From where they stood outside the farmhouse, Rowan heard shouting inside. Men calling out instructions to each other. They knew the Rebels were here. They were getting ready. Well, his guys were ready, too.
“Okay, let’s move. Weapons ready,” Rowan said.
His guys took out knives and guns. He heard the sound of several slides being pulled back, loading bullets. They walked to the house, ears and eyes open.
“Ricky and Nate, circle around first.” Rowan pointed to the side of the house. “Make sure no one is coming up behind us. We’ll keep lookout here while you sweep.”
Nate and Ricky inched to the side of the house, peeked around the corner, then walked out of sight. Rowan kept his eyes peeled, watching the house for any movement, and listened carefully for his guys. They’d call out if something went wrong. Minutes later, Nate and Ricky appeared around the other side of the house.
“All clear,” Nate said.
They approached the porch with Rowan and Nate at the front, the rest of the guys right behind him. Rowan lifted his leg and kicked the door, hard. It might not be locked, but busting the lock would make sure it didn’t get in their way later. The door crashed open to the sound of splintering wood.
Two of the Screaming Griffins ran at them, their guns pointing back at the Rebels’ guns. They stopped when they were feet apart and glared at each other.
“Where’s Abram?” Rowan demanded.
“With your girl, having a good time,” one of the men sneered at him.
Rowan clenched his teeth and tried to ignore the comment. He was likely just trying to get him mad anyway. Giving in to that would only make things harder and get him tripped up. This was not the time to get tangled in too much emotion and let it cloud his thinking. He had two jobs to do. Save Becca and Emma. Kill Abram and his guys. Didn’t matter much what order they happened in, as long as they both happened.
Rowan assessed the situation. Two of the Griffins, five of the Rebels. Obviously, they outnumbered them right now, but there were several more men in this house somewhere. He didn’t need them sneaking up behind them and catching them off guard. How many more could there be?
They stood in some sort of entryway. From this angle, he could see a staircase and two adjoining rooms. Another room, the kitchen probably, was visible far down the hallway in front of them. The stairs leading upstairs looked unused. Thick layers of dust and many boards broken or splintered. No one would be upstairs. Were all the other men with Becca and Emma, or were they spread out?
The two adjoining rooms were empty. No people, not even any furniture besides an old dusty chair in the room to the right. There was likely a basement to the house, but if those steps were in as rough of a shape as the ones leading upstairs, then likely no one was in the basement either. So, that probably meant everyone was on the first floor. He listened again, but nothing gave away the location of anyone else in the house. Not that he wanted her to be upset, but he wished he could hear Emma or Becca crying or something. Anything to tell him where they were.
He and his guys needed to go through the house to search, but first, they’d have to deal with these two guys. Five on two wouldn’t be too hard, though who knew how long it would be before the rest jumped in to help. If they rushed them, they could take them down easily.
Rowan took a small step to the right. He glanced over at his guys, lifted both eyebrows, which was the signal, and rushed forward.
Gun shots rang in the room, but the Rebels moved at them too fast to be hit. Rowan dove at the man closest to him. The man landed on his side, Rowan straddling his waist. He put his gun to his temple, then hesitated. He didn’t kill people often and hated to do it now. But there was no way around this. He reminded himself they’d taken Becca and Emma, they’d held a gun to her head, and they’d tried to kill him. They’d burned down his house and the MC headquarters, they may have killed Marcus. The Griffins wanted him dead and if he didn’t kill them first, they’d be coming after him soon. Kill or be killed. It was that simple.
The man was struggling to get free, reaching for his gun that had fallen just out of reach when he landed on the floor. He gave up and tried to reach his foot, where Rowan guessed he had a knife. Rowan took in a short breath, blew it out in a huff, and pulled the trigger. With a loud bang, the man went still and a puddle of blood formed under his head.
Rowan stood up and looked around. The other Screaming Griffin member lay on the ground, dead. Rowan wasn’t sure who had taken him down, but his guys were on their feet, ready. Two more men rushed into the room.
Rowan nudged Nate’s shoulder and they snuck around the corner while his guys and the new guys were occupied. They were now in the room to the right. It was empty except for the chair. There was no place for anyone to hide and no one had come into the room since he’d first checked it.
A lot of shouting came from the entryway they’d just left. Rowan didn’t want to leave his guys hanging, so he peeked around the corner to get a view of the entryway. One of the Griffins held Ricky at gun point. He couldn’t see the other Griffin or his other guys.
But, from where he stood, he had a perfect shot. And no one realized he was there. He aimed and shot the Griffin in the shoulder. Trying for his head would have put his aim too close to Ricky. Better not to take chances. The shoulder would do enough damage and give his guys time to finish him off. The man dropped his hold on Ricky, who immediately kicked him and kneed him in the gut, dropping him to the ground. Then he shot him in the chest. Ricky nodded at Rowan in thanks.
