Chapter 28
SUNDAY AFTERNOON, I was standing in Austin’s bathroom applying a little lipgloss when he walked into the room, his usual biker uniform nowhere to be seen. He still wore the jeans and cut I loved a little too much, but he had on a long–sleeved, soft T–shirt a deep blue that matched his eyes.
I smiled and tilted my head. “You look unbelievably hot, if not rather conservative.”
“Meeting your parents, babe. Want to be respectful.”
I slid my hands to his neck. “Love you.”
“Love you too.” He grinned and kissed me quickly. “Ready?”
I nodded and followed him out of the bedroom and grabbed my purse. He took my hand as we headed to the garage and opened the truck door for me before climbing in himself. We stayed connected as we drove to my parents‘ home and it helped calm my excited nerves.
My parents lived in Felida, a place that used to be filled with farms and berry fields. Now it was filled with mini mansions, newer custom homes jammed close together, and some of the higher earning executives in the Portland metro area chose to live here. My parents‘ home overlooked the river just off Lakeshore. I had been born in this house, as had my brother and sister. But the sad reality was, that unless I got my money back, I’d never be able to afford to live in the exclusive area.
Austin pulled his truck into the driveway and parked. He jogged to my side of the truck and opened the door, pulling me close and kissing me once I stepped out.
“Nervous?” he asked.
“Excited,” I said. “You?”
He grinned. “Once I meet your family, it’s forever, so, yeah. Excited.”
I snorted. “Even if you weren’t meeting them, honey, you’re kind of stuck with me.”
He kissed me again. “Even better.”
He opened the back door of the truck cab and grabbed the flowers he’d brought for my mother, the wine I chose for dinner, and then locked up his truck.
I took the wine and linked my fingers with his, tugging him to the door. My parents rarely locked the front door, so I pushed it open and giggled when I found my mom walking towards us. “Have you been watching from the window?”
She laughed. “I won’t answer that question.”
“Good idea,” I said, and pulled Austin forward. “Mom, this is Austin. Austin, this is my mom.”
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Chapter 28
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Harris.” He handed her the flowers.
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“These are beautiful. Thank you.” My mom pulled him in for a hug. “You can call me Brenda. Come and meet the rest of our crazy crew.”
We followed my mom to the back of the house where the kitchen and great room were filled with my family. Elliot took over the introductions while I joined my sister and mother in the kitchen to help.
“Crap,” my mom said. “I’m one stick of butter short.”
“I’ll run next door and see if Missy can spare one,” I offered.
“Thanks, honey, that would be great.”
I smiled and made my way to where Austin had made himself comfortable on the sofa, my brother and brother–in–law in a full–on debate about which football team was better, while Austin and my father sipped their beers and watched.
I leaned over him and kissed him. “I’m running next door to grab some butter.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“I’m quite capable to walking a few yards for butter. Stay here and relax.”
He smiled up at me and kissed me once more, and I grabbed my jacket and headed outside.
***
Booker
Dani had been gone for almost twenty minutes and I was getting anxious. “Dani’s been gone a while.”
Elliot chuckled. “Missy’s probably talking her ear off.”
I nodded, but it didn’t make me feel better. Five minutes later, I stood and grabbed my jacket. “Where’s this Missy person’s house?”
“I’ll come with you,” Elliot offered, and led me from the house.
We walked next door and knocked on the door. An older woman, probably in her sixties answered the door. “Well, hi there, Elliot.”
“Hey, Missy. We’re just looking for Dani. Is she still here?”
“Still? She hasn’t been here at all, honey.”
“Shit,” I snapped, and pulled out my cell phone. Dani hadn’t taken her phone with her, so I didn’t have a trace on her. I called Train, but he didn’t answer, so I called Mack.
“Yo,” Mack said.
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Chapter 28
“Dani’s missing, and I can’t find Train.”
“You track her?”
:
I rubbed my forehead. “Her cell phone, yeah, but she doesn’t have it with her.”
“We’ll find her, brother,” Mack promised.
I hung up at the same time Elliot did.
“Got my team on it,” Elliot said.
“Mine too,” I said.
Elliot nodded.
My phone rang and I saw Train’s name pop up. “Where the hell are you?”
“Saw her get pinched, brother. Two guys, black Escalade. They’re heading into Gresham.”
“I’m on my way. Call me when you have an address.”
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Train hung up and I made a run for my truck… Elliot followed, jumping into the passenger seat just in time as I reversed out of the driveway. I sped toward Gresham, uncaring I was in my truck with a cop. I needed to find Dani.
