Twisted’s hand immediately raises. “Don’t react. It’s what he wants.”
I look at him. “She wasn’t there.”
His face drops. He had every hope that she was there and at this point we would have won. His body slowly turns toward our enemies. “Where. Is. My. Sister?” Each word sounds like a dagger being thrown at them.
“Already told you. I won’t give her back to you. Plus, at this point, it wouldn’t matter anyway. Pretty sure she’s already gone.” His smug face is making my blood boil.
Twisted nods at Whip, who gives the signal for everyone to come out. In a matter of seconds, they are surrounded. Hades’ officers look like they are about to drop to their knees and beg for mercy.
“Leave only Beast.” Twisted orders and two pops sound off in succession. The men drop to the ground beside him.
“Thing is even if you kill me I still win because I’m takin’ your slut sister with me.” His head turns to where I stand. “Hope she wasn’t too loose for you, boy. We all worked her out plenty when she was our whore.”
“Enough!” Pres draws his gun and takes a few steps toward Beast. He kicks at his knee, making him buckle to the ground so that he’s kneeling in front of him. “Tell me where the fuck she is.”
“Not gonna happen, Pres. See, the way I look at it is, either way, you’re gonna kill me, so I might as well keep that shit to myself. Plus, like I said, she’s already fucking dead.”
He shoots him in the head and Beast’s body falls to the floor.
“Fuck!” Pres shouts, flipping the table closest to him over. “We need to fucking find her! Now!”
Everyone scatters. I hear bikes starting, heading out in no specific direction but checking anywhere they can think of.
My eyes fall back down to Beast. My mind is spinning as I try to think of where the fuck he could have her. Brick had been watching that damn clubhouse. He said no one had left last night and the only car to leave today was the one they drove here.
That’s when it hits me. The car.
He would have wanted her close to feed that sense of revenge.
Having Pres know that she died when she was right under his nose would have been even better. I look out toward the car and all the windows are up, I’m gonna bet it’s locked too. I see a set of keys clipped to his belt and yank them off of him before heading outside as fast as I can manage.
The front lot is pretty empty because most of the bikes were parked out back.
I unlock the trunk and my heart stops.
Izzy.
She’s soaking wet. Her skin is pale and washed out. There is tape over her mouth and her hands are bound behind her back. Her ankles are secured by the same kind of tape. Then I see it the thick metal collar wrapped around her neck.
“No!”
I reach down and scoop her into my arms, screaming as I feel my stitches ripping open. I’m pretty sure I have blood running down my side, but that doesn’t matter right now. All that matters is her. I walk toward the house and as I’m about to reach it the door swings open.
Whip is standing there, eyes wide open as he looks at Izzy. “T, get the fuck out here! Someone call Doc! Now!”
Twisted comes racing into the room and takes one look at me before rushing over. He takes Izzy from my arms and carries her over to the couch.
“Fuck, it’s a damn spiked collar. Shit is digging into her neck. Get me some goddamn bolt cutters!” One of the guys runs toward the garage and that’s when I see the padlock on the collar making sure it wouldn’t be taken off. Twisted is examining her and each revelation echoes in my head.
Her pulse is weak.
Her breathing is shallow.
I can’t wake her up.
I stumble a bit as I get lightheaded.
“Fuck, you’re bleeding a lot,” Whip says. “Sit down. Doc’s going to need to stitch you up again.”
Then everything goes black.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Izzy
I can’t breathe.
The air is so dense.
Each breath I take feels like it will be the last bit of oxygen I can squeeze out of this hell.
My neck is pulsing in pain.
We aren’t moving anymore.
I should be kicking.
I should be thrashing around, trying to get attention.
I can’t move.
I have nothing left in me.
As much as I want to live I know that at this point my body is shutting down.
I’m dying.
I come to and I stay still. I don’t want them to know I’m awake.
The air is easier to breathe.
That’s when I move my hand, just slightly, enough to know it’s no longer bound to my other one.
I try my foot, lifting it slightly and realizing that it’s free also.
My fingers move against something below me.
It’s a bed.
Every muscle inside of me freezes. All of the threats from the brothers about using me again, making me their pet. They all ring in my head. It’s so loud that I can barely think. I have to fight this time. Either that or I’ll force them to kill me.
A hand trails over my cheek. I force myself not to flinch away. I can feel the bastard’s breath on my face. I decide to make my move. As quick as I can I thrust my arm toward them. My nails make contact as I drag them across skin, feeling it pull off from my force.
“Fuck!”
The voice shouts and my body wants to recoil. I force my eyes open. I will face him and I will fight.
Once I do I blink from the light and raise my hand, poised to strike once again.
A strong hand grabs my arm and I see my brother. There is blood dripping down his cheek. He’s here. I look around, seeing the familiar walls of the clubhouse. I’m home.
I throw my arms around him, groaning from the pain, but not caring about it at the moment. Tears start to fall from my eyes as I realize that I’m safe.
My shoulders shake with relief and pain.
“Hey, it’s okay.” He returns my embrace. After a few minutes, I loosen my hold on him and lie back against the pillows I was propped up on. “You scared us, sis. Glad to have you back.” He smiles at me.
