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My knuckles are white on the Harley’s handlebars as I tear through the streets. The wind whips past me, doing nothing to cool the rage boiling inside me. I feel it, a hot, furious thing consuming my thoughts and clouding my vision. It’s mixed with a heavy dose of guilt that knots my stomach, the sour taste of regret stinging in my mouth.
Images flood my mind, of Ava laughing, of Ava scowling, of Ava looking up at me with those clear, earnest eyes. And then, the thought of her with another man, on the back of his bike, the thought of her scared or hurt... it fuels the anger coursing through me.
The Iron Serpents. The bastards. I should’ve known. I should’ve seen it coming. Their lewd comments about Ava, their smug grins, it all comes back to me, fueling my rage. I should’ve done more, been more vigilant. I was too caught up in our new routine, in the change she’d brought into my life.
I didn’t protect her. The thought gnaws at me, a cruel reminder of my failure. And as the guilt mixes with the rage, there’s another feeling creeping in. One that’s been growing for a while now, silent and patient. My feelings for Ava.
The understanding of these feelings hits me like a freight train, turning my world on its axis. I care about Ava. I care about her in a way that goes beyond our friendship, beyond our shared morning rides, beyond our quiet conversations.
It makes this entire situation even more painful. She’s more than a friend, more than someone I need to protect as the club president. She means more to me than I’ve admitted to myself, and now, she’s been taken away from me.
As the clubhouse comes into view, I slow down, drawing in a deep breath. The familiarity of the place does nothing to ease the whirlwind of emotions churning inside me. But I have to push it all aside. I have to focus. I have to plan. Because I’m not going to let the Iron Serpents get away with this.
I have a club to rally, a rescue mission to plan, and a woman to save. And in the midst of all this chaos, I have my feelings to contend with. But one thing is clear above all—I have to get Ava back. No matter what it takes.
Walking into the clubhouse, the familiar buzz of activity grinds to a halt at my grim expression. The Cascade Reapers, my family, sense the storm brewing. When I tell them Ava’s been taken, the silence is thunderous.
“By the Iron Serpents,” I add, watching as the information sinks in, as anger flares up in their eyes mirroring my own. I don’t sugarcoat the urgency of the situation. Ava’s life is on the line, and we need to act, fast.
I can almost see the gears turning in their minds as they immediately get down to business. There’s Jax, his hand already reaching for the map we use for strategic planning, Hawk’s brows furrowed in thought, Stray’s jaw set in a grim line of determination. Loyalty emanates from them, fierce and unwavering. They’re ready to ride into hell for Ava, for the club, for me.
Planning the operation is like walking on a knife-edge. I’ve led the Reapers through tough situations before, but this one is personal. Every decision I make, every strategy I devise, has Ava’s safety at its heart. At the same time, I can’t risk the lives of my brothers unnecessarily. I have to find the right balance, and it’s an excruciating task.
My emotions are a turbulent sea, but I can’t afford to let them cloud my judgement. Every minute counts, and we can’t afford to be reckless. The Iron Serpents won’t hesitate to spill blood, and we have to be prepared for that. But Ava is the priority. She’s always the priority.
For hours, we huddle over the map, our heads filled with roads and routes, hideouts and potential ambush points. Suggestions are thrown around, plans are made and discarded, new ones formed. The weight of my role as the club president has never felt heavier, the responsibility never more grave. But in the end, we come up with a plan. It’s risky, but then again, nothing about our lives has ever been safe.
As I look around at the men ready to risk their lives, I’m filled with a sense of grim determination. The Cascade Reapers are more than just a club. We’re a brotherhood, and we look after our own. Ava is one of us. She’s been taken by the enemy, and we will bring her back.
The Iron Serpents started this war. We intend to finish it. And as the president of the Cascade Reapers, as a man who’s discovered a personal stake in this fight, I won’t stop until Ava is safe with us again.
When I involve Stray in the mission, he seems to straighten up, an eagerness flickering in his eyes. He’s still reeling from his guilt over Ace, his need to make amends bleeding through. But he knows Ava, and his familiarity with her is a valuable asset. “We’re gonna get her back, Stray,” I tell him, seeing the nod of his head, the firm set of his jaw. The responsibility I’ve handed him strengthens his resolve.
His inclusion in the mission also brings something else— a sense of kinship between us. We share a guilt that’s been gnawing at our insides, a burden that’s not easy to carry. Stray’s always been the club’s problem child, but at this moment, I see more of myself in him than I’d like to admit.
CHAPTER8
Ava
When I wakefrom a fitful sleep, the chilling memory of my abduction claws its way back, as vivid as the moment it happened. The end of my shift at the hospital was the beginning of the nightmare. The moment I walked out, my heart hitched at the sight of the Iron Serpents’ emblem on a leather jacket. Before I could react, the Serpent was there, his cold gaze pinning me in place, a cruel smirk playing on his lips.
In his hand, a gun gleamed under the cold hospital lights. He threatened to shoot, not just me, but anyone who dared to interfere. Fear twisted my insides, rendering me helpless and cornered. I was left with no choice but to comply, climbing onto his motorcycle with trembling hands and a prayer on my lips that Brick would somehow realize I was in trouble.
The ride was a blur of rushing scenery and pounding fear. He drove us to an unknown location— a rundown building that screamed ‘hideout.’ This was their nest, the Iron Serpents’ den. My heart pounded as the reality of my situation sunk in. I was their captive, under constant surveillance. Yet, I refused to break, staring down each leering face with a defiance they couldn’t smother.
Cornered in a room, the cold concrete of the floor under my feet, I did the only thing I could— I planned. I observed their routines, noted the layout of the building, listened to their conversation for anything that could help me escape. Every moment of silence was filled with thoughts of Brick. The image of his stern face, his piercing gaze filled with resolve, bolstered my spirits. He would come for me, I knew it. And until then, I would resist, bide my time, and hold on to the fire within me.
Each passing hour in captivity has been a battle against fear, a struggle to stay defiant in the face of my captors. But I’m fueled by the thought of Brick, of the Cascade Reapers coming to my rescue. Despite the fear gnawing at me, I cling to this hope like a lifeline. I have to believe that they’ll find me, that Brick will storm through the doors any minute and save me from this nightmare.
A shadow falls over me and I glance up to see Mark standing in the doorway, a smug grin on his face that makes my skin crawl. I’ve never seen this side of him before— cruel, relentless, and twisted.
Mark prowls the room like a predator, his grin sickeningly smug. “You know, Ava,” he begins, his voice a dangerous whisper, “this isn’t just about you.”
He turns to face me, his eyes gleaming with an unhealthy obsession. “I’ll admit, I’ve always been... fascinated by you. But there’s more to this game.”
His resentment toward the Cascade Reapers seeps through every word. “Those bastards need to learn a lesson, especially Brick. He’s always been too high on his damned throne.”
Mark’s revelation takes a darker turn as he unveils his alliance with the Iron Serpents. “And the Serpents, oh, they’ve been waiting for a chance to sting. To hit the Reapers where it hurts.”
