by K E Osborn
Rolling back onto my stomach, I lift my head to see my brothers all starting to stand wiping the slop off them. I follow then slide the thick goo from my cut and jeans as I turn my lip up in disgust. “I hate this fucking place,” I murmur to no one in particular.
Torque walks up dipping his eyes to my shoulder. “Is it bad?”
I glance at the blood still oozing from my wound. “I’m good, just a nick. Bex can fix me when we get her out of here.”
Torque nods. Movement out of the corner of my eye makes me raise my gun to the side of Torque toward the sleeping quarters. My brothers all turn fast raising their guns as a small boy pokes his head out of the doorway.
“Hold your fire,” I call out, my stomach lurching into my throat.
He must be all of five years old as my eyes begin to glisten seeing the fresh marks all over his bare chest. “Fuck,” I murmur glancing at Torque.
Torque lets out a heavy exhale, signaling to the boy. “Kid, it’s okay, you can come out. We won’t hurt you.”
The kid looks hesitant. He would be, he’s here being tortured by Edgar and the rest of the motherfucking Sovereigns. My stomach swirls, and I have to turn away. I hear movement as I glance at Ace, watching his face fall like he’s in shock. Not being able to help myself, I turn to have another look, and as I do, I see not only that little boy walking out of the sleeping quarters but following him are more.
So many more.
All these boys who range in age.
Some probably only just able to walk, some in their teenage years.
My breathing quickens so fast I can’t contain it anymore as I turn around reaching for the side of the building. My stomach lurches, heaving hard as I throw up violently. My stomach rolling and churning as I cough and splutter. Ace’s hand is on my back as the swarm of boys make their way out of the confined quarters.
“Did Edgar send you here to teach us a lesson, too?” the little boy asks.
My skin fucking crawls as I catch my breath. “No.” I pant hoarsely as all eyes turn to me. I stand up to face them, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “No. You’re never being punished again. Right, Torque?”
Torque looks at me. “Yeah, brother, never again. Vibe, Lift, get these boys to the van. Those who can’t fit, get on the back of bikes. We need to get them out of here.”
I tense up. “Wait. Where the fuck is Bex?”
“This was too easy, Chains. She isn’t here. We need to regroup. Get Ace to track her cell back at the clubhouse. Get these boys somewhere safe and figure out a plan of action. Obviously, Edgar’s a damn step ahead of us.”
Bringing my fist up, I clench it close, slamming it hard into the side of the sleeping quarters building. The wood buckles beneath the force as splinters of wood pierce my skin.
“Fuck!” I murmur as I notice the boys watching my every move.
“Let’s go, I don’t want to be here any longer than we have to.”
I move before anyone else. Sensei, Vibe, and Lift start to gather the boys. I want to help, I just can’t bring myself to look at them as I race forward. I’ve got to get back to the club to talk this through with Ace. I need him to track Bex’s cell so we can fucking find her. We should have done it from the start. All we’ve done is waste precious fucking time. This is all my fault, now Edgar and Luc are doing God knows fucking what to her while I’m here getting shot at instead of rescuing her.
I have to find her.
Bex is the glue holding me together, but without her, I’m fucking breaking apart.
BEX
Where’s Chains? I have no idea.
Will he be able to find me? I don’t even know where I am.
The room’s filled with the stale smell of cigar smoke as Edgar sits back in a high-backed chair, legs up on a desk puffing away like some king fucking dick. Luc’s talking to Gabe in the corner of the room, while I sit on the floor shivering from the coldness seeping up from the concrete. It’s most probably a mixture of cold and fear. My neck hurts from when Edgar choked me, my breathing is difficult due to the swelling, and my mind a hazy fog. I can’t seem to concentrate on anything. I know I’m in shock. My body not tolerating the situation I’m in.
The problem is, I fear for Chains. I worry when he finally figures it out and comes for me, they will kill him or worse. The thought of him being put back in this place, into the Sovereigns, or of him enduring the torture he went through as a child sickens me. I have no doubt him coming face to face with Edgar will be horrific for him. The man haunts his dreams every damn night. There’s no way seeing him in the flesh won’t cause untold havoc for Chains. I hate this is happening, and to be honest, I can’t believe Luc’s put Chains in this situation.
