by Chelle Bliss
“I dunno…God?”
“Jesus, girl. Get your shit together,” Suzy scolded me, biting her lip to stifle a laugh.
“Why? We leaving?”
“Are you going to see James again?” Suzy said, leaning forward, almost resting her belly on the table.
“You don’t have to be so serious,” I said, blinking slowly and opening my eyes wide. I felt like I was sitting there with my eyes closed, looking through slits.
“Mia, I’m gonna choke her ass out. You talk to her.” Suzy leaned back in her chair as she glared at me.
“James, Izzy. Are you going to see him again?”
“Fuck,” I muttered, trying to look at my phone, but my eyes were almost crossed. “We were texting and he said I’m to call him as soon as I get inside tonight and he’ll be over after work tomorrow or at least that’s what he said.”
“I like him,” Suzy said, a sappy grin on her face.
“You would,” I said, resting my head in my hand. I felt like I had a bowling ball rolling around in my head. I just wanted to lie down for a bit.
“Come on, princess. It’s time to get you home. You’re going to need your beauty sleep if James is coming over tomorrow,” Mia said, grabbing me under the arms from behind.
I slapped her hands away. “I can walk.”
“Fine, tough ass. I want to see this shit on those heels.”
“I’m a pro,” I bragged, trying to climb off the high-top chair.
“I’m filming this shit to blackmail you later,” Mia said, pulling the phone from her purse.
“I’ll kill ya,” I said as I slipped, grabbing the table for support. I steadied myself and turned to her. “Mia, put that shit away and help me.”
“You’re one crazy bitch.”
“You girls love me anyway.” I smiled, wrapping my arm around Mia as she helped me to the door.
I must’ve passed out in the car, because before I knew it, I was sitting on the couch in my living room with Mia and Suzy.
“Gimme your foot,” Suzy demanded, bending down in front of me and touching my leg.
“What are you doing?” I asked, giving her my leg without hesitation.
“Helping your hot-mess self get undressed,” she crowed, unstrapping my shoe.
“I can do it,” I argued, falling back into the comfy cushions. “Just leave me here.”
“Don’t you want to go to your bed?” Mia asked, standing behind Suzy.
Mia looked like a giant Greek goddess from where I sat. Her long hair moved as if a soft breeze were circulating in the room. Clearly, I was three sheets to the wind and way beyond my limit.
“No, don’t move me,” I begged. “Everything just stopped spinning.”
“Fine.” Suzy stood and smoothed her pretty pink maternity dress.
“Are you sure, love?” Mia asked, tilting her head and staring at me.
“Please just leave me here. Go home to your bossy-ass men and leave me in peace.”
“Love ya, Iz,” Suzy said, patting my leg.
“You’re a crazy whore,” Mia said with a small laugh as she bent down to kiss my cheek. “I love ya too.”
“I love you bitches, but if you don’t get the fuck out, I’m gonna scream.”
They threw their hands up as Mia said, “We’re going. I left aspirin and water next to you. You’re going to need them.”
“Fuck off, bitches.”
The sound of their heels grew softer as they walked toward the front door before I heard the lock engage.
I sighed, happy to be alone in peace as I let my heavy eyelids close and drifted off to sleep.
***
“Wake up, beautiful,” I heard a man say in my dream. “Isabella.” The deep voice rang in my ear.
As I felt something touch my lips, my eyes flew open to see a pair of green eyes staring back at me.
I blinked, clearing my vision. The alcohol must have clouded more than just my eyes, because he looked like… Fuck. For the life of me, I couldn’t remember his name.
“Am I dreaming?” I asked, reaching up and grabbing his cheek.
“You have to come with me,” he demanded, letting me clumsily paw at his face.
“No,” I said. My head fell back. I was too tired and drunk to deal with this fucked-up dream. “Lemme sleep.”
“Thomas needs you,” the man said, waking me from my dream.
“What?” I asked, sitting straight up and blinking rapidly.
