“No! No!” Myles cried. “Ou bisheard!”
“Didn’t mishear shit. You threatened Lars and blew that poison into his face. I’m going to fuckin’ pound you!” Magic bellowed.
He didn’t hold back but let rip. Punches rained down, and Myles’s screams became whimpers and then snorting noises.
“Magic! Stop, you’ll kill him!” I cried, worried as I tried to get free. The door burst open, and Magic spun, aiming a gun in one hand and a grenade in the other.
The two men froze.
“Fuck! Magic’s hulked out!” one exclaimed.
“Magic, it’s us, we came for your boy,” the second declared.
“This motherfucker’s dead! He was going to hook Lars on meth. This asshole is mine,” Magic crouched over Myles, ready to tear into anybody who’d try to stop him.
“Brother,” the first man murmured. I saw he wore a patch, and it stated his name was Inglorious, President of the Unwanted Bastards MC. Magic jerked at the word, and he eyed Inglorious wildly. Inglorious held his hands up.
“Don’t call anyone brother who’s not in my club or an ally. You understand that Magic. But you’re my bro. Let’s untie Lars and get him home. Jody needs to see he’s safe,” Inglorious said.
“Magic, I’ll help you burn this fuck alive, but Lars first, ay?” The second wore a cut that claimed he was Vortex, VP of the Unwanted Bastards.
Magic snarled and smashed Myles’s head into the floor. Myles released a wheeze. “Shithead was going to harmmy boy,” Magic growled, and I heard the worry and fear in his voice. That did something, and a knot loosened inside me.
“I’m okay, Pops, look at me, I’m good,” I said, and Magic snapped towards me in an instant.
“Say it again,” he ordered.
“Pops.” I knew what he meant; I didn’t have to ask. Magic wanted confirmation. He’d never be my dad; Vulcan was that. But Magic could be Pops.
“Take Lars and leave. Tell the cops that Lars escaped and that you guys found him running down the highway. This fuck is mine,” Magic snarled. His eyes held a disturbing craziness. Magic was going to rip Myles apart, but I didn’t care; I wasn’t scared of Magic. What if Myles had grabbed Laila or Jesper? The sickness in my gut twisted, and I turned my head and heaved.
“I’m okay. It’s not what you think,” I gasped as Magic looked stricken. “What if he’d got Laila or one of the younger ones?”
I just lit the fuse. I recognised that even though I’d not meant to. If Magic were protective of me, then he’d be batshit crazy over Laila.
Venom crouched nearby. “Lars, isn’t it?” I nodded. “Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No. Myles blew that smoke in my face, but I held my breath,” I replied. Venom pulled a knife and cut my ties. My fingers started screaming with pins and needles, and I could have cried.
Venom, seeming to know, began massaging them as he helped me to my feet.
“Lars rides with you!” Magic ordered, pointing the gun at Inglorious, who nodded.
“Not a problem. See you soon. Come on, kid, let’s get you home.” Inglorious placed a hand on my shoulder and led me out of the house. I stopped at the doorway and gazed back just as Magic stabbed a knife into Myles’s thigh.
“Don’t leave any DNA behind,” I said, and Magic looked at me in surprise before nodding. Inglorious raised an eyebrow. “My dad was in an MC, I know how it works.”
Inglorious nodded and smiled in approval. “Come on, Lars, your mom will be borderline hysterical by now.”
Chapter Sixteen.
Jody
Iwas out of the house and down the steps before anyone else realised Harleys were pulling into my drive. They had Lars! They had my boy! Lars wasn’t even off the bike before I tackled him and hauled him in close. The tears I’d been holding spilt, and sobs tore from me.
Lars wrapped his arm around me and was saying stuff, but I couldn’t take it in. I just knew that God had been kind and sent my son home alive. The guy Lars had been riding behind spoke to Lars, and Lars nodded. I should move. Let this man off; hell, I didn’t even know who it was. I’d not looked.
“…he was running down the road. Don’t know where he came from, and we didn’t ask. Just knew we needed to get Lars back,” the biker was saying.
