Anger I haven’t felt in a while takes over. “And no one thought they should get off their fucking ass and go check?” I hiss.
“Woah, fucking relax,” Zane says, pushing my chest to get me to look at him. “There’s a lot of shit going on, we’ll call and make sure she’s there.”
I grab Finn by his cut, pulling him in front of me. “Call Lucas and make sure she’s there,” I growl.
He quickly pulls out his phone and dials. I run my hands through my hair while I wait to hear, glancing at Zane. He’s an asshole telling me to relax. If it was Harper who wasn’t here, he’d be throwing punches already. I look back to Finn who is still talking to Lucas.
“Well? Is she fucking there?”
Finn turns his back to me, and I laugh. I grab his cut and pull him toward me, ripping the phone away as I push him against the wall. “Don’t ever turn your back to me,” I yell. I press the phone to my ear and sigh. “Is Ivy at Souls?”
“No, I haven’t seen her since she left this morning for her appointment. I’m sorry man,” Lucas says.
I throw Finn’s phone at him and grab mine out of my pocket, looking around at everyone. “She’s not at Souls. I’m going to check the doctor’s office,” I say, dialing her number as I walk out of the waiting room.
The phone goes right to voicemail, so I call again and again. Each time it goes straight to voicemail. “Fuck!” I yell, walking outside.
“Kace, hey,” Riley yells, running to catch up to me.
“I’m not in the mood for your dumb shit right now.”
He hands me a lit joint and I take a long hit as we get to our bikes. “I’m going with you. No dumb shit,” he says, slapping my back.
As we start to pull out, Alex jumps on his bike and follows us. I want to appreciate them right now, but my head is fucking with me. What if there was a problem with the baby and the doctor sent her to another hospital? What if she passed out and hit her head? What if her phone died and she’s in trouble but can’t reach me?
The worries are endless, but when we reach the doctor’s office and I see her car I momentarily relax. I park on the passenger side and look in the car, but she’s not there. Riley and Alex park next to me and as I round the driver’s side of the car, I stop dead in my tracks. Her purse is on the ground and so is blood.
“Fuck,” I whisper, bending down to get her purse. When I lift it a picture falls to the ground that was stuck under it. I pick it up and for the first time in my adult life, tears blur my vision. It’s an ultrasound picture of our baby.
“What the fuck!” Riley yells.
I spin around and swallow the lump in my throat. “She was taken,” I whisper, putting the picture in my back pocket.
“Motherfucker,” Alex says, grabbing his phone.
“It was Damon. That piece of shit is getting revenge for Hawk and Bane.” I look at Riley as rage begins to claw its way out of my body. “And for defending you.” I throw a punch, connecting with his jaw and he stumbles backward. “You stupid fuck!” I yell, throwing another punch to his ribs and he grunts in pain. “If anything happens to her I will fucking kill you with my bare fucking hands.”
“Fuck, I’m sorry,” he groans, holding onto his ribs with one hand and resting his other on Ivy’s car.
“You’re gonna be. Get everyone to Souls now.”
I don’t wait for a response or a useless apology. I get on my Harley and speed off. There’s no fucking time to waste. We need to find her and now. I let her down. I let them both down. I should’ve protected them, should’ve made sure someone was with her. I let her go out alone with all this shit going down. I am completely responsible for this and the guilt wraps itself around my throat. I’m visibly shaking with rage as I pull into Souls. I almost drop my bike as I jump off and run inside. Everyone looks at me as I rush to get around the table. Lucas calls my name, but I ignore him. I don’t give a shit what anyone has to say right now. We need to find Ivy right now.
I push the heavy wooden doors open and standalone looking at the empty table. All decisions for this club are made here. All the good and bad. Ivy being taken, bleeding, is the worst. She just barely accepted the club and me. This is going to be the end. She’ll go back to California with my baby and I can’t even fight her. I promised her I would protect her, and I’ve failed. Getting her back and keeping them both alive is the priority. I’ll let her walk away with my baby and my heart as long as she’s alive.
