Chapter Twenty-Two
Harley
“ S o since Noah’s torture room was at Dirty Sinner, where will we take them if this all goes as planned?” I ask Colton before taking a sip of the coffee Grayson hands me.
My nap turned into Cade and I passed out the rest of the day and all night. It was the best sleep I have had in a while and much needed. I faintly remember Grayson and Ryker joining us, and then we all just slept.
After getting up this morning, Ryker informed me there was a plan to go to Virginia today, that Bri and her guys left yesterday. That one hit kind of hard. Bri always says goodbye to me and so do the guys, but I’m trying to just brush it off. I know she is going through things right now. Grayson filled me in on what he and Linc talked about, and we decided our best course of action is to just let it be.
I wish she would let me in, but I get why she doesn’t want to right now.
“We will bring them back here. We still have our shed where we can hold them and use it for anything we plan to do,” Colton answers my question.
I nod, having forgotten about the shed. I never went down into it; I just faintly remember it from when I was first here and they were holding Daniel. “Can I see the blueprints again?” I ask, and Grayson grabs the large sheet and places it in front of me. He then stands at my back and reaches around me to point to different spots.
“Nerds double checked with Brielle. She hasn’t been in the club for about two years, but she said it still looked like this. More than likely, they haven’t made significant changes in that time.” Right, because these blueprints are almost ten years old. “Only Sugar, Axe, and Stone will take their bikes. The rest of us will be in the cars and trucks. They will go in first to just chat and let them know about Rage.”
The excuse they decided to use was my dad. Colton wanted to tell people in person and let them know he is taking over the club but nothing is changing. He is continuing how Rage wanted his club run.
“Our hope is that Killer and Tank will be suspicious and want to get out of there, so then we will surround the place and wait,” Ryker tacks on.
“If that doesn’t happen,” Grayson points along the edges of the building, “we will go in through all these points. Sugar will give the warning they are to just hand them over peacefully, or it will be seen as a threat against our club and we will be enemies.”
“But Rocky, Brielle’s pops, hates conflict. We were always pretty sure he only went along with Killer’s plans back in the day because it was the easiest thing to do for him,” Colton explains.
“So you think he will hand them over easily?” I question, and Colton nods from where he leans against the counter across from us. Biting the corner of my lip, I run through it all in my mind until I realize… My head jolts up, and I glance at everyone in the kitchen with us. “Did anyone remember finding a girl named Zero? She was around my age, auburn long hair, a few inches taller than me, super thin?”
“At the house you were at or at the ball?” Ryker asks.
“The house. I think. I don’t think she went to the ball, but maybe she did?” I muse. “I honestly forgot about her because I saw her so rarely, but she wasn’t a prisoner there like the rest of us. She would help get the other girls cleaned up and put together. She wasn’t chained up ever and always looked well taken care of besides being really thin.” I huff a breath, frustrated I could just forget about a girl who probably needs help.
“Take a breath, Harley,” Grayson says, rubbing my shoulders. “We can put word out to see if anyone saw her or where she went.”
“We don’t need to,” Nerds adds, typing away on his laptop. “I had everyone keep track of who they found. Plus, we took pictures of everyone who died at the ball. Only one girl was killed by her trader at the ball.” He turns his laptop and shows me a picture of a young girl with blonde hair. I shake my head, but unshed tears gather in my eyes at the thought of her life being taken away.
“Let me go through the list of names,” he says. As he combs through them, Grayson steps away, mumbling about me needing to eat as he gathers supplies to make breakfast.
“You gonna cook for all of us?” Colton asks with a smirk.
“Um, no?” Grayson grimaces.
“Oh, yes you are, young prospect. Better get to work.” Noah smirks at him.
Grayson sighs and glances at Cade. “Help me with this.”
Cade gets up right as Ryker opens his big mouth. “Hey, I can help you.”
“Um, no, Ry, you can’t.” Grayson smiles gently at him, as if he is talking to a toddler.
“Fine.” He sighs dramatically before plopping down next to me and resting his head on my shoulder.
“There’s no Zero on this list. We have two unknowns who wouldn’t give their names, but they aren’t auburn or tall,” Nerds explains.
I fiddle with my coffee cup as I think it all over. Where would she have gone? Is she with Killer? Or did she run off on her own?
“There’s nothing more we can do right now, Harley. Maybe Killer kept her with him when he got away,” Ryker says, gripping my thigh.
“Also,” Colton starts, gaining the room's attention, “after Blade and Harley’s little stunt the other night, we have a few people watchin’ Tammy and Richard. After we deal with Killer and Tank, we need to handle them.” He glances at me along with everyone else in the room.
“Whatever you want to do, little flame,” Ryker says softly.
“Can I think about it?” I ask.
“Of course.” Colton nods as everyone starts to move on getting ready for today. I never really thought a day would come when I would get to do anything about Tammy and Richard, and now that it might be soon, my mind is blanking about what I would even do.
“Don’t overthink it,” Ryker whispers before kissing me softly.
