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“Be safe, okay?”
“I will.”
“Now go bring our girl home,” she told me.Nervousness etches her face as she shoves her hands in the back pockets of her jean shorts.She leans against the door frame to watch us leave.
We take one SUV and the Van.Rolling up to the Dirt Machine Outlaws place, nervousness settles in my stomach.In any type of situation like this, it’s nerve-wracking.Hayden insisted on coming along even though his leg is still healing.I know he wants to be here for Claire when we get her.But we have to be meticulous about the rescue.
We came prepared with guns, knives, and everything else in between.Hayden is the lookout, armed with guns in case anything goes awry.When we scoped out the situation the other day, I didn’t have the heart to tell Astera what kind of shape Claire was in.It nearly killed me to leave her there because we couldn’t go in right away… not without careful planning.It would have been a suicide mission.
I watch from a distance while Foster and Lock sneak up on two guys out front and immediately put them out with a choke hold, our sneak attack is quiet and unsuspecting.Cutter and Rowan are around the back taking care of those guys.
As much as I want to kick the door in and make our presence known, I can’t.Turning my body sideways, I take my booted foot and slowly open the door, and I’m horrified by what I see.Claire suspended in the air with rope.The sight alone causes me to swallow a hard lump.She was not in this condition when we last saw her.She was tied to a bed and scared for her life.
Now, she suspends in the air, her shirt completely ripped down the middle exposing her chest, her mouth gagged with a piece of cloth, and her shorts ripped to shreds.My eyes connect with hers, and she moves her eyes to where the men are.Her eyes are void of anything reminiscent of her.
Looking over at Foster and Lock, I nod my head in the direction of where the guys are.But the look on their faces, they are just as horrified as I am when they spot Claire.But there are men we need to kill.The man at the bar yells for the other guys.He reaches for his gun, but I am too fast and get my first shot in.
Lock and Foster make their way through the club.It isn’t huge, it mostly looks like a janky house.
Shots firing make my ears ring.I carefully place one booted foot over the other and make my way down the hallway.Just as I round the corner, one of the men has their gun pointed at me, but my reflex is quicker than his, and I fire a shot, and his body falls at my feet.I work my way to Foster, and Lock, as I begin to clear the rooms.Women scream with terror and run.One thing I won’t do is kill innocent women or the whores that work for these despicable men.Men who won’t see reason.Men who deserve to die.
Total chaos surrounds us, and a scream rings out from the main area.It’s a female’s scream.But as more men try to come at me, I assume they are trying to leave or trying to get to Claire again and take her.I fire my gun and immediately immobilize them.
I meet up with Foster and Lock.“Is it clear?”
“Yeah, I think we got them all.”
Cutter and Rowan join us.“We got Claire down.She’s outside with Hayden,” Cutter mentions.
“Are you sure we got them all?”I ask, looking to Lock and Foster.
“I believe so,” Foster says.
“Claire got one.She took a knife right out of my pocket, and slit a guy’s throat,” Cutter tells us.
We carefully make our way back toward the front in case we encounter anyone else.We know we didn’t get everyone because the men are scattered in different places.I know we got the majority of them.It’s enough to cripple the crew so they won’t come after us.
My eyes reach Claire’s as she holds a leather jacket over her small frame, sitting on the ledge of the van.
I approach her.“You good?”
She nods in response.
I wish I had the words to console her.Words to say she will be okay.Words to say she is safe now.But words failed me.
“Let’s get the hell out of here,” Cutter calls over as he gets behind the wheel of the van.Foster rides shotgun, while Lock, Hayden, and I ride in the SUV.I get behind the wheel, Lock rides shotgun, and Hayden gets in the back, bringing Claire close to his chest.
“You’re gonna be okay,” Hayden reassures her.
She doesn’t say a word the whole ride back to the club.
I share a look with Lock, conveying that I have a sinking feeling this is not going to end well.
ChapterSeventeen
ASTERA
Sitting on the porch, I don’t know how long I wait for the crew to get back.My concern is that everyone comes back safe, as well as Claire.I can’t begin to imagine what she has been through.We just need everyone home safe.
