Chapter 16
Chaos
"Where the fuck is she?" I bark at no one in particular, remembering saying exactly the same thing the night I dragged Rowan from the dumpster when she took off behind my back and headed home.
Kandi turns her attention away from the group of cut sluts in the corner. “Where’s who?”
“Cut the shit, Kandi.” Something in her tone raises the hair on the back of my neck. "Where. The fuck. Is she?"
Kandi must see I mean business because her cocky assuredness falls away, and she stares down at her feet. “She left. With Fiend. About twenty minutes ago."
My blood freezes to ice in my veins.
I don't fear much in this life. After everything I've seen, everything I've done, there's not much that rattles me. But right now, real soul-deep terror grips me.
"What do you mean she left with Fiend?" I grab Kandi's arm, making her flinch.
“I-I.” She tries to pull away, but I hold tight. "He went over, talked to her for a bit, then they took off together. Said something about visiting her grandma."
My mind races through possibilities, each one darker than the last. If Fiend knows we're onto him...
The clubhouse door swings open, and Zeus strolls in like he hasn’t a care in the world, whistling under his breath. Rage explodes through me. I cross the room in three strides, grab him by the throat, and slam him against the wall.
"Where the fuck is she?" I snarl, forearm pressed against his windpipe.
Zeus's eyes widen, hands coming up to grip my arm. "What—"
“Did you know? Did you fucking know?”
He tries to answer, but it comes out as a series of choking sounds. I ease up a bit on his throat.
“Fiend's a rat." The words taste like poison on my tongue. "Working for the fucking cartel." I press harder, watching his face. “You helpin’ him?”
His reaction tells me everything. First disbelief—eyes widening, jaw slackening. Then horror—his face goes ashen. Then utter devastation.
I watch as something breaks behind his eyes.
"No," he chokes out. "That's—that can't be right."
I ease the pressure more, but keep him pinned. "And now he's got my woman.”
Zeus shakes his head, desperation in every line of his face. "No. No way. Not Fiend. We've been brothers for—"
"He took Rowan," I cut him off.
The remaining color drains from him. "Oh fuck. Oh, Jesus fuck."
I release him, stepping back as he slumps against the wall. Brothers gather around us—Mayhem, Fuzzy, Jinx, Prophet—all watching, listening. Hands hovering near weapons, they’re not sure what to do. I’m their club president.
“I need to find my ol’ lady.” My voice sounds strange in my ears, too controlled for the hurricane raging inside. "Now!”
“What’s he drivin'?" Fuzzy pulls out his phone. “If it’s one of our trucks, all club vehicles have trackers."
"On it." Mayhem heads to the security office, already dialing the prospect on gate duty.
Zeus slides down the wall until he's sitting, head in his hands. I should feel something for him—pity, maybe, for the betrayal of his closest friend. But all I can think about is Rowan. My sweet, innocent girl in the hands of a traitor.
"Her phone," I say suddenly, pulling out my cell. “Maybe we can see if it pings a cell tower.”
I hit her number on speed dial. A moment later, a familiar ringtone sounds from across the room. I whip around, following the noise to the cluster of cut sluts.
Kandi shifts on the couch, reaches under her ass, and pulls out Rowan's phone. "Oops." Her smile is pure venom. "How'd that get there?"
I cross the room in two strides, but at that moment, Fuzzy bursts back into the room, expression grim. “He’s in one of our trucks, but the tracker's been disabled."
"Fuck!" I slam my fist into the wall, pain shooting up my arm.
"Chaos." Zeus's strained voice cuts through my rage. He's standing now, eyes red-rimmed but focused. "The boots."
I turn, not understanding at first. “Huh?”
"The boots you bought Rowan." Zeus straightens. "You told me to put a tracker in ‘em."
Fuck, I did. At the time, I felt guilty for being a controlling asshole—but only slightly. Now, I feel vindicated.
The tracking app takes precious minutes to pull up on my phone, minutes where my imagination tortures me with images of what Fiend might be doing to my girl. If he hurts her... if he touches a single hair on her head...
"Got it!" I watch a blinking dot appear on the screen. "On the move. Heading south on I-75.”
"Where's he taking her?" Mayhem leans over my shoulder, eyes narrowed.
Zeus moves closer, studying the screen. "That route…fuck." His face crumples.
Somehow, Jinx pulls up a topographical map on his phone. “Looks like there’s a high cliff overlooking Lake Erie."
“I know the place. Fiend calls it a scenic overlook.
'" Zeus's voice cracks. “We rode out that way a few times. He once mentioned it would be a perfect place to…” He looks up at me and then away before he continues, “to dispose of a body. Deep water below. The lake has strong undertow currents right there.”
The room goes silent. My pulse pounds in my ears, blood roaring like a freight train.
My voice is deadly calm when I say, “Let’s ride.”
