Loch: A Steel Paragons MC Novel

by Eve R. Hart

  I felt something warm trickle down the side of my face and I wondered if I was bleeding. His hand reared back and he punched me, hard, on the side of my face. The crunching sound and pain made my stomach tighten and I swallowed hard to keep the bile from coming up. Then he punched me again and again; landing hits to my face, ribs, and stomach. An evil glint appeared in his eyes as he worked me over. My body tried to curl inward but he firmly held me upright.

  “Please,” I whispered. My throat felt raw like I had swallowed sandpaper. Unstoppable tears ran down my face. I knew my plea was useless. The sinister smirk that spread across his face told me so. I knew I was going to die. I was going to end up just like Liz.

  “Liz…” Her name spilled from my lips as I thought about her.

  “She didn’t die that night. I know you thought she was dead when you interrupted us, but she wasn’t just yet.” He laughed and it sounded like the Devil himself. “That was going to be your birthday gift, but you ran away before I could give it to you. I even tried to save her death for you to watch, but I guess the Texas heat was just too much. Maybe I shouldn’t have left her tied and gagged in the trunk for so long.” He paused and his eyes focused on me again.

  “But, in my defense,” he continued, “I didn’t plan on being in that whore’s club that long. You know, the one you used to work at. There was this little peach of a girl that looked just like you and I ended up taking her in one of the rooms. Poor thing didn’t even look like herself when I was done.” He shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “I’m glad you weren’t like one of them. Not that being a cocktail waitress is any better. Anyway, Liz is still in the trunk of her car. I’m sure she’s smelling pretty ripe by now. It’s not far. I left it off the side of the road along the highway. I tucked it away so it’s not noticeable from the road.”

  The thought of Liz suffocating and suffering like that broke my heart. I felt like it was all my fault. If I hadn’t left her there. If I hadn’t been her roommate. Too many things flowed through my head. I felt dizzy and woozy. My legs trembled. Then I felt the cold sharp blade of a knife skim over the thin flesh right below his hand on my throat.

  Nate. Thoughts of him flooded my mind. I wished I could’ve had one more night with him. I wished I had told him I loved him and that nothing had ever compared to the way he made me feel. I wished I’d found the courage to tell him I wanted forever with him. I wondered if he would miss me when I was gone.

  Before I could think anymore, the knife sliced through the top of my shirt. He gripped it with one hand and ripped it apart. It hung open, still held together at the bottom. Then he sliced through the left cup of my bra. He pulled my breast out after sliding the knife back into the side of his pants. He twisted my nipple so hard I cried out.

  “Shut up, bitch!” he roared, spittle flying from his mouth and landing on my cheek.

  His hand snaked down the bare skin of my stomach. I closed my eyes and tried to go somewhere else. He reached my pants and roughly slid his hand into my panties. I coughed and swallowed the bile back down. It burned my throat and nose. He roughly shoved his finger inside of me. I cried out in pain and fear. It only seemed to egg him on. He leaned in and licked up my neck, leaving a hot and sticky trail that made me feel dirty through to my soul. I was dry and it felt like he was scratching me as he continued to thrust his finger in and out. I felt his teeth sink into my shoulder so hard I knew I would bleed.

  “What, you can get wet for that trash biker, but not for me?” His words like a slap to the face. How did he know about Nate? How long had he been watching me? “I’m going to teach you a lesson. If I feel teeth, I will kill him and your grandma. I’ll kill that other trash you hang out with, too. Filthy fucking bikers. Maybe you are just a stupid whore.”

  He slapped me hard and my face whipped to the side. I was drenched in cold sweat. He let go of my neck and I fell into a limp pile on the ground. My body shook. He pulled the top of my hair until I was on my knees. Then his free hand released his zipper and he pulled out his dick. A putrid funk wafted into my nose and this time I did vomit. Chunks stuck to my chin and hair. He grabbed my jaw and shoved his dick in my mouth. He crammed it down my throat and I couldn’t breathe. My head shook back and forth trying to free my mouth but his grip tightened on my hair and face, holding me still. His hold on me so hard it felt like my jaw was going to break.

