They’ve been gone about ten minutes or so when Jonah’s phone rings. I can tell he doesn't recognize the number by his confused expression. “Hello?” I can’t hear the person on the other end so I kinda tune him out till I hear Jonah speak again. “Well where the fuck is he? Is he hurt?” He has to be talking about Erik. I wish I could hear the person on the other end. Jonah only says a few more words before hanging up.
“Who was that? Do they have Erik? Is he okay?” Jonah reaches over and puts a hand on my arm to stop my rapid-fire questions.
“That was someone who knows where Erik is.” He looks over at Ry and Micah. “Go get Mike, Ben, and Tripp in here. We need their knowledge. Someone call Leif and Jeremiah and tell them to get their asses back here.” He hasn’t moved his arm, which has me worried that he thinks I’m gonna lose my shit, though if he doesn’t give me something in the next few seconds, that’s a fucking really good possibility. “He’s with that same club that attacked Madison at the hospital. This guy just outed himself though. He’s a fed and undercover with them and has been for a couple of years now. He’s coming to the clubhouse now. We need to plan and coordinate with him to get Erik and not hurt his fucking case. He wouldn’t tell me a whole fuck of a lot on the phone ‘cause he doesn’t want us going off as soon as we know where Erik is to go get him. It’s gonna take planning.” What is he not saying? Linnea comes up to Jonah and with tears in her eyes asks the question that I need to know the answer to but can’tbring myself to put the words together. “Is he hurt? Is it bad? He’s still breathing right?” Jonah lets go of my arm and pulls her into his lap. “Yes he’s still alive. This guy, this Spade guy, well he didn’t tell me much, just that they’ve got a guy who’s a brander and likes to practice his craft.”
Rage…pure, instant, all-consuming rage runs through my body, and before I can even think about anything, I’m standing and the chair I was sitting in is crashing against the wall across the room. A scream of anger bellows out and it takes me a moment to realize it’s coming from me. I’m enveloped by brothers on both sides of me. Shane’s on one side and Saxon is on the other. Samson stands right in front of me and does what I’ve done to my kids many times while they were growing up. He grabs my neck and touches his forehead to mine.
“He’s alive. He’s alive, and we’re gonna get him back Dad. He’s the love of your life and we’re gonna get him back and make sure the two of you have a lot more years together.” I vaguely hear Shane and Saxon agree with him. Samson continues. “You’re the one who always told us not to think about worst-case scenarios. You think the gods would let him finally be free from living with that bitch for all these years only to be finally free and not be able to enjoy that freedom? Nah, he’s got lots more years on this earth, I know it. Now we’re gonna meet with this fed guy and come up with a plan. A plan that gets us to Erik and not let him hurt anymore. Remember what you and Pa taught usgrowing up. We’re knights in shining armor till someone hurts our family…” and I finish the sentence that we all know so well. “Then we release the wrath of Valhalla on those who dare to do us harm.”
Samson releases his hold on me. Both Shane and Saxon at some point had let my arms go. Saxon puts his arm around my shoulders and steers me back toward the table. “Now, we’re gonna do all that Delilah just said. We’re here for you and for Erik, Dad.” I nod though I can’t help my eyes tearing up. “I just wonder when his body might say it’s fucking had enough. First, this shit with his stomach that I know that bitch caused. Now his body is being put through who knows what. I know his mind won’t give up, but what about his body? It ain’t like we’re twenty years old anymore.”
Linnea comes out of nowhere and smacks me in the stomach. “Grant Brock. You know better than to put that shit out into the world. Some things need to be left unspoken. My brotherwillbe okay. He’ll come back to all of us.” She then engulfs me in a hug.
We’re interrupted by the doors opening and Ben, Mike, Tripp all come in. Leif and Jeremiah are right behind them. Jon stands up and takes control. “Everyone come in and sit down. We've got a little bit of information and need to go over it quickly.” The door opens again and Jason and his brother, the sheriff, walk inside. Neither are in uniform. Jason is the one to speak up. “We’re here to help. We both know that at some point we might need toturn and not see some shit, but we both want to help, off duty of course.”
Sheriff Stone speaks up and surprises everyone. “Erik is a good man. He suffered enough in life being married to Celeste as long as he did. I know I didn’t last that long with my own version. We’re here to help see that he gets back to you all and can finally have a life with happiness.”
