As they lay, catching their breath, Dalton chuckled. “If I had known giving you my patch would give us sex like that, I totally would have done it a year ago.”
She laughed along with him, smacking him in the gut. “Now you definitely aren’t taking it back.”
He hooked his arm around her neck and pulled her closer. “No, I’m not. You’re gonna wear that the rest of your life.”
‡
Chapter Thirty-Three
Mandy looked out at the gorgeous day from her office window. Late summer in Kentucky was usually so hot and humid you couldn’t walk outside and breathe at the same time, but they’d had a cold front move in overnight. The sidewalks and roads were still damp, and she could hear the birds singing and smell the fresh cut grass of the courthouse lawn. The breeze from the open window caressed her skin, causing her to close her eyes and think back to the night before.
Dalton giving her his patch had meant more to her than she thought it would. It had been something she always wanted, but it was as if she’d never realized the implication. In her life, the patch meant more than the ring, and she couldn’t wait to be able to wear that jacket.
She breathed deeply; excited about the way things were going and the direction they were moving in. She was the happiest she’d ever been, and she knew most of that had to do with Dalton and his ability to apologize and work with her on things they needed to work on. She was glad neither one of them had given up when it would have been easier too.
Glancing up at the clock, she realized there were hours to go until quitting time, and Charity would probably be at the courthouse for at least another hour. The sunshine was calling to her; she needed to feel the warmth of the day on her face. Quickly, she grabbed her purse and stuck her phone in her pocket before going over to lock the front door. She turned the open sign to closed, and went out the back door. A block over was where they all liked to hang out, and she knew for a fact her mom was getting her hair done today at Christine’s shop.
As she broached the edge of the buildings that opened to the street, she heard the loud rumble of motorcycles. A smile came to her face, because she knew she was going to see friends. She turned to check the oncoming traffic and felt fear for the first time.
Those bikes weren’t Heaven Hill. They didn’t wear the normal patches on the front, and every single rider wore a bandana over their face and sunglasses over their eyes, while helmets obscured their hair. Her heart beat like she’d just run a marathon, and inexplicable terror gripped her throat. She tried to scream, but nothing came out. Dropping the purse she’d grabbed, she took off at a run, as fast as her extra girth would carry her, aiming for the office. She felt sure this was the attack they’d been waiting on. Telling herself that if she could get to the office she’d be fine, she tried to pick up the pace, but it was difficult. The door was in sight when she felt strong arms grip her around the waist and pull her close.
“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll come with us. You don’t want that baby hurt, do you?” The voice was dark, the tone uncaring, and spoke of danger. He would do whatever he would have to do; she knew that without a doubt.
All fight left Mandy’s body, and she stopped screaming as she let scared tears fall. Whatever it took to get out of this situation, she would do. Her baby was counting on her, and if there was ever a time to be fearless in the face of danger, it was now.
*
Dalton sat in the garage, smiling to himself as he thought about his night with Mandy. He’d needed to give her the patch for a long time, and now that he had, he felt lighter. There was a finality and a security now that hadn’t been there before.
“Why are you smiling like a dumbass?” Drew had a seat next to his friend, kicking Dalton’s boot. The two of them were working on getting back to the friendship they’d had before, but it was a day-by-day situation.
“No reason.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Just had a good night last night.”
Drew glared. “You don’t say?”
“Stop looking at me like you wanna kill me. The damage is done, brother. It’s not like she can get pregnant again.” Although as soon as she was done having their son, he wasn’t as opposed as he always thought he would be to having another.
“You can still hurt her. How do you do the things you do with her and not let your heart get in the middle of it? I couldn’t with Charity.”
Dalton wanted to tell his best friend how bad it hurt. How he went to bed every night with a lump in his throat he wasn’t sure would ever go away, how his arms ached, his stomach stayed tied in knots, he didn’t sleep, and he sure as fuck was never calm. He was a man on the edge, and last night had been a welcome letting down of his guard.
Refusing to answer, he shrugged, faking looking at something on his phone.
Drew’s phone rang and a grin covered his face that told everyone around him it was his wife. “Hey, bab—What? Calm down! Tell me exactly what happened.”
Having heard Drew yell, the members, including Remy, who was still prospecting, rushed forward surrounding him. Immediately cell phones started going off. Friends of the club were notifying each of them. As Drew hung up his call, he gazed at all of them. “Bastards have my mom and sisters.”
“And my wife,” Travis read from the message on his phone.
Layne’s voice was deathly calm as he gazed at the screen in his hand. “Mine too, but these fuckers don’t know they’re messing with.”
Dalton was the first one up, his long legs eating up the distance to his bike. “Nope, but they about to find out.”
‡
Chapter Thirty-Four
“Do we know where they are?” Liam asked as they congregated at the clubhouse. He wore a grim expression on his face, obviously worried for his family. The only one safe from the threat was the son who sat over in the corner, brooding, probably thinking of everything he could do to this asshole to get his mom and sisters back.
Steele sat at his computer, running different programs, trying to figure out what in the hell was going on, while trying not to focus on what could be happening to his wife.
