Dragon (Devil's Fury MC 3) Page 7

  At least with Ramirez, I’d known what demon I was fighting. I couldn’t fight a monster if I didn’t know who they were, or why they’d taken my woman. On the way here, I’d learned her purse and phone had been left in her car on the side of the road. Someone had sabotaged her tire. From what the Reckless Kings had seen, it looked like someone had placed spikes across the road, then removed them when they ran off with Lilian. The tire had multiple punctures, and the dirt at the edge of the road had been disturbed, like something had slid through it. She’d been targeted for whatever reason, and they’d counted on her getting out to inspect her tire.

  Either she’d frozen despite the self-defense lessons, or they’d knocked her out somehow. Outlaw may have placed a tracker on her phone and car, but that didn’t do us a damn bit of good when she didn’t have either one with her. When all this was over, I’d be sorely tempted to chip her ass like a puppy, even though I knew it would piss her the hell off. I’d rather her furious and safe, than lose her again. Was she hurting? Had they touched her? Even though she’d survived that before, I didn’t know what it would do to her if she had to live through that hell again.

  “Where are you, Lil?” I murmured, wishing for some divine intervention. Anything to point me in the right direction. If I had even a clue as to where I should go, I’d barge in there, guns blazing, and get her back to safety.

  But I didn’t. I was lost, wandering in the dark, with no fucking clue how to get her home. My phone rang and I realized I’d left it in my pants pocket. I got up and dug it out, frowning when I saw Grizzly’s name. If he wanted an update, or some good news, I didn’t have shit for him.

  “Hey, Pres.”

  “Why is it quiet where you are?” he demanded.

  “Because Beast said I was in the fucking way and sent me to my room.” I snorted. If he weren’t the Pres for this club, I’d have told him to fuck off and stayed where I was. “They don’t know shit, Griz. No fucking clue who has her, where they’ve taken her, what they want. They’re just sitting here like dumbasses waiting for clues to fall into their hands.”

  He growled but remained quiet. I could hear him pacing and wondered if he was in his office at the clubhouse, or the one in his home. With Shella still there, and likely upset over the latest turn of events, I’d be willing to bet he was at his house, trying to keep her calm.

  “They sent a chunk of her hair,” I said softly. “Looked like they hacked it off with a knife. And a phone, but Beast wouldn’t show me what was on it. Whatever the fuck it was, it had to be bad. He lost a few shades of color.”

  “Her hair and a phone. Jesus. If they start sending pieces of her body, and I find out this has anything to do with the Reckless Kings and not us, I may very well rip Beast apart with my bare hands.”

  I knew the feeling. Except Grizzly was our President, which meant he could go toe to toe with Beast and still keep the man’s respect. If I tried that shit, the entire Reckless Kings would be down my throat and beating my ass, or trying to. The more I thought about this, the more I knew this had to be about the Reckless Kings and not Devil’s Fury. No one had known Lil was here. The kidnapper had to have snatched her, having seen her at this compound. He probably believed she belonged to someone here. The fact the items were being delivered to Beast made me think the idiot thought Lil was the Pres’ ol’ lady, or at least his girlfriend.

  “This isn’t on us,” I said. “In my gut, I know it ties to Beast. I just don’t know how or why.”

  “I’ll have Outlaw reach out to Shield and see if he can find out something for us. Any news I get, I’ll pass on to you, but if you hear so much as a word about Lilian, you call me. Understood?”

  “Yes, Pres.” My throat was tight. “You know I’ll do everything I can to get her back. Even trade myself if that’s what it takes.”

  “I know. Just get her back in one piece, Dragon. I’m not ready to lose my daughter.”

  I heard the part he didn’t say. If he hadn’t lost his temper over her being pregnant, then she wouldn’t have run. She’d left because she worried that I’d get hurt, which made my stomach feel like acid was bubbling inside it. I was every bit as much to blame for this shit, and I could own up to it.

  I only hoped I got the chance to apologize to her in person.

