by Khloe Wren
“Not from the camera’s angle, and I don’t have sound. I’ll head over there to check it out and get back to you.”
He hung up and I continued to pace the backyard, fear and anger mixing within me until I felt like I was going to explode if I didn’t find some way of venting it. I was aware that the other men had come to stand at the rear of the trailer, but they stayed silent as I continued to move, cursing under my breath as I waited for Keys to call me back.
When my phone finally rang, I couldn’t answer it fast enough.
“Talk to me?”
“Brother, she’s gone.”
I froze. Couldn’t move, couldn’t fucking breathe. I heard Keys speaking but couldn’t process the words. Veronica was gone. Elita had grabbed her. Planned to torture her in order to hurt me. My gaze cut to Nitro as he approached me with his palms up in surrender, like he knew I was on the edge.
“Give me the phone, Blade. Let me help.”
I still couldn’t move. The shallow breaths I struggled to take were the only movement my body made. Nitro reached up and slid the phone from my hand, lifting it to his own ear to talk with Keys. Within seconds, his eyes widened and fury clouded his features. The lockdown on my body shattered and closing my eyes, I lifted my head and roared out the pain and fury swirling within me. The sound of the birds flying from the trees around the trailer barely registered as my soul ripped wide open.
My woman, my fucking heart, had been taken. Was no doubt being hurt right this moment and I knew nothing about where she was or how to get to her. Visions of Josefina dying in my arms and the nurse’s body that still lay on my fucking table flashed behind my eyes as I fell to my knees.
Veronica
Thanks to my chat with Keys, I now had new cameras to install around my place. Smaller ones that would be hard to spot. With what Blade had told me, I wanted them in place and working as soon as I could. Especially now that I was watching for threats from two sources. Ideas of running away and starting over again plagued my thoughts since Blade had left me yesterday morning. But I’d promised him I wouldn’t, so here I was, turning my little house into even more of a fortress than it already was. After finishing with the second camera, I moved down the ladder and began to mentally plan where the next one would go. I’d been so focused on my task, I hadn’t noticed I wasn’t alone. Stupid mistake, and one I knew better than to make.
A thick arm wrapped around my waist and hauled me off the last rung of the ladder. I opened my lips to call out but before I could, a palm was over my mouth.
“Scream and I’ll snap your pretty little neck.”
I tried to calm my heart rate down, to assess the situation. Find some way to escape. I couldn’t see the man holding me, but his accent sure as fuck wasn’t Texan so I assumed this had to do with Blade’s past, not mine. He removed his hand but kept his arm tight around my waist, holding me firmly against his front.
“Who are—”
A sting at my neck cut off my words and panic had me forgetting his threat about breaking my neck. I thrashed against his hold, trying to break free. I thrust my elbow back into his torso, kicked my foot back into his leg. With a curse, he released me and I bolted away from him. At least that was my plan, but within a few steps I stumbled and fell to the grass.
“Always the hard way.”
Being slung over the man’s shoulder was my last thought before my world went black.
My awareness returned to a whopper of a headache, a foul taste in my mouth and an oxygen mask over my face. Remembering how I’d been snatched, I was careful to not move or make a sound despite the pain I was in. Lying flat on my back on a hard surface, I slowly flexed my arms and legs to test if I had any movement. I didn’t. It felt like I had wide straps over my wrists and ankles holding me down. I was grateful that I could feel something covering me, but the fact I wasn’t wearing pants or underwear had my heart rate ticking up a few notches. I wasn’t sore between my legs so I prayed that was a sign I hadn’t been raped while I was unconscious.
Forcing myself to ignore my nudity, along with the pain that continued to bang around my skull, I opened my eyes to slits to see what was going on around me. And jerked against the table when I saw a scruffy, bearded man leaning over me, eyes trained on mine.
“Shut your eyes and keep them shut. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll play along and make like you’re still unconscious.”
