Brick (Knights Corruption MC Series-Next Generation Book 4)

by S. Nelson

  “Okay.” A breath filled my lungs and froze.

  “Brick, he’s right behind me now and I can’t go any faster, the car in front of me is going too slow. And there’s a car next to me.”

  The air released from my mouth on a strangled whoosh. “Can you see him? See what he looks like?”

  “Not really.”

  “Can you see if there’s only one person in the car or more?”

  “There’s someone in the passenger seat too.”

  My pulse drummed in my ears. “How far from the doctor’s office are you?”

  “About two or three minutes.” Silence. “Wait.”

  “What?” She didn’t answer right away, and I thought I was gonna have a goddamn heart attack. “What the fuck is goin’ on?” I yelled into the phone.

  “He passed us off. He’s two car lengths ahead of us now.”

  No words could properly form inside my brain. All I could feel was the rapid thumping of my heart, which was not gonna slow down anytime soon. Not until I could touch her, see with my own eyes that she was okay.

  “Okay, we’re pulling off now. We’ll be in the parking lot in less than a minute. I’ll see you when you get here.”

  “Not a chance. Stay on the phone until I get there.”

  “Brick. I need to park and help Braylen in case she needs assistance. I can’t do all that with the phone against my ear.”

  “Then put me on speaker,” I suggested.

  “We’re fine. I’ll see you soon.”

  The phone disconnected, stealing my breath in the next moment. Pressing down harder on the gas, it was one of the few times I wished I’d gotten a newer truck, one that had more power behind it.

  My horn was stuck on a constant blare, the asshole drivers in front of me testing my last ounce of patience, my nerves frazzled and threatening to splinter apart if they didn’t get the fuck out of the way.

  I jerked the wheel hard to the right, almost missing the exit, the cab of the truck bouncing with the last-minute decision.

  Pulling down the wrong road, I backtracked a few blocks until I found the right one, seeing Ryder’s bike parked near a light tan building with a letter C on the outside. He must’ve already gone inside, my heart finally calming to the point I didn’t think it’d arrest, relief flooding through me when I spotted Braylen’s SUV.

  But then Ryder rushed out of the building, his eyes wild as he ran toward their vehicle. I jumped out of my truck and rushed toward him, flanking him on the passenger side.

  “What’s the matter?” Touching his shoulder made him flinch, the expression slicing across his face one of fear. “What happened?” If he didn’t start talking soon, I was gonna lose it for sure. I’d been put through the gamut of emotions in a short span, and I didn’t think I could handle any more.

  “They’re not here.” Ryder riffled through the glove compartment, then slammed it shut. Then he tore through the console. What the hell was he looking for?

  I whipped my head toward the building, then back to him. “What do you mean they’re not here? This is her vehicle, right?” I asked a question I knew the answer to, otherwise Ryder wouldn’t be searching through it.

  “The receptionist said she didn’t check in yet.”

  “Did you check the bathrooms? Maybe they’re in there.”

  “Of course.” He snatched his phone from his pocket and hit a button, cursing when no one answered. “And she won’t pick up.” Ryder looked over at me. “And neither will Zoe.”

  At the mention of her name, I placed my own call. After five rings, the call bounced to voice mail. I called back, four more times and still nothing.

  Until the fifth.

  Three rings, then someone answered. Only the voice on the other end wasn’t Zoe. It wasn’t even female.

  “You’re persistent. I’ll give you that,” a man said. I pulled the screen away from my ear to check I’d dialed the right number. Of course, I knew I had because it was Zoe’s name I selected, but I couldn’t make heads or tails of why a man would answer her phone. Scratch that… I could understand why, I just refused to allow my brain to go there.

  “Who is this?” I gritted, hitting the speaker button, and snapping my fingers at Ryder like I’d done back at the clubhouse. His head shot up and he moved closer. Too close.

  “Who do you think this is?”

  “Griller,” Ryder answered reluctantly. How had the president of the Savage Reapers managed to swipe both women in broad daylight less than ten minutes before we got here?