  A little while later, my phone chimed. When I checked the message from Outlaw, I wished I hadn’t. Shield must have shared the picture from the phone Beast had received. It was an image of Lil that I knew I’d never unsee. The fucker had stripped her. Cut her. Tied her to a damn chair with her legs splayed and every part of her on display. I gripped my phone so hard I heard the case crack.

  Whoever this fucker was, he was dead. No one did this shit to my woman and got away with it. Fuck giving in to his demands. If he finally sent a message that asked for something, I’d be happy to respond. I’d torture the shit out of him, then shove a stick of dynamite up his ass. He’d picked the wrong woman to kidnap and abuse.

  I could feel the flames of my anger flickering in my veins, bubbling under my skin, ready to burst free. This asshole was mine even if he didn’t know it yet. His time was coming. And if he hurt Lil more than he already had, if the worst happened, I’d make him scream for days. Weeks. It would be the lullaby I heard before I drifted to sleep at night, knowing that he was paying for his sins.

  “I’m coming for you and nothing can save you,” I vowed, looking at the image on my phone one more time. I was sending this fucker straight to hell.

  Chapter Seven

  Lilian

  I’d pissed myself. Anger and humiliation filled me at the indignity I’d had to suffer at the hands of the crazy man pacing the warehouse. I didn’t know how long I’d been here, but since I’d woken that first time the sun had risen twice. So, at least two days. Maybe longer. He hadn’t fed me. Had grudgingly gave me some sips of water here and there, but that was it. No food. No bathroom. And when I did manage to sleep, it was while I was tied to the damn chair.

  No, I didn’t pity him anymore. Didn’t wish that he’d get help for whatever illness he had. Now I just wanted him dead, but first I wanted him to experience everything he’d done to me, and then some. I’d never been a vindictive person. Until now.

  I’d never stopped fighting. My wrists were so swollen and bloody I worried an infection was going to set in. This place was disgusting. But I’d finally loosened my bonds again. Enough that I managed to slip a hand free. I kept my arms pinned behind my back, not wanting the man to discover I was close to escaping. He muttered to himself in four different voices as he walked the length of the warehouse.

  Suddenly, he came to a stop and stared at me. “They need a better message. That’s all. I didn’t make it clear enough.”

  The hairs on my nape prickled. He’d hacked off my hair. Taken a picture of me splayed and naked. What the fuck was he going to do now? He came closer, his eyes wild and feverish. My body tensed, but he leaned down and picked up the panties he’d cut off me. When I realized what he was going to do, I slammed my eyes shut, but I could still hear him. The sound of him yanking his dick made me want to throw up.

  He laughed maniacally. “There. A nice little present for your Beast. I’ll just have this delivered and see what happens. Surely he can’t ignore this!”

  I didn’t think Beast would have ignored anything he’d sent so far, which made me wonder… had the idiot even given him a way to respond? I knew the man was unhinged, but this was getting ridiculous. He shoved the soiled panties into an envelope, and raced to the door, only pausing a moment to waggle his fingers at me.

  “Back soon, pretty.”

  The door shut behind him and I immediately relaxed. I pulled my arms from behind me and tried not to scream in agony. My fingers felt cold and numb, and painful prickles raced from my shoulders to my hands. I managed to pull the tape from my mouth, then worked to get my ankles free.

  I was now fully naked and my clothes were sliced to pieces. I had nothing to wear, and running ou
tside as I was could be risky. But if I stayed, I had no doubt that he’d eventually hurt me far worse. Maybe even kill me if he didn’t get what he wanted. Standing nearly took me to my knees, but I managed to stagger my way to the door. I eased it open, wincing as the metal hinges creaked, but a quick glance outside didn’t show a single person within viewing distance.

  I crept outside, moving slow at first. When no one jumped out at me, and the crazy man seemed to truly be gone, I moved faster. As quick as my aching limbs would carry me. I saw the street again, the one I’d tried to reach before. My heart raced as I wondered if I’d make it this time. I eventually broke free of the warehouses and turned down the street. This area of town didn’t look like it was the best, but I’d take my chances. If anything, maybe a cop would drive by and stop to arrest me for public indecency. There was a gas station on the corner and I ran inside, hoping whoever worked there might be nice enough to let me make a call. And maybe get a drink and some food. Clothes would be nice too.

