by Debra Kayn
It was real. Just like Kurt always warned her.
Her throat closed, and she dropped her chin to her chest. Kurt walked into her life the best man for her. She loved him. He'd shown her life was worth living, and the hell with what everybody else thinks. She'd put aside her past to live day to day. Not end her life in a burnt out old building with a man from Los Li.
She raised her chin, looked the man straight in the eye, and screamed. No longer would she hold in her feelings or not use her voice. She'd bring down the town. Someone had to hear her.
The man leaped to his feet, a shiny knife held in his hand, and lunged for her. She kept screaming. There was no pain. No Kurt. Only blackness.
Chapter Twenty Seven
Kurt walked out of the sheriff's department at quarter after two in the morning after receiving his things from the grumpy female secretary. The whole night a fucked up mess, he answered a few questions of his whereabouts and then the detective in charge left on another call. He'd waited around for another hour before someone came back and told him he was free to leave. Until he knew what was happening at the club, he kept his suspicions about Los Li's involvement in the double homicide to himself.
He slipped his pistol into his holster, shoved his wallet in his pocket, and turned on his cell phone, tapping the number for the club.
The phone rang and rang. He tried Risa's number, and it went straight to voice mail. He stuffed the cell in his pocket, got on his Harley, and rode away. Concerned about his woman, his MC brothers, he had a bad feeling that no answers meant they were too busy to pick up the damn call.
He cruised out of town, opened the throttle, and leaned over the gas tank of the Harley. Any time Risa was away from his side, he worried. Tonight, the fear knocked him out. The only thing that kept him from standing up and walking away from the sheriff's office was the fact that he needed to be a free man to make sure everyone stayed safe.
If Colby hadn't stopped them from returning to the club, he'd know for sure Risa was safe. He only hoped her show lasted long enough, Los Li gave up on trying to break their way onto Bantorus land.
Smoke wafted in the air, settling over him. He slowed down, sniffing the air, and his headlight bounced off a chrome bumper twenty feet to the left of the road against a tree. He slowed down, angling his bike to light up the area, and locked the brakes at the sight of the light bar atop the SUV.
Toeing the kickstand, he jumped off his bike and ran toward the sheriff's car. The passenger door wide open, he peered inside and his heart stopped.
Colby sat perfectly still in the driver's seat and Risa was nowhere to be found. He put his hand around Colby's neck and concentrated on a pulse. His own damn racing heartbeat almost made him miss the slight beat in Colby's veins. Kurt pulled out his phone again, and called 911. While it rang, he searched the tree line near the road for Risa.
"911. How can we help you?" the dispatcher asked.
"I found Sheriff Colby on the side of Cutout Road, about three quarters of a mile outside of the city limits. He's breathing, but he's hurt bad." He swung his boot out in front of him at every step in case he couldn't see Risa lying outside the vehicle and needing help. "He had Risa Kohl with him a couple hours ago. I don't know if he was returning from dropping her at 419 Cutout Road or he hadn't arrived yet."
"Rescue team has been dispatched. Estimated time is ten minutes," the operator said.
"Shit." He hurried back to the car. "That's too long. He's two minutes outside of town."
"I'm sorry, sir. All emergency crews have been notified. Someone...sir, did you say 419?"
"Yeah," he said, searching the area.
"Sir, emergency crews are attending an explosion at that address. Can you remain on the line while I connect you with—?"
He shoved the phone back in his pocket, ran for his bike, and hauled ass up the road. Los Li could have the fucking club, and he'd rebuild. They weren't going to take another person away from him. Risa and his men had to be safe.
He arrived at the entrance of the club to find three fire engines, two police cars, and an ambulance. Barely stopping to stand his motorcycle, he ran to the gate and found Remmy on guard at the bottom of the stairs. He took in the smoke and fire at the warehouse, and took his first lungful of air since finding Risa gone from the sheriff's car.
The club was safe. The warehouse meant shit to him.
Remmy stopped him. "Everyone's okay. Los Li used a fucking helicopter to shoot up the warehouse. The ammo we have stored inside blew up. The fire crew had to wait two hours before they could approach the building after the last gunfire went off. They're just starting to put out the fire now."
