Chapter Fifteen
Akira
The sharp tang of stale cigarettes assaulted my nose as I slowly regained consciousness. My head throbbed, and panic seized me as I realized I couldn’t move. My eyes snapped open, darting around a bare room I didn’t recognize. Heart racing, I struggled against the ropes binding me to a hard wooden chair. A gag muffled my instinctive cry for help. As my heart slowed, I managed to calm myself and remain still. Right now, I appeared to be alone. If someone knew I was awake, that could change.
Something told me I really didn’t want that to happen.
What the hell happened? The last thing I remembered was arriving at the bar, then… Shit. Someone had come up behind me and covered my nose and mouth with rag soaked in chloroform.
I strained my ears, picking up the low murmur of voices beyond a closed door. Male voices. Unfamiliar.
Stay calm, Akira. Think .
I tested the ropes again, twisting my wrists, but the knots held fast. These guys knew what they were doing. A chill ran down my spine as I wondered just how thoroughly they’d searched me.
Did they find my knife?
I rotated my hips, ignoring the bite of the ropes, until I could barely brush my fingertips against my back pocket. There -- a familiar shape. I almost sobbed with relief.
My captors had overlooked my small pocketknife. It wasn’t much, but it was a chance. More than that, it was hope.
Dad’s voice echoed in my mind. Always be prepared. The world isn’t kind to women who can’t defend themselves . It’s why I kept pepper spray in my purse, at least one knife on my person, and even had a gun in my car. Fat lot of good it did me right now. I’d need to start carrying it in a holster.
A wry smile tugged at my gagged mouth. My dad and I might not see eye to eye all the time, but right now, he’d fold his arms and watch me, waiting to see what I’d do. I might be tied up, but I was pissed off and far from helpless. If the assholes hadn’t drugged me, I’d have done as much damage as I could before reaching this point.
I’d be damned if I was going to sit here waiting to be rescued like some fairy-tale princess. These bastards had no idea who they were dealing with. I’d grown up surrounded by bikers and badasses. And I was getting the hell out of here.
I strained my ears, trying to decipher the muffled conversation beyond the door. The words were indistinct, but the tone was relaxed. Good. As long as they were chatting, they weren’t likely to check on me.
Slowly, I worked the knife from my pocket. My fingers trembled as I flicked it open, the soft click impossibly loud in the silent room. I froze, heartbeat thundering in my ears, but the voices outside continued uninterrupted. Looked like they hadn’t heard me. You’ve got this! Don’t let them win .
The blade was sharp despite its small size. Dad had given it to me for Christmas when I was thirteen, and I made sure to keep it sharpened. That was one rule in my house. If you had weapons, you had to know how to maintain them. I could take my gun apart and clean it. And I damn sure made sure my knives were in the best shape possible. And yes, I had more than one. As I sawed through the ropes, I thanked Dad for his overprotectiveness.
The fibers began to fray and snap. One by one, then faster, until suddenly my hands were free. I yanked the gag from my mouth, gulping in deep breaths of stale air.
“Shit,” I whispered, flexing my fingers against the pins and needles. No time to waste. I bent to slice through the ropes at my ankles, wincing as blood rushed back into my limbs. The prickling sensation intensified as I stood, threatening to send me tumbling. I gritted my teeth, massaging life back into my legs.
I could hear my dad’s voice right now. Walk it off. You’re tougher than this .
Gingerly, I stretched, working out the kinks in my shoulders and back. Each pop and crack of my joints sent a jolt of fear through me. What if they heard? But the murmur of voices continued, oblivious to my newfound freedom. I crept toward the door, knife clutched tightly in my hand, ready to face whatever came next. It might not be large enough to do a lot of damage, but I could take out an eye with it. Might slow them down and give me time to get away.
I pressed my ear against the cool door, straining to make out the muffled conversation beyond. My heart pounded in my chest, threatening to drown out the voices with its frantic rhythm.
“…perfect,” a deep voice rumbled. “We’ve got someone important to both the Dixie Reapers and the Swift Angels.”
My breath caught in my throat. They were talking about me.
Another voice chimed in. “Yeah, but why’d the boss want someone tied to both clubs?”
“Don’t matter,” the first man replied. “Plans are coming together, that’s all we need to know.”
I pulled back from the door, my mind racing. Why me? What could they possibly want that involved both clubs? Whatever it was, I knew it couldn’t be good.
Damnit . I patted down my pockets. My fingers searched frantically, hoping against hope, but my phone was nowhere to be found. Had I dropped it during the kidnapping? Or worse, did they have it?
A chill ran down my spine. What if they were using it as bait, leaving it on to lure my friends and family into a trap?
Think, Akira. You’ve got to get out of here on your own .
My dad hadn’t raised a coward, or a damsel in distress. I scanned the room, taking in the generic office furniture and blank walls. This wasn’t some dingy warehouse. It was an ordinary office complex. While it might be mostly empty, it was still too nice. And clean. Whoever these guys were, they had resources.
Creeping to the window, I covertly peeked through a gap in the curtains. It seemed to be an alley with another building less than ten feet away. No signs of guards or lookouts. My heart raced as I considered my options.
Back at the door, I pressed my ear against the wood, straining to hear more.
“… Justin’s gonna lose his shit when he finds out,” one of the men said, his voice barely audible.
Another chuckled. “Yeah, well, that bitch of a mother of his should’ve thought twice before --”
My eyes widened. Justin? As in Justin Lackland, the Swift Angels’ president? What did his mother have to do with this? Was that the tie to the Swift Angels?
