“Hey,” she says softly, trying to smile at me, but even she can’t bring herself to do that with what happened.
I don’t answer her but I try to pay attention because I know she came out here to tell me something. Most likely important, but I just can’t think about anything else except what Louie said and how he looked at me.
“Blaze wants me to get home so I can pack and get the kids ready to go.” She pauses, then steps forward, like she wants to take my hand or pull me in for a hug, but she doesn’t. I probably wouldn’t be able to feel it even if she did, I’m so numb. “I really think you should come with me, Low. It’ll be safer for you and will put all the guys at ease knowing they don’t have to worry about us. Please say you’ll change your mind?” Worry laces her every word.
I hate that I’m making her worry, but I’m not going. If anything, this just hardens my resolve to stay. I know Dani and Sara care about me, and probably a few of the brothers because they know I’m friends with the other girls, but I have no one I really need to stay safe for. If something were to happen to me, sure they’d be upset, but they wouldn’t be devastated like they would if it were Dani, or the twins, or Sara. They’d be able to get over it if I got hurt. Or worse, everything that Louie described happened.
“No, Dani. I’m sorry, but I’m not going. I have no reason to. Plus, you need me here. So you go on ahead to get the twins and yourself ready, and I’ll close up shop. Just promise to call or text me when you get to wherever it is you are going so I know you all made it there okay.” I hope she won’t argue with me further. I just want to close everything down here and go upstairs to hide under my covers. I want to shut the world out and just be by myself.
She lets out a sigh, then pulls me in for a hug. “You’re so stubborn, Low. And you’re so very wrong. You have every reason to go, even if it’s for yourself. But I understand why you don’t want to go, the real reason, even if you don’t want to acknowledge it. Please be safe though. Don’t take any risks and keep an eye out, okay?
Nodding my head, I hug her back. “I won’t, I promise. The first sign of trouble, and I’m outta here,” I say, though I don’t know if that’s a lie or not. A part of me really doesn’t care what happens to me.
Pulling away from me, she looks at me once more before she heads out the door. Locking it behind her, I head to the back to lock that door before getting to work closing everything down. I finish the little bit of paperwork we have, clean both stations and the front room, then turn all the lights off.
Opening the door to the back, I lock it before making my way to the door that will lead me up to my apartment, to my temporary sanctuary, but a noise down the alley stops me in my tracks.
My heart starts racing, but I scold myself. Damn Louie for freaking me out like that. It’s probably a cat or something.
I turn around to repress my fears but my eyes don’t land on a cat. There’s a man just standing there, looking at me. It’s too dark to make out his face, but I get a weird feeling like I know him. But that can’t be right, can it?
I take a hesitant step back to see what he’ll do. Maybe he’ll just stand there or turn around. But he doesn’t. As soon as my foot lands behind me, he starts moving forward—he’s not running, but he’s walking with determination. Like he’s trying to get to me.
Quickly turning around, I hurry to my door and fumble with my keys. Come on. Come on! I silently yell to myself. I can’t believe this is happening to me right now.
Finally finding the right key, I hurry to unlock the door, then sprint up the stairs. Once I’m at the top, I look back, and see the door almost closed behind me. Shit! I can’t believe I didn’t close it all the way!
Just before the door slams shut and automatically locks, a hand reaches in to keep in open. Oh my God!
Running down to my door, I unlock it, then close it quickly before throwing the deadbolt. Stepping a few feet away, I stand there quietly, listening for anything that will tell me if that guy followed me up here or not. But I hear nothing. I don’t hear a door shutting, any footsteps, or hear his voice.
A few minutes pass with me not moving. I barely even breathe. I wait and listen, praying that it was nothing. That the guy didn’t follow me and that everything will be okay. Maybe he was just trying to scare me. Or maybe someone stopped him before he could make it up the stairs.
When I still don’t hear anything, I start to relax. My whole body feels stiff and is starting to hurt with being so tense, but that’s nothing a long hot shower won’t cure.
