Andi
ABOUT A WEEK later, Dalton was picking me up to take me to the bakery to finalize our wedding cake. Samantha, Melanie, Aspen, and Kade were also coming with us, so I knew it would be a busy afternoon.
The doorbell rang and (stupidly) I opened the door without checking the camera first. Before I could react, a hand was around my neck and I was slammed against my door.
Andi?
I couldn’t respond to Dalton because I was trying to figure out who was trying to choke me.
“You stupid bitch,” the low voice of my brother growled out. “You just couldn’t leave it alone.”
I shoved my palm into his sternum and he flew back across the room, slamming into my favorite lamp and shattering it as he fell to the ground.
“What the fuck?” Jet bellowed.
Andi! Goddamn it, answer me.
A little busy, honey. Give me a minute.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded.
Jet’s out, Dalton. He’s here. He just attacked me.
With a series of curses, Jethro dragged himself off the floor and stalked toward me again. I did a quick glance around the room and flicked my hand, and seeing what I was looking for, I sent the candlestick I’d dropped a few days ago toward Jet’s head.
“How the hell are you doing that?” Jet roared.
“Stop moving!” I snapped.
He did.
I was so taken aback by the fact his entire body froze I wasn’t able to react and the front door flew open and Dalton tackled Jet to the ground, slamming his head to the hardwood floors. Keeping a knee in Jet’s back, Dalton pulled a pair of zip-ties out of his pocket and secured Jet’s hands.
“If you ever go quiet on me again, Andi,” Dalton snapped, “You and I are going to have a problem.”
“Excuse me! I was kind of in the middle of keeping Jethro from killing me!” I snapped back. “I haven’t figured out how to multi-task yet. Give me a break.”
Dalton rose to his feet and wrapped his arms around me. “I’m sorry, sugar. I shouldn’t have yelled. I was just freaked.”
I blinked back tears and settled my face in his chest. “I know. It’s okay.”
“Gonna take care of this, okay? Just stay put.”
I nodded and sat on the sofa, tucking my feet under my bottom. Dalton walked back into the house a few minutes later and knelt in front of me. “Have you heard from Aspen?”
“Not since she said she was driving to her parents’.” I felt his worry and panicked. “Ohmigod, what’s happened?”
“I don’t know for sure.” He took my hand and I calmed. “Can you give her a call?”
I nodded and pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, staying connected to Dalton. I hit Aspen’s number and waited. “Voicemail,” I whispered, my heart racing. “What’s going on?”
“Not sure yet, but Jet’s intimatin’ he’s workin’ with a partner and they have Aspen.”
I shot off the sofa and made a run for the porch.
“Andi, wait!” Dalton called.
I stalled when I pulled open the front door and was met with a sea of bikers. Several of them studied me with open interest and I was a little overwhelmed by the sight of sexy, denim and leather clad men.
Really, sugar?
I glanced over my shoulder and grimaced. Sorry, but they’re cute. That doesn’t take away from your deliciousness.
Bikers aren’t ‘cute,’ Andi.
I faced the group and a tall, built man walked toward me. “Did you find her?”
“Andi, this is Doom,” Dalton provided.
I shook my head. “Her phone’s going to voicemail.”
“Shit!” he snapped, and faced the group. “You have Aspen’s info, find her!”
Dalton’s arm snaked around my waist and I pulled away. “I do not want you to calm me right now,” I whispered. “I need to stay lucid enough to help.”
“You can do that and receive my help.”
“I don’t want it,” I insisted.
He sighed and nodded, but I could tell he wasn’t happy about it. “I’ve called Cam—”
“I want to talk to Jet,” I said, interrupting him.
“Not gonna happen.”
I ignored him and made a run for the car where Jet was being held.
“Andi! Damn it,” Dalton bellowed, and I heard his footsteps behind me.
Ripping open the back door of the car I leaned inside and took my brother’s face in my hands (not gently) and turned his head to face me. “Where is Aspen?”
“You’re hurting me,” he rasped.
“Where is Aspen?” I repeated.
“I’m not saying anything, Andi.”
I closed my eyes and discovered I could enter his mind, but wasn’t prepared for what I found. I gasped and jumped back, slamming into Dalton.
“What did you see?” he asked.
I shook my head and buried my face. “You don’t want to know.”
“Come on. Let’s get you back inside.”
I straightened and shook my head. “No. I have to find out where she is.”
“What did you see?” Dalton repeated.
“I don’t want to tell you that yet.”
“Andi.”
“This is something that falls under service to the queen. I need to do this, and I need you not to interfere.”