“Come on, girl. He’s hurt and asking for you,” the thick, gravelly voice whispered in my ear.
“Oh my God,” I cried, pushing myself off the couch only to fall back down against the cushions.
Thomas needed me. He was hurt. Thomas needed me. He was hurt. His words kept ringing in my ears as I tried to stagger to my feet.
“Let me help you up,” Green Eyes said, wrapping his arms around me as he lifted me from the couch. “Hurry, Isabella. We don’t have much time.”
“What the fuck are you waiting for?” I asked, laying my head on his chest as he carried me from the house. “I need to get to my brother.”
Those were the last words I spoke before passing out in Green Eyes’s arms.
17
Nagging Feeling…
James
I couldn’t sleep. It was two a.m. and Izzy still hadn’t called. I didn’t know if she was just being difficult or if I should listen to the nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Everything had been going smoothly since we’d started texting each other on Wednesday. We had worked out some issues and come to a general understanding. I knew shit would be rough, but this was fucking ridiculous. She couldn’t possibly be so cruel to not call. She had to know I’d be out of my fucking mind.
I dialed her number, letting it ring until her voicemail picked up. I tapped end and redialed, but still nothing. Tomorrow, I planned to drive up to her place in the late afternoon and whisk her off to dinner, but I couldn’t wait. I had to know where the fuck she was. I’d probably get kicked in the fucking balls, but I’d go out of my mind if I didn’t know she was at home, safely sleeping in her bed.
I grabbed the keys to my bike and started toward the door, but stopped. I tossed the bike keys on the table near the door and picked up the keys to my 1969 GTO. She had power and speed and I needed both right now.
I sped down I-75 headed toward her house. I gripped the steering wheel, my fingers damp with sweat. I tried to control my breathing and nerves as I drove. Working myself up wouldn’t help get me there any quicker.
What if something was wrong? My stomach turned as I thought about the possibilities. My mind, maybe, was a little too imaginative. If something bad had happened, I would’ve heard by now. Being in law enforcement and seeing all the bad shit in the world doesn’t help keep one’s imagination at bay. Every sick crime scene flashed through my mind, replacing the victim with Izzy.
My blood turned cold the closer I got to her house. I hit redial over and over again until it went right to voicemail. I knew what that fucking meant. Either she had turned off her phone, it had died, or someone else had turned it off for her. There weren’t any other options.
I slammed my fist down on the steering wheel, pressing my foot down against the pedal to pick up speed. I didn’t have time to waste with worrying about the cops pulling me over. They’d have to chase my ass down and follow me to her house if they wanted to catch me.
My heart jumped out of my chest as my phone rang. When I looked down at my phone, I expected to see Izzy’s number flash across my screen, but it wasn’t her. I pressed speaker, placing the phone on my dash.
“What the fuck?” I barked as the call connected.
“Where the fuck is Izzy?” Thomas asked, breathing heavily.
“I’m on my way to her now. What the fuck is going on, Thomas?” I gripped the steering wheel so hard I could have snapped it from the dashboard.
“Flash just called me. He said Izzy was in danger. Somehow Rebel found out who she
was. He knows who I am too. Find her, James, and do it now!” he roared, a loud slamming noise filling the air.
“I’m pulling on her street now,” I growled, looking around the neighborhood as I sped down the road.
“I don’t know who knows what at this point, brother. Find my goddamn sister.”
“On it,” I barked, fear gripping my insides.
“Call me back. I’m headed that way with Flash in tow.”
“Give me five,” I replied, stopping the car in her driveway. I tapped end, jumped from the car, and ran up her front steps.
Turning the doorknob, I realized that it was locked. I reared back and kicked in the door.
“Izzy?” I thundered, flipping on the light in the entry.
With no sign of her, I walked down the hallway to her bedroom, but it was empty. Her bed hadn’t been touched.
“Izzy?” I continued yelling, running from room to room, but she wasn’t there.
A lump formed in my stomach and I felt like throwing up. Izzy was gone and Rebel fucking knew about her and Thomas.