  I gasped for breath when I collapsed against the counter, the clerk not looking even slightly fazed. Then again, judging the rough neighborhood, this probably wasn’t the worst thing she’d ever seen. The woman popped her gum and watched me, waiting. When I finally thought I could talk without passing out, I asked for the phone.

  “Please. I need to call for help,” I said.

  Her gaze skimmed me up and down. “You running from a man?”

  Did she get naked women in here all the time who were bleeding all over the floor? What the hell kind of place was this?

  I nodded. “Yes, but not mine. He snatched me when my car got a flat. I need to call my dad.”

  Her eyebrow arched. “Yours or the baby’s?”

  I glanced down at my stomach and cradled my baby. “Mine. He’ll tell everyone else whatever they need to know. Just, please… I need to call before the man comes looking for me. He’s completely crazy.”

  She sighed and pulled a cordless phone from behind her, then slid it across the counter. “Better be a local call.”

  Shit. It wasn’t. “Um. Change of plan. Do you by any chance know how to reach the Reckless Kings?”

  Now that got a reaction. She paled a little and stopped chewing her gum. Her hand trembled as she took the phone back, dialed a number, and handed it over. I knew the club wasn’t out doing good deeds left and right, they were outlaws just like my dad’s club, but her reaction seemed a little extreme. It was also curious she knew their number by heart. Just what sort of reputation did Beast and his men have around here? And what was their connection to her or the town in general?

  “You make sure they know I helped you,” she said.

  Confusing, but whatever. If she had a problem with them, that was on her. I just needed to get the hell out of here. And fast. The sixth ring someone answered.

  “What the hell do you want?” a man asked.

  “I need to speak to Beast.”

  “Yeah, right. Sure you do. Look, you probably suck cock like a pro, but he’s busy.”

  “Wait!” I yelled, hoping he wouldn’t hang up. “This is Lilian. Grizzly’s daughter.”

  I heard a muttered shit. “Where are you?”

  I looked at the clerk. “What’s the address of this place?”

  She reached over and took the phone from me. After rattling off the address, she told them to hurry up and get me. Then she hung up on whoever had answered. If she was scared of them, that probably hadn’t been a way to endear herself to the club. If I’d learned anything it was that big, growly, alpha bikers didn’t like it when you hung up on them. I’d done it more than once since living with the Devil’s Fury. It was still the fastest way to piss off my dad.

  She eyed me again, then heaved a sigh. Walking around the counter, she went over to a display and dug through a pile of cheap T-shirts. Yanking one off the shelf, she handed it to me. I gratefully pulled it over my head, happy it went down to mid-thigh. When she handed me a bottle of cold water, I nearly cried. I tried to sip it slowly so I wouldn’t get sick, but it was the best thing I’d tasted in days.

  While I waited, I tried to keep away from the windows and yet still keep the street within view. I didn’t want Mr. Crazy Kidnapper to find me. If he did, I wasn’t sure if the store clerk would let me hide in the back or not. She didn’t seem overly sympathetic to my plight. For all I knew, she got women in here weekly claiming to have been kidnapped.

  I heard the pipes before I saw the first bike. Beast pulled into the lot with three other Reckless Kings, a big truck, and… My heart gave a hard thump when I saw several cuts from Devil’s Fury. When had Outlaw shared my location? I’d told Dad I was okay, but I hadn’t said where I was staying because I’d known he would send someone after me. I wondered if the Reckless Kings had called when I’d gone missing. If that was the case, I knew my dad had to be frantic.

  Beast was the first one through the door. “Little chick, where are you?” I hurried over and he quickly wrapped me in a hug. “Thank fuck. Scared ten years off my damn life.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “No, she’s not,” said another voice. I looked over and eyed the Reckless King with Copper stitched on his cut. “She’s bleeding.”

  Oh. Right. I hadn’t even noticed the pain in my wrists until he’d brought it up. Now they throbbed and hurt like a bitch. Beast set me back and looked me over, taking my hands in his, he studied the wounds on my wrists. “Were you tied up with ropes or tape?” he asked.

