Maybe she sensed she shouldn’t ask. Maybe she knew he’d lose it because he saw the concern in her eyes, but she just nodded and gave him another hug. “I love you, Daddy.”
He threaded his fingers through her hair. “Love you too, baby.”
He wanted to run but didn’t want to worry Bree more, so he walked away quickly. The whole time, he fought looking back.
“Rip? You gonna fuckin’ answer me?”
He turned and met Trig’s stare. “Don’t got time.” Then his gaze flicked behind Trig.
Strike and Prez, both looking like they’d just rolled out of bed. He turned and made it halfway then felt the heat of a hand grasping his shoulder and yanking him back around.
“Where’s Em?” Prez asked, eyes narrowed, voice firm.
“Already said I don’t got fuckin’ time.”
Strike dragged a hand through his hair. “Fuck, they took her.”
His stare went to Strike then met Trig’s and Prez’s. He didn’t say anything, couldn’t force himself to say it.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”
“Call the brothers,” Prez ordered.
“Half of them are hung over.”
They would be. Friday nights most of them got wasted at the compound.
“Don’t give a fuck. Call them.”
Ripper didn’t get through processing that when he heard Bud.
“What the fuck for? We all know what happened here. She left. Ain’t no surprise.”
Ripper spun and shot daggers at Bud. Next thing he knew, he was on the floor, straddling Bud, slamming his fists into his face. He got in a few good punches before two brothers grabbed him and hauled him off.
“We aren’t helping her this way, Rip,” Strike said, standing to his right, holding him back.
He stopped fighting but continued to glare at Bud.
Trig, standing at his other side, hand gripping his bicep, pointed out, “She didn’t leave him ’cause Bree’s here. She’d left, she would’ve taken her daughter.”
He snatched his arms out of Trig and Strike’s grasp. “I already said I don’t got time for this shit. You guys wanna talk about this, now isn’t the time. Now’s the time for me to ride out.” He managed a step.
Strike grabbed his elbow.
Taking a deep breath, he turned. “Get your fuckin’ hands—”
“This isn’t the time to pick fights with your brothers, either. It’s the time you lean on us.” Strike released him.
They wanted to help now? Now, when there was a chance she was already dead? “Why the fuck now?”
“’Cause now’s the time to act,” Trig added.
Ripper’s gaze cut to Trig’s then he screamed, “Should’ve acted fuckin’ days ago, brother! Not wait ‘till they’ve taken my old lady!”
“They would’ve expected that, Rip. We needed to regroup and come up with a plan,” Strike said.
“While you assholes were regrouping and planning, they took my…” He slammed his palm against his chest. “…wife!”
Prez shook his head. “They’re desperate. No other reason why they acted so soon.”
“They aren’t so desperate anymore, are they? They got my woman.” Rip spoke, anger vibrating through his voice, making his body shake. He needed to breathe, try to relax. He didn’t, he wouldn’t be in the condition to talk much less drive. Taking a deep breath, he ran a hand through his hair.
“Tell us how they took her.”
Now, he had to relive that? He said it fast. “Woke up, she was gone. Door unlocked.”
Strike shook his head. “They must’ve tricked her somehow. Em’s not stupid. She wouldn’t’ve opened the door, not—”
Trig interrupted, “Not unless she thought they had Bree.”
Bud and Prez exchanged a look then Prez asked, “Doug find out anything?”
Doug? His brothers hired the PI?
Trig nodded. “He’s going to call me with an address, where he thinks they’ve been hiding out.”
Some of the tension lining Rip’s shoulders melted in knowing his brothers hadn’t abandoned him. They’d been on his side all along, his and Em’s. Still, he couldn’t breathe right, and he wouldn’t, not until he found Em. “Could’ve told me we were looking into it.”
Strike let out a humorless laugh. “So you could go in there guns blazing? No, Rip, we kinda like you, so we’re trying to keep you alive.”
He swallowed. “What else have you been keeping from me?”
“Doug’s guys have been surveilling this place.”
He quirked a brow. “That it?”
