DrewMy blood is running cold, my gaze is in deep colors of red and gray as Dalton drives me to CRISIS. My hands were shaking too hard to get onto my bike. That's never, in all the years I've ridden, happened to me. Fear traps me tightly in its clutches, wrapping tightly around my body as we drive in his truck, the emergency lights flashing.I was completely against calling the cops as soon as they told me what happened. I want retribution, I want this fucker's heart still beating in my hands when I get done with him, I want every drop of blood I can get. There's one thing to mess with my club, one thing to piss me off, a whole other thing to take my child in fucking broad daylight.And fuck, Justice, she's my one who feels everything. My bleeding heart who's tough, but does her best to try and understand things from every perspective. Harley? She'd beat the shit out this person, I have no doubt about it, but Justice. This could break her, and I don't want her broken. God, I love
JusticeI should have screamed louder when the man took me, I should have fought harder, kicked stronger. My stupid shoestring. Ever since I've been able to tie my shoes, I've never tied them super tight, and they constantly come undone. My mom always tells me they're going to get me in trouble, and today she was right.I'm scared, worried I'll never get to see my parents again. What if I'm not able to be in Aunt Tatum's wedding? What will Harley do without me? Tears prick the back of my eyes as I think about never sleeping in my bed again, or seeing my grandma or papaw. I should have listened. How many times did they tell me to run from strangers? To never allow them to take me anywhere? This is all my fault.The building I'm in is wet, cold, and dark. I can hear water running, which means I'm probably close to the river, but I can't be completely sure. My hands are tied in front of me, and I close my eyes, trying to think back to the Facebook video my mom made me and Harley wat
Drew"Are you sure he knows what he's doing?" I bite my nails as Tyler and I sit behind Caelin in the security cave. "He knows what he's doing," Caelin answers the question instead of his dad. "Look, I promise." His eyes are so much like the elder Blackfoot, it scares me. "I'm going to figure out what this asshole has done, and I'll be sure Justice gets out of this with as little damage as possible. She's my friend, and I don't want to see her hurt.""You have my trust." I clap him on the shoulder. "But I'm gonna need you to hurry this up a little for my sanity.""Do you remember when you and Dalton were the ones there for Meredith and Mandy? Back when she was pregnant with him?" Tyler leans his head toward his son. "I can't begin to tell you how damn scared I was when I knew, like really knew there was a threat. All the time you imagine what you're going to do, how you're going to handle it when someone terrorizes your family, but you don't know. You can't imagine the way you
DrewOur vans travel three deep across the Louisville Road bridge, taking a right at the river. We trek a few more miles out into the county and then turn right down one of those old country roads. You know the kind I'm talking about. It has no shoulder, no lines down the middle, and the only people traveling it are those up to no good and the maybe five people who live down it.Nerves wrack my body from the top of my head to the soles of my booted feet. There's another storm brewing if the darkness in the sky is any indicator, but there's also a storm brewing deep inside my gut. I'm ready to take the fear I've been living with for the past few hours out of someone's hide. It'll feel real good, but when we stop in front of the building, I have to ask Caelin if he's sure."You're positive this is the building?""Yeah, I know it doesn't look like much, but I'm pretty positive that's why they picked it. It's nondescript, doesn't stand out in anyway. Trust me, I'm positive this is
CaelinI can't believe what I'm seeing as I stand in the shadows of the doorway, watching Drew and Travis square off against one another. There aren't many men I'm afraid of, but Drew Walker is one of them. I've watched him box in the ring, seen him take on my dad a time or two. He knows what he's doing, but he's real easy to underestimate. He's got long reach and he's strong as fuck, but he's not bulky. He's smart and bides his time. As soon as Travis rushes toward Drew full-force, I know he's someone who has underestimated him.Easily, Drew steps to the side, causing Travis to lose his footing, falling flat on his face. I hold back both the laugh and the cheer. Seeing someone so sure of himself fall is one of the best things I think I've ever seen."It's not going to be as easy as you thought it was." Drew grabs hold of the other man's collar, pulling him up. He aims for the nearest wall, shoving Travis face-first into the concrete. A loud cry of anguish rents the air, and I
Drew"Get inside." I reluctantly let Justice go. "Everybody is excited to see you." I push her toward the door, needing a moment to get my shit together. "If you want me to tell her," - Dad comes to me, putting his hand on my shoulder - "I will. Steele was my hire, he was my responsibility.""No." I shake my head, this is mine. "I took over, and when I took over, that means everything."Holding my head up high, I walk into the clubhouse just in time to see the reunion with all the girls. Charity and my mom smother Justice, each holding her tightly. In the corner I see Tatum holding herself back, as well as Christine. Both of them deserve my attention, but I hold off when I see Harley approaching her sister."I'm so sorry for being mean to you!" Harley sobs as she grabs hold of her sister. "I love you and I'm so sorry!""I love you too," Justice cries, holding on tightly to her sister. "I knew you'd help me.""I did. I told them I didn't think you were dead, I could still
Three Months LaterMandy"I'm sorry, Mrs. Barnett. You appear to be having a miscarriage."I knew it immediately when I'd woken up this morning. Something had felt off. This dread in the pit of my stomach hadn't been around since Travis had died and the rest of us went back to the lives we'd abandoned to figure out who was threatening us.We'd been happy. All of us. Especially me. Right now, I can't react, can't seem to quite believe what the doctor is telling me."Mrs. Barnett, do you understand what I'm saying to you?"How can I understand? I was going to have a baby, and now I'm not. This baby was the one right thing that would fix all the wrongs. What was I going to do now?"I'm not pregnant anymore." The words are pushed between my lips emotionless and monotoned."You'll need to have a D&C," he's saying, but I tune him out.I can see Drew at my side, listening to what the doctor says, because Dalton isn't here yet. Maybe I don't even really want him here. "Man
DrewChristmas Eve"How are you doing?" I ask Mandy as we sit down around Mom's Christmas tree.It's the one family affair we always make it to. Once we do Christmas with her, we go home, get ready for Santa, and then get a few hours' sleep. Funny, this year we thought we'd be done with Santa, but since Charity's carrying our son, we'll have a lot of fun next year."Okay," she answers, but I can tell she isn't. As far as I know, I'm the only one she's been truthful with, and that's only because I'm so close to Dalton. I'm one of the only people Dalton's talked to about it to, but I can't tell her that. "He came home for a few hours yesterday," she whispers. "To see Walker, and to give him a few Christmas gifts."My heart breaks because I know how bad these two are hurting. "Would you be willing to welcome him home?""I'm going through so much right now." She sighs deeply before looking at me.And there I see it, the dead stare of my twin. I feel her pain almost as acutely