Chapter Eight

A white panel van rolled quietly into the apartment complex on Tulane and Carrollton, a single motorcycle following in its wake. They pulled to the back of the lot, and the Prospect put the van in park, eyeing the building.

“How many exits?” Blood asked Cat, eyeing the setup himself. “There a backdoor Dax can run out of?”

“Just one way in or out. The front door.”

Blood nodded, then looked over his shoulder from the front passenger seat. His eyes connected with Cat’s. “You’re waiting here.”

“Oh no, I’m not.”

“Cat—”

Sandman rapped on the passenger window, and Blood swiveled his head and rolled the glass down.

Sandman leaned on his forearms in the window. “Looks quiet. Didn’t see no bikes.”

Blood nodded, then looked back at Cat. “Stay here.”

“I’m going with!” she insisted.

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am.”

“She always like this?” Sandman asked from the window.

“Apparently. Got any suggestions?” Blood asked him.

“Women are bat-shit crazy. Sorry, that’s all the advice I’ve got.”

Cat folded her arms, that stubborn jaw lifting. “Fine. Go. I’ll only follow you.”

“Goddamn it.” Blood whirled on the Prospect. “You got anything I can tie her up with?”

The Prospect, who looked like he wasn’t sure if Blood was joking or not, offered, “Uh, there’s some jumper cables in back.”

“You are not tying me up!” Cat snapped and threw open the cargo door.

Sandman looked through the window at the Prospect. “Jumper cables, really? That’s the best you got when a member asks you for help? I’m ashamed, Prospect.”

“I can pin her down, if you want, Blood,” the Prospect suggested, now nervous he’d let the club down.

“Shut up and get out of the van,” Blood snapped and pushed out his own door. He slid a round in the chamber of his weapon and looked at Sandman. “You ready?”

“I was born ready, Brother.” Sandman grinned back.

Blood grabbed Cat’s arm and hauled her to his side. “You stay behind us. You hear me?”

She nodded.

“Which one?” he snapped.

“214. Second one from the left. See it?” She pointed.

Blood nodded. “Let’s go.”

“Wait.”

They all turned back to her.

“I don’t have my keys. How are we getting in?”

Sandman looked at Blood. “Is she for real?”

“The MC way,” Blood said with a grin. “We boot the door, baby.”

She clamped her mouth shut, and they all moved across the lot and up a flight of metal stairs to the second level.

Blood held his index finger to his lips, signaling them to be quiet, as he leaned to the door to listen. He shook his head. Sandman jerked his head to the side, motioning for Blood to step out of the way, then he reared back and hit the door just to the side of the doorknob with his size thirteen boot.

The cheap door splintered from the frame at the lock and flung open. The men all charged through, with Cat right behind them.

Dax was kicked back on her sofa in a wife-beater t-shirt and a pizza box on his chest, one slice poised in the air halfway to his mouth. With a startled look, he tossed the box in the air and tried to run. He didn’t get far, seeing as he had nowhere to go. The only exit was blocked by the Prospect.

Cat didn’t waste time on him, she dashed through the apartment looking for Holly, calling her sister’s name.

A moment later, she raced back out to the living room.

Blood looked up at her, his hands fisted in Dax’s undershirt with the man pinned to the wall. “You find her?”

Cat looked at him, her eyes glassing with tears, and shook her head.

Blood could see her whole body was flooding with panic, her hands shaking. He turned back to Dax and slammed him against the wall. “Where is she?”

“I don’t have her.”

Cat moved in next to Blood and shouted into Dax’s face. “You had her! You promised you wouldn’t hurt her!” She made a lunge for Dax, but Sandman grabbed her from behind and held her back.

“Let Blood deal with him, girl,” he ordered.

She yanked and pulled, trying to get to Dax.

Blood looked over at her. She was fighting mad, but she was scared, too. He lifted his chin to Sandman, who pulled her back farther. Then he turned his attention back on Dax. “You had her. What happened to her?”

