yell. Ryder’s arm pushes against my chest as he positions me behind his wide stature. “Stay there, pip. Don’t fucking move until I tell you to,�
� he whispers, but I hear the wavering of his voice. For the first time, I sense his fear. I peek around him, trying to see that Layla is doing okay. She seems frozen, her body rigid as the gun pushes against the side of her head.
“Why?” Ryder roars, causing me to jump a little at the ferocity of his voice. “Why the fuck would you do this to her?”
“It’s just business, bro. It’s nothing personal.”
“You made it personal when you involved Kailee. What the fuck is wrong with you? What’s going on in that tiny little fucking brain of yours?” Ryder taps his head with the end of the gun.
“We all know I’m the brains here.” Jax laughs.
“Oh, shut the fuck up. We left school a long fucking time ago.”
“Don’t fall out with your brother.” I hear another voice cut in, and as I look around Ryder, I notice Eric standing beside Jax, his hands held together in front of him.
Ryder holds the gun out at full stretch, pointing it at Eric. “I should blow your fucking brains out, you son of a bitch. Here and now,” Ryder growls.
Eric holds up his hands in a mock surrender. “Son, you don’t want to do that.”
“Believe me, I do. Nothing would give me greater pleasure.” Ryder’s teeth grit together, his whole body tense.
“None of this is our fault. Kailee is payment to us.” Eric speaks in a placating voice as if trying to reason with Ryder.
Ryder shakes his head, and I stand on my tiptoes, concentrating on the two men in front. What the hell are they talking about?
“What sort of payment?” Ryder asks, dropping his gun a little.
“Her father couldn’t settle his debts. He had to repay what he owed me somehow.”
“What debts?” I ask, stepping to the side of Ryder, but his strong arm flies out immediately to hold me back.
“Thousands of dollars. Money he could never repay. He lost it all gambling, and he had to settle the debt somehow. Kailee, you are the settlement.”
“No!” I scream, and my heart pounds uncontrollably. He would never do that. “You’re a liar,” I scream, saliva flying from my mouth as I force out the words.
“This whole debt thing ends here.” Ryder holds up the gun. “She’s not your fucking possession now, and she never will be.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” Eric steps closer. “She does belong to me. Whether you like it or not.”
Ryder turns to me; leaning into my ear, he whispers, “On my word, run. Cover your ears. There’s a door to the right of the hallway, and it leads to a window. Get out. Don’t stop and don’t look back.” I look him in the eyes. They’re sad and filled with pain, speaking an unspoken apology. I quickly nod. “What’s the word,” I ask in a whisper.
“Pip,” he instructs with a wink before turning his back on me.
“I should have done this a long fucking time ago,” he roars and then the sound of gunshots fills my ears, each one making my body flinch uncontrollably.
“Pip,” he yells, and I do as he ordered. I run down the hall as fast as my weak legs will allow. I can hear shouting, screams, and more gunfire. I cover my ears, running like my life depends on it.
Ryder
I watch his limp body fall to the floor. My brother releases his hold of the girl as he runs over, dropping to his knees beside him. The blond-haired girl runs toward me, and I turn, pointing at the door. “Go now. Find Kailee,” I breathe and watch her as she nods knowingly. I hold the gun in my hand, pointing it at Jax.
I feel a small trickle on my leg. I reach my hand down and wince at the pain that shoots through my leg. It feels weak, and as I look at my hand, I see the blood. I glance down, and my blood covers the floor. I have to get out of here.
“How could you do this to him, Ryder?” Jax stutters, his hands shaking as he holds Eric’s arm, pressing two fingers down hard, trying to find a pulse. I look down at the pathetic piece of shit, the floor covered in his blood. The shot to his chest did the job.
“Fuck.” Jax sniffles, wiping his nose on the back of his arm. “You won’t get away with this.”
“He was poison, Jax, and you were the only one who fucking refused to see it. You’ll be better off without him.”
“No,” he screeches loudly. “You just killed my father, our father.” Jax drops back on the floor, pulling Eric’s lifeless body into his arms.
“What the fuck…?” I let my words trail off as his confession stuns me to the core.
“It’s true. He was our father. Ask Mom.”
“No.” I shake my head from side to side. “I don’t believe you.” I turn my attention to the sound of the footsteps and voices I hear approaching. I have no time to lose. I turn, racing down the hall and through the door. I look around the room for something to block the door with. I notice an old metal filing cabinet and drag it in front of the door, wedging it beneath the handle. I race over, stepping on a wooden box to push myself up through the window. I hope and pray that Kailee got out okay. I need her to be safe. As soon as I’m out, I can see her helping the young blonde over the fence. My anxiety is rising, the panic inside as I know what will happen if the guys in there get hold of us. There are too many for me to take them on single-handed.