I was about to open my mouth to try to talk through the mask to ask him to explain what he meant, who he was and where we were, when I caught the small sound of a door lock snicking. Seeing the fear in the man’s gaze, I decided to follow his orders and slammed my lids closed and did everything in my power to appear asleep.
A minute later, a woman’s voice filled the room, her accent all spoiled, rich, valley girl. “My new toy is still sleeping? Seriously? Wake her up, boy.”
“I can’t just will her awake. You’re lucky she’s breathing after the amount of drugs your thug pumped into her.”
The clicking of heels on concrete came closer and moments after a wave of cool air hit my arm, warm fingers slipped around my wrist. Please let my pulse be steady.
“There’s a pulse.” She released my wrist but didn’t bother covering my arm back up, making me think it was the doctor I could thank for having anything over me. When her fingers grasped my jaw, it took everything I had to not react to her painful grip. She turned my face back and forth roughly before releasing me. “The moment she wakes, I want to know. Call out to the guard at the door the second she opens her eyes.”
The clicking heels retreated and the door snicked as it closed and, at a guess, locked. I still didn’t dare open my eyes again. I had no clue if there were new people in the room who had come in with the woman and not left.
“It’s safe to open your eyes now. She won’t be back for another hour.”
I blinked my eyes a few times to clear them and took in the man as he flipped the sheet back over my exposed arm. He had thick cuffs attached to his wrists, but I couldn’t see anything connected to them. Other than that, the man was naked and showed clear signs of abuse. Bruising and welts covered him. What really made my breath catch were his eyes. They looked hollow, like whatever inner fire had once animated them had been extinguished by all he’d suffered. He removed the mask from my face and the moment I was free from it, I started speaking.
“Who was that? Who are you? Where are we? And why’d you just lie to her for me?”
With slumped shoulders he fiddled with the IV that was inside my elbow.
“That vile woman is Elita Sabella, the current head of the L.A. mob and we’re at her compound. No idea where it is exactly, but I assume not too far from Los Angeles. I am Dr. Maestro, and I lied to, hopefully, save us both some pain. So long as I’m working, she leaves me be. The moment she realizes you are awake, both of our lives will become hell. Do you know if someone will come looking for you? Because realistically, I can probably only fake your condition for another day at the most. Thankfully, Elita has no medical training, hence her not picking up your no doubt accelerated pulse, but no one will believe you would stay under for so long without further drugs administered, even after the overdose.”
My mind spun. The mob had me. This was worse than my uncle. That woman hated Blade enough that she’d chased him across three state lines. And I’d helped him, fallen in love with him. Tears pricked my eyes as my still pain-filled and foggy mind began to draw conclusions.
“You treated Jared Walker’s burns, didn’t you? Where’s the nurse? Is she here too?”
His color paled so much I feared he was going to pass out.
“Lilly is gone. They took her away and I haven’t seen her since. I am quite certain she is dead, and that it was not a fast or easy death. And yes, we were taken because we treated Mr. Walker’s burns.” He paused and frowned down at me. “Who are you to him?”
“I’m a nurse in Bridgewater, Texas. Where Blade — Mr. Walker — ran to after leavi
ng L.A. I’m worse than you, though. I didn’t just treat him, but went on to have a relationship with him.” I paused to lick my lips. “He will come for me. For us. He’s riding with an MC – motorcycle club – now, and they were on their way to L.A. to look for you and Lilly when I was taken.” My mind cleared some more and I glanced around the room looking for my discarded clothing. I grinned when I spotted them, along with my sneakers. “They’ll know exactly where we are as soon as they realize I’m gone.”
“How can you be so sure?”
I nodded over to the pile of my stuff. “I asked them to put trackers in my shoes. How long have I been here?”
“You asked them to do what?” He shook his head. “Never mind. It’s hard to tell how much time has passed exactly. It’s not like they bring regular meals or allow me a watch.” This little room of ours didn’t have a window either, just a vent high up on the back wall. “I would guess two days. I wasn’t lying to Elita about you being lucky to be alive. They overdosed you when they took you. At a guess, they have doses set for large men, not tiny women.”