I try to respond to him but nothing more than a painful rasp escapes. My fingers find my throat; it’s wrapped in something. My arms are covered in bruises. I look up at my brother in question.
“That shit they had on your neck. You have some nasty cuts from it. Doc wrapped it and said you might be hoarse and have trouble talking a lot at first.” He sits down next to me, and I see the worry etched on his face. “We almost lost you. Doc said if we hadn’t found you when he did and we didn’t immediately start CPR that there would have been nothing he could do. When I saw you there was a moment when I thought you were gone. Scared the shit out of me.”
I grab his hand.
As rocky as we had started.
As much betrayal I saw in his eyes in that warehouse.
All I see now is love and relief.
“I’m so fucking sorry that I listened to what that asshole said. Lucy and Max told me everything. I should have had more faith in you.” Max. My eyes widen when he says his name. I want to ask how he is. Where he is. Twisted watches my expression and I feel like we almost have an unspoken conversation. “He is doing okay. Doc patched him up after he got shot. He’s actually the one who figured out where you were and brought you inside. He ripped his stitches when he was carrying you. Doc told him not to get out of bed for twenty-four hours or he’d let Cutter stitch him up next time.”
Max found me.
I want to see him so bad.
I want to be in his arms. In my safe place.
Then my mind drifts back to Hades and the rest of his club. He told me that he would never let me get away. He’d always come after me until he made sure I was gone. A chill overtakes my body and I feel nauseous at the thought of seeing him again.
“He’s missing. I have everyone
out there looking for him. The rest of them are gone. We will find him. I promise you.”
I look up at Twisted.
“They’ll never touch you again.” He squeezes my hand. “Get some rest. If you need help getting out of bed text me, and I’ll be right in.” He holds up a phone. It’s a new one and I know that’s because the Sons had hacked into our old ones.
I give him a smile, wishing I could talk to him.
My eyes are heavy and my body is screaming for rest. He said that Max isn’t allowed out of bed right now, and I’m sure there is no way I could gather the energy to even go see him. I let myself fall asleep, knowing that the nightmare is over and that I finally have a place. A home.
***
There is a body pressed against me and everything inside of me goes on alert. I stiffen. The arms around me get tighter and I panic. My heart is racing and all I can think of is how I thought I was safe.
“It’s me. Calm down,” a familiar voice whispers in my ear.
I open my eyes to see Max lying next to me. I relax and take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.
“I’m sorry I scared you.” His eyes study me. “Once they told me you woke up I had to come and see you. You scared me, babe.” His hand rubs my cheek and I nestle into his chest. His lips press against my head and I run my hands over his chest, convincing myself that he’s really here, that it’s not just some dream.
I notice that his leather is new, where his other one was worn and smelled of him. I look up at him, hoping that this means what I think it does.
“I got my patch. Once you are feeling up to getting out of this bed, I’m walking you out there and claiming you as mine. We don’t have to hide anymore.”
I smile so hard that my cheeks hurt.
I wonder how Twisted reacted to us being together. Did Max get into trouble?
“Your brother was pissed that I didn’t listen to him. I half expected him to kick my ass out. I have some repercussion coming, but I’ll deal with it. All that matters is that you’re safe and here with me.” He leans down, pressing a kiss to my lips.
I angle my face toward him, but immediately pull back as pain radiates through my neck.
“Shit. I’m sorry, babe. Just relax. We have plenty of time for this. I’m not letting you out of my sight ever again.”
Max holds me against his chest, and I let myself drift off again.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Izzy
My eyes open to find Max sleeping beside me.
I hear a throat clear from the doorway and look up to see Twisted. He stares at Max. “Damn boy doesn’t listen. I told him you were up but needed to rest.” He walks over, sitting next to me. “You okay? You need anything?”
I decide to try my voice again. “B-be-better.” I wince from soreness in my throat.
“Here.” He hands me a bottle of cold water.
I take it and it feels amazing as the cold liquid cools and coats my dry throat.
“Better?”
“Yes.” My voices is still quiet and raspy, but at least I can use it.
“This what you want?” He nods toward Max.
I nod.
His head shakes. “I just found you and the fact that he is already takin’ you away makes me want to send his ass on a month-long run.” My eyes widen. “Don’t worry, I’m not. He isn’t in any shape to ride anyway. You gotta promise me, though. If he pisses you off, if it isn’t what you want anymore, that you don’t run from here.”
“I won’t.” I smile at him as I take in the fact that he wants me to be around.
“Jessie and Lizzie are gonna be here tomorrow. I had to convince them to wait till then. They were pissed I didn’t tell them about you sooner.”
I’m going to meet the rest of my family tomorrow.
I move away from Max a bit and pull my brother into a hug.
This is what I dreamed of every time I was moved to a new home. Every night I slept on the street or some dirty hotel. I wanted a family.
Max jumps beside me and reaches out for me. Once he sees Twisted next to the bed, he settles back down.
“Don’t worry, Lady, she’s still here.” He winks at Max. “Neither of you is cleared to be out of bed until tomorrow. At least listen to that. It came from Doc, not me.” He gives us a nod before walking out of the room.
