“Jesse,” I whispered.
“Too much of a caveman thing to do?” he asked.
“No. I like being covered in your scent.”
He kissed my shoulder, then rolled to his side and pulled me into his arms. Within minutes, he was snoring softly, but I was wide awake. I hadn’t freaked out liked I’d worried I would, but only because it had been Jesse. My sweet, protective Rocket. Time seemed to pass slowly and still sleep wouldn’t come. I managed to pull myself from his embrace and slipped on the silk nightgown he’d bought for me, then pulled on a hotel robe over it.
My throat was dry and a little sore from all the noises I’d made, and the little fridge was empty. I pulled Rocket’s wallet from his pants and drew a few ones from inside, then crept to the door. Glancing at him, I couldn’t help but smile at how young he looked when he slept. I quietly left the room, positioning the safety lock so that I could get back in without waking him, then went to find the soda machine we’d passed when we got off the elevator.
I’d just fed a bill into the machine when a hand clamped down on my shoulder, and I was spun to face a group of men. The cold, hard look in their eyes was enough to tell me I was in a world of trouble, with no one having any idea where I’d gone.
“Looks like his little whore ventured out without us having to go after her,” one of them said, a leer on his face.
“I’m not a whore,” I said, my accent growing thicker with my unease.
“Maybe. Maybe not. But you’re here with that Hades Abyss guy, which makes you my new toy.” His hand stroked down the sleeve of my robe and I shuddered, trying to pull away. “Be nice to me, and maybe I won’t break you.”
“If you take me, he’s going to kill you,” I said.
One of them gripped my left hand and lifted it, studying the engagement ring Rocket had given me just hours ago.
“Looks like this one might be more important than we’d thought. I think we need to send a message.”
The others laughed and I struggled. One of them tied a gag around my head, keeping me from screaming for help, as they jerked me down the hall back toward the room I was sharing with Rocket. My robe was nearly torn from my body and dumped on the ground in front of the door. One of the men unzipped his pants and I quickly looked away. Closing my eyes might have blocked the sight, but I could still hear him jerking off. The zip of his pants wasn’t any more reassuring. If he wasn’t a kidnapper and who knew what else, I’d feel sorry for the women in his life. That hadn’t even taken a full minute.
“I think that will get the point across,” said the cruel man still holding me in his grip. “Come on, boys. Let’s get our little prize back home.”
He lifted me and tossed me over his shoulder. My hair fell in a curtain, hiding my face, but I was able to peer through and read the cut of the closest man. Chaos Killers MC. A memory was just out of reach. I’d heard that name before, but I didn’t remember where. I had a feeling that I might be in more trouble than I’d thought. I’d survived my father and the mob, and I’d survive this too. My heart broke when I realized that Rocket would blame himself for anything that happened to me.
I was tossed into the back of an SUV, like I was nothing more than cargo, before the door was slammed shut. The tires squealed as they pulled away. I didn’t know how they’d gotten me out of the hotel unseen, or if they’d paid someone off. Either way, I hoped that Hades Abyss would rain down hell on them when Rocket found out who had taken me.
Hurry, Jesse! I need you!
My hands and feet were bound, but they had removed the gag. Not that it did me any good now. If I screamed, I doubted anyone would notice. The parking area seemed empty except for darkened cars.
“He’ll come for me,” I said. “And then he’ll kill you. All of you.”
“Bitch talks too much. Shut her up, Skeeter.”
I saw the fist coming and couldn’t dodge fast enough. Pain exploded in my temple before everything went dark.
Chapter Four
Rocket
I bolted upright, a sense of dread filling me. I scanned the bedroom, noticing a faint light coming from the door. I tossed the covers aside and pulled on my pants. Placing my hand on my back pocket, I realized my wallet wasn’t there. A quick glance was all it took to find it on the dresser. Violeta was gone and it seemed she’d needed cash. But for what? And how long ago had she left?