  “Fuck yeah, you like it little bitch.” He laughed and pulled back a little. I sucked in as much air through my nose as my lungs would allow. My throat was raw. He rammed forward again. I gagged and tried to cough around him, but he shoved it in further. Snot poured out of my nose and my eyes burned with tears. I felt like my throat was ripping apart. “I’d love to kill you this way. Watch you die choking on my cock. Feel that? Just the thought it is making me harder.”

  I was fading. My body was shutting down. My vision was blurry. He kept going over and over. I was finding it harder to inhale a fresh lungful of air every time he pulled back and I felt my body giving up. I was angry and sad. I feared I would pass out and he would kill me. I was going to slip away and miss my last few moments on earth.

  With the last ounce of energy I had, I brought my hands up and pushed at his thighs with all my might. It was a dumb move. I was too weak and he didn’t even budge. Fear shot through me and I scratched at the flesh on his arms. At least I would die knowing I tried. With all the strength I could muster, I attempted one last fight. I balled up my fists and hit his hips as hard as I could. Then my arms fell slack and useless at my sides. I started to slip into the darkness.

  There was a noise somewhere off in the distance, but my brain couldn’t process what it was. Without warning, Lance pulled away from me and I was being held against his body. His chest heaving against my back and his arm wrapped around my neck. Then I felt the sharp prick of his blade against my neck. I realized he was using me as a shield, but my eyes couldn’t focus on who else was there.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Loch

  I pulled into the driveway to my house. With everything that was going on with the club, I’d been staying there more than at my house. I decided I needed a break from the tense atmosphere of the compound. I was going to sleep in my own bed and take time in the quiet to clear my head.

  I glanced over and saw Reagan’s car parked in Ethel’s driveway. More than anything I wanted to go over there. I had a need deep inside me to see her. The simple thought of wrapping her in my arms calmed me like nothing else.

  As much as I wanted to, I willed myself against it. There were things we needed to talk about, but I wanted my head on straight before I sat down with her. I felt like an asshole. I missed the hell out of her but I needed to deal with one thing at a time, and right now the club was number one. Besides, keeping Reagan as far away as possible was for the best. I would never be able to live with myself if something happened to her. Everything was so fucked up and I cursed the timing of it all.

  As I got out my truck I noticed Ethel’s porch light was out. I knew she was at bingo and I didn’t want her to trip on the stairs coming home. I went into my garage and grabbed a new bulb before I climbed up her stairs. I changed the light and the new bulb didn’t light up. Ethel never forgot to turn the light on. My brow knitted and I wondered if it was simply a faulty new bulb. I grabbed another one and it didn’t work either. I walked around the back of the house to check the breakers. Maybe something had tripped and it would be a simple fix.

  An eerie feeling crept over me as I rounded the back of the house. I looked around and didn’t see anything. My phone vibrated in my pocket and I figured I would call them back when I finished. I opened the box and saw the main power appeared to have been cut. That was when I heard a muffled cry from inside the house. I ran up the back steps and peered through the window on the back door. My eyes tried to focus through the darkness. Then I saw a tall male figure on the stairs. A pale, lifeless arm swung beside his legs.

  My blood boiled and the pounding of my hea
rtbeat in my ears became deafening. I kicked the door in, splintering the frame around it. The guy turned around as I approached. That was when I noticed how fucked up the situation was. His dick hung out over his opened pants and a thick line of drool connected to Reagan’s busted mouth. Her body sagged and the only reason she was still upright was that he had a firm grip on her hair.

  I snapped, losing every ounce of control as I reached for my gun tucked behind my back. I whipped it around and pointed it at him without hesitation. But I was too late. He already had her semi-conscious body pinned in front of him. Fucking coward. I couldn’t risk taking a shot and hitting Reagan, even if I was a good shot. His knife pressed hard enough into her neck to cut the skin. Blood welled up around the edge of the knife. She let out a little whimper at the contact of the blade.

  “Back the fuck up, trash,” he spat, disgust dripping in his tone. I recognized him from the pictures Bocca showed me. Lance. The whole scene played out in front of me like a horror movie. I felt helpless. He shifted and started to walk backward to the front door, my gun trained on him the whole time. “Don’t be stupid, I will kill her.”