"Risa? Where is she?" Kurt pulled his gaze from the warehouse and looked up at the clubhouse.
Remmy's brows lowered and he opened his mouth and closed it, shaking his head. Kurt grabbed him by the front of the shirt and pushed him away. "Where is she?" he yelled.
"Fuck," Remmy said, pushing Kurt back. "I asked the first patrol car that stopped and he said the sheriff was detained at the department, doing an investigation. You said she'd be with him, and I assumed plans changed and she was with you."
Kurt roared, swinging wildly. Remmy tackled him, pinning him to the ground. "Check. Yourself."
"Risa!" Kurt thrashed, but with his arms pinned to his side, he couldn't break free. "Risa!"
Several men lay on his body, holding him down. He struggled against their hold. "I'll kill them."
Remmy got in his face, not moving. "The explosion happened right after I hung up with you. For a while, we didn't know what the fuck was going on. We thought you decided to keep Risa with you and away from the club."
"Let the fuck go." He growled, straining.
He wanted blood, and he wanted Risa. She could be back at the wreck, thrown clear of the vehicle, but in his heart, he knew she wasn't. "Let me go. I need to go after her."
Deputy Floreck leaned over him. "We just received an emergency call. The firefighters will remain here, and every officer will be leaving. Do we have a situation here?"
Remmy shook his head. "Just a club difference of opinion, sir."
Kurt met Remmy's eyes. "Let me go."
Remmy pushed off him and yelled. "Ink, get Cutter. Everyone else, lock this place down. Tell Muff and Sawyer to keep everyone inside the club. We're riding out."
Kurt scrambled to his feet and ran back to his bike. The tension and exhaustion from earlier gone. The moment he found Risa, he'd kill any Los Li member in sight with his bare hands.
His Bantorus brothers caught up with him. He started his Harley, and issued orders over the noise. "We'll make a sweep in town first. Look for a black sedan or any vehicle with California license plates."
In no time, they rode past the wreck and arrived in town. He motioned for the others to take a back street, while he cruised Main Street. In a small town, how hard would it be to notice something out of place?
Yet, he was also new to Federal. He didn't know what was normal, but he knew from experience that Los Li would go to any length to take Federal from them if Bantorus stood in their way. Like the fucking criminals they were, they weren't against using the Bantorus women.
That was on his back. He should've stayed with Risa. He should've forced the sheriff to wait five minutes. He should've never let her do the show. She was his angel, and nothing bad should ever touch her life. Once he had her back, she was never leaving his side.
Not seeing anything that raised an alarm, he turned around, and rolled down Bank Street. He spotted Ink heading his way with his hand low and at his side. He swallowed the fear of having no news to clue him in on where he could find Risa. She had to be somewhere, and he'd find her. Unless Los Li took her out of the area to draw Bantorus away, and he'd gather every MC, outlaw club, and militia group he could find to hunt the bastards down and get his woman back.
A ping against his front tire had him braking fast on instinct. He leaned back as his rear tired pop in the air. He landed h
ard and straightened. What the hell?
He searched the front of the building on his left. Only one person was good enough to pull that trick. Lee had perfected the art of throwing the right size rock that'd be kicked up by the spokes and jam the tire in the fork, causing him to sail over the handlebars on his dirt bike as a kid. Lucky for him, he grew to expect his brother's dirty work growing up and he'd saved himself from crashing more times than he could count.
Lee stepped out from between the buildings, circled his arm, and held up two fingers. Kurt nodded, rode down the street, motioning for Ink to follow, and met Germ and Cutter two blocks away. He gathered them in front of a quiet house with the porch light on, and cut the engines.
"I found Lee." He climbed off his bike. "He wants me to walk in. Everyone stay here and keep the bikes turned off. If you see or hear anything, start your bikes and gun the engine. Do not come unless you know for sure we need you."
"Does he know where Risa is?" Cutter asked.
Kurt shook his head. "That's what I'm going to find out."