I walked to the door and pulled it open, then nearly tripped over a pile of white terrycloth on the floor. No. A hotel robe. My brow furrowed as I hunkered down, then ice flowed through my veins when the smell of semen reached my nose and I saw the garment was splattered in it. I stepped over it and searched the hall, checking near the elevators and the vending machines. Some one-dollar bills were on the ground near the soda machine, and my heart started pounding so hard it was thundering in my ears.
Snatching up the money, I hurried back to my room and grabbed my phone. My hand trembled as I dialed Fox, and I tried to hold it together, but I was seriously close to losing my shit. Someone had snatched Vi, jacked off on the robe outside our door, and I had no fucking clue who had her or why, much less how to get her back. If they hurt her, I’d kill every last motherfucker who dared to touch her.
“Aren’t you supposed to be celebrating?” Fox asked, sounding groggy. “What the fuck time is it?”
“Late. Early. I don’t fucking know. Someone snatched Vi.”
I heard the rustle of sheets and a woman in the background. It seemed Fox had found someone to spend the night with him, and I didn’t give a shit if I was interrupting or not.
“What? What do you mean by snatched?” he asked.
“I got us a room at the Clearmont, trying to make our first night together special. Woke up to Violeta missing, and there’s a robe outside the door with cum all over it. I think she got money from my wallet and went to get a drink. There was some money on the ground in the vending machine area and my wallet wasn’t where I’d left it.”
“Anything else? A ransom note? Something that might tell us who took her?” Fox asked, and I heard him pulling on clothes.
“Nothing. Who the fuck would take her, Fox? I just fucking made her mine and now she’s gone.” I swallowed hard. “After everything she’s been through… I don’t know if she’ll survive with her mind intact this time if they touch her. She’d finally healed and now…”
I wanted to beat the shit out of something, or someone. Wanted to scream at the injustice of finally making Vi my woman, and I’d already let someone take her from me. I never should have kept her outside the compound overnight. Even though the danger her father presented was gone, it seemed we had someone else after the club. Unless taking Vi had merely been an opportunity someone couldn’t pass up? But if that was the case, why leave the robe like that? It was like they wanted me to know she was gone and would be hurt. No, this seemed personal.
“What enemies do we have right now?” I asked Fox.
I heard Fox’s bike start up. “I’ll be there in ten minutes, Rocket. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Like what? Call the cops? Notify hotel security? Burn the city to the fucking ground?”
“Right. Don’t do any of that shit. Let me see what’s up, figure this out, then we’ll decide what steps to take next. Take a picture of the robe, then drag it into the room so no one else sees it.” He paused. “And, Rocket? Keep your shit together. We’ll find her, and then we’ll bury whoever took her.”
I hung up the phone and shoved it into my pocket, then did as Fox had said. Just seeing that robe was keeping the fury flowing in my veins. I scanned the room again and noticed the silky gown I’d bought her was missing, so at least she wasn’t naked. That I knew of. I went back out into the hall and scoured the area, looking for other signs that might tell me what happened. I noticed a discreet camera in the corner of the hall near the stairway, and another in the corner of the little room that contained the vending machines.
Snatching my phone from my pocket, I
quickly called Surge.
“Fox already put out the word,” he said when he picked up. “A few of the guys are heading your way, and I’m already hacking into the hotel systems. I’ll pull a list of all the guests from the past twenty-four hours.”
“There’s a few cameras on this floor.” I gave him the room number where we’d been staying. “I didn’t notice one by the room, but that doesn’t mean it’s not well-hidden.”
“I’m on it. We’ll find her, Rocket.”
I hoped like hell he was right. I finished dressing while I waited for Fox. The club hadn’t had any trouble in the last few weeks. Not since Violeta’s father had been killed, along with any men he’d brought with him, but that hadn’t been the club’s doing. Specter had taken care of that little issue. That didn’t mean someone wasn’t still after Vi and Luciana, but I didn’t think that was the case. As far as I knew, all of the men who had abused them were still in Colombia. With Mateo Gomez out of the way, I didn’t think any of them would come after his daughters.