“I think there could be worse things than being in bed with you until tomorrow.” Max pulls me against him. “I was so fucking worried about you.” He nuzzles into my neck.
I flinch, the gesture causing pain.
“Shit, I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. I was scared for you. I didn’t know if you were okay. The last time I had seen you, you were…” My voice trails off, thinking of him on the floor, blood surrounding his body.
“I’m okay, and so are you.” He places a kiss on my neck. His hand passes over the bandage. “I’m so sorry this happened to you. If I could kill those fuckers all over again, I would. When I opened that trunk and saw you I swear my heart stopped. I thought for a minute that I lost you. We will find Hades and once we do you can finally rest easy.”
My hands fist in his shirt. “I didn’t think I was going to make it. I tried to keep calm and conserve the little air I had. It was so hot and as much as I tried to hold on I could feel myself slipping away.”
“Doc said he didn’t think so, but I have to ask. It drove me crazy the whole time. Did they…” His breath hitches. “Did they touch you?”
I shake my head. “Hades told them that wasn’t what I was there for. Beast tried to…he wanted to keep me, he said. He wanted a pet.” Max stiffens. “Hades said that I needed to die, that I didn’t even deserve to be a whore anymore.”
“At least that motherfucker was right about something. You don’t deserve to be that anymore. Tomorrow I’m going to claim you. You’ll be my old lady and you’ll be respected, loved, and safe.” His head bends and he kisses me.
I pull him closer. I need him right now. As crazy as it is he’s the only thing that I feel like will heal me.
“Babe, we can’t. As much as it kills me neither of us is in any condition to be rollin’ around in this bed together. I think Doc was serious about letting Cutter stitch me up next time.”
I laugh, knowing that he probably was.
“As soon as I can have you under me, we’ll lock the door and stay in bed until we both pass out, then I’ll wake up and take you again. I won’t risk you being hurt any more than what they did.”
He tightens his grip on me and as much as I’m disappointed I’m happy. Max makes me feel loved and cared for. It’s something I’ve never really had, and I was never sure I would get.
“Go to sleep, beautiful.” He kisses my head and I relax against him.
***
I wake up and reach for Max, feeling nothing but cold sheets. I shoot up in bed, looking around. I calm once I realize that I am still home and I’m okay.
The door opens and Lucy walks in holding a bottle of water. “Hey, I hope you don’t mind. I had him take a hike because I wanted to come see you.” She hands me the bottle of water and sits down next to me. “I think he just went to take a shower, so he won’t be long.”
I take a drink of the water.
“How’re you doing?”
“I’m okay.”
She studies me. “I know we haven’t talked much about my past but just know you can talk to me. I came to the club a lot like you did. Hurt, scared, confused, and naive to this life. Whip was a prospect when I first got here, and I was underage. We had to keep our relationship from happening until he patched in and I turned eighteen. I was also taken. That is something I really don’t talk about. When the guys finally got to me I was in bad shape, and I dealt with it even worse.” Her hand runs through her long hair. “I guess what I’m saying is if you ever need anyone. If you ever feel alone, just know that you aren’t. As strange as it may seem everyone here is your family. Guys whose names you don’t even know will lay
down their life for you. I know you said that you never had anyone to lean on. Now you have a whole village.”
Tears swell in my eyes. For someone who can’t even remember a loving hug or kiss as a child, I feel like I’m dreaming.
Lucy’s arms wrap around me. “Welcome home. We missed you.”
The door opens and Doc walks in. “Well, looks like you’re feeling okay.” He gives Lucy a hug before walking over to me. “Let’s check out the cuts on your neck.”
I sit up a bit, and he unwinds the bandages from around my neck. I hear a sharp inhale come from Lucy.
“Looks like the bleeding has stopped.” Doc examines my skin closely. “You’ll be sore. It may hurt turning your head from side to side. You’re very lucky that it didn’t crush your esophagus. Continue to rest and don’t strain yourself.” He offers me a smile before giving Lucy a nod and leaving the room.
“Can you give me a mirror?”
“Are you sure?” Lucy bites her lip as she looks at me.
I nod. I need to see how bad it is. She walks over to the dresser, grabs a handheld mirror, and comes back to sit next to me. I can see her hesitation as she slowly lifts the mirror up.
I gasp. My neck is rimmed with an almost black bruise. There are so many puncture wounds that have now closed but leave ugly red marks. I look like a monster. Tears spring to my eyes again and this time, I can’t stop them from falling.
“What happened?” I hear Max’s voice.
“Doc took off the bandages. She wanted to see.” I can hear the sadness in her voice.
Max’s hand grips mine, pulling me to him. “It’s okay, babe. They’ll fade. They aren’t permanent. Today is a good day. I get to make you mine today.”
I shake my head. “I don’t want anyone to see me like this.”
“I can help.” Lucy says from beside me. “Why don’t you grab her some clothes from her room and I’ll help her get ready.”
Max pulls back, looking at me.
“I’m fine. Go.”
He hesitates for a minute before leaving.
Lucy offers me her hand. “Here, why don’t you grab a shower? Just call me if you need anything.”
Broken Page 13