“Yeah, he’s only been on it for a couple of days. We got plenty.”
Maybe, but they didn’t have Em. He peered at Prez and admitted, “I called Chip. I thought I was alone.”
Trick and Rake walked in. Behind them, Army. “They’d give us good numbers.”
Rip’s phone binged. He spared a glance at it and realized it was the address of the location he was supposed to meet Chip.
Blaze rode in and parked his bike inside the garage. “We’re considering teaming up with Chained?”
His brothers kept piling in. All looking like they’d been dragged out of bed, hair a mess, some shirtless. Stone and Hash came next.
Then Mellow, phone to his ear, saying, “Old ladies can watch Cullen, brother. Della and Bree are here too,” which meant he was speaking with Dodge.
“Nothing’s been decided,” Prez answered Blaze’s question.
“Told you I don’t got time for votes and bullshit,” Rip growled.
“It’ll take a minute,” Dash jumped in.
Rip took a series of steps, now face to face. “You realize she could be dead? You realize she could be lying in a ditch in a pool of blood. They could be stabbing the life outta her, or they could be cutting her up, getting ready to dump her in the ocean.”
“Can’t think like that, Rip.” Trig knew what it felt like knowing his old lady was in the hands of an enemy. Not so long ago, his own old lady had been taken.
Solid advice, so Rip knew he should listen, but he didn’t because he couldn’t. The panic and fear searing him was crippling. Standing there talking instead of doing added anger to that deadly mix, making it worse.
“No, you’re right. I should be thinking she’s alive. She’s alive, they could be knocking her around, beating her, raping her. Her! Is that what you want me to think?”
Trig’s jaw went rock hard, but for a moment, he let something slip. A look of utter devastation flashed in his eyes, like in that split second, he’d relived it. “Don’t think on it at all.”
“All in favor of teaming with Chained?” Dash asked.
Aye’s resounded, not one nay.
Prez spoke loud. “Take SUVs. Ride out to Chained.” He looked to Rip. “We got an address?”
Rip had his brothers. The relief palpable, but blanketed by the rest. “Yeah,” he said, giving the address.
Trig looked to him. “You ride with me.”
“I ride my—”
Trig jerked his head. “No, Rip, you won’t. You want to waste more time getting into it about who’s gonna drive? Have at it. I’m still fuckin’ driving.”
He wouldn’t waste more time. He hoped Trig drove fast. Otherwise, they’d be getting into it for another reason.
****
Em wished they’d remove the hood draped over her head. Not being able to see made the fear worse. She wanted to orient herself in some way, stare at the men responsible in the face, play it off like she wasn’t afraid to die.
Then again, maybe it was a good thing she couldn’t see. If she saw them, she could identify them. And if she could, they wouldn’t keep her alive. A long shot, she knew, but still, she couldn’t help but hope. She had too much to live for.
After they took her and dumped her in a trunk, they drove for a while. When they stopped, they yanked her out of the trunk and dragged her indoors. The blast of air conditioning hit her full force, a drastic change from where she’
d been. It was freezing, the type of cold that seeped into her bones, yet she didn’t feel it. All she felt—terror. It built while they hauled her farther inside, roughly shoved her into a room, built when she fell face first onto a chilly, hard, tile floor, when they tied her wrists and ankles. It built every second after that too, so now, she could barely breathe. It seemed like it had been hours ago, but it could’ve just been minutes.
Lying on her side on the floor, she remembered what Bryce told her last night. Just after she’d told him she always loved him and always would, he promised her they’d live the rest of their lives together. She remembered it with such clarity, it was like he’d whispered it in her ear then. And as she heard it, she rubbed the ring finger on her left hand. Bare. Unused to it, she took his ring off to sleep and hadn’t put it on that morning. She wished she hadn’t taken it off. If she was going to die, she wanted to die with his ring on her finger.
A foot slid up her thigh, up her backside, lifting her shirt, Bryce’s shirt, over her butt. Gasping, she jumped. Another thing she hadn’t bothered to put on, undies, so whoever lifted her shirt, whoever else was in that room with her, now saw her naked backside.