That explained the bad taste in my mouth. “You gave me activated charcoal?”
He nodded. “Yes, plus fluids via IV and oxygen. I’ll put the mask back on in a minute. I also had to strip you to insert a catheter, but I vow that’s all I did.”
I nodded. “I believe you.”
Silence filled the room for a few minutes as I closed my eyes and let my thoughts spin. Reopening them, I looked up at the ragged face of Dr. Maestro.
“What the fuck are we going to do?”
He sighed and scratched at the beard I guessed he didn’t normally wear. “Pray, my dear. It’s about the only thing we have left to us.”
He reached over to put the oxygen mask back over my face, ending our conversation for the moment. I fought back the tears that stung my eyes. They would do no good, only waste energy I was sure I’d need later. Instead, I took the doctor’s advice. I closed my eyes and prayed.
Blade
Three days. Veronica had been in Elita’s hands for three fucking days.
I paced around the yard of the new house where we were based, unable to stay still. Unable to sleep or eat. I couldn’t stop imagining what my woman was going through each moment of the day and night. Was she even still alive?
“Blade!”
Mac’s sharp voice cut through my thoughts, bringing me to a halt to look over toward him and the house.
“Come inside. It’s time.”
Despite the fact most of the wildfires were now out, the air was still tinged with smoke. I took one last, deep breath of the scent before I marched over to follow Mac inside. I was ashamed that I hadn’t been a bigger part of planning Veronica’s rescue, but from the moment I’d learned she’d been taken, something inside me broke and I’d lost my mind.
Nitro had ended up knocking me out with some pressure point shit, and while I’d been out, the fucker had drugged me to keep me that way. By the time I woke up this morning in this new house I’d never seen before, over half the club was here, including Mac and Scout. While I’d been out, Keys had tracked the bugs he’d put in her shoes and located Elita’s stronghold, and they’d formulated a plan. They’d just been waiting on me to wake the fuck up, which I had this morning.
I was still furious with Nitro for knocking me out like he had, but I knew I couldn’t take the former SEAL and would only end up injured and unable to participate in Veronica’s rescue. But at some point I was going to have it out with the man.
Speaking of the devil, he came straight at me as I entered the rear of the house.
“Blade, we need to talk.”
I glared at him. “So talk, but if you even attempt to touch me I will take you down.”
We both knew he could beat my ass, but fuck it. If he tried any more shit on me, I’d throw everything in me at having a go at him.
He smirked for a moment before he shook his head. “I did it for your own good, not to hurt you. I knew you’d run off to try to rescue her alone and end up getting you both killed. Blade, you are not on your own anymore. You need to remember that the Charons are not like the mob, we’re a family. We take care of our own. I’m sorry I had to do what I did, but it kept you alive, so I don’t regret it.”
The anger drained from my body at his explanation. I’d been alone for so long, I had no concept of the family bond that ran deep within the Charons. I’d never even considered he’d done it for my and Veronica’s safety. I gave him a nod and held out my knuckles for him to bump.
“Forgiven and forgotten, but don’t fucking try it again.”
With a nod of his own, he turned and I followed him into the front room where at least half the Charons stood, waiting to ride out to rescue my girl. I couldn’t help but feel a little choked up at the sight. Most of these men barely knew me.
Mac came to stand in front of me and put a palm on each of my shoulders.
“You are a Charon, Blade. We stand together. Now, let’s go get your woman.”
Mac and Scout had filled me in on the plan earlier, so there was no need to go over it again. I followed the others outside and got in the van with Bank. The others all had their bikes now, and the roar of Harleys was loud enough to have the van vibrating. I looked in the mirror at the sight behind us and couldn’t help but be in awe. The club was all wearing their cuts and the ones at the front who were close enough for me to make out their faces, wore determined expressions. We were doing this. We would prevail.