“Ryder,” she calls to me from over the fence. I race over, my leg growing increasingly difficult to move. The pain burns so freaking bad, and the feel of blood pouring down my leg doesn’t help. It’s becoming heavy, and I feel like I’m dragging the damn thing along. I stop for a second, and reaching for the neck of my shirt, I pull it over my head. Quickly tearing it, I wrap it tightly around my leg, trying to stem the flow of blood. I can feel the haze becoming heavier, but I need to make it over that damn fence and in the arms of the girl my heart belongs to. With nothing but pure adrenaline, I charge forward, blinking repeatedly.
“Are you okay, Ryder? Shit, he’s bleeding bad,” I hear her mumble.
“I’m good. Just help me over so we can get the fuck outta here.” I let out a puff of laughter. I watch as both girls climb back up the fence and reach down for my hand. I push myself to the top, using my upper body strength to launch me over. Dragging myself over, I drop to the ground, my weakened leg giving way as I fall to the ground with a thud.
“Jeez, Ry, are you okay?”
“I’m good; I’m good,” I reiterate, brushing myself down as I push to a standing position.
“Here, let me help you,” Kailee offers. Wrapping my arm around her shoulder, she tries to take some of my weight. I hobble as fast as I can, and we make our way down the side of the building and down the narrow path leading to the road. We keep as close to the side as possible, just in case they are hot on our heels.
“There should be a black car parked just at the end of this road. Aston is waiting for us,” I say breathlessly. As we reach the end, I check to the left then again to the right. “There.” I point as I spot the car located a little farther down the country road. We all rush over to the car.
“Get in the front, Layla,” I hear Kailee instruct. “I’ll sit with Ryder. I need to check his leg.” She looks up at me with a smile. The kind that would light up the darkest of rooms.
“Quickly,” she says, pushing my back to speed me up. Jesus” —she gasps— “I think I hear someone coming.” She slams the door shut, rushing around the other side. As soon as she’s inside, I yell at Aston, “Go, go, go,” desperate for us to get out of here. As we speed away, I look back over my shoulder and see Jax and a group of guys all running and pointing guns at the car. A cold hand touches me softly on the side of my face, directing my line of sight back inside the car.
“I don’t think thank you will ever be enough. Ryder, you saved me.” Her tear-filled eyes lock on mine, and my heart gallops. The combination of the touch of her hand and her intense gaze is doing strange fucking things to me.
“I’d do it a million times over if it means you’re safe.”
Her breaths become labored, and I can see in her eyes just how much she’s fighting back the tea
rs. Her head falls forward, resting on my shoulder, and the exhaustion takes over her. I reach my hand to the back of her head, feeling her soft, silky hair against my rough palms. I cup the back of her head, pulling her as close to me as I can. Fuck, it feels good. She’s safe and finally here with me.
Where she fucking belongs.
“Ryder,” she mumbles against my heaving chest, “your leg.” Pulling back, she takes the makeshift bandage and unties the knot. I breathe in sharply; a hissing sound escapes me as I struggle to unclench my teeth.
“We need to get you to a hospital.” She looks up at me then back down at the wound. “You’re in pain?” She looks back at me questioningly.
“I’m fine, honestly. The bleeding has slowed, and I’m pretty sure the bullet exited,” I say, twisting my leg to show her the wound on the back of my leg.
“Jesus,” she mutters. “What the hell happened back there?” Her face contorts as if she’s scared to hear the truth.
“You won’t get any more trouble from that sick fuck, Eric. That’s for sure.” I lean my head back against the cold seat of the chair, and she gasps loudly.
“And Jax?” she says slowly. “What about him?”
“I had to get out of there. His backup arrived, and there was no way I could take them all. Jax also decided to throw a huge motherfucking wrench into the works too.”
“What do you mean?” she asks, hovering over me.
“He said that Eric was our father.”
“What? Eric’s your dad?”
“Was,” I reiterate. “I’m not sure I’m buying it. We both look liked Dad; everyone said it. I think it’s bullshit.” She smiles sadly, and I remember what Eric said about Kailee’s father.
“I’m sorry about your dad, by the way.” I take her hand, squeezing it gently.
“Yeah, so am I,” she says a little dismissively, and I get the impression she doesn’t want to discuss it. “So what’s the plan? Where do we go now?”
Aston cranes his neck, catching my attention in the rearview mirror. “I’ve had instructions from Marco to take you to a motel a few hundred miles from here. There will be everything we need waiting there.”
The edge of life: Official cover - coming soon Page 19