Page 140 of Silent Damage

“Jesus Christ,” I mutter under my breath.

Tobias, in the front passenger seat, looks over his shoulder. “Good work, everyone.” Then he looks at Dexter. “How are you?”

“I’ll live,” he huffs.

As Cash races along slick roads, I glance out the back windshield, terrified I’ll see a caravan of cars with guys ready to slaughter us, but the road is clear.

When we reach the Kitty Cat Club, I call Gabe.

Gabe

The phone rings, and I see it’s Jason. My heart leaps into my throat as I answer it. “Hey,” I scream into the receiver.

“We’re back,” he says. “I’ll be—“

“Where are you?” I blurt out.

Jason stutters for a second. “The Kitty Cat Club. I’ll be home—“

“Don’t move. I’m on my way.”

I hang up the phone, throw on my shoes and raincoat, and sprint down the gravel road leading to the main stretch.

My heart pounds as I pump my legs, heaving as the rain comes down in heaps.

When I turn down the alleyway leading to the club, I see a group of HellCats standing outside in the rain, waiting to get in.

There’s commotion inside, and I hop up and down trying to see Jason, but to no avail.

When I finally get in, the whole bar is filled with leather-clad badasses, cheering for Tobias as he holds up a glass of champagne.

There’s a magnificent necklace around his neck, which he cradles with his other hand.

I spot Jason seated at the bar, drinking a beer.

I breathe a sigh of relief, and the tension I’ve held in my shoulders for the past five hours finally dissipates.

Tobias motions for everyone to quiet down and begins to speak. “Tonight, I retrieved something that I thought I lost forever. This necklace is a symbol of my freedom—evidence that justice is possible if you take matters into your own hands.” The HellCats surrounding me hoot and holler for Tobias. “Tonight wasn’t about money or riches for me. It was personal. I wanted this necklace because the fucker who owned it destroyed a piece of my heart. Getting it back mattered more to me than anything, and I couldn’t have done it without the help of the men beside me. A toast to Cash, Jason, Max, and Dexter, who is currently getting stitched up because of a gunshot wound.”

I almost faint. Gunshot wound?

The crowd applauds, everyone lifting a glass in celebration.

Tobias raises his glass high. “AND TO THE HELLCATS!”

Beer explodes all around me, the entire room getting drenched as HellCats lift Tobias and carry him around the room.

I glance at the bar, hoping to see Jason, but I can’t see through the crowd. All I want to do is touch him.

I push through the people, getting elbows to the side, but finally reach Jason, who’s soaking wet from all the beer that’s been spilled on him.

“Jason,” I yell.

His eyes land on me, and he leaps off the bar and wraps me in his arms. “I did it, Gabe! I did it.”

“I’m so fucking proud of you,” I say to him as my heart literally feels like it’s going to break out of my chest.

Jason shows me off to the others, his arms around my shoulders. “THIS IS MY BEST FRIEND, GABE!”