“Thanks! It felt great,” she said with the huge smile still on her face. “Can you bring me back at nine tomorrow? K and Lo are going to give me access to the boxing ring,” Amber told him, barely controlling the excitement in her voice.
“Sure babe, but have you asked Sledge?” Diesel prompted.
“No, but he set this up, so I am sure he won’t mind.” Sledge knew why Amber needed this. So, she was certain he would approve of Diesel, or one of the other guys, bringing her back in the morning.
Life was improving, Amber thought to herself as she walked out of Lighthouse Academy. But she felt a twinge in her heart when her mind thought of Zander. What could have changed between last night and this morning? Maybe she could talk to him this evening. Go to his room and find out what was wrong... the thought of not having him in her life, at least as a friend, caused her heart hurt.
Chapter Seventeen
Reaper
Reaper left the clubhouse, not knowing where he was going. Two weeks. He had been gone for two weeks. Sledge had called him the first night wondering where he was. He was never gone this long. Just taking off was out of character for him. But his head was all fucked up and he needed space.
He knew the man was worried about him, but he needed time to think, to clear his head. After the first phone call, Sledge kept sending him text messages, just to check on him. How was he supposed to get his shit together if the man was always bugging him? When did this group of Retired-Military, Elite Special Forces, turn into a bunches of mother hens? Reaper wondered…
Laying in a ratty bed, in a shitty hotel, Reaper looked at the gun in his lap. He wasn’t suicidal, it was nothing like that. He just sat there contemplating life.
What did he want out of it? He thought he always knew but after meeting Amber, talking to her for hours, spending time with her, he didn’t know anymore.
He closed his eyes and tried to picture his future, but all he could see was her face. The look of pleasure in her eyes when she came undone beneath him. But, that look quickly morphed into the look of hurt that flashed in her eyes when she walked into the kitchen. There one second, then gone the next.
Frustrated, he got out of bed and headed for the shower. Stripping off his clothes, he climbed in under the hot spray. Images of Amber laying in his bed came flying into his mind. In a matter of seconds, he was hard as steel.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” he said to his dick in frustration. Great...now he was talking to his cock! He was losing his mind.
It was past time for him to go home, but there was no way he could ride back across town like this. Taking himself in his hand, he thought back to his night with Amber.
He remembered the feel of her in his arms. What it felt like to slide inside of her tight, wet heat. He remembered the sounds of her moans, and when she flew apart in his arms, he remembered the sound of his name screamed from her lips.
He felt the tingle start to move down his spine, the tightening in his balls. Then he was done for. In minutes, he was shooting his load all over the shower wall. And all it took was the reminder of a woman who had already started to weave herself around his heart and broken soul.
But could he really keep her? Could he allow her in? Could she handle the broken pieces he had left? So many questions, and Reaper still had no answers.
Climbing out of the shower, he got dressed and headed for his bike. He needed to get back to the clubhouse. He’d been gone long enough. He climbed on his bike, but the chiming of his phone stopped him from starting it.
“Amber has been taken! Get back here NOW!” Sledge texted.
Reaper froze. She was supposed to be watched. She wasn’t supposed to be alone, ever.
“What the fuck do you mean taken? Who was on her?” he replied back starting his bike, still staring at his phone.
“She was leaving Lighthouse with Diesel. They were shot at. Diesel was hit and Amber was taken. GET. BACK. HERE. NOW!” came the reply.
He knew her leaving the compound was a bad idea. He understood her need to be able to get back some normalcy, but at the expense of getting kidnapped?
“Ratchet. That piece of shit has her. I’m on my way! Have my team ready. Be there in twenty” Reaper sent back before tearing out of the parking lot.
His vision was clouded with red. Ratchet had his girl and for that, the motherfucker would die a slow and painful death at Reaper’s hand. Nobody touched what was his, and Amber, whether he realized it before or not, was definitely his! Now, he just had to get her back, and hope she would forgive him for being such an ass.
Eighteen minutes later, Reaper’s bike was screaming into the club parking lot.