Rowan turned back to Nate, who motioned that they should go to the doorway that led to the next room.
They inched closer, stopping to listen and peer around the corner. The next room was a dining room, also empty. But through the dining room, he thought he saw someone in the kitchen. He wanted to barge through the room, but he knew better.
He stepped into the room. There was so much commotion in the front rooms that it made it hard to hear anything else. A gun shot rang out now and then, echoing off the walls, making his ears ring. He edged to the wall where the doorway leading into the kitchen was.
Not much of the room could be seen without him giving away his position, but what he did see stopped him cold. Three legs. Two were on the floor—a child’s purple leggings and foot in a bright pink sneaker, and an adult leg in black pants beside it wearing flats. And a man’s jeans and boot standing across from them. The woman and child were sitting on the floor together. It had to be Becca and Emma, but who was in the room with them? Abram most likely, since he hadn’t made an appearance yet.
Rowan turned to Nate and nodded toward the kitchen. “They’re in there,” he whispered.
But then something happened that he didn’t expect. Smoke curled in the air. Someone had started a fire. He’d mentioned burning the place down when he talked with his guys outside, but they wouldn’t start one now. Not without his command, and not before everyone got out. Had Abram’s guys set this place on fire, too? Man, they were just a bunch of pyromaniacs, weren’t they?
He didn’t see any flames, however, and it was more the smell of smoke and something burning than the smoke itself in the room, so it couldn’t be too close to them or too bad yet.
Rowan held his gun up, ready. He looked at Nate, who nodded.
“Let me go in first,” Rowan whispered. “I might need you to take him out if it’s a standoff.”
Nate nodded again and watched as Rowan took a step forward. Rowan stood in the doorway, gun pointed at the man in the room. It was Abram after all.
Emma cried out, “Mommy!” and pointed at him.
Rowan allowed himself one instant to look at them. Becca had Emma sitting between her legs, holding her tight, rocking her back and forth. Her eyes were red and raw, her cheek bruised. Someone would pay for that. Her hair was a mess and her makeup was smeared, but she looked otherwise okay. They hadn’t hurt her much. But that bruise on her cheek. He had to swallow his anger. Becca met his eyes and her gaze said she was both afraid and glad to see him.
Emma looked surprised and hopeful. Her bunny sat on her lap, much dirtier than the last time he’d seen it. She looked overall dirty, too, like she’d been playing in the dust that was so thick through the house. Or maybe they’d just had her sitting here in the grime. Her little eyes were bright red, too, and swollen. Tear trails lined her cheeks and from her nose, a thin line of clear mucus ran to her mouth.
Abram leaned casually against the counter, eying him up. “About time you showed up.” His gun was in his hand, hanging at his side.
Rowan had his gun trained on Abram’s head.
Then Abram raised his gun and pointed it at Becca. “I wonder who can shoot faster.” Abram grinned at Rowan. “Wanna find out?”
Rowan glared at him. “Drop it.”
Abram laughed. “Drop yours.”
They glared at each other, neither moving. But Abram didn’t know Rowan had backup. All he had to do was wait a minute. He saw Abram move before he heard the gunshot. Abram fell to the ground, blood pouring from his arm. Nate had missed, but it was enough.
Rowan kicked the gun from Abram’s hand and turned to Becca. “Run!”
She shook her head. He couldn’t understand what was going on. Why wouldn’t she get up and leave immediately the instant she could?
Smoke was coming into the room now and he coughed. Not more of this shit. He’d been coughing for days it felt like. His lungs needed more than a few hours to heal. The air felt like fire when he breathed in. He covered his mouth, but he was already bent over, coughing hard.
He was dizzy and tried to shake it off. Nate put a hand on his back and shouted something but the fight was too loud in the next room, and the fire was getting louder, and now the ringing in his ears was too loud. He fell to his knees, coughing.
Becca looked at him, wild with fear. Why didn’t she get up and run? What was the problem?
“Run!” he croaked.
She held up Emma’s hand. There was a silver handcuff around it. How had he not seen that before? What an idiot he was not to notice. Of course, she wasn’t going to leave without her daughter and he’d still need to get Emma out anyway.
Rowan crawled over to them and inspected the handcuff. He saw the pipe Emma was chained to. Couldn’t be too strong of a structure if the rest of the house was falling apart like it appeared to be. He scooted around Becca and slid under the sink. The pipe she was cuffed to was the pipe that ran from the wall to the underside of the sink. He put a foot against the wall on either side of the pipe and yanked.
The pipe broke free from the wall with some effort. It’d taken several tries, but eventually the plaster gave way and the pipe was corroded enough to snap apart. He broke out into another coughing fit, but Becca was able to slide the handcuff over the pipe to get Emma free. They’d need some bolt cutters later or to pick the lock, but for now, they could run, and since the handcuff was only on one hand, it shouldn’t get too much in her way.
