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“I’m sorry; that’s not going to happen.”
Nicole didn’t even have time to register what he said. Shock tore through her as her Dad lunged forward, painfully gripping her arm and yanked her through the gap in the gates. He turned her by twisting her arm up behind her back. She cried out at the pain in her arm and shoulder and saw Duke and the others charging for the gate, weapons drawn.
Suddenly they ground to a halt, skidding on the loose ground just a few feet away from her. She didn’t understand. Why weren’t they coming for her? Her eyes focused on Duke as his face contorted with rage. She felt something cool touch her temple. Her mouth dropped open and she whimpered when she heard the cock of a gun. She could hardly take a breath. Her lungs weren’t working. Pain was growing worse through her arm and shoulder. Familiar panic was setting in.
Duke
Duke had reacted in a split second when Nole had pulled Nicole to him but he still wasn’t fast enough. Now he was stood, looking at Nicole in pain, scared and silently crying as her own fucking father held a gun to her head. His heart was beating out of his chest. Pure, white hot rage consumed him as he took in the scene. Time seemed to have stopped. No one moved. He could feel blood pooling in his free palm, his fist was so tight that his nails were digging in, cutting his skin. His other hand held steady on his gun, searching for a clear shot at Nole. He didn’t have one. His whole body protected by Nicole.
Nole didn’t look sane right now. His eyes were twitching, sweat dripped from his brow and the hand holding the gun trembled sporadically. He had to get Nicole away from him. The stupid fucker was likely to pull the trigger without meaning to. He knew whatever he wanted, he’d give so long as Nicole ended up unharmed and in his arms. Any other outcome was unacceptable and would end with Nole’s head mounted on the club wall.
“Put the fucking gun down, Fletcher!” Prez shouted, a shake in his voice betraying his own level of anger.
Duke tried to speak but his jaw was set so tight he couldn’t. His mind was over flowing with plans, worries and images of Nicole and their time together. He couldn’t straighten his thoughts. He took in calming breaths, knowing Nicole needed him. Needed his reassurance right now. His muscles stayed tight and his breath still heaved as he spoke as calmly as he could.
“Baby, take some deep breaths. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” He kept eye contact with her, as he saw her nod slightly and do as he said. She trusted him to rescue her and he wouldn’t betray that trust. He had to find a way. “That’s it, baby. Keep calm. What do you want, Fletcher?”
“Not anything you can give me.” Duke gambled a step forward but stopped as Nicole’s renewed cry of pain cut through his heart. “Get back! Take one more step and I pull the trigger.” Nicole whimpered so loudly that a surround sound of growls released from him and his brothers. “Nicole has somewhere to be and if you want any hope of seeing her alive again, you’ll close these gates and go to the back of the yard.”
“Not happening.” He wasn’t taking one step away from Nicole.
“You think I’m joking?” He dropped the gun from Nicole’s temple and shot her in the arm.
It was so close range that he could see the mist of blood that followed. Nicole’s agonising scream filled the air. Her knees buckled but Nole held her up and pointed his gun back at her head. Duke let out his own cry of gut wrenching pain at seeing Nicole shot. She was shaking badly as blood ran down her arm, dripping onto the ground. Her eyes were pleading with him to save her. How was he going to do that?
He still didn’t have a clear shot and neither did his brothers. Nole, the scrawny fuck was hidden well behind Nicole’s bountiful new form. Did he back off and do as Nole said or attempt a shot in the vain hopes of being quicker than Nole? Adrenalin swam through his veins, leaving him pumped and his mouth dry. He’d never felt more helpless or desperate in his life.
“Shut the gates!” His head snapped around to Prez who had issued the order. Duke trusted his life to his brothers but Nicole was worth more than all of them. Prez better have a plan or Duke was going rogue. His breathing accelerated again as another barrier was put between them. He promised himself, he’d never give up, never let her go, he’d find and save her no matter the consequences or the cost. As the gates clanged shut, Nicole mouthed ‘I love you’. He felt his heart splinter.
“I love you, baby! I’m going to get you back, I promise!” Her eyes closed as she nodded. He saw her shoulders sag slightly in relief – she knew he never broke his promises.
“Everybody back up. You’d better watch your back, Fletcher, we’ll be coming for you!” Prez ordered.
“I’m counting on it.” He responded with an air of sadness in his voice.
Every part of his soul screamed that moving away from Nicole was wrong. His feet were so heavy he couldn’t see how he was going to move. He absorbed Nicole’s green gaze that shined with her love for him while he was pleading with his to have faith in him and to stay strong, for him and their babies. He felt Razor and Slam grip his arms and urge him back. His feet moved but his eyes and soul remained concentrated on his woman. He was now only about forty feet away but it felt like the Grand Canyon separated them.
A loud whistle from Nole temporarily distracted him. A blacked out truck pulled up behind him and the back doors flew open. Nole dragged Nicole to the back and she disappeared from his sight behind the open door. He swore to himself he’d see her very soon and forced his mind to concentrate on the truck, he needed every clue to be able to find her. One of the doors shut. Taking a chance, he started to slowly move forward. A head and shoulders quickly emerged from the one door still open.