  “Guess again.” The look Ryder and I shared scared me. “We’ve never met, but I’m betting you’ve heard of me.”

  “I doubt it.” I exhaled after speaking, realizing I shouldn’t be goading him, especially since we had no idea who we were talking to.

  “I’m sure your prez has told you all about me.”

  “Who the fuck is this?” Ryder shouted next to me, gripping his hair between his fingers, and pacing in a small circle.

  If this wasn’t Griller, I doubted it was one of their lackeys, which left only one other option.

  “Dutch,” I responded, my tone heightening in fear with the realization.

  “See. I knew you heard of me.”

  “I swear to Christ, if you touch either one of—”

  Ryder’s rant was cut short when Dutch interrupted. “I’ll be in touch.” Then the line went dead.

  Remembering the ride back to the clubhouse wasn’t possible. The only thoughts I had revolved around Zoe, praying to God I’d never have to find out what a life without her looked like.

  29

  My head felt like a boulder on top of my shoulders, the throbbing in my temple indicative to a nasty headache. At first, I was shrouded in utter darkness, but as my eyelids flitted open, shards of light filtered in under a doorway.

  I pricked my ears but couldn’t hear anything other than the sound of my own breathing, still lost to the haziness of it all. Racking my brain to try and remember details, any specifics, I was frustrated when I couldn’t recall much at all.

  I remembered telling Brick “I’ll see you soon.” Then being trapped in the vehicle when two men flanked us on either side. After that, details were jumbled. There was the shattering of my window, then… darkness.

  Bang

  Thump.

  “Let’s go!”

  Silence.

  “Now!”

  My body jerked to the left, every fiber of my being on high alert, yet sluggish. I couldn’t understand what was going on, but the sense of danger erupted around me like a bubble encasing me, threatening to be my demise if I didn’t get a handle on what was happening.

  Pain sliced across my cheek, my eyes finally popping open only to see a figure looming over me. I couldn’t make out his face, and I never had a chance to defend myself before I was dragged upward by my hair. My arms felt like jelly, useless appendages, my legs even worse, buckling beneath me, the weight of my own body the cause of strands being snatched from my head, the hard ground rising up to crash against my knees.

  A feeble cry erupted from my lips, but I hardly recognized the sound, my throat raspy as if I’d been denied water for days.

  “Get the fuck up,” a man grunted, my tender scalp revolting against his harsh grip. My arms flailed against my attacker, but my fight was futile. When I finally found my footing, I was dragged several paces before abruptly stopping. I could hear voices in the distance, but my brain was still too foggy to make out any of the words, other than from the man dragging me around, of course. “This one’s awake.”

  I tripped over my feet as I was shoved forward this time, stopping again when I hit a wall, pressed against cold stone, the jagged edges cutting into my cheek.

  “Which one is she?” There was someone else in the room.

  “Does it matter?” The man beside me pressed his body against mine, caging me between him and the wall. He kicked my legs further apart, and I feared the worst and knowing no matter how much I willed him to
release me, I wasn’t going anywhere until he gave his permission.

  “I guess not.” I heard shuffling of feet, then the creak of a door hinge, a flash of light beaming into the room only to be snuffed out by darkness seconds later.

  Hot, smokey breath infiltrated my nostrils. My chest constricted from the force of his imprisonment. “I bet you feel good,” he rasped against my ear, his fingers drifting beneath my dress and digging into my skin, instantly making me regret my decision to assert myself when I changed out of my jeans.

  “Brick,” I garbled, tears clouding my vision even though I couldn’t see anything.

  “He can’t save you now.”

  I tried to push back against him, but I couldn’t move. I made the attempt again when the seam of my underwear was shoved to the side and his fingers probed at me, but again, it was useless. The pain of his invasion intensified with my restriction but retreated quickly, and although I could barely breathe, I was relieved he stopped touching me.

  But then I heard his zipper and my brain catapulted me into terror. Realizing I was completely helpless in this position, I chose to try and use my words to make him see reason, although something told me my efforts would be moot. I still had to try, though.

