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Feeling reassured, I nod and watch as Slash walks over to two beefy men standing near the edge of the group. He talks to them for a moment, and then they come over to me.
“Sadie, this is Ghost,” Slash says, gesturing to a heavily tattooed man with a sweet face and a long beard. “And this is Riot.” He motions to the taller, leaner man beside Ghost. Both of them smile at me, and I can see the loyalty and commitment in their eyes.
Ghost has his two dogs with him, a pair of hulking pit bulls incongruously named Lucy and Pocket. “Is it okay if they say hi?” Ghost asks, and I nod enthusiastically. I’ve always wanted a dog, but with my work schedule, it never seemed fair. Ghost signals to the dogs, and they bound up to me, polite as can be, licking my hands and wiggling their little hippo bodies.
As Slash leaves to confront Viper, I’m left in the capable hands of Ghost, Riot, and their canine companions. Despite my doubts and fears, I know that I can trust these men to protect me.
As the hours pass, I find myself bored, so I wander outside, where Ghost is tossing a ball to Pocket. He’s positioned between the lot and the front doors, and Riot is right outside my room.
“Mind if I join you three?” I ask.
He grins, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Not at all. The dogs love the attention.” Lucy and Pocket are incredibly well-trained and gentle, and it’s obvious that Ghost has put a lot of time and effort into their care.
As we play with the dogs, Ghost and I strike up a conversation about the Cascade Reapers, and he tells me Slash helped him set up the little dog rescue operation he runs out of the clubhouse. I feel an inexplicable swell of pride hearing this. I already knew Slash is a good man, but hearing it from one of his brothers feels good.
“It’s amazing how forgiving they are,” Ghost says, his eyes soft as he watches Lucy nudge the ball toward him with her nose. “They’ve been with me through so much shit. I trust them with my life.”
I nod, understanding the bond he shares with his dogs. It’s clear that these men are more than their club, and I feel a little more at ease despite all the uncertainty.
CHAPTER9
Slash
I rideto the address the kidnapper gave me and find a rundown trailer in a forgotten corner of Packwood, far from the main road. I park my bike a safe distance away and approach the trailer on foot, careful not to make any noise. I need to get a better look at what I’m dealing with.
As I sneak around the back of the trailer, I peer through a grimy window and, sure enough, spot a man wearing an Iron Serpents cut. I don’t understand any of this, and trying to guess at the connection between the Serpents and the situation with Sadie is giving me a headache.
I spend a few minutes observing the place, making sure I’ve got the lay of the land. I can’t see anyone else inside, except for a woman who seems to be Viper’s old lady. Sadie’s safety is my top priority, and I won’t let anything jeopardize that. I need to deal with this Viper character and figure out what he wants with her.
Once I’m confident that Viper and his girlfriend are the only people inside, I walk up to the trailer, determination fueling my every step. I slam my boot against the flimsy door, sending it flying open with a loud crash. The woman inside screams, her eyes wide with fear. “Get out,” I order, not looking at her, my voice cold. She hesitates for a moment before scrambling to her feet and running out of the trailer, tears streaming down her face.
I step inside, my gaze locking on Viper. He’s sprawled on a stained couch, a smug grin on his face, seemingly unafraid of me. I clench my fists, my anger bubbling under the surface. This ends now.
As I step farther into the trailer, Viper pushes himself off the couch and stands, sizing me up with a sneer. “So, you’re the one causing all the trouble,” he says mockingly, clearly unimpressed.
I don’t waste any time responding. Instead, I lunge at him, my fists flying. He’s fast, but I’m faster. We trade blows, each one landing with a sickening thud. The confined space of the trailer leaves little room for maneuvering, making the fight even more brutal.
Viper is a skilled fighter, but I’ve got years of experience and the Cascade Reapers’ training behind me. His arrogance and overconfidence are his downfall. With every punch I throw, I think about Sadie and the danger she’s been put in because of him. It only fuels my rage and determination to put an end to this.
Our skirmish continues, both of us grunting and cursing as we exchange punches and kicks. But eventually, I manage to land a nasty blow to his midsection, causing him to double over in pain. I seize the opportunity and grab him by the collar, slamming him against the wall.
“You’re going to tell me everything,” I snarl, my face inches from his. “Why are you after Sadie? What do you want with her?”
Viper glares at me with a mixture of pain and defiance. But as he looks into my eyes, he must see the unrelenting fury and determination there. He knows he’s been overpowered, and there’s no escaping now.
I pin Viper down, my grip tightening around his throat. “Start talking, you piece of shit,” I say, my anger boiling over. “What the hell do the Iron Serpents want with Sadie?”
Viper struggles to breathe, his face turning red as he tries to pry my hand from his throat. “Okay... okay,” he wheezes, desperation in his eyes. “We’ve been following you. We just wanted to mess with you and your club at first, cause some chaos. We sent Jared to plant a listening device in your room... but he was an idiot and got himself killed.”
I almost let go of him at that bombshell.Killed. So he must have died in the hospital. Well, good riddance.
I tighten my grip, rage coursing through me. “And Sadie? What about her?” I demand.
“The plan changed when Jared fucked up,” he says quickly. “He was just supposed to fire off a shot and lure you out of your room. We had another guy waiting down the hall. But when you went apeshit, we realized she wasn’t just some random girl. We figured…”
“What?” I scream the word, shaking him.
“We figured we could kill her as a warning to you. To back off.”