I reach back and touch the pocket that I put the ultrasound in, closing my eyes. I will fucking take their place. I’ll let Damon kill me to save them.
The door slams open as Riley and Alex rush in. “Where the fuck is everyone?” Alex shouts.
I clear my throat, grabbing the back of my chair. “No fucking idea.”
“Kace,” Riley starts.
I turn my hard eyes to him, and he stops. “Don’t fucking say a word. I will not stop this time,” I growl.
Alex puts his hand on Riley’s arm and nods for him to sit down. He does as his sad eyes stay locked on mine. Fuck him. If he didn’t run his goddamn mouth, Damon wouldn’t have his sights on me. He should feel guilty.
The door crashes open again and Zane walks in. “What the fuck happened?” he asks, grabbing me for a hug.
I push him off and straighten my back. “We need to find them now,” I whisper.
“We’re gonna, brother. I promise you,” he says.
Finn, Porter, and Enzo walk in with pity in their eyes. I don’t want their pity; I need their help. Before everyone can even sit down, I begin, “She was taken right by her car. She’s bleeding.” I swallow as my throat tightens. “We killed Hawk and Bane. Damon is going to kill her. We need to find them both now. Every second wasted is a second too fucking long. We burned down Club Kingsley and their clubhouse. Where the fuck else do they go?”
“I made some calls, but no one knows for sure,” Enzo says, running his hand through his beard.
I slam my fists on the table and Riley jumps back. “Not fucking good enough. Get me something to go on. I need a motherfucking address now!” I shout, breathing heavily. My chest is rising and falling as rapidly as my heart is pounding in my chest. I have no idea how it’s still beating when it’s shredded but it is.
“I lost my family once; I will not let it fucking happen again. Get me to them and I’ll let Damon kill me as long as he lets Ivy go. It’s what he wants. He wants to be found so do whatever the fuck it is you all do when we need to find someone and do it,” I hiss.
“You are not trading your life for hers,” Zane says, shaking his head.
“I’m not asking for anyone’s fucking opinion. My life for hers,” I yell. I turn to Alex and narrow my eyes. “Get on the fucking computer and find them.” I look at Riley and tighten my fists at my side. “You said Gillian knows computers, get her to start fucking looking.”
“Kace, this will be handled as a club. We’ll all get Ivy back and you’re gonna stay fucking breathing,” Enzo says, narrowing his eyes at me.
I take out a cigarette and light it, blowing smoke toward Enzo. “You got it, VP,” I say.
“I know how fucked up your head is right now. I said the same shit when it was Harper, but when she’s back and safe, you’ll be fucking glad you aren’t dead,” Zane says.
I laugh a humorless laugh and grab onto the back of my chair. “She’s not going to stay. She hated the club and all the shit we get mixed up in. This is a one-way ticket back to California. I don’t need the fucking pep talk or the pity. I’m losing her either way,” I say, picking up the chair and throwing it against the wall.
“I got something,” Alex yells.
I rest my hands on the table and lean toward him. “What?”
“There’s a barn that they’ve used before. It’s only about ten miles from here,” he says, looking up at me.
“Let’s go,” I say, grabbing my cigarettes off the table.
“Kace, fucking stop. We can’t rush out without all the informatio
n. Take a goddamn breath,” Enzo growls.
I laugh as I look at Alex. “You coming?”
“Kace,” Zane calmly says.
“Alex?” I ask, ignoring Zane.
He sighs and as he pushes his chair out. “Fuck it.”
“Both of you, fucking wait,” Enzo yells.
I push out the door to everyone yelling for me. Fuck them. Everyone second she’s there is more torture she’s enduring. I’m not going to hold my dick while they decide the best plan. I’ll check every motherfucking lead until I find her.
Alex follows me outside and slaps my back. “I’ll lead.” I nod as I hop on my bike.
The ride feels like hours. It’s almost like I’m going too fast but not fast enough. The thoughts of what she’s going through are making me vibrate with anger and fear. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life as I am of my love for her. We haven’t had nearly enough time together, but after I’m gone, she’ll have a piece of me forever. Maybe that’s why she got pregnant, because it was meant to be that she became an amazing mother and I’m meant to be a memory.