Cutter removed the extra magazine from his back pocket. "Here, take mine in case you need it. I prefer to use my knives anyway."
"Thanks." Kurt shoved the extra ammo in his pocket, removed his pistol, put a bullet in the chamber, and took off running.
Staying to the shadows, he cut through the alleyway where he first saw Lee, and slowed to a walk. There was nothing on Cedar Street now that the Sterling Building burnt down. The credit union was on the corner, and a seasonal T-shirt business on the other end of the street. Both closed in the middle of the night.
Lee stepped away from the wall. "If you want to save your woman, you're going to listen to me."
"Where is she?" He slammed Lee against the brick wall.
"So much for listening." Lee pushed him off. "Two members of Los Li are holding her. After the fucked up mess they caused, I imagine they'll be heading out of Federal the first chance they get once things calm down."
"She's okay?" Kurt leaned over and braced his hands on his knees.
Blood rushed through his head. He had to focus. Risa depended on him.
"Going by the loud screaming she put up, she's fighting to stay alive." Lee laid his hand on Kurt's shoulder. "Pull it in, bro. You've got to keep your head, or I'll knock you out myself and go in alone."
"She's close by?" Kurt straightened and balled his fist. "Let's go."
"Hang on." Lee stopped him from moving away. "You go in there shooting, and you're probably going to get us all killed, not to mention Risa."
A minute was too long for Risa to be around a member of Los Li. He couldn't lose her. She was his, and nobody could touch her.
"We'll sneak in together. There are only two of them." Lee removed his pistol from his boot and screwed a suppressor onto the barrel. "You let me go in first."
"I want the bastards," Kurt said.
"Whether I get them or you get them, it doesn't matter." Lee stepped closer. "Once we're done, I'm out of here."
"I thought you had left town." Kurt crept up to the entrance to the alley.
"Yeah, plans changed." Lee shrugged, pressing close to the wall. "On the count of three, we're running to the back of the burnt out building."
"Sterling? Fuck, they took her to my own damn building." Kurt gritted his teeth at the implications of Risa being inside. "It's a shell and unstable. The fire department boarded up the windows and doors after the fire. A gunshot could have the whole thing falling in on Risa. We can't chance that happening."
Lee held up his hand holding the pistol. "No noise. Holster your weapon, and I'll cover you."
"Save the bastards for me. They touched my woman and I want their death on my hands." Kurt counted to three.
He ran for the corner, covering Lee's ass. The role change in big brother/little brother roles wasn't lost on him, and he accepted his position. All that mattered was getting inside and saving Risa before Los Li hurt another woman he loved.
Plastered against the back of the Sterling Building, Lee held up his fingers. One, Two, Three.
Lee pried the plywood back. Kurt followed him, going to the opposite wall, knowing she had to be close. The boards were nailed shut earlier.
He took time to listen and let his eyes become accustomed to the dark. Then he motioned Lee toward the front. Letting his brother lead, he put his hand on Lee's back once they hit the lobby. He tapped him to go right. The only other rooms on the main floor were a public restroom, the kitchen, and Risa's office, all skeletons of their former rooms
Lee moved to the side against the brick wall. Kurt followed him, being careful where he stepped, and not liking how they were out in the open. He couldn't take the chance that the men holding Risa would shoot and cause the whole building to collapse before he could get to Risa.
Lee nudged his side and passed him a pocket flashlight. Kurt covered the lens, turned it on, and held his arm out to the side before letting the light shine. He scanned every corner and behind the fallen debris. The whole area was clear.
"She's not here," he whispered, not believing he couldn't find her.
"Upstairs?" Lee asked.
Kurt shook his head, pointing the light above his head. "Stairs are gone and most of the flooring."
"Shit." Lee stepped away from the brick. "She has to be close. I followed them here. One guy in a van dropped Risa and another man off in front of the building. He left, and then came back on foot within ten minutes. I heard her screams, and stayed across the street until I could figure a way in...then you showed up. They had maybe twenty minutes at the most."
