I stretch my leg out and kick the pallet, bringing it adjacent to me. Although, I’m forced to stop when the creakin’ of that damn door fills the room. Quickly, I sit up and act normal, like I wasn’t just using the best option to get our asses outta here.
Lucien comes struttin’ up with that smirk I wanna wipe off his face. “Tsk, I was watching you from upstairs, wondering how long it was going to take you to see what I planted. Surprisingly, you took longer than expected. I have to say, I thought highly of you until now.”
He thought highly of me? Is this guy fuckin’ kidding? No, he’s not kidding. He’s insane. Lucien is a fuckin’ psychopath. One I have every intention of buryin’ deep in the ground once I get outta here.
“Ow, oh my . . .” Amara finally speaks. My heart swells knowin’ she’s alive and isn’t dead. Fuck, I was fearin’ the worst for so long. However, everything dissipates when Lucien glances over to her. I can tell the way his eyes fixate how he’s up to no good.
“How did the group of you get lucky enough to have a woman that looks like that in your club?” Even though he’s asking a question, I don’t feel as though he’s asking me, but is rather talkin’ to himself.
I eye Chaz and we both seem to have a similar expression, one that confirms I’m not readin’ the situation wrong. “What do you want with us?” I ask, tryin’ to keep him distracted.
Lucien chuckles, “I don’t want anything from you. You’re simply pawns, my messengers.”
“I’m sorry, what?” I don’t hold back my attitude. He said he was gonna bring hell on us and now Chaz and I are messenger bitches.
“I think you know I don’t plan on staying here. Listen, I told you my story Dixon. How I’m the better brother, how I’m the prodigal son. But there’s more than that here. I’m much better than my father ever was, and that’s all thanks to my mother and grandfather. They took me under their wing and showed me how the elitists of the world crime works. You see, I know the top and the bottom. I will cripple your club. I will make your allies terrified to be affiliated with you, but most importantly, I’ll do this all very slowly. Because I want to watch as you scramble to alter fate, when you won’t be able to do a damn thing.” Lucien walks off toward Amara and I try to hold my shit together, but I can’t.
I thrash, tugging against my binds and scream at him. “No, you come back here and talk to me like a man. Don’t you fuckin’ go near her!”
Lucien continues to go toward her, pulls a blade out from his pocket and kneels down beside her as he presses it to her throat. I watch as her expression remains stoic and he whispers somethin’ into her ear.
“Kill me, you cowardly pig.” She snaps, thrashing her body against the blade. He’s quick to remove it and goes behind the pole to where her hands are tied. The next thing I know her hands are in front of her. “I told you to kill me. I won’t go with you!” She screams, and now I see what he’s doin’.
He’s takin’ her with him. He’s gonna do whatever he wants to her and send her body back to us. That’s what men like this do. “Stay the fuck away from her!” I hiss, watchin’ as he turns toward me.
“It’s adorable how you believe you’re able to order me around. I’m taking Amara with me, and I’ll have the best time with her.” He finishes his sentence with a sadistic laugh as he grabs her by the back of the neck and drags her along the concrete floor.
That same door makes the awful creaking sound and they’re gone. Her screams can be heard even though we’re not in the same room and I listen, payin’ attention to any sound comin’ from that direction. Though, I can’t help but wonder what I’m torturing myself for? There’s nothin’ I can do right now by focusing on her.
Instead I shift my attention back to the pallet near me and start to get the toolkit closer. The creaking sound happens again and Lucien appears within my sights. Except now he has blood smeared across his face and he’s holdin’ a sledgehammer in his right hand. He twirls it around like one of those baton girls in the parades and I know what he’s about to do.
“Just in case you two start getting any ideas, I figured I’d put a stop to it right now.” Lucien walks up to Chaz first and every second that passes us by feels so much longer. I watch as he pulls the sledgehammer back and slams it down against Chaz’s hand. I think he’s done but he pulls it up again, hitting the second hand as well.
Lucien comes over in my direction, continuing to fidget with the hammer. It reminds me of how Joker did in the Christian Bale Batman movies.
