We’ve got two hours until the charges are triggered. Two fucking hours, and Beth isn’t back yet.

I ordered her and my men to be back early. Fucking hell, I don’t need this added stress. Pistol, the fucker… He isn’t answering his phone, and no one can seem to find Latch either. If they’re alive when I find them, I’m going to kill them.

I climb off my bike, Briar and Sabre behind me. Shaft, a new recruit, stays behind to watch over the bikes and be on lookout. I push through the doors intent on finding my woman. When I feel my cellphone vibrate in my pocket, a small amount of panic leaves me. Finally, the fuckers are checking in. I’m going to take off their heads and turn Beth’s ass red for worrying me. I look at the caller ID and notice it’s Beast’s room.

“Where the fuck have you been? I thought I told you to come home early?”

I expect to hear Beth’s voice. When I don’t, my stomach clenches and my heart lodges in my throat, fear choking me.

“Boss.”

The voice is strained and hard to hear. It’s gruffer and different from the way it used to be, but I instantly recognize it.

“Beast? Where the fuck’s Beth? Or my men? Son of a bitch, are you okay?”

“Boss… A-Attack…”

“Motherfucker!” I growl, taking off running, ignoring the elevators and bolting up the stairs. I hear my brothers running behind me, their steps echoing. I’ve got my gun drawn and I burst into Beast’s room, unsure of what I’ll find. Beast is lying on the bed, shaking as he tries to pull himself up. Latch lies on the floor, bleeding.

Pistol and Beth are nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s Beth?” I ask Beast while Sabre checks on Latch.

“Caff… Caff-a… ear…” he struggles to say, and despite the broken words, I know what he’s trying to say. Without waiting for him to finish, I take off running.

I glance over my shoulder. Torch and Briar are there, following. “Get a hold of Cade’s men!” I order them, yelling. “Find out where the fuck they are! How in the fuck did this happen if they’re watching the exits??”

I fucking expect someone to find me an answer. My gut tells me Cade’s men and Pistol are behind this. That might seem unfair, but I’m kicking my fucking ass for letting my guard down with that motherfucker. I respected Cade though… Fuck. I hope my stupidity doesn’t cost Beth her life. If something happens to her…

Fear threatens to overtake me, but I buckle that shit down; I don’t have time for it. I slam open the doors to the cafeteria. People look up, startled by my sudden entrance. The place is pretty much deserted. Someone screams, which is understandable as I still have my fucking gun drawn. I ignore them, marching into the kitchen. There’s a few people in there, but not one sign of Pistol or Beth. I go to the bathrooms, hoping to find them there.

“Boss! Down here!” I hear Torch yell.

I follow the sound of his voice. Through a small hall, there’s a supply room to the right with its door left open. Torch leans over an unconscious Pistol at the doorway. Pistol has a bad-looking wound in his gut.

“Beth?” I ask him, and for a man who didn’t used to feel fear, that shit is nearly strangling me now.

“No sign of her, boss, but—”

“But…?”

He holds up Beth’s locket, covered in blood.

I tear it out of his grip. My hands are shaking as I pull it over my head, screaming with a mixture of fear and anger. Spotting the door through the supply room that leads to the outside, I move behind Torch and shove it open, desperate to drag air into my lungs. Off to the side of the door is one of Cade’s men with a hole in his head. I look around hopelessly for Beth, but I know in my heart that I won’t see her.

I’m too late. The motherfuckers have her.

“Boss? Six of Cade’s men have been brought down. The others were watching the front exits. That means they came this way. Torch went to the security room to check the camera footage. We’ll find her, boss. Torch will know something any minute now.”

I can hear Briar in my ear, but it doesn’t matter. Nothing matters right now. All that matters is the one fact I can’t get away from.

I’m too fucking late.