“Tyler!” They all lifted their heads when they heard Meredith’s frantic voice. “I’ve been trying to get in touch with you, but someone cut our lines and messed with our cell phones at CRISIS. The alarm at Doc Jones’ office has been going off for more than thirty minutes.”
Dalton watched as Tyler tightened his jaw, tagged Jagger on the chest, and motioned for the door. Turning to Meredith, he spoke in a calm voice that gave them all chills. “You get the kids and come back here, take one of the guys with you. There’s been a situation with some of the women in the club. I’m gonna go check on Doc Jones.”
As he traveled the back roads at a high rate of speed, Tyler hoped with everything he had that Doc Jones had simply left her door open. Maybe she’d had a power outage or something that was explainable for the alarm to be tripping. He kept telling himself there were logical reasons as to why they hadn’t heard from her. The other part of his brain told him she was an older woman, living out in the country by herself. Because of her affiliation with Heaven Hill, she would be a likely target.
He could hear Jagger’s bike behind him and knew Jagger had a dog in this race too. Doc Jones had been just as beneficial for Jagger and B as she had for Tyler and Meredith. Not even stopping as he took the turn to her house, Tyler yelled as he saw the front door standing wide open. This wasn’t good. Not by any stretch of the imagination.
They came to a stop, both bailing off their bikes.
“Doc!” Tyler yelled, taking the steps two at a time, barreling through the front door. His keen observation noticed the door had been knocked off the hinges, glass scattered the floor, and papers were everywhere.
“Doc!” Jagger yelled behind him, running up the stairs to her private living area.
Tyler knew though, without a doubt, they’d taken a woman who meant a great deal to the club. Not only did she mean a great deal, sh
e knew secrets, she knew their vulnerabilities, their fears, their happiness, and looking at the paperwork that was missing—whoever did this now knew their secrets too.
Tyler hadn’t felt a rage like this since Meredith had been attacked before they’d started dating, or when his daughter Addy had been held hostage by her crazy biological aunt. He tried to calm his pulse, tried to get past the red haze that blanketed his vision, but it was difficult. In the years since he’d become a dad, he’d tried to put a tight grip on those feelings, because sometimes kids did things that just pissed you off. Today he let that grip go; he could literally feel his heart beating in his ears.
“You hear that?” Jagger asked, breaking the silence.
“I don’t hear anything besides my blood rushing through my veins. This,” he indicated the room with a sweep of his hand, “pisses me off.”
Jagger couldn’t agree more. “Me too, but listen.”
For the first time, Tyler did, and he heard it too. The faint sounds of someone whimpering. “Where’s that coming from?”
They searched the room, walking over to the couch that was turned over, resting up against the wall. “Help me pull this away,” Jagger said as he grabbed one end and Tyler grabbed the other.
Together they lifted the couch, tossing it away. Underneath, they found Doc Jones, cowering, bleeding from the head. It looked like her nose was possibly broken, and she was missing the glasses that were usually perched on her face. She shrank away when they lifted the piece of furniture, curling herself into the smallest ball she could.
“Hey, hey.” Tyler sank down to his knees so she could see it was him. “We’re here, we got you, and we’re going to make sure you’re okay.”
She calmed down, seeing it was Tyler. She let out a soft yell and threw herself into the big man’s arms. “They wanted your files, but I have them locked up. They destroyed the place looking for them, but they’re safe. Your secrets are safe. They came in here on a mission.” She cried, sitting up with Tyler’s help. She held her hand to her forehead, trying to staunch the flow of blood.
“Do you know who they were?” Tyler asked, pulling his phone from his pocket, dialing Liam.
“I’ve never seen them before.” She shook her head no. “But they mentioned the name Calvert.”
*
Liam got out of the phone with Tyler, cursing as he did. It’d been months since Calvert had made his threat, and they’d let their guard down. Just like he knew they would.
“It’s Calvert,” he told Dalton. “They hurt Doc Jones, but didn’t take her. Tyler and Jagger are bringing her in now.”
Liam felt sick to his stomach. This had happened on all their watches. They’d pretty much let it go on under their noses. It didn’t sit well, especially since Calvert had warned them they’d gone soft.
“You got anything yet?” Dalton asked Steele. He was going crazy, waiting for any kind of word.
“Both Mandy and Christine kept their cell phones on, so I’m working on hacking into the system and pinging the nearest tower. As backup, I do have the app on Christine’s phone, but it’s not always one hundred percent. I’ll let you know when I’m sure.”
For once in his life, Dalton was glad Mandy never turned that thing off, even when the battery was almost dead.
‡
Chapter Thirty-Five
“You okay?” Denise asked her daughter as they sat in what looked to be an empty warehouse. It was dark, damp, and a little chilly—even with the hot, sunny day they’d left in the outside world. She glanced around, seeing Christine, Jessica, and Tatum huddled together too.
“Scared,” she whispered. “What do they want with us?”
“I don’t know,” she whispered back. “As far as I knew, this shit was over, but don’t worry, the guys will find us. They’re good at that. They’ve rescued a few of us more than once.”