He lifts his sledgehammer and instead of going for my hands he crashes it down on my right hip. I’m unable to hold back my screams. The amount of pain shootin’ through my body is the worst I’ve ever felt. “You know, I could stop, but I’ve never been a fan of odd numbers.”
I’m not the type of man who will beg, but this almost makes me. I seriously think about it as the hammer goes to my opposite side, hittin’ me so hard I feel my bones crushing underneath the impact.
I don’t know what takes over me, but my vision goes blurry and everything starts to fade. It might be shock, it could be pain, or maybe my fuckin’ body is just makin’ me shut the fuck down right now.
I wake to the sound of that fuckin’ door again. I don’t know how long I’ve been here, but damn everythin’ I’m feelin’ is agonizing. The pain hasn’t stopped since the hammer met my body. “No more,” I groan out, never wantin’ to get to this point but prayin’ he’ll just leave us alone.
Fuck, I’m prayin’ for that and hopin’ he killed Amara. I can’t imagine the things he’d be doin’ to her and I don’t want the girl to go through what Chaz and I are. If he hasn’t killed her, he’s rapin’ her and that’s even worse.
“Jesus Christ, Prez, they’re in here!” Kade’s voice hollers into the room, echoin’ against the walls. I think for a second I must be dreamin’, so I open my eyes and lift my head. Only to see Kade runnin’ toward Chaz with Damon behind him. Damon runs up to me, while Widow and Boog come into the same doorway.
“How the fuck did you find us?” I ask, my voice showin’ just how weak I am.
“Izzy, she was able to do some tech shit and track your phones. I’ve never been so glad for a snooping woman before.” He chuckles lowly, and I nod once.
“Brother, I don’t know how to tell you this . . .” I say, tears wellin’ behind my damn eyes. “He took Amara. I don’t know where they are. He dragged her out by her fuckin’ hair, came in here and crushed Chaz’s hands and hit me in the hips.”
“Fuckin’ Christ . . .” Damon turns around and looks to the doorway, “Widow, he took Amara. I need you to contact every ally we have to help us locate this bastard. Call Izzy and have her do what she can, call the Steele Bro’s Lucian, who’s the hacker. We have to find her as quickly as possible.”
I watch as Widow disappears from the doorway and the rumblin’ of a bike indicates he’s outta here like a bat outta hell. “I’m sorry I forgot to text you,” I tell my Prez, never feelin’ this guilty in my life.
“It’s alright. We’ll figure this shit out. I promise you, we’ll figure it out. We need to get you to the hospital,” He mutters lowly.
I shake my head, “Nah, Sakura can handle this.” I say.
“Dixon, that piece of shit shattered your hips and Chaz’s hands. I’m not takin’ a risk here. I’m takin’ you both to the hospital and that’s that. I can only imagine the reconstruction surgeries you’ll both need.” Dammit. I didn’t think about any of this. I thought . . . God, I was tryin’ to be positive for once and didn’t allow the reality to sink in.
“Fuck, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for all this shit, for Amara bein’ taken on my watch and—”
“Stop your apologizing. We’ll find my sister. She’s like a damn Tasmanian devil. She’ll put up a fight and she’s damn smart. If she can find a way to contact us, she will. In the meantime, we’ll put all our resources into finding her.” Damon explains and I nod.
He goes into his pocket and pulls a knife out
and for the first time in I don’t know how long, my hands are freed. I pull them to my lap and see the red and sore indentations the binds left. “How long have we been here?” I ask.
Damon sucks in a deep breath and shuts his eyes before he tells me, “Three days.”
Christ.
Lucien could be anywhere with her right now.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“Scared is what you’re feeling. Brave is what you’re doing.”
~ Emma Donoghue
Indra
“Is this normal for your boyfriend to be gone like this?” I should’ve expected this question from my father. In the back of my mind I knew he’d ask. He was bound to. It’s been three days and no one’s heard a word from him, Amara or Chaz. The only sort of communication I’ve gotten is from Kat who texted me earlier to let me know the boys were going out after Izzy helped them get some sort of lead. Ever since then, my stomach’s been turning inside my body and my anxiety has shot through the roof. There’s not one thing that could center me right now.