She should’ve put on her thong, should’ve slipped on her ring. Then again, if she could change anything, she wouldn’t’ve been taken to begin with, especially the way she had.
They claimed they had Bree. Panicked, she had no choice. She should’ve stopped for a second to think about it. While she’d been stuck in the trunk of the car, she overheard the men who’d taken her say their ruse worked, and she heard them laugh about how easy it’d been. It didn’t matter. She couldn’t change anything now.
That foot, pressing down on her right cheek, nudged her hard enough her whole body shifted until she lay on her chest. With her hands tied behind her back, she couldn’t catch herself. Bryce’s shirt at her waist, instinctively, she held her legs together. No clue why she bothered, in a room with at least two others, both men from their deep voices, she was at their mercy. They were going to kill her, they’d take whatever they wanted.
“That’s a nice fuckin’ ass.” The man had squatted beside her, his voice too close. With his rough, calloused palm, he groped her ass.
Heart beating too wildly in her chest, she cringed.
“Don’t like that?” He spanked her, hard.
She jolted and felt the sting long after.
“Bikers share. He wouldn’t mind.”
A door opened.
“Get your fuckin’ hands off her and cover her up.”
She stilled, hearing nothing for several seconds but her pounding heart echoing in her ears.
Movement, then the man who touched and taunted her shouted, “Why the fuck—”
“You remember the plan? We want it to work, she can’t be touched, asshole.”
More shifting. The man had drawn farther away, when he said, “She’ll be alive after I fuck her.”
God. Oh, God. Her breaths grew shallow. Bile rising in the back of her throat, she swallowed.
“Both of you can’t follow orders, so get the fuck out.”
No movement. No voices.
She held her breath, waiting.
“Now!”
She jumped, startled.
Another voice came then, a voice so grim regardless of her situation, hearing it alone would’ve had the skin on the back of her neck prickle.
“What the fuck’s all the screaming about?
“You wanna tell him? Or should I?”
Silence.
“I wanna know what’s going on, and I wanna know now.” That grim voice gave an order she knew they’d follow.
Shifting and shuffling. “You touch her?” That same grim voice lowered an octave. “After I gave my orders?”
A moment later, the voice came again. “Deal with them.” A pause. “You’re on guard. No one touches her.”
“But—”
A sound resonated like someone had been punched. A groan then, “Fuck!”
“I said she can’t be harmed. That means you don’t rape her, you fuckin’ idiot.” A frustrated sigh then, “Get cleaned up. You’re getting blood all over my floor.”
The door closed, but she wasn’t alone. Someone neared. She felt it in her bones. A hand grasped her shirt. She stilled, holding her breath. That man tugged down Bryce’s shirt, covering her bare ass.
Although those men were all responsible for taking her from Bryce and Bree, she whispered, “Thank you.”
“I follow orders. Boss orders me to kill you. I’ll kill you, so don’t thank me.”
A tear slipped out of her right eye, all she allowed herself. She couldn’t give them anymore, couldn’t lose herself in tears. She had to fight, had to find a way to escape. They were keeping her alive and unharmed. Chances were they needed her as leverage. Whatever the reason, she had some time.
Chapter Twenty
Ripper strode into the warehouse outside Santa Rosa, the address Chip texted him, with no reservations.
He scanned the large space, Chained MC’s current home base, and ignored everyone’s gaze but Chip’s.
Face emotionless, Chip spoke. “What do you know?” He didn’t blink at the fact Ripper’s brothers, all of them, came in behind him.
Not that Chip had anything to worry about. The clubs weren’t on bad terms, and Chip, too, was surrounded by his brothers, close to two dozen.
“Got an address.”
Chip’s eyes widened, a glimmer of hope clouded his face and body for a spilt second before he hid it. “How?”
“Doug.”
“Where?”
“‘Bout half an hour from here.”
“Is he sure they got her there?”
Rip swallowed, hating to admit, “Won’t know ’till we go in.”