Storming into the main building, it was total chaos but he didn’t pay attention. He only had two destinations in mind - the gear room and the meeting room, where he knew his team would be waiting.
On his way to get his weapons, Sledge called his name.
“Reaper, your weapons are already in here waiting on you,” Sledge called.
Changing directions, he walked into the meeting room and began loading up. His favorite GLOCKs went to his sides. A .22 pistol strapped to his ankle, his last resort weapon, and a Taurus Judge went to his thigh. All that was left was his AR-15, which he would sling over his back when he walked out of the door.
Turning to Sledge, he asked for the specifics. He needed to know what happened. He hated going into any mission blind, but to save Amber, he would go into the depths of hell with only his bare hands.
“According to Lo and K, Amber was leaving the studio, when a black SUV pulled up front. The back door opened and two shot were fired, one hitting Diesel,” Sledge reported.
Reaper turned his eyes to Sledge, knowing he could easily read the question in them. “He’s alive. He’s in surgery to remove the bullet now. Another inch to the right and it would have pierced his heart. Lucky bastard,” Sledge answered.
Reaper was relieved, but it was short-lived. If two shots were fired, and only one hit Diesel, where was the other shot? He sent up a silent prayer that Amber wasn’t hit, but he had to know. “Was Amber hit?”
“At this point, we don’t know,” Sledge relayed.
“What has Banjo found out? Any video surveillance from traffic cams?” Reaper asked. He needed answers and wished everyone would talk faster. The sooner he knew what he was up against, the sooner he could go get Amber.
“Traffic cams show them leaving Lighthouse Martial Arts Academy and following this route,” Banjo replied, bringing several cameras and a map up on the projection screen.
Reaper hadn’t even noticed him in the room. That showed how messed up his head was right now. He needed to calm down. He’d never be able to do his job if he couldn’t focus.
“We lose the SUV in this area,” Banjo pointed out. “Which means she has to be somewhere around here,” he circled an area on the projection map. Reaper and Sledge both walked closer to the map, examining the area. Reaper knew the area.
“I was just fucking there!” he fumed. “A goddamn block away. I must have passed the fuckers on the way here!” Reaper roared. And just then, one of the traffic cams showed Reaper’s bike soaring past a kidnapped Amber, in the opposite direction. His heart shattered. So close.... he thought.
“It looks like an industrial zone. From what I have been able to find on the city’s zoning contracts, it’s mostly abandoned buildings and the old saw mill,” Banjo relayed quickly.
“Does Ratchet own any of the buildings?” Reaper asked, turning to look at Banjo as the man started typing into his laptop.
A quiet ‘fuck’ fell from his lips, bringing the eyes of every person in the room straight to him.
“Several, including the saw mill,” he said.
Reaper’s blood ran cold. He knew, they all did, that if Ratchet couldn’t have Amber - nobody would. Reaper ran from the room, snatching his rifle off the table on the way out, not waiting for Sledge or his team. They would just have to catch up or he would do
this without them.
Chapter Eighteen
Amber
Two weeks but it felt like forever. Amber had gone back to the clubhouse with a plan to talk to Zander, but he was nowhere to be found - for two damn weeks! Where was he? Devin wouldn’t tell her anything, the asshole! She felt like, wherever Zander was, he had taken a chunk of her heart with him. He would be back. She knew that, but it wasn’t making her feel any better. For two weeks, she moped around.
Feeling pain explode in her side, she was pulled back into the present. Lo stood in front of her. Both of them were covered in sweat.
“Pay attention!” she yelled, throwing another jab to Amber’s midsection, but at the last minute Amber moved out of the way.
Two weeks, she had been coming here to try to clear her head, but instead, she was getting the crap beat out of herself. Two weeks, she had been getting her ass handed to her because Lo didn’t play around.
They spent the next thirty minutes battling each other in the squared circle - jab... jab... kick... right cross... - the cycle continued, each landing hits.