Mandy hoped like hell her mom was right. She was worried, not only for herself, but for Tatum and her own unborn baby. Crossing her arms over her stomach, she did her best to control her breathing, to stop the shivering of her chin, and the trembling of her whole body. She kept telling herself her dad, her brother, and the love of her life would be there for her. They wouldn’t let her stay here too long.
The door to the warehouse opened and a man walked in. He had an air about him that forced them all to stop whispering and take notice.
“Amanda Walker.” He whistled as he stalked towards them, a sinister smile on his face.
She shrunk back into the corner as he advanced; something about him worried her. “Do I know you?” she asked, trying to keep a brave face.
“You don’t, but I know you.” He squatted down so he could be face to face with her. “You’re carrying Dalton Barnett’s baby, aren’t you?”
Her skin crawled, and she shivered as she shrunk even further back. “He’ll come for you. My dad and my brother too.”
“Oh I’m countin’ on it, honey.” He reached out, touching her chin. “I’m counting on them coming for all of you.” He winked. “I told them I could destroy them, but they didn’t believe me. They will when this is over.”
Mandy gripped her mom’s hand tightly. She wouldn’t die here, not this close to having everything she wanted.
*
Travis’ hands were unsteady as he focused in on the location the women were being held. With the help of Mandy’s cell phone and an app he’d put on Christine’s, he was within a mile.
“We’re within a mile here. The only problem is I’m not sure which way.” Travis sucked on his sucker as he pulled up an aerial view of the area. “But we do have a large warehouse here.” He pointed out a building. “It’s an old tobacco warehouse and was foreclosed on a few months ago. I have a feelin’ this is where they’re being held.” He turned in his chair.
“Do we know why he’s targeted us and them?” Layne asked from where he stood behind Steele’s computer.
“Part of it’s the fact he warned me he’d do something like this because he wanted to prove that we’re weak now that we all have families.” Liam bit his lip, trying to figure out what the other part was.
“I think the other part has to do with me,” Dalton spoke up. “He was pissed I brought Heaven Hill into this. He wanted Samuel, and when I didn’t lie down and give him what he wanted, I think he decided he’d do whatever he could to destroy me.”
“So either way,” Tyler spoke up, “he’s trying to prove he and his guys have bigger balls than us?” He spoke as he helped their doctor friend, Ashley; patch up the wound on Doc Jones’ head.
“Yeah.” Liam threw a glass bottle against the wall. He was beyond pissed that this guy could come into what he considered his home and do this to him.
Tyler laughed, but it was a low and dark. “Ain’t nobody got bigger balls than me. I’ll have a real good time showing him that too.”
There was a flurry of activity in the clubhouse. Liam barked orders at those who would be staying behind and who would be going with them. In the midst of it all, Remy approached him, a serious look on his face.
“I’d like to go with you all, if that’s okay.” His voice was so quiet Liam could barely hear him.
“You wanna come with us?” Liam couldn’t wrap his mind around why in the hell Remy wanted to come. Sure, he wanted to prove himself, but nobody really wanted to be in a situation like this as his first action with a club.
“Yeah.”
One word, no explanation.
“Alright, my man, if you think you can handle it. We’ll take you with us, and we’ll see about getting you patched, depending on how this goes.”
He nodded, stoically, and turned away, heading towards the garage where the bikes were parked.
Liam shook his head. That was the weirdest conversation he’d ever had with Cash’s brother, but he couldn’t think about that right now. There was no time to waste. “Let’s go!”
*
It felt like they’d been in this warehouse for a month, but
Mandy knew it’d only been a few hours. Tatum had moved over to sit next to her, laying her head on her shoulder. Doing her best to calm her sister, she leaned against her mom.
“You doing okay?” Denise quietly asked. “You’re not having any contractions or anything are you?”
That had been her worst fear, that the shock of this would send her into labor, but so far, so good. She was trying to stay calm, knowing Dalton wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her. Their relationship had evolved so much in the past few months. She loved him more now than she ever had. He’d stepped up in big ways she’d never expected him to. Thinking of their times together, she knew the love was deeper, more mature than it’d ever been. She knew without a doubt he’d be here to save her. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
Her head snapped up as she heard a loud knock at the door of the warehouse. She didn’t know who it was, but it gave her hope they would be getting out of here today. In the worst of ironies for a pregnant woman, she had to pee in the worst way.
“I’m good Mom; just have to use the bathroom. I hope this is Dalton or Dad; otherwise, they’re gonna have a problem on their hands.”
Tatum broke the tension by snorting laughter. It wasn’t the appropriate time, but all of them had needed the break. And each one of them waited, holding their breath as Calvert walked to the door. When he opened it, they breathed a sigh of relief.
*
“Liam Walker.” Calvert opened the door wider. “What a surprise. To what do I owe this honor? Please, do come in.”
Liam came in, standing tall and unyielding—the same way Mandy could remember him being since he’d come into their lives. She noticed the look on his face. He wasn’t here to make friends, he wasn’t here to play nice, and she hoped like hell nobody would be losing their lives here.
Shield My Heart (Heaven Hill Book 9) Page 15