Rowan turned to face Becca, put his hand at the back of her neck, and brought her mouth to his. He stopped coughing long enough to kiss her hard. The world melted for just a second, and it was enough to flood him with emotion. The adrenaline made his mind spin. His body grew warm with desire and he wanted nothing more than to rip her clothes off right there and take her. Kissing her was the best feeling in the world. He never wanted it to end. He would make her his when this was all over. He’d do whatever it took and would stop at nothing to win her heart and keep it forever.
She kissed him back just as hard. She pulled herself to him, dug her fingers into his hair. She’d forgiven him, it seemed, at least for now, for being who he was. Maybe she’d see how his dangerous lifestyle could lead to him getting her out of anything. Maybe him saving her was just enough to make everything else okay.
He pulled back from the kiss to cough, and she whispered his name. Just once. “Rowan.” But there was so much longing in it that he kissed her again, quickly this time.
He got to his feet, and pulled her up. “Run,” he said. “Go into the woods and stay there until I come for you. Or one of my guys.”
She nodded, fresh tears running down her cheeks. He coughed again and had to turn from her. She put her hand on his shoulder, then was gone.
Nate stood beside Abram, his foot on his hand. Abram’s gun was tucked in the back of Nate’s jeans and he periodically leaned around the corner and fired a shot. The other fight had to be over soon. How many of the Screaming Griffins had shown up? Were any of his guys injured? Rowan glanced out the window in time to see Becca run into the woods. Then he turned his attention back to the kitchen floor.
Abram laughed from his place on the ground. “You idiot.”
“Shut it.” Rowan kicked him in the ribs. He was glad Nate hadn’t killed him. Gave him time to beat him, make it hurt a little. And this way he could be the one to take him out and have his revenge on the man who tried to kill him.
“They’re going to die anyway,” Abram said. “You think we won’t find them? You think I won’t have fun torturing them and making their deaths painful?”
Rowan kicked him again. Abram curled around his ribs and coughed up blood.
“Go ahead,” Abram spit. “They’ll die anyway, and so will you. I’m not the only one who wants them dead.”
What was he talking about? Who else could possibly want them dead? The only person who came to mind was Nick, but what did he have to do with any of this? Who even knew where Nick was. And he wasn’t affiliated with the Screaming Griffins in any way that he knew of. But there was no one else Abram could mean. Maybe he had hired them to kidnap Becca and Emma. Or was working with them somehow. If that were the case, then this fight was far from over.
The smoke was getting thick. How was it possible Rowan was in a burning building twice in one day? His lungs burned so badly; he wanted nothing more than to run out of here and follow Becca and Emma into the woods and clean air. But his guys were still here and Abram needed to die first.
He took out his gun and pointed it at Abram’s head. “Then I guess it won’t matter if I kill you.”
“Fuck you,” Abram said, and spit blood at him. “Why didn’t you just keep to your own territory? We could have worked together. But, no, you had to be a greedy bitch and move in on my sales.”
“You think I’d work with you and your dumbass crew? I made that money fair and square. Not my fault you lost out because you charged too much. Business is business, and, apparently, I’m just better at it than you. But, then, I’m better at a lot of things.”
“You stole from me!” Abram pushed himself up with his other arm.
Nate still stood on his hand, though, so he didn’t get far. He tried to pull his hand free, but Nate glanced down at him and shifted his weight to put more pressure on him.
“I stole nothing!” Rowan said.
“I beg to differ.” A voice from behind came through the din.
Before he could turn to see who it was, Rowan felt his knees give out and he crashed to the floor. He’d been hit hard on the back. A fist right to his kidneys, forcing pain through him so excruciating, he had no choice but to crumble under it.
“Where are they?” the man demanded.
“Who?” Rowan asked.
The man pressed a gun to the back of his head and used it to push Rowan’s head down. “My wife and kid.”
Rowan’s stomach lurched. This was Nick, then. Becca’s ex and Emma’s dad. The one who’d beaten Becca and yelled at her and treated her horribly. The one who’d hit his own kid. They’d been so desperate to get away from him that they left everything behind, and now he’d found them. And Rowan had sent Becca and Emma off into the woods alone, unprotected. The panic rose in his chest, weaving around the rage, and it made him start coughing again. He got onto all fours and tried to find clear air.
“Drop it.” Nate’s voice.
Rowan couldn’t even turn his head to see what was happening.
“They ran into the woods,” Abram said. “Out that door.” He pointed to the back door, the one Becca and Emma had run through to get out.
Nick turned and bolted out the door.
Rowan tried to get to his feet to chase him. Flames had broken into the room.
“We need to get out.” Nate reached down and took his hand to pull him to his feet.