  “Please don’t do this,” I cried, each word coming out gravelly, torn from me, hovering in the air in hopes they’d work. “Please. Just let me go.”

  “I like when you beg. Do it again.”

  One whimper after another was torn from me as he wrestled with his clothing, then mine, thrusting into me before I could plead with him once more. My cheek scraped against the stone wall every time he worked himself inside, his offensive breath, sordid grunts and probing hands clawing at the final piece of my strength. I wanted to drift away, to mentally be anywhere else but here, but he’d pull me back with every sharp dig of his body.

  Counting my breaths and the harsh thrum of my pulse only allowed milliseconds of escape, not enough to drive away the emptiness he filled me with.

  “This will teach them to fuck with us,” he grunted, fisting my hair in his hand, anchoring me to his assault. His groans came faster, his short pants of air hitting my cheek screaming he was close to finishing.

  I closed my eyes tightly, choking on every lungful of air, my lips moving to form words only I could hear.

  Silent prayers.

  Wishes.

  Regrets.

  Then it was over. He released me and I crumpled to the ground, the sounds of his laden footsteps heavy as he walked across the room.

  I had no idea who he was, thankful not to have seen his face. As I lay in a tangled mess on the floor, images of Brick filtered in and I started to cry all over again.

  I should’ve listened to him.

  I should’ve waited.

  Now everything had changed.

  I only prayed he’d find me before it was too late, before my life was stolen by men I’d probably never lay eyes on in the light of day.

  30

  Racing across the lot, spotting Ryder’s Harley parked in front of several other bikes, I shouted for Kaden, spotting him in the garage. I didn’t bother waiting to see if he’d follow, yanking open the door to the clubhouse and almost tripping over my feet in the process.

  “What’s goin’ on?” Tripp strode toward me with purpose, his attention bouncing from me to Ryder who was yelling for Prez.

  Stone burst from the kitchen, clocking me before his head twisted to watch Ryder rush from room to room. “What’s wrong with him?”

  I could barely find the words to tell either of them what happened, not wanting to believe it myself. How the fuck did I let this happen? I should’ve insisted stronger that Zoe stay where she was. I should’ve never left her there to begin with. But how could I have known? I should’ve known. Back and forth my mind pinged, mentally arguing with myself, so lost in thought I didn’t hear Tripp speak again until he shoved my shoulder.

  “What?” I barked, every muscle in my body tensing, my adrenaline kicking into overdrive when he and Stone crowded too close to me. “They took ’em,” I finally blurted, hating the sound of each word I spit out. “They fuckin’ took ’em.”

  “Took who?” Tripp stared at me, but I barely registered his confusion before Ryder barreled right through us, shoving Stone to the side and yelling in his face.

  “Where the fuck is Marek?”

  “He’s not here,” our VP responded, surprisingly cooler than I expected. “Do one of you wanna tell us what’s goin’ on?”

  “Those bastards have Braylen and Zoe.” Ryder tore at his hair again before linking his fingers behind his head, his eyes glassing over as his chest rose and fell quicker than before. “They have my family.” He was splintering apart right in front of us, his anguish amplifying my own.

  “I’ll call Marek,” someone said behind me and because I couldn’t focus on anyone or anything other than trying to figure out a way to retrieve the women unharmed, I didn’t bother to turn around to see who made the offer.

  I turned in a circle, attempting to get myself under some semblance of control. Kaden broached the entrance, his tentative steps hurried yet controlled. Tag was by the bar next to Morgan, my cousin watching everything unfold even though she didn’t have a clue as to what was going on. The two of them huddled close, and instead of being pissed about it, I was grateful the prospect kept her busy. Trying to explain the situation to her right now would only compound the unfolding nightmare.

  Hawke appeared in the hallway, two men walking behind him I’d never seen before. I moved to approach the group of three, but Tripp stepped in front of me.