  “Rea, look at me, baby,” I said low and deep, and almost too calm to be normal.

  Her eyes shot open as she tried to focus on me. Tears ran down her face as her eyes slowly blinked a few times. I swallowed hard trying my best to reign in my fury. I took a step forward as he reached behind him and opened the front door. I scrutinized his every movement, waiting for some kind of opening. All I needed was a split second. He grabbed the keys off the hook, a smirk on his face like he knew right where they were. Reagan’s eyes closed and more tears fell.

  My heart broke. I couldn’t protect her. This should have never happened. A paralyzing fear of losing her hit me deep in my chest. I took another step forward, pushing through all of the emotions clouding me.

  “Don’t!” Lance growled as his hand twitched making the blade of the knife slide across the delicate skin of her neck. A thin line of blood made its way down and another whimper escaped her lips. “If I see you leave this house I will kill her.”

  “Never again,” I said to her. I’d made a vow when I first met her. Part of me broke that moment I realized I hadn’t been able to keep it. But now I was reminding her and I was letting her know it wasn’t over. I was going to kill that fucking son of a bitch if it was the last thing I would ever do.

  He pulled her out the door. I watched afraid to move. His eyes trained on me the whole time. He opened the driver’s side door and crawled in pulling her in with him, like the fucking coward he was.

  My phone vibrated in my pocket again but I continued to ignore it. He slapped Reagan and my grip tightened on my gun. When she didn’t move, he hit her again. She snapped out of the daze she was in and started the car. Through the opened doorway, I watched as the car backed out of the driveway. The car swerved and I could tell she was having trouble staying focused. I didn’t take my eyes off of him until they drove off. As the car lurched forward, I took note that she was taking the back way out of town. For a brief moment, I was proud of her. Even in her messed up state, she knew to drive by the clubhouse. I only hoped we could get her in time.

  My phone vibrated again. I pulled it out while running across the yard to my bike. I hopped on as I answered.

  “Loch, the fuck man? I’ve been trying to call you,” Bocca’s voice roared through the phone. “That car they found—”

  “Was Liz’s,” I said, taking a guess as I remembered the car that they towed in yesterday thinking it was abandoned. I was pissed the moment it all clicked in my brain. I should have seen it sooner.

  “Yeah, and her body’s in the trunk.”

  “He’s got Reagan.” I started up my bike. “He’s got a knife. Not sure anythin’ else. He took her in her car. Headed the back way out of town. Go now!” I shoved my phone back into my pocket and took off like the devil was chasing me.

  The stupid fuck was heading right by the compound. We would get him, just had to make sure we did it right. I sped off in that direction feeling like I had wasted too much time already. I knew there was no way to be quiet on my bike. I only needed one opening, one shot.

  I heard the rumble of bikes ahead of me as I neared the end of town. He was already on the highway. Fuck. I wanted to get him before he hit the open road.

  I picked up speed, the wind ferociously whipping around me. Minutes later, blue lights flashed behind me. I didn’t give a fuck, I kept going. I wasn’t going to lose her. I watched as my brothers surrounded the car. I was almost there. The car swerved violently to the left, then right. Lance’s body jerked and I saw his hand that held the knife fly up. I pulled out my gun and took a shot. The bullet went straight through the back glass, shattering it into a million tiny cracks. A second later I saw his body slump forward. The car pulled off the side of the road and screeched to a halt as I caught up. I hopped off my bike, not even caring if I left it upright as I ran to the driver’s side.

  I ripped the door open and pulled Reagan’s trembling body into mine. Wrapping my arms tight around her, I gently lifted her up and carried her away from the scene. The sheriff’s car pulled in behind us and I let out a relieved sigh when I saw it was Marshall from town. He would help keep this contained, and if that fucker was still alive, he would let us take Lance. Part of me hoped he was. I wasn’t anywhere near being done with him. He needed to die a slow and painful death for what he put her through.