I walked toward the front door and something on the floor caught my eye. Turning, I saw a single shoe lying on the floor and her phone on the coffee table.
I ran from the house, dialing Thomas as I jumped back in the car. “She’s gone,” I bit out, slightly winded and in a total panic as I started the car.
“Gone or missing?” he asked, anger oozing in his voice.
“One shoe on the floor and her phone on the coffee table. She’s missing.”
“Fucking Rebel,” Thomas muttered, his breathing growing harsh and loud. “Flash and I are an hour out. We need to figure this shit out and what our next move is.”
“Fuck,” I hissed, trying to think of where they would’ve gone.
“Stay the fuck there and make calls. Do not leave in case she shows up. We’ll be there in sixty.”
“Hurry the fuck up!” I snarled, and hung up as I climbed out of the car.
Once back inside, I dialed Bobby and began to pace. Ring. Ring. Where the fuck was he? Ring. I didn’t have time to wait for his lazy ass to pick up the phone. Ring.
“Hello,” a groggy voice said.
“Bobby, wake the fuck up. Izzy’s been taken and Thomas’s cover may have been blown.”
“Wait, what?” he asked through a yawn.
“Jesus, fuck. Thomas called me tonight. Said Izzy was in danger and that Rebel found out who he is.”
“Fuck,” he spat, a loud thump sounding on the other end of the phone.
“Get your ass out of bed,” I growled, ready to jump through the phone and choke his ass.
If my life—or Izzy’s, for that matter—depended on this asshole, we were in fucking trouble.
“I’m up. Let me make some calls and get back to you,” he said, disconnecting the call.
“What the fuck?” I yelled, my voice echoing through the house.
I called everyone I knew—local law enforcement in Leesburg, DEA, and FBI. All were working to bring down the MC, but the problem was that no one communicated with each other.
No one had seen Rebel. They’d lost track of him when he left the compound hours ago and he hadn’t been spotted since.
Just when I was about to start climbing the fucking walls, I heard a car outside followed by two sets of footsteps up the stairs. Reaching for my gun, I drew as Thomas and Flash burst through the door.
“What the fuck did you find out?” Thomas asked, looking around the room.
“Nothing. No one knows shit,” I ranted, running my fingers through my hair.
“Flash made some calls on the way here. Everyone is searching for them. They can’t get far without us hearing about it.”
I glared at Flash. “Did you open your fucking mouth?” I asked, charging toward him.
His mouth dropped open and his eyes grew wide as he stepped backward to avoid my grasp. A set of arms grabbed me from behind, pulling me away.
“Calm your shit down,” Thomas ordered.
“Thomas, he’s the only douche who knew who you were!” I roared, prying his hands from my body.
“Listen, fucker,” Flash snarled, moving toward me. “I went into Rebel’s room to leave a package on his bed and I found a file sitting in plain sight.”
“What a fucking clusterfuck,” I hissed, scrubbing my face in my hands. “What was inside?”
“A picture of Izzy with her full name and address and a complete file about Thomas.”
“Think he told others?” I asked, looking at Thomas.
He shook his head and winced. “I don’t think so. No one seemed to act any differently. Rebel was the only one missing at the compound when Flash called me.”
“Did you at least grab the fucking file?” I asked Flash.
“I’m not a fucking moron.”
“When did you know about this?” Thomas asked, stepping in between Flash and me.
“When you called.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew my mistake.
“What the fuck do you mean when I called you?” He glared at me, invading my space. “How the fuck did you beat us here?”
“Well, I—”
“You didn’t give that file to Rebel, did you?” Thomas asked, standing nose to nose with me.
“Fuck, man. No fucking way!”
“James, I’ll fucking kill you if I find out you sold me out, and if Izzy’s hurt, I’ll bring your ass back from the dead and kill you again.”
“You don’t even know how your words slice right through me.”
“Who else could have given him that information?”
“It wasn’t me,” I insisted, turning toward Flash.