Turning on my heels, I start to make my way to the bathroom when I hear the doorknob start to turn. Whipping around, I watch as it makes its way around, then stops when it meets the resistance of the lock. Someone is trying to get into my apartment!
Maybe once they realize they can’t get in, they’ll just go away. I still don’t like it, but they can’t get in here, right?
As soon as the thought hits me, I hear and see the doorknob start to wiggle. He’s still trying to get in! And when that doesn’t work, he starts hitting the door, like he is going to knock it to the ground.
I frantically look around my apartment for anything I can use or an escape, but I see nothing. My heart is racing and my mind isn’t latching on to anything useful besides getting the hell out of here.
Forgetting about finding a weapon or a way out, I run toward the bathroom since that’s the only door in here with a lock on it. Maybe if I lock myself in here and call for help, someone will be able to get to me before he does.
Pulling out my phone, I’m in such a rush to call someone and am shaking so badly that I drop it. “Goddammit!” I yell, then fall to my knees, searching for where it went.
I find it behind the toilet and am able to grab it quickly. I press the redial button, not even caring who it is, as long as they can help me.
“What?” I hear someone yell into the phone, and I’m barely able to recognize that it’s Louie.
“Louie. Please help me,” I whisper into the phone, trying to be as quiet as possible. I know it won’t take long for the guy to figure out where I’m at once he gets into the apartment, but I need all the time I can get for someone to get here to help me.
“What’s the matter, Harlow? Your flower fuck buddy can’t come over so you need me to screw you?” he says with venom.
“Please help me, Louie. Someone is trying to break into my apartment. Please,” I cry. I don’t even care if he gets here only to yell at me and hate on me some more. As long as he helps me, I’ll deal with everything else.
“Where are you?” he growls angrily, but I don’t think the anger is directed at me this time.
“I locked myself in my bathroom. Please hurry, Louie. I’m so scared.” I need to stop crying or else they’ll hear me and know exactly where I am. It won’t take them long to bust down this door too.
“I’m on my way, babe. Just stay with me, okay?” I can hear his bike start and even if I could, I wouldn’t hang up on him. I need this connection or else I’ll feel completely alone. At least with him on the phone, I know that he’s coming for me and will save me. It doesn’t matter if he hates me or never wants to talk to me after this, he’ll come to help.
Just then, I hear a loud crash and I scream. “Harlow!” Louie yells into the phone but I can’t concentrate on that. I can hear the intruder walking into my apartment, looking for me. It’s too late. There’s no way Louie will get here in time.
“HARLOW! Answer me, babe. What’s going on?”
“He’s inside. He kicked the door in,” I whisper, though I know it’s no use. This apartment isn’t that big and this is the only locked door. He’ll figure it out that I’m hiding in here and then it will be game over.
“Listen to me. Grab whatever you can find to use to protect yourself. I’m on my way, Harlow. Just hang on. I’m almost there,” he yells over the roar of his bike and I believe him. He’s on his way, but it’s still not enough. He won’t make it.
I see the doork
nob to the bathroom start to turn and I hold my breath. I can’t move and I can’t speak. I want to tell Louie that I’m sorry for whatever it is that I did to make him hate me. I want to tell him that I’m sorry for not listening to him and Dani earlier. I should have left. I should have followed Dani and Sara and stayed safe.
Then I hear a bang, followed by a crash as the door is busted down, barely missing hitting me. And I see him.
My whole body goes into overdrive and I drop the phone as I start backing away, but there’s nowhere to go. I’m a caged animal and the predator was let in to feed. There’s no way out.
The man has a mask on. He rushes toward me, trying to get his hands on me, but I start kicking with everything I’ve got. “No! No! Leave me alone!” I yell as I kick and hit, trying my best to make purchase, but it’s no use.
He grabs a hold of my hair and yanks me to my feet. Still, I fight, even though I know it’s futile. I’m not strong enough to fight him off, but I won’t go down without a fight.