  “Those are our cousins.” He must’ve seen the look on my face, my wariness of having outsiders here right now. “Ford and Owen. They got here a half hour ago.” I glanced from them to Tripp, my mind blanking as I closed my eyes on an elongated blink. He gripped my shoulder. “We’ll get ’em back.”

  “Marek’s on his way,” Jagger announced, stepping into our circle. He must’ve been the one who called him. I had no idea where he came from, my focus scattered and my brain on overdrive, jumbling thoughts and wishes into some sort of mess inside my head.

  Ten minutes after I arrived, I heard the roar of engines outside, and soon afterward the door to the clubhouse swung open, Marek, Hawke, Cutter, Trigger, Nash, Miles, and Rez filing in and approaching Ryder. I stopped pacing and joined them; my fists clenched at my sides. Otherwise I’d start throwing whatever I could get my hands on and punching holes in walls I was so furious… and scared.

  “Let’s go,” Prez shouted, gesturing toward Chambers. Tripp pulled his cousins aside and had a side conversation, one I didn’t care about because all I wanted to know was what our next move was gonna be. We should be riding to those fuckers’ clubhouse to burn it down. I doubted they had Zoe and Braylen there. They weren’t very smart, but they weren’t that stupid. “Tripp, bring ’em in too.” My eyes widened at Marek’s request. It wasn’t code to include any non-club member in any discussion that took place inside Chambers, but I supposed we needed all hands on deck, and they did need to know what the hell was going on, and what they’d be getting mixed up in.

  I rushed toward Morgan, snatching her arm, and pulling her away from Tag, practically dragging her into one of the back bedrooms. Her steps faltered more than once. I would’ve asked him to continue to watch over her, but he had to be in that meeting.

  “What are you doing?” She tried to jerk her arm back but failed. Once we were inside, I turned her to face me, needing her to listen, obey and not ask questions. It was a tall order, given her natural curiosity, but hopefully she could tell from the commotion and the fierce scowl on my face, that I had no time to entertain any question she’d have.

  “You have to wait in here until we’re done.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “I can’t tell you but just know that it’s serious. I need you to say in here, Morgan. Do you understand?”

  She didn’t respond, instead nar
rowing her eyes at me like she was trying to figure things out. I shook her, tightening my grip. She winced but I didn’t have time to feel bad. “Do you understand?” I repeated, my voice rising.

  “Yes.” I released her and she stepped back.

  “I mean it. Not one foot outside this bedroom. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Morgan rubbed where my fingers had been wrapped around her arms. “Do you trust me?”

  “Of course.”

  “Then believe me when I tell you that if you leave this room before I get back, you’ll regret it, in more ways than you can fathom. I’ve never been more serious in my life. Make sure you don’t—”

  “I got it!” she yelled, her lower lip trembling in uncertainty and distress.

  I ran down the hall and was inside Chambers seconds later. The room was filled, men leaning against the wall as there weren’t enough seats for everyone.

  “What the fuck happened? How did they get them?” Marek leaned forward in his seat, resting his arms on the table, his expression fierce, his eyes landing on Ryder, who sat on his left next to Stone, then to me who was two seats down from his son. Before either of us could answer, the door swung open, Ace and Lincoln filing in and looking as confused as the rest of the men.

  Ryder looked like he was gonna have a breakdown, his mouth opening and closing several times, but in the end, he couldn’t speak, our VP leaning close and whispering into his ear and clasping his shoulder.

  “I dropped Zoe off at Braylen’s earlier. I told her not to go anywhere, not even outside in the backyard, to call me when she was finished, and I’d be back to get her.” Ryder made a noise, slamming his fist on the thick wood. “She called forty-five minutes after I left her, tellin’ me she was takin’ Braylen to the doctor because she didn’t feel good. I told her to stay put until I got there, but she didn’t want to wait. Ryder called Braylen and told her the same thing, but they wouldn’t listen. We rushed out of here and were going to meet them there. I even made Zoe stay on the phone with me the entire time, but when she pulled into the parking lot, she said she needed to hang up.”