“Fuck, dude. You know I love Izzy. I wouldn’t risk her life. I told you that man to man, James.”
“What the fuck am I missing here?” Thomas asked, looking between us.
“James has a thing for your sister,” Flash told Thomas.
There went any hope of explaining it when the time was right. Let’s add more gasoline to the flames.
“What?” Thomas screeched, turning toward me, red-faced, with the veins of his neck popping out.
“Thing isn’t really the right word,” I said, looking him straight in the eyes.
“You’re going to start talking as soon as we get her back safe.”
I nodded, knowing that I should’ve already been straight with him about my feelings for Izzy. Thomas deserved to know how I felt about her and that I wasn’t using her for sex. Flash had made it seem tawdry and sordid, but it was nothing like that.
My phone rang, breaking the uncomfortable silence as Thomas and I stared at each other. I lifted the phone to my ear without losing eye contact.
“Yo,” I barked, chewing the inside of my lip.
“I got some news,” Bobby said, the sound of papers moving in the background.
“Hit me.”
“Rebel was spotted with a female at a motel in Bushnell. I just got the tip,” he said, then he covered the phone and spoke to someone. “Sorry. The wife.”
“Text me the information. We’re heading that way,” I said before disconnecting the call. “Motel in Bushnell,” I said, grabbing my keys from the table and running toward the door. “Move your shit, Flash. We’re taking my car.”
As we climbed in the car, Thomas shotgun and Flash in the back, I threw my phone to Thomas. “Handle it,” I said, starting the GTO and taking off toward Izzy. Thomas rattled off the address to the motel while tapping the screen on my phone.
“Should we call backup?” Flash asked, leaning forward and sticking his head between us.
“No,” I snapped, gripping the steering wheel tighter. “Sit the fuck back. I don’t need your face all up in my shit.”
“Asshole,” Flash mumbled. “How do you want to handle this, Blue?”
“We’re going to find out who else knows and then we’re going to kill the motherfucker,” Thomas said, not looking up from the phone screen.
“Shouldn’t we a
rrest him?” Flash asked, his eyes wide as I watched him in the rearview mirror.
“Fuck him. He deserves to die after taking Izzy,” I said.
“What the fuck is this shit on your phone?” Thomas asked, holding out my phone and staring at me.
“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked, glancing at him out of the corner of my eyes but not daring to take my focus off the road.
“This shit with my sister, motherfucker.”
“We’re friends,” I said calmly, wishing we weren’t having this conversation.
“There’s some shit in here that can’t be unseen,” Thomas bit out, growling as he continued to scroll.
“Stop fucking reading it, then.”
“A fucking cock shot? Really? What the fuck? That’s my little sister and you’re sending her pictures of your junk?”
“Give me my goddamn phone,” I growled, reaching over as I tried to rip it from his grasp.
“After we kill Rebel, I’m kicking your ass.”
I nodded. “I deserve it.”
If she were my sister, I’d do the same. I’d want to beat the living fuck out of anyone who touched her or harmed her virtue. This was Izzy, and I wasn’t her first, but I planned to be the last damn man she ever bedded.
“Shut the fuck up and drive!” he shouted, tossing the phone back into my lap.
We drove in silence as we made our way to Bushnell. The highway was empty during the dead of night, a streetlight near an exit the only change in scenery.
As we pulled off the highway, Thomas spoke first. “This is how this shit is going to happen. I’ll get the information from the desk clerk while you and Flash make sure no one leaves the motel.”
The closer we got, the faster my heartbeat pounded in my chest. All the horrible things I’d imagined when I thought she hadn’t made it home safe amplified. Knowing that she was in the hands of Rebel, an MC vice president, made my fucking stomach churn.
“Okay,” Flash said, pulling himself forward.
“Then when I get the room number, you’ll wait outside”—he turned to face Flash—“and James and I will go inside and deal with whatever clusterfuck we find.”
“But I want to go inside too,” Flash whined.