Alex turns off down a dirt road and my thoughts snap back to the present. We park back a bit from the barn, and I can tell already that this isn’t the place. The door is boarded up, the weeds are tall and untouched, and there are no footprints in the dirt.
“Let’s look anyway,” Alex says, hopping off his bike. “Maybe there’s another way in.”
He doesn’t believe it, but he’s trying to give me hope. I appreciate it, so I follow behind him toward the barn. We bust open the door and search every inch. They haven’t been here in a long time.
I scrub my face, running my hands up into my hair. I look up at the sky and scream. My voice echoes around us, but I keep going. I let all my frustration, fear, and guilt take over.
Without taking my eyes off the sky I ask Alex, “Why’d you come?”
“I’ve known you for a long time, Kace. I’ve seen you happy. I’ve seen you sad and I’ve seen you pissed, wild, demanding, strong. I’ve seen you take control, loss control, and keep everyone around you grounded. But I’ve never seen you scared, until now.”
I glance at him and nod. “I’ve never been scared like this before. I pulled her into a fucking war. She’s not Harper. She doesn’t know or understand this life. She’s hurt and it physically hurts me that she is. I can’t begin to imagine how scared she is. I need to find her, Alex. I need to save her and my baby. Please fucking help me.”
The pity I see in his eyes is warranted. I just showed him a side of me I keep hidden. My vulnerable side.
My phone rings again for the hundredth time and I grab it out of my front pocket. “What!”
“We got something. Get back to Souls now, asshole,” Zane hisses.
I hang up and nod to Alex. “They got something, lets get back.”
We get back to Souls in record time and when we get around the table, I stop short when I see Gillian sitting there. “What the fuck.”
“Shut the fuck up and listen,” Zane says, pulling out my chair.
I play with my lip ring as I sit down. “Fucking talk, we’re wasting time.”
“When Riley asked me to help find Ivy, I grabbed my laptop and started looking,” Gillian starts.
“Woah, why the hell is she telling me this? She’s part of this fucking club now?” I say, looking around.
She rolls her eyes, but continues, “When he told me to look for anywhere that the Raging Devils could be, specifically Damon, I was frozen.” She glances at Riley who nods his head. What the fuck? She clears her throat and locks her sincere eyes with mine. “Damon is Rachel’s boyfriend.”
“What.The.Fuck,” I yell.
“I had no idea he was out to get you, but if Rachel knew I’m sure she helped. She’s still pissed at you,” Gillian says.
“Pissed at me? For what getting shot? She the one who fucking walked when I needed someone. She’s an untrustworthy cunt,” I growl.
“Shut the fuck up and let her finish,” Zane says, grabbing my arm.
I shrug him off and look at Gillian, raising my eyebrow for her to continue. “I called Rachel and we tracked the call. It’s the rundown, abandoned, crack houses just outside town.”
I turn to Enzo when he clears his throat. “We’ll make a plan and go at first light. We go as a club. We get Ivy, kill Damon and Casper. You are not fucking going alone. This is a club decision and I will take a motherfucking vote if you make me.”
Fucking unreal. “Fine, we go at first light,” I lie.
Alex looks at me and he knows. “How about I follow you home? You can shower and we’ll have a few beers.”
“I’ll come too,” Zane says, standing up.
“I don’t need fucking babysitters.”
“No one said you did. You were there for me with Harper. I’ll be there for you now.”
Fuck. “Fine.”
Enzo nods and stands up. “I’m going back to the hospital. Brooks made it through surgery and is resting. We’ll meet back here around four and head out.”
We all agree and walk out the door. Zane puts his arm out stopping me from following everyone else. “I’m not a fucking idiot.”
“No one said you were.”
He moves in front of me and his angry blue eyes search mine. “I need you alive, asshole. I know you feel responsible. I know the fucking anger and guilt are eating you alive. I know your heart is bleeding in your chest. But you’re my best fucking friend. I can’t fucking lose you. Let’s go to your place, have a few beers, and it’ll be time to go before you know it. We go as one.”