Then again… Tugging my phone from my pocket again, I scrolled through my contacts and hit the green call button when I found Venom’s name. Even I wasn’t brave enough to call the Dixie Reapers’ President at this time of day, but his VP would do.
“What the fuck? It’s too damn early for this shit,” the man grumbled.
“Sofia is safe, right?”
“What kind of question is that? Of course, she is.”
“Good. Keep it that way.”
Venom growled. “Watch your tone, boy.”
“Someone snatched Violeta. Don’t tell Sofia. It would only worry her.”
“Wait. Violeta is gone? What about Luciana?” Venom asked.
“She’s off somewhere with Spider.”
“If you need help finding Violeta, let me know. We’ll get some men to you.”
“Thanks, Venom. Sorry for waking you up so damn early.”
“Just get her back. I’ll keep this quiet as long as I can.”
By the time I’d hung up with him, there was a fist pounding on my hotel door. I pulled it open and Fox stormed inside, then stopped to stare at the robe on the floor. He snarled and the glare he leveled at me would have scared a lesser man.
“Those fuckers are going to pay,” he said, his voice more of a growl.
“I called Surge.”
“I know. He’s already pulled the video feed for this floor. Chaos Killers have her, the same bastards who put two bullets in our Pres. We’re not going to stand for this shit.”
“So you think they took Vi on purpose and it wasn’t just a random snatch and grab?”
“I think they’ve been watching us and waiting for a moment to strike. They probably saw you enter the hotel with her, then just bided their time in hopes of getting her alone.”
“Fox, if they hurt her…”
“I know. She has so much as a scratch on her, and none of us will stand in your way. Just remember that Violeta hasn’t seen that side of you and she might be scared. But there isn’t a single man in the club who would deny you revenge on the assholes who took your woman.” He narrowed his gaze. “She is officially yours, right? Because I know Spider gave you the okay a while ago.”
“She’s mine. I didn’t think she’d want to be inked, so I gave her a bracelet that said Property of Rocket… and I asked her to marry me. She said yes.”
Fox clapped me on the shoulder. “Then let’s work on getting your wife-to-be back where she belongs.”
Another knock sounded on the door and Fox opened it, letting in Bear, Shooter, Fangs, and Dread. I glanced at the doctor turned biker and hoped we didn’t need his medical services, but I knew it was smart to have him here just in case. Before Fox could close the door, Jack, Philip, Yankee, Slider, and Gunner entered the room.
“Teller wanted to come, but he’s watching Marianna,” Jack said. “I volunteered to come in his place.”
“Thanks. The fact you and Philip are here won’t go unnoticed by Spider when it comes to patch in new members,” Fox said. “And I’m sure Marcus would be here too if we didn’t need someone on duty at the gate.”
“Does Spider know?” I asked.
“He does, and as much as he’d like to be here to take these fuckers out, I suggested he might want to keep Luciana busy a bit longer. I can only imagine her reaction if she finds out her sister has been taken by the men who shot her husband.”
“Anyone know where these bastards have been holed up?” I asked.
“Surge is working his magic, with the help of Wire and Shade. Between the three of them, we should have some answers soon. In the meantime, I need to bag up this robe and you need to check out and act like everything is fine. Surge is going to wipe the section of footage showing Vi’s abduction. If the hotel security sees it, they’ll notify the authorities, and that’s the last thing we want,” Fox said. “We’re handling this shit our way, and putting an end to those dickheads once and for all.”
“I thought Spider already sent them a message, loud and clear,” I said.
“Apparently they saw it as a challenge.” Bear snorted. “Dumbasses. They’re a bunch of snot-nosed kids. No offense to you youngsters.”
Fox rolled his eyes and flipped off the Sergeant-at-Arms. Bear was nearly fifty-two and acted like he had one foot in the damn grave. The club pussy would say different since they couldn’t seem to keep their hands off the guy. He was welcome to them. All I wanted or needed was my Violeta.
“They shot at our Pres and took my woman. They may be lacking in intelligence, but they aren’t complete idiots or they couldn’t have pulled this off,” I pointed out.