I can’t believe I trusted Luc.
“Rebecca,” Edgar sneers making me look up at him. “You’ve spent time with Ty. You’re his foster sister, correct?”
Sniffing, I turn my head away from him. I don’t want to give him shit.
He drops his feet from the desk, walking over, then kneels in front of me. He grabs my chin forcing me to look at him so hard, I wince in pain. “Don’t turn away from me, girl. You will answer, and you will tell me everything, or there will be consequences.”
My bottom lip quivers as I glare at him. “Yes, he’s my family.”
He lets go of my chin hard and fast making my head snap to the side, jarring my already painful neck. I begin to breathe faster as he stands leaning against the desk in front of me. His onyx eyes staring down at me. “See… wasn’t so fucking hard, was it?”
Luc walks over, standing to the side. Suddenly, I feel like I’m being interrogated.
I guess I am.
“Ty… when did he join the MC?” Edgar asks.
I roll my shoulders. “Why does it matter?”
Edgar inhales sharply. “You don’t play by the rules, do you, Rebecca? This is how this works. I ask the questions. You answer. No backchat. No roundabout answers. No answering with questions. Just fucking answer mine, or there will be a problem. You don’t want me to get angry, do you?”
My jaws ticks as I try to hold in my temper. “I think my neck clearly shows you got angry with me once already.”
Edgar’s top lip twitches like he’s having trouble keeping himself in check. Instantly, he reaches forward, the back of his hand smashing across my cheek so hard, my head slams to the side with such force, I fall straight on all fours to the floor.
Pain seeps into every inch of me as tears sting my eyes.
“Don’t test me, Rebecca. I need you to talk, but you’re making it extremely hard for me to keep my cool,” Edgar spits through gritted teeth.
I slowly sit up to see him straighten out the sleeves of his bomber jacket.
Luc whispers something to his father who glances at the door, then Luc briskly walks out of the room closing the door behind him. Anger rolls through me that he left. Fucking traitor can’t even stand the heat. You make the mess, you stay, and you clean it up.
Fucking chicken shit.
The metallic taste seeps into my mouth—I realize Edgar split my lip in the hit to my face. Asshole.
“So, we thought Ty was dead all these years. Why did we never get any notice of his whereabouts? If a child was found in the state he would have been in, surely questions would have been asked?” Edgar queries.
Spitting out a mouthful of blood, I peer into his eyes. “He only told one person when he was growing up of where he came from. He didn’t trust adults enough to tell them anything as monumental as the shit that obviously happened here.”
Edgar rubs his scarred chin. “So, you’re telling me Ty kept his mouth shut only telling one person his entire life about where he came from?”
I shrug. “Except for when he joined the MC. He had to tell them about his past. They know, so when they come in to fuck you up, I’m sure they will take great pleasure in it.”
Edgar lets out a stifled laugh. “You just don’t learn, do you, girl?” Edgar rushes forward
as I brace for impact.
CHAINS
“What the fuck do you mean it’s dead in the wind?” I yell at Ace.
He exhales throwing his hands in the air. “I mean they obviously knew we were gonna try to track her cell, so they’ve fucked up the signal. I can’t track it… I’m sorry, brother.”
Anger swarms through me so fucking hot, I feel like a typhoon is about to erupt inside of me. I reach for the nearest thing, a bobblehead of Iron Man. Ripping it off Ace’s desk, I throw it across the chapel. Trax ducks as it narrowly misses him smashing to smithereens against the opposite wall.
“Fuck! Why? Why do my bobbleheads have to suffer all the damn time?” Ace calls out throwing his hands in the air.
Trax lets out a small chuckle as I pace the floor trying to calm the raging storm inside of me. “There has to be a way. Some way to figure out where the hell she is.”
“We’ll find it, brother. You gotta have faith in us,” Torque offers walking through the chapel doors as my cell begins to ring.