Rowan coughed and looked back at Abram.
Flames crept along the doorway opposite the one Rowan and Nate had come in. It was now lined with orange and yellow flames, reaching toward the ceiling. The heat made sweat run down all their faces. Abram looked at the flames and sat up, now that his hand was free from Nate’s weight. He put his hands down and slowly pulled himself up until he was standing.
Rowan held out his gun and shot Abram in the leg. He cried out and grabbed his leg, falling back to the ground.
Abram looked to the doorway again, this time fear clear on his face. “Come on, man,” he pleaded with them. He got to a crawling position to drag his leg behind him, but Rowan kicked him in the ribs, hard enough to break a few. Abram fell to his side, clutching the ribs and groaning in pain.
“Get out!” Rowan said to Nate. Abram had no gun and two gunshot wounds. Rowan wouldn’t need back-up now. “Make sure everyone is out.”
Nate took off at a run out the door and around the building.
“Don’t let me die here like this,” Abram said. “At least shoot me in the head or something. Anything but burning alive.”
Rowan shook his head and smiled. “You tried to kill me. You threatened my girl, then took her and her kid. You deserve far worse pain than this.”
He kicked him in the face. Abram’s nose cracked and blood gushed down his mouth and chin. He slumped back for a moment, then started coughing. Rowan shot his other leg for good measure. He needed to make sure he wouldn’t escape. Abram wasn’t moving, but sat against the cabinets, going pale, coughing, and groaning in pain.
Rowan ran out the door and looked for his guys and for Becca.
He saw his four Rebels off to the side of the house, several hundred feet away, near the woods. Ricky had a shirt tied around his arm, blood seeping through. There were some bruises and cuts among them, plenty of coughing from the smoke, and a few blood smears. But all in all, they looked okay. Alive, mostly unhurt.
He didn’t see Becca, Emma, or Nick. He took off running into the woods.
“Rowan!” Nate called after him.
“I have to get Becca!”
He heard footsteps behind him. They were coming to help. But he was several hundred feet ahead and not stopping. His lungs were in agony with every breath. He couldn’t breathe deeply and if he tried, he ended up coughing. He took fast, shallow breaths, panting as he ran. But running was difficult, too. His legs felt heavy and the trees tilted slightly around him. He shook his head to clear it.
He had to keep going, even if his ears still rang and he wanted to collapse. If Nick had Becca and Emma, who knew what was happening. Were they still in the woods? What if he’d taken them and run off? Rowan may have lost her again. That idea was too much to consider. He’d just gotten her back. They were supposed to be safe now. Supposed to get away and be in the woods waiting for him and be safe. Then they could leave and go home and he could protect them. And they’d be together.
If Nick were here, did that mean he’d been working with Abram for a while? Abram had certainly helped him back in the house when he told him where Becca and Emma were. How in the world did that happen? Now he wished he’d talked to Becca more about Nick. Where had they lived exactly? How violent was he? And what would he do if he ever found them? He reached back and made sure his gun was still secure in the back of his jeans. If he got the chance, he’d take the guy down. Then she wouldn’t have to worry about him. There would be no more fear of him showing up.
He wondered for a minute, though, if Becca would be mad if he killed Nick. He was Emma’s dad after all. Maybe she wanted Emma to get to know him later, when she was older. Or maybe Becca was hoping Nick would change and they’d get back together some day. For now, he just had to find them. Then he’d worry about the rest. He was so outraged at all Nick had done to his family and those he claimed to love, it might be worth angering Becca just to get the chance to kill a man like that. The world was much better off without him.
Rowan glanced behind him. He could see two of his guys running after him. They were far back, but they’d be a big help when they caught up to him, assuming he’d found Nick by then.
He picked up his pace, forcing his lungs to work harder, until they screamed at him stop. He forced them to work anyway, ignoring the pain. Then he heard a faint shouting.
Becca. She was shouting something that he couldn’t make out. A deep man’s voice answered her, low and steady.
She sounded upset, hysterical maybe. Rowan ran toward the sound. He saw something in the woods ahead. Something white and blue and purple amongst all the green and brown. It had to be them.
When he grew closer, he saw Nick first. Then Becca a few feet from him. Nick turned and Rowan saw Emma. Nick had a gun pointed at her head.
Rage ripped through him again, fresh and raw. What kind of a low-life father held their own kid at gunpoint? No wonder Becca sounded hysterical. Even his own worthless father had never stooped that low. Whatever hesitation he’d had before about killing Nick, it was completely gone now. Even if Becca never talked to him again, he would kill Nick. He wanted to rip him to shreds and set the pieces on fire. He wanted to beat his face until it was mush. He wanted to twist a knife deep into his chest and pull out his stone heart to crush it in his fist. He wanted to make him suffer like he’d made Becca and Emma suffer.