I’m able to hit him in the face. It’s not hard enough to hurt him or slow him down, but it’s enough to piss him off. His fist moves toward my face in slow motion and the only thing I can see is Louie’s sad and angry face. I wish I could see him happy and smiling, even if only one more time.
Pain explodes across my face and I feel wetness run down my nose and I can taste it in my mouth. I fall backwards and hit the wall behind me. But the guy isn’t done yet. I think he’s going to hit me until I either pass out or he kills me. At this point, with the pain in my head, I think it could go either way.
“Please, don’t. What do you want?” I plead, but I’m not expecting an answer.
Good thing I wasn’t because this way I’m almost ready for the next blow. It hits me in the stomach.
I’m hunched over and can’t breathe, the wind knocked out of me. I cry out in pain, but I wish I didn’t because it just causes more agony to rip through my body.
I’m almost thankful when the next blow hits me in the face, on the same side as the first, and I start to notice black around the edges of my vision.
I’m getting lightheaded and feel my eyes closing, but it must not be fast enough for the man. He punches me once more in the face, and this time the only thing I can do is succumb to the blackness.
Chapter 15
Louie
I can hear her screaming and what sounds like a struggle. “Harlow! Please, babe, pick up the phone,” I yell, hoping and praying she somehow is able to fight off whoever is hurting her, but the fight continues.
She cries out in pain once more, then there is nothing but silence. “Harlow. I’m coming, babe. I’m almost there,” I say into the phone even though I know she can’t hear me. I’m saying it more for myself than for her. I need to hold out hope that I’ll make it there in time to save her and pray that when I do, she’s still alive.
I don’t hear anything else on the other end; no struggling, no talking, nothing. I don’t know if the intruder left or what the hell he’s doing, but I swear on my father’s grave that I will find him and kill him. I will make him pay for every scream that came out of Harlow’s mouth and every drop of blood that falls from her body.
My tires squeal as I whip around the last corner, then again as I skid to a stop in front of her stairs. Putting my phone in my pocket, I replace it with my gun. Looking around, I don’t see anything out of the normal; no one is out here, there is no car, and there are no further signs of a struggle.
I want to rush up those stairs and burst into her apartment, but that’s not the smart thing to do. If whoever was hurting her is still up there, I need to be as quiet as possible so I have the element of surprise. Then, I can be as loud as I want torturing him and making him pay. I’m going to kill him slowly and painfully, maybe even drag it out for a few days—weeks even—before I finally put him in the ground. Maybe I’ll even bury him alive.
Creeping up the stairs quietly, I keep listening for anything that will give away what I’m about to walk into, but I hear nothing.
As soon as I’m at the top of the stairs, I see part of Harlow’s door lying in the hallway.
Stepping over the pieces, still trying to be as quiet as possible, I look around the apartment. No one is in the kitchen or living room, so I make my way to the bathroom and what I see has me seeing red; and it’s not all the blood I see smeared everywhere, it’s from the rage running through my veins about what has happened. Someone broke into Harlow’s apartment, hurt her so badly that there is so much blood I wonder if she’s even still alive, and took her.
She’s not here and neither is her captor.
“Aaaggghhh!” I yell, wanting to tear this apartment apart with the anger I feel running through me. I did this. I left her at the shop. This is all my fault.
Punching the mirror, I watch as it shatters and the pieces of glass fall into the sink and onto the floor. My hand is bleeding but I can’t feel the pain. At least not in my hand. My heart is another story.
Blood drips from my hand and lands on the floor, mixing in with Harlow’s. I wish it were all my blood. I wish I could take her place. She’s hurt, probably scared, and no doubt hates me for not saving her. I wasn’t fast enough, good enough, to be here to help her and now she’s suffering because of me.