  With her still in my arms, my knees hit the soft, damp grass beside the car. She didn’t move and I started to worry that I was too late. Smoothing her hair back away from her face, I begged her to look at me. I felt the trail of hot wetness run down my face. My voice shook as I pleaded over and over for her to come back to me.

  “Get her to county.” Marshall’s voice broke through my breakdown. “I’ll stay here, with him.”

  I looked up to see Diesel and Brand dragging Lance’s body over to Marshall’s cruiser. Lance groaned as he tried to free himself, but he was no match for them. I lifted her delicate body up and placed her in the passenger’s side of the car. There was a small pool of blood on the back of the seat from where I’d shot Lance. But I couldn’t think about that now. I had to get her help.

  I stood and saw Brand standing in front of the car, staring in at Reagan’s slumped over body. He looked as broken and angry as I was. His jaw clenched and a rage that I had no idea he has inside of him boiled to the surface. I had never seen him look so menacing, and I’d often wondered if the kid had it in him to deal with this type of shit. His eyes met mine and the light of the headlights showed me they were black at night. I sent him a knowing chin lift. I understood all the thoughts that were running through his head. It was the same that filled mine. We would make Lance suffer for what he’d done.

  I ran around and hopped into the driver’s seat, then took off for the county hospital without a second thought. I made the twenty-minute drive in ten. Some of the brothers followed me. I didn’t even take the time to see who had pulled up as I jumped out of the car. I left the door wide open and the car running as I rushed to the other side. I didn’t give a fuck about the car. She would never be driving it again, anyway. I pulled her out as carefully as I could. I ran inside with her limp body cradled in my arms.

  “I need a doctor now!” I roared. Several nurses that were standing behind the checkin counter came running. Someone wheeled over a gurney and I placed Reagan down. I grabbed her hand and held on. I started to speak before anyone asked what was going on. “She was attacked. She passed out about fifteen minutes ago. I want her in a private room.”

  “Do you know her blood type?” I shook my head. “Okay, let us take her back and I can get you to fill out some paperwork.”

  “No, I’m not leaving her side.” I kept pace as they wheeled her through a long hall and into a room at the end. A doctor rushed in shoving gloves on her hands.

  “Sir, please.” The nurse was sympathetic but stern as she tried to h
old me back.

  “Loch.” I felt a hand firmly clamp down on my shoulder as Bocca spoke.

  I clenched my jaw and took one last look at Reagan’s broken and mangled face. Her hair was a matted mess of tangles and clumps of dried blood. Her lips were swollen and split. Her eyes were puffy and already black and blue with bruises. I could see where his fingers gripped her jaw and throat. I nodded and took a step back, knowing it was what was best for her. The sooner I moved out of the way, the sooner they could put all of their focus onto her. It was one of the hardest things I’d ever had to do. Her fingers twitched against my hand as she slipped away from me and my legs jolted with the urge to take a step forward.

  “I’ll come get you when we know something,” the nurse said as she pointed back down the hall to the waiting room.

  Bocca followed only a step behind me. I dropped into the first seat I saw. My head fell into my hands as I leaned forward. The room was too quiet. I knew I was surrounded by several of my brothers. Yet the only thing making noise was the news broadcasting from the TV in the corner.

  I took a deep breath through my nose. I had to get my shit together. I lifted my head and surveyed who was around me.

  “Bocca, call Cal. Fill him in on everythin’. Lake, go back and get Ethel. You’ll need to drive her car here. Tank, call Diesel. Tell him to keep the fucker alive. Then call Stone and fill him in. Crow, call in Patch. He will not die until I’m ready.” They headed outside to make their calls and take care of business. Lake jumped up and walked out, his keys hanging from his hand.

  I toyed with my phone. I wanted to reach out to Brand, but I didn’t want to call him without any news. I opted to send him a text letting him know she was in the room and I would update him as soon as I knew something. When I didn’t get a response back from him, I wondered if that meant he was busy or losing his shit. I knew he was a smart enough kid not to do anything stupid. But then again, sometimes when you care about someone, all your sense goes out the window. I knew the feeling at that moment, and I was glad I had a chance to calm down before I had a go at that shithead. I needed to take my time. If I was with him now it would be over too soon.