Bear held up his hands. “Not my fault you haven’t learned to cuff your woman to the bed.”
My mouth opened and snapped shut. Nope, there were just some things I didn’t need to know about the club’s Sergeant-at-Arms. Judging the looks on the other’s faces, they felt the same. Except Slider. And I really didn’t want to delve into the look on his face since I knew he didn’t much care about the sexual orientation of his partners. And now I needed brain bleach to remove the image of Slider cuffed to Bear’s bed.
“I need a drink,” I muttered.
“I think I need something stronger,” said Fox.
“Pussies,” Bear muttered. “Like I haven’t seen both of you banging the club whores out in the open. The thought of me cuffing a woman to the bed scares you that much.”
Fox shook his head and pointed at Slider, and I knew he’d seen the same thing I had. Our brother just grinned unrepentantly.
Bear growled. “That shit isn’t happening.”
Slider winked at him. “Not my fault you’re a sexy beast.”
“Maybe when Surge finishes with this, he can work on creating a device for a memory wipe,” Yankee said. “I’m first in line.”
Everyone laughed and the tension eased a moment, until my gaze landed on the robe again. I grabbed a plastic laundry bag I’d noticed on the dresser and shoved the robe inside, careful not to touch the semen. I gathered Violeta’s clothes from the night before and handed them to Fox, then made my way downstairs to checkout while my brothers went out to their bikes.
The kid behind the counter paled about four shades when he saw me walk up. He eyed my cut and audibly swallowed. I was used to the reaction, but the way his eyes kept shifting told me this was more than just fear because I was a biker. It was something else. I studied him, leaning onto the counter, my gaze locked on his face. When I had his attention, I could see a bead of sweat running down his forehead and my gut told me this little shit knew something about Vi disappearing.
“I think we need to have a chat,” I said, my voice low and hard.
“I’m sorry. So sorry. I didn’t have a choice,” the kid babbled.
“Everyone has a choice. You made the wrong one.”
“They have my mom!” he blurted. “They said I’d get her back if I helped them. I didn’t know what they’d planned until I saw them carry that
girl out the back of the hotel. I was hiding in the dark, taking a smoke break.”
“You’re officially off the clock, kid, and you’re going to tell us every damn thing you know. Not only about Vi’s kidnapping, but about the Chaos Killers. Understood? Because if you don’t, it won’t matter if your mom comes home because you won’t be there. You’ll be buried in a place no one will ever find you.”
He whimpered and nodded, then rushed around the counter. I gripped his arm and hauled him out of the hotel, not even caring if I had to pay for the room another day or two. All that I cared about was finding out everything this little shit knew.
When I got outside, Fox stared at me with raised eyebrows and I shoved the kid toward the SUV the Prospects had driven. I didn’t know why they hadn’t brought their bikes, but right now I didn’t care. We drove back to the compound and went straight to the clubhouse. Fox had the kid by the collar, forcing him to the back and into Church. We didn’t typically allow outsiders in this room, and personally, I’d have taken him somewhere to torture the hell out of him. Until I noticed the piss spot on his pants. Maybe just a few harsh words would suffice this time.
“Start talking,” I said.
The kid babbled non-stop, not making much sense most of the time. From what little I could understand, the Chaos Killers had been snatching up women under the age of fifty within four counties. The kidnappings had been spaced out far enough the local police hadn’t noticed a trend. They’d grabbed the kid’s mom and another woman from his neighborhood. The Chaos Killers had said he could have his mother back if he helped them tonight. While I hated that his mom could be suffering at the hands of those men, I was too fucking furious that he’d helped them take Vi.
“You don’t know where they’re keeping the women?” I asked.
“N-no. They said they’d take my mom home if I helped.” Tears streamed down the kid’s face and the wet spot on his pants had grown larger. “Are you going to kill me?”
“Guess that depends on what they’ve done to my fiancée.” I lowered my face to his and narrowed my eyes. “For your sake, you’d better hope she’s safe and sound. One scratch, and I’m going to kick your ass.”
Rocket (Hades Abyss MC 2) Page 5