I glance at my president. “Answer it, might be a ransom call,” Torque instructs.
Cringing, I swipe the unknown number, putting it on speaker. “Talk!” I demand while placing it on speakerphone.
“Ty,” Luc’s voice echoes down the line.
My jaw clenches as I begin pacing again. “Where the fuck is she?”
Torque looks at me as if to say keep it calm, so I wave my hand at him dismissively.
“If you’ve hurt her, I swear to God, Luc!”
“Look, I’m not gonna lie, she’s not in a good way.” My body goes numb as a pricking sensation runs from my toes right up my spine. I grab onto the edge of the table for support. “What did you do to her?”
“Not me… Edgar.”
Everything stops still, the room starts turning black as my heart beats so hard in my chest I want to puke. “I’m gonna fucking kill you.” My voice doesn’t sound like my own, there’s so much venom in it, it would scare any fucker.
“Ty, we can hash out the details later. Right now, you and the guys need to get here before it gets out of control.”
Hope fills my chest, light filters back through the darkness as I glance at Torque. “Where the fuck is she?”
“At the yacht yard in Calumet Heights. We’re in the storage area. It’s a new facility for the Sovereigns—their storage place. Bring as many men as you can. They have more men here than at basecamp to protect the supplies. But Ty, you need to come now. I can’t do anything to stop Edgar’s assaults on Bex without giving myself away.” Before I can say anything, he ends the call.
With heaving breaths I look at my president, my brother, my friend. “Torque…”
He glances at Trax tilting his head. “It’s probably a trap. We could be walking right into their hands. He’s given us a location, they want us all there… they could wipe us all out, Chains.”
Tensing up, I grit my teeth. “Fine. I’ll fucking go on my own if I have to. I can’t let this go, Torque. If she’s there, and Edgar is… if he’s…” I pause not able to say what I think he might do to her, but they all nod in understanding.
“Stop and listen! Just let me fuckin’ talk to Lift and make a phone call. Get ready to leave, I’ll be with you soon.”
Torque races out as I turn to Ace. “Do you think Luc was lying? You’re smart, you can read people, right?”
Ace winces. “I can read people generally when I can see them, not when they’re a voice over the end of the line. I don’t know, Chains. I just don’t know. But I’m in this with you, we all are. We got your back, brother.”
“Yeah, we do,” Trax agrees stepping up to me, slapping my back. “Let’s go get our doctor.”
BEX
“I won’t ask again, Rebecca. Who was the one person Ty told about us? It had to be someone he trusted. Was it his guardian?” Edgar asks.
I roll my eyes. “It was me, you idiot. I can’t believe you didn’t figure it out. I know all about the way you like to torture little boys and make them bend to your will, so they grow up to do whatever the fuck you tell them to. Like Luc, for instance. That little fucking weasel. Bet you liked him a whole lot when he was growing up, didn’t you, Edgar?”
Edgar’s eyes narrow as Gabe rolls his shoulders. “And what about you, Gabe? Did you like your son a little too much as well when he was growing up? Is that why he’s such an asshole now?” I jab.
Gabe stands like a beaten statue in the corner as Edgar huffs out a grunt. “You’re baiting me… why Rebecca?” Edgar asks.
I scoff, turning my head away from him. “Maybe I’d rather be dead than here with you, you pathetic excuse for a human being.”
Edgar lets out a loud laugh. “Oh, my dear Rebecca, there’s so much more I can do to you before I kill you. Plus, I want to kill you in front of Ty, so you’ll have to wait for that relief to come, my dear.”
I shudder. “What makes you think Ty will even come?”
Edgar glances at Gabe. “Because they’re walking into a trap. Luc was sent to call your beloved Ty with the details of where we are. He will be met with gunfire, but Ty will be brought in to watch you die by my hand. Slowly. Painfully. Torturously. Then, I’m going to have so much fun with him.”
Tension rolls over me. The idea of Chains walking into a trap scares the hell out of me. Not only Chains, but what if the rest of the Defiance brothers show up getting caught in the gunfight? I love them all. To have any of them go out in this way would kill me.