I chew on my lip ring as I think of what he said. I nod and step around him. “You’re such a pussy sometimes.” I laugh, looking back to him. “Let’s go.”
He knows how I feel, he’s been there. He’s my best friend too and that’s why I know Harper will be calling him soon and he’ll go running to her. He won’t even think about leaving me. It’s better that way. I know he’ll hurt when I’m gone, but he’ll understand eventually.
Chapter 14
Kace
Zane and Alex are sitting in the living room laughing and tossing back beers. I’m at the kitchen table with my face in my hands trying to process how the fuck everything went bad so fast. I had plans. I wanted to start a life with Ivy and raise our child together. I wanted to fix up this piece of shit house and make it a home. I’ve never made plans, thought ahead. I lived for each day and took it as it came. Ivy changed all that. She made me want more out of life. She made me open my heart and begin to trust. It would’ve been amazing.
I just hope that I’m not too late. That when I find her, she is able to run the fuck out of there and never look back.
“Kace,” Zane says, squeezing my shoulder.
I drop my hands, thankful for the distraction of where my thoughts were going. “What’s up, brother?”
“Harper called,” he says, grinning.
I laugh and stand up. “Go, I sure as fuck would.” I grab him giving him a hug. “You deserve each other. I’m so fucking glad it all worked out for you guys.”
He adjusts his cut and narrows his eyes. “Alex is staying and so are you. Don’t fucking do anything stupid.”
I smile and nod. “I’m not the one who does stupid shit. I think things through logically.”
He grabs my shirt and pulls me toward him as best he can. “We all do stupid shit when it’s for love.”
I knock his hand off my shirt and fold my arms, causing my muscles to flex. “You know I gave you a lot of shit for going off alone and confronting Dom. I didn’t understand why the fuck you would put yourself in a situation that could have you killed.” I get right in his face and whisper, “I fucking get it now and you should fucking understand out of everyone.”
He closes his eyes for a second. When he opens them, he nods and steps back to lean against the counter. “What’s the plan?”
“What?”
“What the fuck is your plan?”
I pull out my chair, twisting it backwards and straddle it, resting my arms over the top. “I’m going to find her. I’m going to give Damon a choice. I kill him or he lets Ivy go and he takes me instead.”
“I’m coming. We’ll do it together. Let’s just kill Damon and get Ivy,” he says, folding his arms.
I grin as I play with my lip ring. “Nope. You go back to Souls and be with Harper. She needs you and Ivy is gonna need you both. I need you alive, brother. I need you to make sure this house sells and everything goes to Ivy. All my money, the money you get from this house, the money from the sale of my bike. It all goes to Ivy. I need you to handle it all. I trust no one else.” I bite my lip ring to hold by any emotions that might try to surface.
“Kace, you don’t need to fucking do this. Just a few more hours and we will all go and get her. Stop talking about fucking dying. I need you alive too,” he says, shaking his head.
“You and I both know she might not have a few hours. This is wasting time. Harper needs you, so go. Alex is passed the fuck out. I’m good, brother. You’ll all be good too.”
He pushes off the counter and yanks me off the chair. He hugs me tightly before letting go. “He’s not gonna kill you. I fucking promise you.”
I reach into my back pocket and pull out the ultrasound picture I found. I hand it to him to smiling. “That’s my kid. I can’t let anything happen to him. Tell the club, make them understand I thought this shit through. I’ll give up my life a hundred times over to protect my kid.”
He grins looking at the picture. “Fuck,” he whispers, handing me back the picture. “To Souls now. We all go and end this shit right now.”
Fucking hell. I run my hands through my hair and squeeze the back of my neck. I look him straight in the eye and nod. “Okay.”
He smiles and slaps me on the back. “Fuck yeah, brother. Let’s go.”
I follow him to the door and stop when he opens it. “I’m right behind you. I’ll get Alex up and I wanna change my shirt.” He narrows his eyes and I laugh. “Fucking relax. I’ll be five minutes behind you.”
Kace (Shattered Souls MC Book 3) Page 15