  “Both. I managed to work free of the ropes, then kicked my kidnapper in the balls and ran like hell. He caught me the first time. I didn’t give up, though. This time I waited until he left, got myself free, and ran here.”

  He gave a snort that turned into full out laughter. “Good job, little chick. You remember where you were held?”

  I described the area as best I could and Beast sent his men to check it out. The Devil’s Fury members came forward, and when I saw Dragon was with them, I fought damn hard not to cry. I wouldn’t show weakness! He’d already ripped out my heart and stomped on it. I’d be damned before I let him know how much I liked seeing him right now, knowing that he’d come for me.

  “Lil,” he said, holding out a hand. “You okay?”

  I gave a short nod. “I’ll be fine.”

  “We’ll let a doctor decide that,” Beast said. “I’ll call the place you were supposed to go three days ago and have them work you in.”

  “Wait.” I looked from him to the setting sun outside and back again. “Three days? I’ve been gone for three days?”

  Beast hesitated a moment. “Little chick, I think you need to start talking. What happened? How do you not know how much time has passed? You’ve been gone over seventy-two hours.”

  And that’s all it took before my bladder decided it was in a state of emergency. I squeaked and ran for the hall with the bathroom sign.

  “You need a key,” yelled out the clerk.

  “Then give me one!” I screamed. “I need it ten minutes ago!”

  It was Beast who came after me, key in hand. He unlocked the bathroom, surveyed the area, then stepped back and let me inside. I nearly gagged as I looked the place over. By some miracle I managed to squat over the toilet without touching it, then used some toilet paper to push the handle down to flush. After I washed my hands, I tapped the door with my toe because there was no damn way I was touching that door handle. Hell, just knowing my bare feet were touching the floor was enough to make me want to throw up.

  “Let’s get you out of here, then we’ll talk,” he said.

  I let him lead me outside, but he took me over to a truck that was all too familiar. I hadn’t recognized it when it had first pulled in. With Dragon in the driver’s seat. “Beast, I…” His grip tightened. “Fine. I’ll go with him, but I won’t like it.”

  Beast chuckled. “Don’t have to like it, little chick. But he’ll keep you safe, and you’re sure as hell not riding on a bike while you’re pregnant. Not to mention near
ly naked. Now give me the condensed version of what happened so I can figure out our next step.”

  I explained about my tire going flat and getting snatched off the road. How I’d woken up in a warehouse, tied to a chair. I tried to describe the man who had taken me, and told him he’d used Charlotte to get to Beast.

  “He didn’t make any sense,” I said. “But it seems he blames you for something that cost him her. I don’t think the her was in reference to Charlotte.”

  Beast nodded. “We’ll figure it out. I’ll text Dragon the address of the doctor. He technically has an office inside the clubhouse, but he’s had back-to-back appointments at his place in town. Plus he mentioned something about an ultrasound, and he doesn’t keep that type of equipment at the compound. You get checked out, then head back. In the meantime, my crew will find the asshole who took you and we’ll get some answers.”

  “Good luck. I think he’s suffering either from multiple personality disorder, or he’s had some sort of mental breakdown.” Possibly both.

  Beast shut the door, then thumped the top of the truck. Once I was buckled, Dragon pulled out of the parking space and out onto the road. His phone chirped and he tossed it to me. “Passcode is 7894.”

  I glanced at him as I input the numbers. I read off the address of the doctor’s office, then set his phone to give him directions. When I tried to hand it back, he shook his head.

  “You want me to hold it while you drive?” I asked.

  “No. I want you to go through all the texts and pictures.”

  What the hell was he up to? I opened the messages first, noting that most were from other club members. Some were from names I didn’t recognize, but not a single one was from a woman. Didn’t mean anything. He could have deleted all the booty call texts before he got here. But it was the pictures that made me cry.

  “Is this… a nursery?” I asked, flipping through the images.

  “Yep. For our baby.” My gaze met his, but he quickly looked back at the road. “I know I fucked up. I never should have said what I did, and I’ve felt sick over it ever since. It was wrong, but I was trying to do the right thing. For you. Lil, you deserve so much better than me.”