Lo wasn’t messing around today. She knew Amber’s head wasn’t in the sparring match. No matter how many times Amber chewed her own ass, she couldn’t seem to get her thoughts off of Zander.
As her session came to an end, she climbed out of the ring and grabbed the water bottle from Diesel. The two of them had become fast friends.
They spent a lot of time together. He would flirt and she would just laugh at him. She talked to him about Zander and he encouraged her to wait it out. Told her Zander would come around. He also told her about the night that changed his life, saying Amber needed to at least know what demons she was battling, if she was ever going to win.
The conversations had helped her to understand Zander a little more. She wished he would have opened up and told her himself, but she understood, he wasn’t ready. Would he ever be ready? Amber sighed…
“Stop,” Diesel said, already knowing where her mind was. “He’ll be back.”
“Even you said, he’s never just taken off like this. I’m concerned Diesel,” Amber said quietly.
“Reaper can take care of himself. Don’t worry. He’s one of the baddest motherfuckers I know,” he replied in earnest, making Amber smile.
“Thanks. Give me a minute to shower and change, then we can head out,” Amber threw over her shoulder as she grabbed her bag and headed to the locker room.
“Want some help?” Diesel hollered in her direction, causing Amber to laugh out loud. “That’s more like it,” he called as he watched her disappear down the hall. He hated seeing her sad, Amber knew that.
Ten minutes later, Amber was back in the main room of the studio. Diesel grabbed her bag and after saying goodbye to Lo, they headed out the door.
“Are you hungry?” Diesel asked.
Amber was about to answer when Diesel’s head whipped around to the sound of tires screeching. He shoved Amber behind him as a black SUV slammed on its brakes in front of Lighthouse. The back door flew open and before anyone had time to react, two gunshots rang out.
Amber watched, in what felt like slow motion, as Diesel’s body was pushed backwards into hers by the force of the bullet. She fell to one side, while Diesel went to the other. Scurrying to get to his side, Amber was in full panic mode.
Two men jumped out of the back of the SUV and yanked her up by her hair, tossing her into the backseat of the vehicle and sped off down the street. Everything happened so fast, Amber didn’t even have time to process what happened.
From the backseat, she turned to look behind her, watching as Lo and K both exited the building. Lo was on the phone, hopefully with 911, or Devin as K knelt down to help Diesel.
Please let Diesel be okay, she prayed, please... Amber’s thoughts trailed off as a voice filled her ears. Turning towards the front, she came face to face with Joe.
“Hello again,” Ratchet cooed.
“Stop this vehicle and let me out!” Amber demanded.
She felt the impact long after the hand connected with her face. Without thinking, she let loose a jab straight to the bastard’s nose, hearing the satisfying crack of bone that indicated she had broken it.
“Don’t fucking touch me!” she seethed, as the punk held his face moaning in pain.
“Oh! This will be fun! I am looking forward to seeing the fight drain from you, Princess. To listening to you scream and beg for mercy. Before I am through with you, you’ll be begging for death,” Ratchet said, trying to cause fear in Amber, but it wasn’t working. All Amber felt was anger and pity for the man sitting in front of her.
“Please,” Amber said in annoyance. “There isn’t a damn thing you can do to me, that you haven’t already. I didn’t lose my will to fight then, I sure as shit ain’t going to lose it now,” she replied and got a huge sense of gratification when she watched the smile leave his face.
“We will see,” he replied.
“You are nothing but a pussy!” Amber retorted. She knew she was pushing buttons, but couldn’t help herself.
“Tape her mouth shut!” Ratchet screamed.
Amber couldn’t help the giggle that escaped, she really couldn’t. She had always been a confident woman, and that had only grown since escaping this bastard the first time. She didn’t cower then; she wouldn’t do it now either.
The two guys in the back both grabbed ahold of her arms, trying to hold her down while attempting to tape her mouth. She was able to land a knee to the crotch of the guy whose nose she already broke, causing him to release her and cuss profusely. With a left hook, she landed a solid punch to the ear of the other. Would these assholes ever learn, she wondered?