He scowled, but released me. “I’m right here. If I don’t like what’s happenin’ you’re out.”
I stepped back to the car and leaned in, taking Jet’s face again and closing my eyes.
Flashes of photos of women on the wall, eyes cut out, morphed into images of Catholic statues and idols. Jet’s mind returned to images of me and then a body lying in the middle of a field… his first kill. I forced myself not to panic, searching further into the abyss of horror and finally seeing what I needed.
“Abandoned building on Montgomery,” I said, pulling away from Jet and rattling off the address to Dalton. “Let’s go.”
“Oh, hell no,” Dalton said.
“Dalt—”
“Not up for discussion, Andi. You will stay here, and I will take care of finding Aspen.”
“Dalt—”
“Silencio, sugar,” he said, then gave me a gentle smile. “Now you need to trust your man to take care of his queen’s friend.”
“What am I supposed to do while you do that?”
“I think you should go taste our wedding cake.”
“You’re high if you think I can relax and taste cake while Aspen’s being held by some psychopath.”
He sighed. “I get it, sugar. But I’m gonna take you to my parents’ and you’ll hang out there until this is resolved. Go pack an overnight bag in case this takes a while.”
“Dalt—”
“Baby, don’t.”
“Stop interrupting me!” I snapped.
He stroked my cheek. “I need you to do what I tell you to do right now and trust me to take care of Aspen, okay?” I bit my lip and nodded, and he smiled. “Go pack.”
I nodded again, and he released me… and all my emotions flooded me again. I let out a frustrated growl. He removed my fears and panic against my will. “You’re going to pay for that later.”
“Kind of counting on it, sugar.”
“You won’t like it,” I ground out, and stomped up the stairs.
“Beg to differ,” he called.
I threw clothes and toiletries into an overnight bag and then met him back downstairs. In the time it took me to get my crap together, everyone had left, and we were alone.
“I called Samantha and she’s going to fill everyone else in,” Dalton said.
“Great,” I snipped.
“Ready?”
“Yep,” I said, my voice still snippy.
“Love you, Andi.”
“Yep.”
He smiled and grabbed my bag and we headed to the car. I slid into the passenger seat and commenced an epic-silent-treatment, avoid-killing-my-mate, plan.
He reached over and linked his fingers with mine. I tried to pull away but failed, maybe because I hated being separated from him.
“Love you, Andi,” he repeated.
I wrinkled my nose. “Let me be mad at you for a while.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m tryin’ to protect you and you know it.”
“If today has proved anything, I can take care of myself.”
He frowned. “Well, I’d rather you not go it alone. I’d rather you let me be your partner.”
That was fair. I didn’t like that he was being reasonable, to be honest. I wanted to fight a little more, but he was touching me, and I know he was actively calming me, so it was hard to force myself to be mad when I just wasn’t.
He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it gently. “We’re gonna find her.”
I closed my eyes and nodded. “I just wish I knew if she was okay.”
“I know, sugar.”
I rolled my head to face him. “You better keep me updated the whole time.”
“I will.”
I sighed. “Fine.”
Dalton smiled. “Love you, Andi.”
“Love you, too,” I grumbled.
We arrived at his parents’ house and Melanie met us at the door. “Come in, sweetheart,” she said, and hugged me. “Samantha filled me in; you must be frantic for your friend.”
“I really am,” I whispered.
“Well, we called the bakery and we’ll do the cake tasting another time.”
“Thanks.”
Dalton dropped my bag on the foyer floor and pulled me in for a hug. “Stay here.”
“Where else would I go?”
“Nowhere else,” he pressed.
“Exactly.”
He smiled again and kissed me gently. “I’ll keep you posted.”
I grabbed his arms. “Find her.”
“I will, baby. Promise.”
I nodded and watched him walk out the door. Melanie locked up behind him and led me into the family room where Samantha was playing with her children.
“Auntie!” Liam called, and made a run for me. I scooped him up and hugged him before carrying him to the coffee table and the board game open on top of it. “We’re playing Candy Land.”
“I see that. Are you winning?”
“Aye.”
I smiled. “Excellent.”
“Who wants to watch a movie?” Melanie asked from the entrance to the room.
“Me!” Liam said, and rushed to her. Finn waddled off as well and Samantha and I were left alone.
“You okay?” Samantha asked.
“Not even a little bit,” I whispered.
“Fill me in on everything.”
I gave her the play-by-play, but didn’t let her know what I’d seen in Jet’s head. Until I shared that information with Dalton, I didn’t think it would be fair to tell anyone else before him.