“You can’t do this. All because one little boy escaped nineteen years ago. How twisted are you?”
Edgar slams his fist on the table so loud it echoes through the room startling me. “No one escapes the Sovereigns, Rebecca. Ty was never meant to be an exception. His betrayal to the Sovereigns means more to me than you will ever know.”
“Your betrayal to him as a human being means more to him than you’ll ever know,” I yell at him at the top of my lungs.
Edgar stops, looks at me curiously, then lets out a laugh. “You’re in love with him!”
Fuck! I don’t want to give him any ammunition. “He’s my family, of course, I love him.”
He shakes his head. “No, I said you’re in love with him. This changes things. I need to up the ante.” His eyes turn dark. Sinister. Evil. “I need to ruin you for him.”
My eyes widen, my body tensing as I wrap my arms around myself. He rushes toward me, the expression on his face alarming me even more. It scares this shit out of me, so I start to scurry backward. But he’s too quick. He lunges, grabbing at my hair lifting me. My feet fumble about as he thrusts me forward, and I fall straight onto the desk. My stomach hits the edge so hard it winds me. I gasp out as he steps in behind me, pushing me against the desk so hard I can’t move. His hand thrusts in my hair, forcing my head to the desk. I scream out as tears fill my eyes while trying like hell to fight back. I try to kick out, but his free hand moves around to unbutton my pants.
Fear swarms through me.
This can’t be happening.
Please don’t let this be happening!
CHAINS
My anxiety is through the fucking roof as we ride like the wind to the yacht yard. It’s nearly twenty minutes away from the clubhouse. We’re almost there, but the usual twenty-minute ride is being done in around thirteen, give or take.
I need to get to Bex.
We pull into the yacht yard. I can already tell, just by looking, the Sovereign setup will be in the larger building near the back of the yard. The one with all the security fencing surrounding it. The one right on the dock near the water.
We pull up, the roar of the engines coming to a halt as I jump off my ride, my feet heavy as I want to pound the gravel to get to her.
But I know we have to do this right.
They will be waiting.
I glance at Torque as he signals. “Right, we do this quick, and we try to do it without bloodshed. If we have to release ammo, we do it, but if we can contain life, do so.
If you see Edgar, leave him for Chains. Anyone get eyes on Luc, take him in. I want him alive.”
Something rolls through me, I can’t describe the feeling. The thought of seeing Edgar again after this amount of time has me tied in knots, but the adrenaline of getting Bex out is the one thing pushing me to do this.
Torque eyes me. “You good, brother?”
“I need to get her, Torque. I have to be all right.”
He signals for us to move toward the open gate. We slowly edge forward through the tall metal gates surprised they’re not somehow locked. Boat trailers with yachts and canoes are littered throughout the parking lot as we race into the yard hiding behind them for cover. The main building sits on the dock, a roller door for the main entry point, but a smaller door is to the right. We’re all silent with our guns raised wondering what the hell is going to hit us. I’m still covered in mud from basecamp, but I won’t let Edgar get the better of me.
Torque signals for us to file from behind this yacht to the next one further up. We start to run when an alarm sounds through the yard. My skin prickles as we all glance toward the main building to see Sovereigns running out carrying automatic rifles.
“Take cover,” Torque calls out.
We all scatter running for various boats as the shooting starts. I duck behind a small shed with Ace as we watch Sensei and Trax drop under a canoe taking on heavy fire.
Clinking and tinging sounds knock against the side of the shed from the bullets belting into the metal behind us. It’s only going to hold for so long.
I look at Ace gritting my teeth. “We’re screwed.”
He flares his nostrils. “Fucking Luc, it was a trap,” Ace yells over the continuous noise of the hundreds of bullets being fired at my brothers and me.
I glance to Trax and Sensei. The bottom of the canoe starting to fall in pieces above them. They’re going to be in trouble soon if someone doesn’t do something. As if to read my mind, Zane runs out, balls to the wall, bullets flying at him at all angles, so I lean out laying down cover fire for him as he rushes over to the trailer untying a canoe on the side.