Fuck this. I’m not sticking around to find out what they’re up to .
I crept back to the window, my fingers trembling slightly as I worked the latch. It gave way with a soft click , and I eased it open just enough to slip through.
The cool night air hit my face as I emerged, crouching low beneath the windowsill. How much time had passed? It was morning when they grabbed me. I didn’t know what town we were in, but I knew this didn’t look like home to me.
My muscles tensed, ready to bolt at the slightest sound. But nothing happened. No shouts, no alarms.
“Time to move,” I whispered to myself.
I darted down the alley between the buildings, my heart pounding in my ears. The narrow alley provided some cover, but I knew I couldn’t linger. As I reached the street behind the complex, a plan started to form. They had no idea how my dad and the Reapers had trained me. They’d probably expect me to stick close by, which meant I needed as much distance as possible.
With one last glance over my shoulder, I broke into a run. My legs burned as I pushed myself. Dad always said I was too stubborn for my own good. Time to prove him right .
My lungs burned as I spotted a fire station, its red-brick facade a beacon of hope. I stumbled through the doors, gasping for air.
“Please,” I panted, locking eyes with the woman behind the desk. “I need help.”
Her eyes widened, taking in my disheveled appearance. “Hold on, honey. I’ll get the captain.”
Moments later, a tall man with salt-and-pepper hair strode in, his piercing blue eyes radiating authority.
“I’m Captain Walker Reyes,” he said, his voice steady and reassuring. “Come with me.”
In his office, I sank into a chair, my legs trembling. “I was kidnapped,” I blurted out. “They had me tied up in an office building, but I escaped.”
Captain Reyes leaned forward, his expression grave. “Take a breath, miss. You’re safe now. Can you tell me more?”
I nodded, forcing myself to slow down. “My name’s Akira. I don’t know who took me, but they mentioned the Dixie Reapers and Swift Angels. And… Justin Lackland.”
The captain’s eyebrows shot up. “The president of the Swift Angels MC?”
So, he’d heard of the Swift Angels. That meant I had to be somewhat close to home, right? I didn’t think the new club was well known. Then again, it was the only club I knew of full of first responders. There had to be others, just not in this area.
“Yeah,” I replied, running a hand through my tangled hair. “Look, I need to contact some people. My dad, and… my boyfriend. Logan Pierce. He’s a paramedic.”
Captain Reyes nodded, reaching for his phone. “Give me their numbers. I’ll make the calls while we get you some clean clothes.”
I wrote the information down for him and slid it across his desk.
“Can you tell me where you were being held?” he asked. I did my best to describe the area and the general direction I’d come from. He nodded and took down the information before picking up his phone.
As he dialed, I couldn’t help but wonder: how many people were about to get dragged into this mess? And how the hell was I going to explain it all? I knew my dad would want to handle things the Reapers’ way. But this involved too many law-abiding people. I didn’t know what would happen, or how this would get resolved. Right now, I just wanted to go home.
The woman who’d called the captain for me led me to a bathroom with showers. She handed me some clean clothes. “We keep this stuff on hand for emergencies. Get cleaned up, and I’ll get you some shoes from a store down the street. What size do you wear?”
I glanced down at myself. Whoever had carried me around and tied me up had not only torn my clothes, but they’d removed my shoes. Joke was on them. It hadn’t stopped me from running. Thankfully, I hadn’t stepped on glass or anything else. My feet were a little sore, but I didn’t have any cuts or scrapes.
“Seven,” I said. “If I had my purse, I’d give you money for them.”
She waved me off. “We keep a fund for instances like this. No worries. You’re welcome to lock the door, but I’ll let everyone know the bathroom is occupied.”
After she left, I did exactly that, clicking the lock into place. Then I showered and pulled on the clean clothes she’d given me: sweatpants and long-sleeved tee with the fire department information on them.
The woman returned shortly after I’d finished and handed me some socks and new sneakers. I pulled them on, then paced the hall outside the captain’s office. Captain Reyes must have finished his calls because he waved me back into his office.
“Akira, your people are on their way,” he said, his tone measured. “But I’ve just received some news about the building you escaped from.”
My heart sank. “Let me guess -- they’re long gone?”
He nodded grimly. “The police found evidence you were held there, including cigarette butts outside the room. But the place is empty now.”
I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling up inside me. “Damnit! I knew it wouldn’t be that easy. It never is.”
“Easy?” Captain Reyes raised an eyebrow. “Young lady, what you did was incredibly brave and resourceful.”
I shook my head, my voice bitter. “Fat lot of good it did. They’re in the wind, and we’re back to square one.”
The captain leaned back in his chair, studying me. “You seem awfully familiar with these kinds of situations.”
I laughed humorlessly. “Let’s just say it’s not my first rodeo.”
“I see,” he said, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Well, unfortunately, our small town doesn’t have the resources to process DNA evidence from those cigarette butts. We’re at a bit of a dead end.”
I slumped against the wall, the weight of the situation crashing down on me. “So what now? We just wait for them to make another move?”
Captain Reyes stood, his presence commanding even in the small space. “Now, we make sure you’re safe. Your father and this Logan fellow should be here soon. In the meantime, our local police are on their way here to get a statement from you.”
I nodded, taking a deep breath. The police arrived a few minutes later, and as I began to recount my ordeal, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something much bigger -- and much more dangerous. I’d thought maybe I’d discovered a clue when those men had mentioned Justin’s name, but what if it wasn’t enough to get us anywhere?