While I know my father is only trying to be . . . helpful, he’s not. He’s only giving me the option to lose it when I’m trying so desperately to hold it together. I’ve already had to explain the motorcycle club lifestyle to both of my parents. My father seemed displeased, and incredibly so at that. My mother on the other hand told me while she couldn’t say she approved, she just wanted me to be happy.
The past couple of days have been great in a sense. They’ve both been here, distracting me, pulling my mind from the gutter of worry I can’t seem to get out of. I’ve barely been sleeping, or eating, too fearful about what possibly has happened. Yet, even though they’ve both made their opinions obvious, they’re still making sure I’m okay. My mother continues to make meals I loved from my childhood, shoving food in my face when I can’t fathom the idea of eating. But I do. The only reason I’m pushing forward is because I have to hold onto a sliver of hope. Praying he’s okay. Pleading to God, or whatever higher power that he’s alive . . . because I can’t survive losing another love. Not like this.
I don’t even realize what’s happening until wetness starts sliding over my cheeks yet again. I wipe my hand, smearing away the tears and pat my face with the sleeve of my shirt. Jalen runs over to me, furrowing his brows. “What wrong Mama?”
“Nothing baby, I just have allergies.” I lie, knowing this little treasure doesn’t need to know the truth.
“All-ar-gees?” He tries to pronounce but doesn’t quite get it.
“Mhm, it’s from flowers and dust, and trees too. It makes eyes water and people sneeze,” I explain.
He nods like he understands and runs off back to the living room to play. My parents brought him far too many toys. My phone buzzes on my dining room table beside me and I pick it up, seeing Kat’s name come across the screen. “Any news?” I ask, not bothering for introductions. I don’t mean to be rude, but God, I can’t shake the way I feel.
“Hey. Are you sitting down?” She asks in a soothing tone.
“Yeah. Tell me he isn’t dead. Tell me he’s alright, Kat.” I beg, my voice choking in the process.
Her silence strikes me and I fear the worst, the thought of him no longer being in my life plagues me and I break into a crying fit. “Indra, he’s alive. I’m sorry. God, I was trying to think of a way to tell you this without being too blunt.”
I blink a couple times, wiping the snot from under my nose. “What . . . I . . . I don’t understand.”
“Dixon is alive. He’s in the hospital right now.”
“What happened?” I ask, needing this answer.
“He had his hips crushed. I don’t know the extent of his injuries, but Damon is at the hospital with him now.”
“Kat . . . how did this happen?”
Kat takes a heavy breath from the other end of the phone, “Indra, we have people who don’t like us. They’ll do anything to hurt us, or the club in itself. Dixon, Amara and Chaz went on a run to track down someone who’s declared us as his enemy. He . . . He’s also the man who beat the shit out of Abbey.”
“What?!”
“This guy had been planning this for a while. He used Abbey as a way to get closer to the club, hoping she’d run to her brother and lead us to him. I’m still putting the pieces together, and it doesn’t all make sense to me. But what I can say is psychopaths never make sense. I would know.”
“Where is he, Kat? I need to go see him.” I say. She quickly gives me the name of the hospital and luckily it’s only about fifteen minutes away. We both say our goodbyes and hang up the phone.
Now, I knew my father was listening to my conversation based on the way he’s staring at me from across the room. “I take it he’s okay?”
Pressing my lips together, I let out a sigh. Shaking my head, I give him the answer. “He’s lucky to be alive, Dad. I don’t have all the details, but I need to head over to the hospital and I’d appreciate it if you could watch Jalen. I don’t want him to see Dixon like that.”
Jalen whips his head around to me, smiling at the mere mention of his name. “Dixon?! Where?!”
I fight back tears, “He’s at the doctor getting better baby. I’ll take you to see him soon, okay?”
“Okie dokie!” He giggles, going back to playing with his new truck.
My father rises from the armchair and walks over to me. “I won’t hide my dislike of this man. He seems to be involved in quite a bit of danger and I don’t approve. I won’t have you or Jalen put at risk.”