Just then, Amber watched as a black on black Harley came barreling down the road towards them. She knew that bike. Knew the rider. It was Zander. Hope, and something close to love, blossomed in her chest.
As Zander passed, she saw the lethal look on his face. It would have made even the Devil quake in fear, but not her. A calming feeling settled over her. Amber knew, Sledge must have called him.
Zander would come looking for her and he would find her. She had no doubt. That alone brought her comfort. The only question was: what kind of shape would she be in when he did?
Ratchet would pay for kidnapping her and for whatever treatment she had to suffer through. Velvet Blood would definitely pay. The Devil’s Henchmen were coming, and the Grim Reaper would be leading the pack.
From the back of the vehicle, Amber laughed, causing all the faces in the small SUV to turn, looking at her like she was crazy. Yep, she would be just fine, she thought as she continued to laugh like a mad woman. Nothing about the situation was even remotely funny, but Amber couldn’t help it. Maybe she really was crazy. Maybe this was the last straw to push her over the edge.
Chapter Nineteen
Reaper
Reaper and his team arrived at the industrial park in record time. According to surveillance, Amber had been taken about an hour ago. He looked over to see Sledge on the phone. He knew he was talking to his contacts at the Dallas Police Department. All hell was about to break loose, and the DPD would want in on the action, but Reaper was antsy to get inside. An hour. Ratchet has had an hour to do whatever he wanted to Amber.
“I’m going in,” Reaper said, walking towards the fence.
“Wait!” Sledge demanded. “I know you want to go inside guns blazing, but we have to wait for DPD. This may be our only chance to bring this organization to its knees. Without them here, we’re all sitting ducks.”
“Are you serious right now, Devin?” Reaper deadpanned, “My woman has been in there with a psycho who wants her dead!” he began to yell. “She may already be dead for all we know. An hour, Devin! A mutha-fuckin’ HOUR!” he roared. “I don’t give a fuck about prison, I want my woman out of there!” Reaper snarled.
Sledge stood in Reaper’s face. “You think I don’t, Zander? You think every possible fucking scenario hasn’t gone through my goddamn hea
d?” Sledge replied in a deadly tone. “She’s my sister, remember?”
Just then, the Dallas Police Department SWAT team pulled in behind the line of motorcycles. The Chief walked up to Reaper and Sledge, casting a nervous look between both men. Before he had a chance to open his mouth, Reaper was already talking.
“Henchmen are taking the lead. We’ll make the mess, DPD can clean it. Hell is about to rain down on earth Chief, you and your men do not want to be in the crossfire,” Reaper stated. “Any questions? No? Good.”
Bullets were about to fly. If a person wasn’t wearing a Henchmen cut - they would be considered the enemy. The Police Chief had the intellect to just nod his head in understanding and relay the order back to his team. DPD wasn’t used to this. Normally, they always had lead, and the Henchmen just offered assistance. But today, Reaper wasn’t taking any chances.
The Devil’s Henchmen worked with several law enforcement agencies around the state. They could float in the gray areas of the law better than the Police could.
“Okay, you’re lead, Brother, I’ll cover,” Sledge said as he grabbed his rifle and walked off to climb to the rooftop of an adjacent building.
Reaper gave orders to the remaining members of his team. Four crews, one on all sides of the building. Nobody would leave this place alive, at least nobody from Velvet Blood.
“This is a take no prisoners mission Brothers,” Reaper said to his team via the headsets they all wore.
“Reaper, don’t make me have to arrest you,” there was a warning in the Police Chief’s voice.
“Nobody!” Reaper enforced the order; the Chief stayed silent.
“In position,” Sledge said, one by one the other teams checked in. Once in position himself, Reaper gave the order for the teams to move in.
At once, each team burst through the doors. Reaper and his team cleared the front rooms within minutes, sweeping others as they went. So far, everything was bare. Empty room after empty room. He knew Amber was in here somewhere, he just had to find her.
The Enforcer (Devil's Henchmen MC Book 1) Page 7