The compound erupts into activity. Brothers grab weapons, cuts, and comms. I check my Glock, then tuck a second gun in my ankle holster.
Zeus’s face is haggard. I meet his eyes, and he stares hard at me. “Chaos, I swear to you, I had absolutely no clue.”
I study him for a moment. He looks wrecked. It’s written in every line of his face. "Pull it together, brother,” I tell him. “I need you. You know this place better than anyone.”
Two minutes later, six motorcycles roar out of the compound, thundering down the streets of Detroit like vengeance itself. I lead the pack, Zeus beside me, both of us pushing our bikes to the limit. Time is running out.
I've never prayed much. Never seen the point. But as the miles blur beneath my wheels, I find myself bargaining with whatever higher power might be up there. Whoever might be listening. Let her be alive. Let me get there in time. I'll do anything. Give anything.
Just let my girl be safe.
The roads narrow as we leave the city behind, trees pressing close on either side. Zeus signals, and we turn onto a gravel path barely visible in the darkness.
The final stretch is pure torture. Engines growling low, moving at top speed. Then I see it—a truck parked near the edge of the cliff. Two figures stand in the beam of the headlights.
One tall, Fiend, holding something. One smaller, Rowan, backed against the cliff edge. He’s holding a gun on her.
I signal to Zeus to head around to the left. Before he moves, I clasp his shoulder and look him in the eye. "Don't miss,” I tell him. His face scrunches in confusion, but I just take off to the right.
As I creep closer, I unholster my Glock, checking the chamber.
The wind carries snatches of conversation.
"...dead before you hit the ground..." Fiend's voice drifts toward us.
I watch, frozen in horror, as he presses the gun to Rowan's forehead. Her beautiful face is streaked with tears, but her spine is straight. My brave, defiant girl.
"FIEND!" I roar, stepping into the open.
He whirls, eyes widening. In a split second, he drags Rowan against him like a shield, his gun now pressed to her temple. "Stay back!"
"Let her go." My voice drops to a dangerous growl. "This is between us men.”
"You think I'm stupid?" Fiend laughs, the sound wild and unhinged. "The second I let her go, I'm a dead man.”
"You're dead either way." I take another step forward. "Question is, how many people are you taking with you?"
His arm tightens around Rowan's neck. She gasps, hands clawing at his forearm, eyes locked on mine. There's terror there, yes, but also trust. Fucking trust. She believes in me. Believes I’ll save her.
I can't fail her. I won't.
"Here's how this plays out." Fiend starts backing up, dragging Rowan with him. "I'm taking her with me. Insurance. Once I'm clear, I'll let her go somewhere safe. You have my word."
"Your word?" I spit. "The word of a fucking rat?"
Rage flashes across his face. "You don't understand. They had me by the balls. I owed—"
"I don't give a fuck what you owed." I keep my gun trained on him, looking for an opening, any opening.
He's edging toward his truck, Rowan still trapped against him. "I'm sorry it came to this. Really am. But I can't go back now."
I know two things with absolute certainty. One, I need to get that gun away from Rowan's head. And two, Zeus is out there somewhere, waiting for a clear shot. As long as Fiend has that weapon against her temple, it's too risky.
When I raise my Glock, Fiend’s eyes widen, surprised I’d take a shot at him while his finger’s on the trigger and the muzzle is trained on my girl.
I wouldn’t.
Holding Rowan tighter, the slimy bastard lowers himself slightly, crouching behind her. Then he does what I predicted. He points his gun at me.
Two shots crack through the night almost simultaneously.
Fire explodes in my chest. I stagger backward, a strange numbness spreading from the impact point. Through blurring vision, I see Fiend jerk violently, a neat hole appearing right between his eyes.
Zeus. He always was a good shot. The best marksman in the club.
Fiend's body topples backward, arms windmilling as he falls—almost dragging Rowan with him as his hand clutches at anything for purchase. But she breaks free, scrambling away from the cliff edge as he disappears over it.
I try to stay upright, but my legs won't cooperate. I sink to my knees, then fall onto my back, staring up at the star-filled sky. Weird. Never noticed how many stars there are out here.
"JACE!" Rowan's scream pierces the night. She appears above me, tears streaming down her face as she presses her hands against my chest. "No, no, no!"
The pressure hurts, but I can't seem to get enough air to tell her. Can't seem to get any words out past the blood filling my mouth. Brothers materialize around us, shouting orders, calling for medical help.
"Stay with me,” Rowan pleads, her tears falling onto my face like raindrops. "Please, Jace. Please don't leave me."
I try to lift my hand to touch her, but it's so heavy. Everything's heavy. And cold. Why am I so cold?
"I love you," she whispers fiercely, bending closer. "Do you hear me? I love you. You can't die. You can't."
Darkness creeps in from the edges of my vision. Not much time left. But Rowan is safe.
That's all that matters.