Falling to my knees, I give myself only a second to feel sorry for myself. To feel the pain that’s lodged deep into my heart. “I’m so sorry, Harlow. But I promise you, I will find you and I will make them pay for what they did to you. I swear it, babe. If it’s the last thing I do, I will save you.” I bow my head and picture her in my arms and happy, not hurt or scared. Then, standing up, I put my game face on. I channel all the fear and pain I’m feeling and turn it into hate and rage. I shut everything off that makes me a man and focus on the part of me that I’ve repressed for so long; the monster inside me. I’ll need him to do what needs to be done and I’ll kill anyone who gets in my way. Harlow means more to me than my own life.
Pulling out my phone, I dial Mack. “Louie. You find something?” he asks, having no clue exactly what it is I found.
“Dani and Sara make it to the safe house?” I ask, needing to at least know they are okay before continuing on with what has to be done. I don’t know what I’d do if Harlow wasn’t the only one taken. But then again, if she was the one singled out, what does that mean for her?
“Yeah. Blaze just called and said they are getting them set up. Why, what’s going on?” He doesn’t sound worried yet, but his voice has gotten a little harder. Good. I’m going to need the ruthless, Mack. I need him to help me do whatever it takes to get Harlow back.
“Meet me at the shop. Bring whoever is available.”
I hang up the phone without waiting around for his reply.
Looking around the apartment once more to see if there is anything I can use as a clue to find her, I then make my way downstairs to wait on my brothers. I can’t be up here anymore. It will just bring the pain back and I can’t let that happen. I need the cold hard monster that I have become to get through this and find my girl.
Once downstairs, I try the knob on the shop door to see if it’s locked. I have no idea if Harlow was stalked inside here and chased upstairs or if it happened after she closed up, but being that she was able to lock this door, I would assume it happened after.
Taking a quick look around to verify nothing is out of place, I make my way toward the front. I start to go through all the paperwork from the last few weeks to see if I can see something that doesn’t look right. Since I don’t even have a starting place for who would take Harlow, I don’t know if it was a customer or someone else.
I want to wait for my brothers to get here so I can see what we have on the rival club. I don’t know if they are involved or not, but it would make sense. But why Harlow? They could have hit us in a million different places before setting their sights on her. So the fact that they didn’t makes me think something else is at play.
In the distance, I hear b
ikes approaching which means Mack and the others are almost here and we’ll be able to start figuring this shit out. The sooner we have a starting place, the closer I’ll be to finding Harlow.
The bikes shut off and seconds later, the door opens and Mack rushes in with Tom Tom, Tyke, and Jax behind him.
“What’s going on, Louie?” he asks with a hard edge in his voice, but it’s not directed at me like he’s irritated or pissed. He knows I wouldn’t have asked him here if it wasn’t important. And I wanted to wait till they were here before I told them, that way we could figure it out together.
“Harlow was taken,” I say calmly, but I’m anything but calm. I just know that nothing will get done if I start raging and yelling at everyone. I need to hold myself together in order to get to her. Save the monster for the fucker who hurt her.
“What the fuck? What do you mean she was taken?” Mack roars, rage taking him over just like it did me.
“She called me. Said someone was trying to break into her apartment. I could hear him break the door down and there was a struggle. By the time I got here, it was too late; Harlow was gone and there was no sign of who took her.”
Mack is pacing by now and it’s Jax who starts asking questions. “Do you have an idea who did this?”
Shaking my head, I go back to what I was thinking before they got here. “I have no idea. I started going through some paperwork here to see if maybe it was someone who came into the shop, but I don’t see anything out of the usual. The only people who have come in the past few weeks have been regular customers,” I say, then I look at Tom Tom. “Do we have any new information about our little friends?” Maybe they’ll know something new about The Street Kings and it will either condemn them to their fate or clear them of suspicion.
“No, nothing yet. The two prospects are hanging back, sitting on the clubhouse to see what they can gather, but they haven’t seen any movement yet. No one has come or gone for the past few hours, but that could just mean they left before we got there and haven’t come back, or they are holding her somewhere else.”
Defying Destiny (Forsaken Sinners MC #3) Page 14
