As soon as we reached the factory, I remembered the place. I should have thought about it before. The gang had used the building as headquarters back in the days I was with them. Did Rider bring Bella here just to taunt me, or did he not remember I had been here? Either way, it gave me an advantage. The guys would be in the office in the center of the building. I was sure they’d all be there guarding Bella. They’d never bothered leaving a lookout in the past, and I could only hope that still held true. If we rushed them while they were unaware, we might have a chance.

I quickly whispered the plan to the other men.

Ed gripped the large butcher’s knife he’d chosen for a weapon. “We outnumber them, but they’re used to fighting. Be careful, kids.”

“I’m not coming,” James whispered. “I hate to leave the fight to you, but if you need backup someone has to stay behind to get it. I’d vote for it being Ed, but I know there’s no way he’ll stay back.”

“Damn right,” Ed grumbled. “That’s my butterfly in there.”

I nodded to James. “If things go bad, run out and call the cops. They won’t be able to refuse if you report that it’s happening instead of just a suspicion.”

The sound of laughter echoed through the mostly deserted building. My hands trembled slightly at the knowledge we had made it to the right place, but I firmed my grip on my own knife. “Let’s go.”

Bella’s family crept along behind me as we silently made our way through the building. Every time someone’s foot hit a piece of machinery or scraped against something on the floor we’d all pause, holding our breaths as we waited to see if we’d been overheard in the echoey space.

We were nearly to the office when a feminine voice cried out. “No, stop!”

Oh, shit! That was Bella. I’d recognize that voice anywhere, and she sounded terrified.

Without waiting to see if the rest of the guys followed me, I raced past the stairs of the office and to the far side of the factory. The echoing quality of the building made it hard to know where her voice had come from, but I knew the general direction.

Hold on, Bella. I’m going to save you!

BELLA

“No, stop!” It was as though I couldn’t hold the words back. Rider’s touch repulsed me and all I wanted was to get away.

His eyes narrowed as the hand on my chest pressed harder to hold me down. “What do you mean stop? I’m gonna be the best lover you’ve ever had, princess.”

The hand between my legs went higher, his fingers stroking me and making me shudder with revulsion. I had asked for this thinking I could get away from him once he was tired out from sex, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t let this man touch me when all I wanted was to be with Damian. Whether he’d made mistakes in the past or not, I couldn’t help my feelings. I knew the man he was now, and that man wouldn’t hurt me.

Shoving Rider’s shoulders, I tried to squirm away. “Stop, stop! I don’t want you. I don’t want anyone except my husband.” I tried to push him off, but he was too strong.

“I thought you said he was a bastard. Playin’ me, huh?” Rider took his hand off my thigh, lifting it to my chest to unbutton my blouse. “Doesn’t matter. You got me all riled up. I’m going to make you my woman one way or another.”

He was single-mindedly going for my buttons. I knew it was now or never to grab the knife. It would have been easier to get it while Rider was enjoying afterglow, but there was no way I’d let that happen. Taking in a few deep breaths, I steeled myself against the fact that I would have to stab another human being. I could do it though, I had to.

Before I could chicken out, I grasped the hilt of the knife, yanking it free from his hip in a quick motion before Rider could figure out what I was doing. As fast as I could, I stabbed downward. The feel of the knife tearing through skin turned my stomach, but I realized I’d only grazed his side and not stabbed him properly.

As Rider yelled in pain, I tried to take another stab, but he was already standing upright, grabbing me around the throat.

“Bitch!” He carried me by my throat, turning toward a nearby machine and slamming my back against the metal protrusions.

I gasped in pain, tears filling my eyes as the knife slipped from my nerveless fingers.

DAMIAN

We ran around a last corner almost to the far wall, and my breath stopped at the scene before me. Tears filled Bella’s eyes and it looked like she’d been slammed into the stuff behind her. Rider’s back was turned to us, and blood dripped from a wound on his side. It looked like Bella had at least injured him. It made me want to cheer.

“I wanted to love you, princess,” Rider said, voice growly. “Too bad you made it weird and now I have to kill you.”

He was so wrapped up in his rage against Bella, Rider hadn’t noticed the five of us behind him.

I glanced at the others. They all had equal glints of determination in their eyes as what I felt. Our odds had vastly improved since Rider and Bella were alone. With a nod, we all rushed forward at once.

I slammed into Rider from the side, pushing him off Bella. I barely had time to register her gasping breaths behind me as I punched Rider in the face. At least she was breathing. Elias and Brandon worked with me, pummeling Rider until the man fell to the ground and didn’t move.

It was only then I noticed the knife on the ground by Bella’s feet. That must be how Rider got his injury. Things would have been harder if she hadn’t already taken his weapon away.

“Keep an eye on him,” I said to Elias and Brandon.

Kyle walked up next to us, kicking Rider’s ribs as hard as he could. “I don’t think he’s going to wake up anytime soon. Good job, guys. Bella’s safe. We made it in time.”

The sounds of running footsteps caused us all to turn around. Ed was hugging Bella directly behind us, but beyond them the other three gang members appeared from the gloom.

“Well, well, well,” Tony said, spitting on the ground and then giving me a wide grin. “Whadda we got here?”

I rushed toward Bella, pulling her into my arms and pushing Ed behind us. “Tony, we don’t want any trouble. I’m just going to take Bella and go.”

One of the ones who rarely spoke let out a loud laugh. I couldn’t even remember the dude’s name. He pulled a gun, pointing it at me and Bella. “You shouldn’t have come back, Prince Pussy. Looks like you’re going to die with your old woman now.”

BELLA

The warmth of Damian’s arms somehow made me feel braver about facing the gunman. Even though our situation was grim, I felt like Damian would find a way to make everything okay.

Cradling me against him and turning us to protect me with his body, he then addressed the nameless one. “You don’t have to shoot us. Use your head.”

Nameless narrowed his eyes. “You’re a traitor. You screwed us over clear back then, and you lied about giving us the money and getting Snake released now. There’s nothing left but to kill you.”

“Wait.” Damian’s order was so commanding that everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath, waiting to hear what he wanted. “I didn’t lie about the money. I can’t free Snake, the governor wouldn’t go for that, but my dad’s working on getting the three million right now. Think about it. Let Rider go to prison, taking the heat for everything that went down here. The three of you can take a million each and go live whatever life you want.”

Tony looked from Damian to the gunman. “It’s not the worst idea I’ve ever heard.”

The other man snorted. “Already turning your back on us, Tony?”

“No, no.” Tony shook his head. “I’m cool with whatever you guys want.”

I tightened my arms around Damian, clinging to him. While Rider and Tony had been wanting to interact and talk the entire time I’d been their prisoner, the two there as ‘muscle’ were entirely different. I had a feeling they were loyal to a fault. Damian had made a good argument, but the men weren’t going to let us go.

I looked over my shoulder at my brothers and dad, wishing they were anywhere but here.

Damian’s arms tightened just a bit. He leaned to my ear, his whisper barely a breath against me. “Get ready to run.”

Nameless readjusted his grip on the gun. “I don’t deal with pussies.”

I closed my eyes, waiting for the worst.