Kurt followed their same steps to the back door, being careful of the debris. "Let's go get the others. We'll search the town again, even if I have to break into every building. If they're on foot, they're in Federal somewhere."
Kurt stepped out onto the sidewalk and a click sounded in his ear, the pressure of cold steel pressed into his skull.
"Nice and slow," a man's voice said, taking the pistol from Kurt's holster. "Or, I'll kill the girl."
Kurt stepped out on the sidewalk, and without turning his head, looked around as far as he could see without making any moves. His adrenaline kicked in. Risa was close by.
"Outside, asshole," the man said.
"Right. I'm moving. Jesus Christ." Lee bumped into Kurt's back. Kurt kept his feet planted, letting Lee slide out from behind him, leaving the weight and feel of a pistol in Kurt's back pocket.
While Lee moved passed him, grumbling complaints, dragging his feet, and causing a distraction, Kurt inched backward against the building. He wanted everyone in front of him.
"How the hell did you guys get the jump on us?" Lee pointed across the street. "We looked over there, and then—Lee half turned, pointing in the opposite direct—there were no cars parked all along the..."
Kurt tuned Lee's voice out, and searched the area. Risa had to be here. The men hadn't had time to take her somewhere else.
"This is fucking crazy, man. I'm slacking. I could've sworn nobody moved on this block since two o'clock. You must've snuck right by me, or maybe I dozed off." Lee cussed. "Shit, I hate when that happens. Damn, drugs. They leave me flat on my ass at the most inconvenient times. I'm surprised someone didn't find me lying next to a garbage can and think I was a piece of trash. Shit, I need to get my life straightened out. I bet my woman is going to kick me to the curb."
Kurt's body stiffened. Block? Two o'clock? Garbage can? Curb?
He turned his head in the opposite direction, frantic to figure out what Lee was babbling about and hoping it wasn't one of his lame stories. When he spotted the prone figure lying in the grass behind an industrial size dropbox at the curb, his chest seized, paralyzing him.
God dammit. Hold on, angel. I'm here.
"Shut the fuck up." The second man pointed his pistol at Lee's chest.
Lee groaned. "Dude, it doesn't matter if you shoot me because Bantorus is going to kill me if they find out about this."
Kurt lo
wered his hand, grabbed the pistol Lee put in his pocket and pulled the trigger. If not for the recoil, he would never have known he shot the gun. Without waiting to see if he hit his target, he turned and punched the man next to him with his left hand.
He dropped the pistol, formed a fist, and hit him again, and again. He beat the man with the fury bottled up in him of years of payback. He wanted to kill the man and feel his life sucked away for touching Risa.
The man dropped. Kurt grabbed the back of the man's shirt and flipped him over, continuing to pound his face. Each hit doing nothing to sooth the adrenaline pounding in his vein to get Risa back.
His angel.
His woman.
His everything.
He faltered, pausing and looking over his shoulder at Risa. She hadn't moved. He stumbled back, scared that he was too late.
"Bro, he's finished." Lee picked up the pistol. "Go check on your woman. I'll get rid of these two."
Kurt nodded, and on shaky legs ran down the sidewalk. At the end of the block, he fell beside Risa, afraid to touch her, afraid to check for a pulse, afraid he wouldn't feel her breath against his skin ever again. He wanted to tell her it was okay, he'd found her and would take her home, but all he could do was stare in shock. His throat closed and the guttural moan of loss stole his words.
He'd failed. He was too late. Heart ripped out of him, he curled over her, wanting to protect her. But, he was too late.
They'd slashed her face. From the corner of her eye almost down to her mouth.
"Oh, angel...," he whispered, slipping his hand under her neck, picking up her broken body. "No. No. You can't take her from me. Do you hear me, you fucking can't have her too. She's mine. Mine."
He struggled to his feet, cradling her to his chest. Los Li ruined Taylor, they would not ruin his woman. One step. Two steps. He gathered his strength, hardening his reaction and carried her back to Lee.
His brother's gaze went from Kurt down to Risa and back to Kurt. Without any declaration, Lee turned the pistol to the man Kurt had beaten, and put a slug right between the eyes.