Alright. Now this has been enough. “I don’t know who you think you are coming into my house demanding things of me. Dad, I love you, but I won’t have you telling me how to live my life. Not when I’m so happy, when it took me so long to be this way. Dixon is responsible for that. He’s opened up my heart, and my mind. I love him, Dad. I love him so much, and he loves Jalen like he’s his own. I’ve lucked out with him, and I really don’t give a crap if you don’t approve. Now, I have to go. I’ll see you in a bit.”
I’ve never walked out on my father. Even when I was a bit of a rebellious teenager. Although, this time I needed to. I grabbed the keys from the fruit bowl on my kitchen counter and ran straight out of the side door to my car, got in and high-tailed it to the hospital.
I parked in the garage next door, paying something crazy like forty bucks but I didn’t give a shit. I’d pay a hundred if I needed to. Walking in through the front door I see Mouser sitting with Sakura and Widow. They’re in the general waiting room and Sakura immediately stands up when she spots me.
“Where is he?” I ask, my bottom lip trembling. God, I’m trying to be strong for him. Because I don’t want to be this overly emotional woman who loses her cool when she walks into the room with her loved one in it . . . but I’m going to be that woman. I can’t help it.
“Hey,” She says in a calming manner, reaching her hand out to mine. “Sit down with me while I explain everything to you.” Sakura is a nurse practitioner so I know she has the knowledge of what’s going on with Dixon. She leads me over to a quiet corner of the waiting room and I sit next to her. She tells me how both of his hips were shattered with a sledgehammer and I fight back the urge to vomit. I can’t imagine why someone would feel the need to hurt another in this way.
She explains how they were able to get Dixon here and he was seen immediately. How all of his organs were checked and he’s lucky nothing was bleeding or ruptured. Although, that’s where the good news stops. His hips are broken in more than seven places, warranting a full hip replacement. He has a very long road ahead of him, including surgeries and tons of time in rehab. They’re giving him fluids now, checking his levels and surgery will be in a couple of hours. But, Sakura tells me one thing no one has told him. With the extent of his injuries, she isn’t sure if he’ll ever be able to ride again. They don’t want to freak him out, or force him to go into a depression, so no one will say anything until the surgery is complete and rehab has started.
I then ask
about Chaz, and she tells me his hands were crushed. He’ll have to go through numerous reconstruction surgeries and has the longest road to recovery ahead of him. She informed me it could take years to get him back to a fraction of where he was before.
Lastly, I ask about Amara and I discover she’s missing. This man took her with him and no one can find her. They have people looking into where he might’ve taken her . . . but so far nothing has turned up.
Good God. I feel as though I’m in a movie, that this can’t be reality.
Sakura tells me the room he’s in and asks if she wants me to go with her. I tell her I’ll be fine and walk down the hallway, make a left and go up to the charge nurse’s station. The woman asks me who I’m here to see, even though I have the number, she gives me the room number he’s in again and I walk down the bleach smelling halls until I’m at room 116. He has a private room and I see Damon is by his side in the chair. Dixon is currently asleep, though Damon sees me and stands, coming over to me.
“Hey,” He speaks lowly.
“Hi . . . how are you doing?” His sister is missing and I can’t begin to contemplate the way he’s feeling.
Damon sucks in a breath and I notice the way his eyes are red and bloodshot. “I’m okay.” It’s obvious to me he’s lying. It doesn’t surprise me though. He’s the Prez. Of course, he wants to stay strong and look like none of this is affecting him. I grab Damon’s hand with my own and give him a reassuring squeeze, “You know you’re allowed to hurt, right?
He shakes his head, “No, I need to be the strong one right now. Everyone else is feeling a certain way and I have to keep my shit together for them. I can’t let them see me . . . like this.”
For the first time since I’ve met Damon, I see a man who’s struggling with his duty and his emotions. “Alright. I understand that. So, here’s what we’ll do. You won’t lose your shit in front of them, ‘cause you’re going to let it all out right here. I won’t tell a soul, but you need to let these emotions out.” I say, and he seems to be taken aback a bit.
Dixon (Reapers MC Book 10) Page 14