“They took her.”

“Who took her?” Blood asked, praying he didn’t already know the answer.

“Death Heads. They sent a couple Prospects for her.”

At that, he heard Cat burst out crying, getting more hysterical by the minute. “You piece of shit!” she screamed.

“Where’d they take her?”

“I don’t know.”

“The fuck you don’t.” Blood punched him in the face.

He tried to block his face, pleading, “Stop! Stop! Okay! They said she’d seal the deal on some meeting. Something about business in the Quarter. That’s all I know, man. I swear!”

“When did they take her?”

“About an hour ago.”

“You fucking little shit.” Blood pulled his gun and put it to the man’s head. The punk really started to sweat then.

“I swear to God, it’s the truth! She was here. I was taking good care of her.” He looked at Cat. “I didn’t touch her, I swear, Cat.”

“Shut up! You don’t get to talk to her. You don’t get to look at her. Got me?” Blood growled.

Dax put his hands in the air. “Okay, man. Okay.”

Blood glanced back at Cat. He could see the desolation and despair this punk’s words had caused her. It was written all over her face. He jerked Dax forward. “You’re coming with us. You make a sound, I’ll drop you on the spot. Understand?”

He nodded. “It’s cool. I won’t give you any trouble. I’m a friend.”

“You’re no fucking friend to me. And any friend of the Death Heads is an enemy to me.” He shoved Dax toward the door. “Move.”

Sandman took hold of Dax and passed Cat to Blood. She fell against his chest, and he gathered her close, his head dipping to hers. “I’ll find her, baby. I promise you.”

She shook with sobs.

“You’ve got to be strong for her, Cat. You’ve got to hold it together.”

She pulled back and looked into his eyes, as he willed his strength to her. She nodded and wiped her face. “Okay.”

“Good girl.” He lifted his chin toward the hallway. “Go grab whatever you need. You’re not staying here.”

She looked up at him blankly. “Where am I staying?”

“Not here. I don’t want the Death Heads coming back for you. They know where you live. Ain’t got a lot of time, babe. Move.”

She nodded, and as if coming out of a trance, she dashed down the hall.

He watched her go. She may not like him taking control of the situation—and of her—but that was exactly what he was doing, and she’d better adjust.

Five minutes later, they were heading across the parking lot to the van. The Prospect had a hold of Dax. Sandman, Blood, and Cat followed behind him. One minute Dax was walking calmly and complacently toward the van, the next he took off sprinting for the road.

“And we have a runner,” Sandman joked as he and Blood watched their Prospect take off after Dax and tackle him a moment later. He punched Dax in the face, and then hauled him to his feet.

“Now if he can figure out how to restrain him with jumper cables, we’re good,” Sandman added with a grin.

Blood slugged him in the arm. “He can always sit on him.”

They secured Dax in the back of the van with some cable ties that the Prospect scrounged up out of the glove box. Cat climbed in the back and scooted across the bench seat to sit behind the driver’s seat. Blood climbed in next to her, sliding the cargo door shut.

The Prospect fired up the van, and they pulled out with Sandman riding behind them.

“Are you going to kill me?” came the muffled voice from the back.

Blood twisted to look over the back of the seat. “No body, no murder, right?”

“Oh, shit,” Dax mumbled.

Blood met the smiling eyes of the Prospect in the rearview, then his eyes moved to Cat. She sat staring blankly out the side window, looking absolutely shell-shocked. Blood pulled her away from the window. “C’mere, babe.”

She didn’t fight it, and he tucked her back against his side, his arms wrapping across her stomach and chest, one hand on her shoulder, one on her hip. He pressed his mouth to her temple, holding her tight, trying to comfort her. He knew what she was feeling. She was grieving, like she’d lost already, like she was leaving everything in her life behind, descending into a world she wanted no part of. But there was one thing she didn’t realize—she had him now. And it crossed his mind that he may be all she had now.

“I’ve got you, babe. I’ve got you.”