Actually them helping might be good since we’re about to deal with a fucking fed, if he really is in fact a fed. Jon tells them to grab a seat. Linnea goes to the kitchen. I’m sure to bring out coffee for everyone who just sat down.
Jon looks over at Jonah. “Pa, since you got the phone call, why don’t you fill in everyone about what you just found out.” Jonah tells the group everything this “Spade” guy said. I watch Leif and Jeremiah as they get the news. Leif is obviously upset and pissed off at the same time. It’s Jeremiah that’s worrying me. He’s gone stiff and has a look on his face that I’ve never seen. It’s part determination, rage and…something else I can’t put my finger on.What’s a word for something more than rage? Whatever the word is, that’s what he’s got on his face.
Jason and Sheriff Stone-er Jeremy make some good points about dealing with the fed, and within a half an hour there’s a knock on the door. I see a couple of brothers have their guns out just in case. Micah is at the door and opens it. In walks a man alone. He’s not wearing a cut or anything.
“I’m guessing you all know who I am by your expressions. I know you have questions and I’ll answer some right now because time is not on our side.” He takes two things out of his pockets. “Here is my FBI badge. My name is Braxton Zanick. I’ve been with the Sangre Devils for the last two years building a trafficking case so solid, most of these guys will never see outside of a prison.”
He sets the other thing down on the table. It’s Erik’s phone. “Why the fuck do you have his phone?” He holds up his hand and answers my question. “I was the one they had pat him down. I felt it but didn’t get it from him till I was left to guard him. He knows I have it and he knows I’m doing what I can to get him out of there. If I had left the phone with him, one of the idiots might have found it and that would be bad for both of us.”
He goes on to tell us what his plan is and where they’re keeping Erik. That fucking mountain. If I never have to deal with it again after this it will be way too fucking soon.
Between all of us, along with input from Jason, Jeremy and the three former members of the Sangre Devils, we come up with a plan. Spade-er Braxton stands up to leave, but is stopped by a question from Logan, of all people.
“You said your last name is Zanick?” He nods. Logan tilts his head and asks him another question. “Do you have a sister? A sister named Amanda?”
His face pales slightly. “I do, but I haven’t seen or talked to her or the rest of my family in years.” I quit paying attention to theirconversation, and within a couple of minutes, he’s out the door, and it’s time to start putting our plan into place.
Erik, we’re coming for you. Just hang on a little longer.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I love how you make sure I’m taken care of. You pick up the groceries you know I like but insist on more vegetables than just potatoes. You always make sure we have my favorite creamer in the house even though you drink your coffee black. Come to think of it, you did that for as long as I can remember. You’ve taken care of me even when I didn’t realize you were.
~Text from Erik to Grant
Erik
The smell of smoldering flesh still hangs in the air. Nobody has come in here in hours. Or at least it feels like hours. The brands on my legs feel like they’re still on fire. The window shows it’s light out again, which tells me it’s been at least close to twenty-four hours since they grabbed me. They were in here for a while last night trying to get me to talk. I only gave up that there’s areason Joseph only sold the land that he did and not the rest of it.
Between that and the realization that I was telling the truth about the life insurance policy that Celeste tried to offer part of to him, Taz stormed out of here losing his shit along the way.
I don’t know what they did with Celeste. I heard her screaming at them earlier, so I’m guessing they at least transported her somewhere else, though I’m having a really hard time giving a single fuck about her. I passed out around the time I stopped hearing her screams, so I don’t know if they left with her somewhere or where they’re at. I’m just thankful they’re not here.
I’ve been trying to undo my wrists, but when they branded my legs they moved my arms, tying each one to the arm of the chair. My right wrist hurts like a son of a bitch since the big goon Lennie bent it backward to get me to move where he wanted me. My left is not as agile, so trying to get it to loosen the rope is more than a challenge.
I finally feel like it’s starting to slightly loosen when I hear voices approaching. I can’t make out who they are, but I doubt it would be anyone I want to see. I doubt Braxton has had a chance to go down the hill far enough to get a signal to call someone. I really hope he was telling the truth and not selling me a pack of lies.
The voices are coming closer, and there’s a rustling outside the door. Someone is pounding on the door, like they don’t havea key. A few more pounds on the door and it breaks open, splintering under the pressure.
I’m speechless at who walks in the door. “Glad to see you’re still with us. Time to get you outta here.”