Hold on, my little dove, we’re coming for you.
Bank took off and we headed out of the city toward the hills where Elita’s compound was located. The closer we got, the more my muscles grew tense. I had no idea what we’d find when we got there. The club had brought enough weapons with them to start a war, I hoped we wouldn’t need them. Innocents tended to get hurt when that much firepower was released. I hated to think we’d find her, only to have her die in the crossfire.
“You love her, don’t you?”
Bank was a fairly quiet man and I hadn’t spoken with him much. “Yeah. Didn’t think I’d ever have a woman of my own. Too risky, you know? But I couldn’t help it with Veronica.” The fact we were currently driving to her rescue because of me really drove that point home. “I probably should leave her be once we get her free. I can’t stand the thought of her suffering again because of me.”
“You don’t think you leaving her would hurt her? I assure you, that is the worst thing you can do for her if you don’t want her hurt.”
I shifted my gaze to him, taking in his serious face. “That sounded like you’re talking from experience.”
He shrugged. “Long time ago now. It’s in the past.”
“But it made its mark.”
He nodded but didn’t take his gaze from the road. “That, it did.”
We fell into silence after that as we made our way closer to the compound. We were only a few minutes away when I pulled my gun out and checked it was fully loaded and the safety was off.
“How good a shot are you with that?”
I raised an eyebrow at Bank’s question. “I’ve spent a lot of time at the range, and have taken out my share of men over of the years. My aim is good. You?”
I was equally good at throwing knives, but I didn’t think the man needed to know that.
“The club has a deal with the range in Bridgewater. Scout makes sure we’re all trained. I’m solid. We all are.”
“Good to know.”
My heart began to race as we came up to the iron gates.
The time to kick some mob ass and save my girl had arrived.
Chapter Nine
Veronica
With a pained expression, Dr. Maestro told me it was time to call an end to the ruse. He went over to the door and called out to the guard that I was awake before he returned to me. He set about removing the IV and catheter.
“I truly am sorry I couldn’t give you more time. She is an extremely cruel woman and I c
an only imagine what she intends to put you through.”
I looked into his hollow eyes once more. “I’m sorry for both of us. Neither of us deserve this hell we’ve found ourselves in. Blade will come. The club will come. We just need to hold on.”
He gave me a sad smile. “Oh, she’ll make sure I survive. She likes having a doctor around to fix up her men who won’t ask questions. It’s you I worry for. What she had done to Lilly…” he shook his head, clenching his jaw.
Fear had my blood cooling when the door snicked once more and I looked over to see the woman for the first time who was about to make my life hell.
“Ah, so she does, in fact, live. Miss Jones, you’ve certainly kept me waiting, and deprived me of my favorite toy for days by doing so. I wonder how you can repay me for that…” she trailed off as she strutted toward me.
She was all high-end class. Long, platinum blonde hair that was dead straight, eyes so blue I suspected she wore colored contacts. Her nails were painted a cliché blood red. They were long and shaped into points. Weapons she could take everywhere.
Two men had come in with her and when she flicked her fingers toward Dr. Maestro, they moved to grip his arms, forcing him against a wall where they secured his cuffs to rings screwed into the wall. Elita walked up in front of him and cupped his balls in her palm. “Did my boy miss me these past days?” He shuddered but stayed mute. Bile rose in my throat as she played with him until he hardened for her. “I’ll be back to play with you soon.” She blew an air kiss before she turned her cold eyes to me. “Strip her.”
My blood ran ice cold in my veins as one of men took the edge of the sheet and ripped it off me. I tugged against the cuffs holding me down, trying desperately to break free somehow. I’d been raped enough times to last me ten lifetimes already. I wasn’t going to lay down and take it without a fight, no matter how much I ended up hurting myself in the process.
“Hmm, she’s got some fight in her. Nice. It’s so much more fun to break the strong ones. That last nurse was weak. She broke way too easily. I certainly hope Blade enjoyed finding her.”