* * *
Dalton
I followed Doom down a dark alley between two abandoned buildings, my gun at the ready. This wasn’t the first time I had been in the underbelly of Savannah, my memories flooding back to when I’d helped to rescue Ryder Carsen’s sister, Scottie, from a sex trafficking house.
I never thought I’d be here again so soon and I hoped to God I’d never see this side of the world for a long, long time (or never). But for the moment, I was wholly focused on finding Aspen and delivering some Southern justice.
Southern justice? Really, baby?
I shook my head. Get out of my head.
No… I need to know the level of douche pilot you can reach.
Douche pilot?
Southern justice, Dalton. Roll that around in your head a little.
I bit back a smile. In my defense, it makes me sound a little more like a douche cowboy.
Well, holster your nozzle there, buddy, you’ve got a best friend to rescue.
“Dalt,” Doom whisper yelled.
I focused on the biker again and followed him through a side door. The smell of urine and fear hit me, and I forced back bile… the odor, unfortunately, was all too familiar.
I followed Doom down a dimly lit hallway, through a shabby living room, and past the kitchen. Doom nodded toward a door on the right, and I turned the knob, pushing the door open. The room was empty. Shaking my head, we moved on. Doom pushed open the door on my left and shook his head. I frowned. For a small house, there were a shit ton of doors to check.
I cleared the next two rooms, then Doom pushed open the third door… and we hit pay-dirt. However, as Doom stepped into the room, I heard a click. “Stop. Do not move a muscle.”
“What the fuck?” Doom hissed.
“It’s a tripwire. If you move, we all go up.”
“Dalton?” Aspen rasped.
I followed the sound of her voice and saw a dark figure huddled in the corner. “Yeah, Aspen, it’s me.”
“I’m chained to the wall… the men left about an hour ago, and I have no idea when or if they will be back.”
“How many?” I asked.
“Six,” she said.
“Get her the fuck outta here, Dalt,” Doom demanded.
I shook my head. “I’m not leaving you here.”
“I get that you have pussy feelins’ and all, but you get her out of here, then if you’re still emotional and shit, you come back and take care of this,” Doom hissed.
I scowled. “You’re a pain in the ass, Doom.”
“Get her out of here,” he repeated.
“What’s going on?” Aspen asked.
“Dalton’s gettin’ you out of here, baby,” Doom said.
“I’m not your baby.”
“Not arguin’ with you on this one, baby,” Doom ground out.
“You’re an ass,” Aspen hissed.
“Can we put aside your lover’s spat for a bit and work to get the hell out of here in one piece?” I asked, and waved my flashlight around the room, searching for other wires. I didn’t see any, so I stepped over the one Doom was chained to and headed toward Aspen, kneeling in front of her. “Let me see your wrists.”
Aspen shifted so I could get better access and I was relieved to see the locks weren’t weird. I pulled out handcuff keys and unlocked her wrists. Aspen sagged against me and I pulled her close. “You’re okay.”
Now that I was close to her, I realized she was naked, so I removed my jacket and wrapped it around her.
“Thanks,” she whispered.
“Can you walk?”
“Honestly? I don’t know. They beat my feet.”
“Shit, Aspen. I’m sorry.”
“I really need you to focus on getting us out of here, okay?” she said. “I don’t have time for sympathy because I don’t have time to cry right now.”
Damn this woman was strong.
Ohmigod, Dalton. Get her out!
I helped Aspen stand. I’m working on it, sugar.
Work faster… because, yes, she’s strong on the outside, but she’s really, really squishy in the middle.
“Can you put weight on your feet?”
Aspen tested, then hissed in pain. “No.”
I lifted her, cradling her to my body. “Okay. I’m gonna carry you out. We’ll go slow… you know, so we don’t blow up.”
Not the time for jokes, Dalton.
Sugar, I warned.
“Be careful,” Aspen whispered as we walked back toward Doom. “He might be an ass, but that doesn’t mean I want him dead.”
“I love you too, baby,” Doom droned sarcastically.
I swept my flashlight downward and didn’t miss the sweat beading on Doom’s forehead. I found the wire, stepped over it as gently as I could, then took off running out of the house.
Backup in the form of bikers had arrived, so I made my way to Frogger and settled Aspen gently on the ground. “She needs medical assistance; the house is hot… Doom’s currently stuck on a tripwire.”
“Bogey,” Frogger yelled. “Watch Doom’s woman.”
“I am not his woman!” she squeaked.
A young recruit jogged up, a blanket in his arms, and wrapped it around Aspen.
Frogger followed me back into the house while the rest of the crew put distance between us and the danger. A few of the recruits also worked to evacuate as many of the homes in the neighborhood as they could.