Chip released a breath. “It’s a risk. They got her there; they’ll kill her when we raid it. They don’t got her there; they’ll send word to kill her.”
This, Rip knew, and yet, they didn’t have another option. Ripper advanced. Chip’s brothers moved in, flanking their president.
He stopped a foot from Chip. “Your choice. This. Is. Mine.”
Then and there, for a moment, Rip caught it. Chip’s mask slipped, and too many emotions flashed across his face: pain, regret, fear…for Em. Chip loved her like a sister. They were family, so he was hurting but hiding it.
“We need to wait.” Chip paused. “I got a call from the Falcons. They got her. They want to trade me for her.”
The way Chip said it, Rip knew his choice. Chip would make the trade, himself for Em. A stupid decision, they’d kill him then kill her too.
Chip’s brothers protested, several of them speaking at the same time.
Till shook his head. “Stupid as fuck.”
“They’ll kill you,” Mase growled.
“We aren’t on board with that shit plan,” Cane shouted.
“Fuck,” Tracker cursed under his breath.
Ignoring Chip’s brothers completely, Rip snapped, “You’re not doing that. We’re raiding the address.”
Chip shook his head. “Then what? She ain’t there, what the hell are we gonna do?”
“That’s what we’re doing.”
Chip leaned in, eyes hardening. Body vibrating, he shouted, “We do that, they’ll kill her! I’m telling you they’ll fuckin’ kill her!”
Ripper sensed his brothers move in, surrounding him. “We’re not gonna stand here and debate this shit. I’m her old man. I decide. I’ve decided we’re raiding the address.”
Chip clenched his teeth. “I’m her cousin.”
“I’m her man.”
“I’m the closest thing she has to a brother, a father, a—”
“I’m her fuckin’ man.”
“I’m family, the only family she’s got.”
“She’s got Bree, and she’s got—”
“Bree’s a kid—”
“I’m Bree’s father. I decide for Bree—”
“I’m family
!”
“I’m family, too. I’m her fuckin’ husband!”
Chip’s body rocked.
Rip kept going. “She sleeps in my bed, wears my ring, my cut. She’s mine. I’m hers. We got Bree. We are family.” He stopped to release a breath. “Your plan’s stupid as fuck, and I say we aren’t doing that ’cause I’m not gonna let you get yourself killed ’cause no way in hell I can tell her I let you trade yourself for her.”
Chip’s jaw hardened. “Better me than her.”
“No offense but agreed. I can’t lose her again, but I can’t let her lose you either. She couldn’t live the rest of her life knowing she lived while you died.”
The president of Chained lost his disguise, the charade. He quit hiding behind anger too. Pain streaked his face. “We got no other option. This mess… It’s my fault anyway, not hers. She never belonged in any of this shit.”
He nodded. “You’re right. She doesn’t belong in this shit, but you’re wrong too ’cause we do got another option. We raid the address and pray she’s there. She isn’t, we make sure no one gets outta there.”
Chip cocked his head. “How do you think we’re gonna manage that?”
“There’s plenty of us to go in from all angles.”
Chip’s gaze cut to Prez. “You’re all in?”
Prez nodded. “Em’s one of us. We’re all in.”
Tracker jumped in then. “They spot fifty of us comin’, they’ll alert whoever’s got her and—”
“We cut the phone lines and use a cell phone jammer to block the signal.”
Chip peered at Army, standing to Ripper’s right. “You got one?”
Army smiled and nodded to Strike, who said, “Yep.”
Chip released a breath, looked at his VP, Tracker, who grinned. He then met Prez’s stare. “You didn’t forget who these guys are, did you? It’s gonna get bloody. Your club’s been clean for years. You sure you want a part of this?”
Ripper turned. His gaze moved around the warehouse, looking at each of his brothers trying to guess if any one of them would back down. He couldn’t blame them if they did. They had family. Some had wives even kids. Too much was at stake to lose. He couldn’t read them though. Game faces on, showing no fear. Ripper’s gaze ended on Prez.
“I already said Em’s part of this club. We’re in.”
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