Elliot was on his phone the entire time, either filling his father in on what was going on or talking to his partner. He’d also called in a buddy’s FBI team who worked out of Portland since they were familiar with Gresham, and the scumbag sect that inhabited parts of it.
Train texted an address in a more rundown area of the city, and I arrived to find several of my brothers… some on their bikes, a couple in trucks… all armed and amped up to fight. I couldn’t worry about the fact that my club was about to collide with the law. Right now, I’d do anything to make sure Dani was safe. I grabbed my gun from the glovebox and climbed out of the truck.
A black SUV pulled in behind my truck and Dallas Stone exited, along with another man who I didn’t recognize.
“Booker,” Dallas said with a nod. “My partner, Brock.”
I gave him a chin lift. “Can’t touch the club, Dallas.”
“Not here to bust the club, Book. Macey likes your girl, so we’re here off the record.”
I nodded and joined Train. “Where?”
Train nodded toward a blacked out industrial building about a block down from where they were standing. “They went around the back.”
I nodded and started toward the building. “Follow me.”
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Chapter 28
A
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Danielle
I came awake with a start, mostly because my head felt like an ice–pick was jamming itself into my temple. I opened my eyes…. well, kind of… one of them didn’t seem to want to work, and I looked around. I was in a tiny room, tied to a chair, and my memory flooded back to me.
I had just stepped out of the house and was halfway up my parents‘ driveway when I was grabbed from behind. I fought as best I could, my self–defense training helping, but ultimately, there were two men and each of them outweighed me by at least a hundred pounds.
What I did manage to do was piss them off, and I remember pain in my ribs and face before I blacked out.
I swallowed and tried to figure out where I was. Austin would come. I knew he would. I didn’t know how I knew; I could just feel it in my gut. I took a deep breath, grimacing at the pain in my ribs. Breathing was probably not a good idea right now.
For the moment I was alone, but I didn’t know how long that would last. I heard male voices near the door, so I dropped my head and tried to go as limp as possible.
“What the hell do you mean the guy canceled the policy? Fuck you, Bobby. We took this bitch for no reason? Well, then there’s no reason to keep her alive.”
I tried not to react even though my heart sank into my stomach.
“Yeah. Okay. Well, shit. A mil’s not even close to ten, dumbass. You don’t take a cut, I don’t tell where I got my information. Otherwise, everyone’s gonna know who the hell you are.” The man chuckled… a low, sardonic, and very creepy chuckle. “How about you fuck off and figure out how to make this right.”
I was in a weird enough position that even though I’d managed to open my good eye a sliver, I couldn’t see who was speaking. Since it hurt to try, I closed them again.
“Bitch’s dad canceled the policy and Bobby forgot to tell us,” the man who’d been talking before complained.
“Shit, Ken, what does that mean?”
“Her family’s loaded, so Bobby thinks we’ll get at least a mil for her,” Ken said.
“Fuckin‘ idiot.”
“Yeah, Sal, I’m with you.”
“How long we gonna give the parents?”
“Six hours,” Ken answered. “Then we kill her.”
“You think they can get that much together in six hours?”
“I don’t care. She saw us, so either way, she’s dead.”
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Chapter 28
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They continued to talk, but their voices faded as they walked out of the room, closing the door behind them. I looked up again and tried not to panic. I needed to keep my wits about me and get the hell out of here.
I tested my bindings and discovered the more I moved, the more it hurt. I was tied with plastic zip ties that cut into my skin. Each of my ankles was zip tied to a chair leg and a rope around my waist had me pretty much stuck to the chair. My mouth was covered with what I assumed was probably duct tape, and it didn’t budge when I scrunched up my face.
I had no concept of how long I’d been in the room. There was no window, so I couldn’t tell how dark it was outside. It was still light when we’d gotten to my parents‘ place, but the sun was starting to set.
I sighed. I wish I had my phone. I knew Austin had put a tracker on it, but didn’t think I’d need it if I was just stepping next door.
I closed my eyes again and succumbed to darkness. I don’t know how long I’d been out, but the deafening sound of gunfire had me waking in fright, and then the door to the office flew open and I screamed behind my muzzle.
“Booker! In here,” Mack called.
I burst into tears as Mack rushed to my side and cut the bindings on my hands then my feet just as Austin arrived and knelt in front of me.
“Baby.” He gently peeled the tape from my mouth and I collapsed in his arms.
“I knew you’d come,” I cried. “But did it have to take you so long?”
He lifted me and I whimpered at the pain. Then I passed out
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