1
Gravel kicked up beneath the tires when Hawke steered off the main road and onto a hidden pathway. The seat in the back of the van, across from Linc, with the Reapers’ prospect lying unconscious between us, wasn’t the best one to have. I had to brace myself against the side just so I didn’t topple over, especially when our driver took a few corners too quickly.
“What do you think is gonna happen when we get to the safe house?” My question was directed toward anyone who cared to answer, even though I was looking at Linc. I doubted he could see me, however, because we were shrouded in darkness.
Kaden turned in his seat up front. “Who the fuck knows at this point. I swear shit went from bad to worse in just weeks.”
“Stealing Reaper property didn’t help things any,” Hawke gritted right before he veered the vehicle to the right, entering a residential neighborhood.
“Don’t start,” Linc rebutted.
“I’m just sayin’,” the nomad retorted, slowing down as he pulled into a driveway.
“We don’t need a recap,” Kaden chimed in that time. He opened his door and hopped out as soon as Hawke tucked the van inside a garage.
Seconds later, the sliding door opened, and Linc jumped out, waiting for me as I stepped over the lifeless body in front of me. Once we all stood together, Hawke came around and pushed me out of the way, motioning for Kaden to help him by pointing at our unwanted guest, then yanking the Reaper from the van and dumping him on the ground.
“Need some help?” Rez appeared in the doorway leading into the house, walking toward us as he glanced down at the bloodied man. His black hair was messed, like he’d just woken up, and while that might be the case, he looked otherwise alert and ready to lend a hand.
He’d been assigned here with Nash and Miles, all three from our Laredo charter, to watch over Tag until Marek decided what to do with him.
“Yeah. Grab his other arm,” Hawke instructed, helping to haul the guy into the house, giving me, Linc, and Kaden a few seconds to wrap our heads around the entire scene before following them.
“We were gonna end up here anyway. We’re just a day early.” Kaden shook his head then checked his phone, typing out a message before jamming the device back into the inside pocket of his cut. “And originally Prez wanted Cutter here, but I gotta say I’m happy he’s not. That man’s intensity freaks me out sometimes, and we have enough to deal with as it is.”
We’d recently been made aware of the club’s safe house but hearing such a place existed and standing in its garage, about to walk inside any moment, was a whole other thing. Tag had been tortured in the basement of this place, and while I knew he wasn’t strapped to the table any longer, I had no idea what condition he’d be in once we set eyes on him.
I didn’t know much about Tag, but from what I did, I liked him. He was a help to Kaden working at the garage and had always been friendly toward me. Wishing for a good outcome where he was concerned didn’t mean one would come to be. Some of us were still in the dark as to what Marek was gonna do with him, even though he was aware the only affiliation Tag had to the Reapers was that his father was one. A despicable one at that.
An ominous feeling hung overhead as we finally stepped inside.
“They’re in the basement,” Miles shouted from the living room where he was sprawled out on the couch. The few times I’d met him, he always struck me as a serious guy. He looked to be in his mid-fifties, but he could be older, his light brown, shoulder-length hair streaked mostly with gray.
His eyes roamed over the three of us quickly before he turned his attention back to the television, lacking any sense of concern for what was going on right under our feet.
“This way,” Kaden shouted over his shoulder as he disappeared into another room. Linc followed, as did I, all three of us descending a rickety set of steps into the underbelly of the house, moving to the side when Rez passed us on his way back upstairs.
I wasn’t sure what to expect once we entered the basement, but the sight that greeted me wasn’t it. Dried blood droplets were splattered along the ground beneath a long table, two wrist and ankle straps attached, which now restrained the Reaper. A metal rolling cart sat in the corner with several knifes of various sizes set on top. The ominous vibe of the room disturbed me, plain and simple.
“Where’s Tag?” I hadn’t seen him when we walked in, and the only people in the basement were the Reaper, me, Linc, Kaden, and Hawke.
The creak of the steps alerted us to another visitor. “He’s upstairs.” Nash walked into the room, greeting everyone and acting like this was one big fuckin’ reunion. His lengthy dark hair was tied back from his face, and while he appeared young, he was actually at least thirty years older than me, putting him around fifty-four, give or take a year. “Who do we got here?” He peered around me and Kaden.
“Reaper,” I answered.
“Another one?”
“Yeah. Only this guy really does belong to their club. Not like Tag.” Linc checked his cell while he spoke. “This guy is one of their prospects.”
“He looks like a fuckin’ kid.” Nash walked up next to the unconscious guy and moved his head from side to side before stepping back.
“Who cares how old he looks?” Linc hit a button on his screen before answering. “What?” He walked toward the corner of the room, plugging one ear so he could hear whoever was on the other end of the phone. “Fuck, Brick. Fine. Put her on.” His entire posture locked up tight. “Maddie, calm down. Yes. I’ll be back when I can, then we can talk. No. I can’t right now. I. Know.” He turned to look behind him, catching my eye. He shook his head, his nostrils flaring while he continued the conversation with his woman. “I’m not gonna talk about it right now. I told you not to concern yourself with him anymore. I’m aware of that. I was there.” A short pause followed. “I don’t care. That’s none of your business.” Another brief stretch of silence. “Maddie. Hello? Maddie!” he shouted, pulling the phone away from his ear so he could check the screen. “Fuck!” He shoved his cell into his back pocket and ran his hand down his face, mumbling something before shaking his head.
Maddie hadn’t been with us long, but we could all see the connection between them. She was slowly coming out of her shell, more so when she had a few drinks in her. I couldn’t begin to imagine what she’d truly been through while kept locked away with those bastards, but at least now she was free of them. And Linc was doing what he could to help her get over it, or at least move past what happened.
My thoughts quickly shifted to Chelsea. If she’d endured a fraction of what Maddie had, I’d rain down hell on those who’d touched her. Which was probably why Linc glared at the Reaper, who had just started to come around, groaning every time he tried to move.
Before I saw him raise his arm, Linc smashed his fist into the side of the prospect’s face, blood splattering from his nose and mouth, beads of red joining those already dried on the floor. I jumped back just in time not to get any on me.
“What the hell?” I was gonna ask him why but quickly deduced that he was more than amped up from his call with Maddie, which was nothin’ more than a reminder as to why we were all here right now.