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"They won't." If those men wanted us dead, we'd be dead. I make sure to keep that part to myself. What those men were doing was delivering a message. "Come on."
Slowly, Scarlett and I make our way through a field of overgrown brush. I know we're headed in the right direction when I spot the road a few yards ahead.
19
BLAKE
My head is throbbing, the pain radiating down my neck and spine. Every muscle in my body is locked with built-up tension. Ahead, Jake increases his speed, and I twist my throttle and follow suit with the others. We've been pushing ourselves since sunrise, racing to get home. We contemplated whether to turn right around and head back last night, but Jake decided to stay at the shitty motel room for safety, saying it was better to travel at daylight. We all tried to rest, but sleep evaded us.
The fact that it was no secret that my uncle's club knew our location also played a factor in our unrest. Seven days. It doesn't give us much time. And there's no knowing how Satan's Hounds will come at us when we don't meet their demand to hand over my sister. Bile rises in my throat, bitterness coating my tongue as my thoughts drift back to last night and the motherfucker staking his claim to Bellamy. She's a fucking kid. The sick fuck. I should have put a bullet in him right then and there. Everything about our current situation is new territory for the club. Not that the stakes haven't been high in past battles, but this time is different. We all know what lies ahead, that there is only one outcome to all of this. I shudder to think what will happen to Bellamy should my uncle's club get a hold of her again.
My thoughts shift to Ember. We're less than an hour from hitting the Polson city limit sign, and all I can focus on is getting home. I texted her during our last pit stop, but she hasn't responded. I'm already keyed up after the previous night's sit-down, and my woman's lack of communication threatens to push me over the edge.
We blow past a small, abandoned industrial site, an indicator that we're closing in on Polson. Just a few miles more, and we'll be turning our bikes toward the direction of the clubhouse. A reflection in my side mirror catches my attention, and I give the distraction another glance. The fuck? Where the hell did they come from? Someone is in the middle of the road, arms waving. Shit. I can't ignore them. I slow my speed and turn the bike around.
The closer I get to the person, who has now moved to the side of the road, the more recognition sets in. It's Scarlett, and my heart sinks to my stomach. By this time, my brothers are closing in behind me as I come to a sudden stop.
"Oh, my God!" Scarlett stumbles, falling to her knees on her way toward me. She clings to my forearms as I lift her.
"Where's Ember?" My head races with frenzied, disjointed thoughts as she sobs uncontrollably. "Scarlett!" I shout, trying to snap her out of hysterics. She finally looks at me."Where is Ember?"
Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Scarlett points toward the ditch. "She passed out again. They took our phones, everything. I didn't know what else to do but wait for someone to drive by and help."
My gaze catches on Ember's body, mostly hidden by the thick, overgrown grass, unmoving. "No." The air in my lungs leaves my body. Leaving Scarlett, I rush to Ember, falling to my knees. Her shirt is covered in blood, and her face is badly beaten. "Ember, baby." I brush blood-matted hair from her face.
"Jesus," Logan mutters, standing over me. "Is she breathin'?"
"She's alive," I announce.
"I'll call Reid and have him bring transportation," Quinn rushes out.
"That will take twice as long. We need to get her to Doc!" I yell back at Quinn but keep my eyes trained on Ember. "Talk to me, baby," I plead as my hands move across her body, looking for bullet or stab wounds. She moans as I roll her onto her side to assess her back for injury. Thankfully, I find none.
"Blake?" She blinks, cracking her swollen eyes open.
"I'm here, Vita Mia."
"Where's my sister?"
I look over my shoulder, spotting Scarlett being tended to by Jake, who is on the phone, most likely talking with Doc. "She's with Jake." I scoop Ember off the ground, carry her to my bike, and help her stand. Jake approaches me, leaving Scarlett with Quinn.
"Doc is waiting for us." His eyes rake over Ember, taking in her visible injuries, and the muscle in his jaw twitches. "Who did this to you?" Jake asks Ember.
She lifts her face to Jake, licking her lips coated with dried blood. "Three bikers with Satan's Hounds patches."
My blood runs cold. I glance at my brothers, and their expressions darken, knowing this is only the beginning of what is sure to come.
"We need to get the fuck out of here," Logan orders. "Now."
I look back at Ember. "Baby, I need you to get on the bike."
Ember nods. "Okay." With assistance, Ember climbs onto the seat. "I think I'm going to throw up." Just as the words come out of her mouth, Ember wretches. I hold her hair back as she empties the contents of her stomach. Using the front of my shirt to wipe her lips, I gently slip a helmet over her head, then climb on the bike.
Jake straps a helmet on Scarlett and places her on the back of his bike as the others mount their rides, gearing up to take off. "Tuck in as close as you can and wrap your arms around my middle, baby." I wait for her to do as I said. "Whatever you do, don't let go."
Ember presses her body against mine and whispers, "I knew you would come for me." Her arms squeeze against my ribcage as tight as she can get them.
"I always will," I promise, and pull onto the road, racing to get my woman and her sister to the safety of the clubhouse.