“How are you feeling?” Grayson glances back from the passenger seat of the truck, Cade driving and Ryker in the back with me.
“I don’t really know. I think I have just been in denial that this really ends soon. I know we can’t ever fully end trafficking, but we are putting an end to this ring that has been running for decades around here,” I explain, glancing out the window.
“I think you aren’t processing a lot of things, but as soon as you are ready, we will be here to hold you up,” Ryker says, taking my hand and lacing our fingers together.
“What about you guys? How are you feeling about all of this?” I ask, not ready to dive into the mess that is me.
“Ready,” Cade says.
“More than ready,” Ryker adds.
Grayson chuckles softly. “We might have talked about taking our anger out on Tank. Everything we have felt and dealt with and what he has done to you.” He clears his throat. “Of course, if you are okay with that. We aren’t going to take your revenge from you either.”
I shrug. “Do whatever you want to him, honestly. My revenge lies with Tammy and Richard. I want to see Killer and Tank get what’s coming to them, more than anything. But I think I am feeling consumed by this idea that I can finally do something about the Wilsons, and I’m not even sure what to do.”
“You’ll know when you know. I always hated my father, but killing him was never something I thought I would do. After doing it, though, it was the right thing, and I am glad I did it,” Ryker tells me.
“You really never regretted it?” The question falls from my lips before I can think it through. I grimace and go to apologize, but Ryker laughs.
“No, never. I think that’s just the dark side of me, though, something that prefers things a little twisted. He could’ve gone to jail and lived out his life there but being able to deal with him myself was what I needed.”
“I love you, dark side and all,” I tell him, causing him to grin widely and devour me.
When a little moan slips past my lips, Cade groans from the front seat, “Stop before I fucking crash.”
We all laugh and let the conversation get lighter as we get closer to Bri’s dad’s club. As we turn onto the road leading to it, Grayson’s phone rings, and he is quick to put it on speaker.
“Get your ear pieces in. Pull off behind Noah’s truck in front of you and then head into position. Stay low to the ground as you move through the brush. I don’t think it’s very thick around the compound. With Rocky being older and not bringing anyone new into the club, things are still how they were many years ago: open and no security,” Nerds explains before getting off the phone to call the next person.
We all place our earpieces in and make sure we have our guns. Ryker retightens my vest before we are crouching and jogging through the trees along the side of the compound. It’s a beautiful piece of land they have here. The land definitely needs some work; it kind of looks like they just don’t really care anymore.
When we get to our spot facing a side door and two windows, we squat down low and listen through our ear pieces as Colton, Axe, and Stone head into the club.
“It’s been so long. You look so much like your father,” Rocky, Bri’s dad, says to Colton.
After they discuss Rage’s passing, there is background noise that sounds like someone cussing, then more shuffling around. I glance at the guys to see the same looks of concentration on their faces as we try to make out what the sounds are.
“Alright now, Killer, you don’t really want to do this,” Axe says.
My feet are moving before anything else can be said, my heart raging in my chest, trying to escape from the jolt of fear that someone else I love is going to get hurt. I hear the guys say something behind me, but nothing stops me until I am at the side door. I force myself to take a breath and listen again.
Cade’s hand lands on my shoulder as we hear Colton grunt, and I twist the door handle and move quietly into their club.
The door opens to a long hallway with closed doors, and as we move down it, the sounds grow louder. The end of the hall opens to a large dining room area. When I peek around the corner, I find a bunch of people standing around. Colton has his hands raised while Killer stands behind him, a gun pointed at his head.
Fuck. Axe and Stone are facing off with Tank, who has a gun aimed between the two of them. Fucking Rocky and his guys are just standing there like idiots, not doing a damn thing.
Glancing back at the guys, I say, “Run around to the back door by the kitchen so you can get in behind Killer and Tank.”
“Harley–” Ryker starts to say.
“Go. I’ll stay with her,” Grayson hisses at the same time.
Ryker and Cade look hesitant but take off anyway while Grayson raises a brow at me. “Don’t be reckless.”
“I won’t,” I tell him, but based on his narrowing eyes, he doesn’t believe me.
I don’t believe me either.
Peeking back around the corner, I can barely see through the window by the back door across the room, so when Ryker and Cade appear, I know it’s time.
Stepping out from behind the wall, I walk straight towards everyone. Tank spots me first and laughs. “Did you miss me?” he asks, completely distracted like a dumbass, which gives Axe and Stone the moment they need to move forward and tackle him.
At the same time, my men come barreling into the room. Cade grips Killer’s wrist with the gun and yanks it up so when he pulls the trigger, it goes into the ceiling while Ryker puts him in a headlock.
“Let go of the gun,” Colton hisses, placing his hand over Killer’s.
He laughs. “You’ll never be able to take me down.”
“Wanna bet?” Grayson questions, having snuck past me. He injects a needle into Killer’s arm, causing him to fall limp and pass out.
When my mouth drops open, Grayson shrugs, “Doc helped me out yesterday.”
“Got another one of those?” Axe grunts as he and Stone hold down a fighting Tank.
“I’ll take this one.” I hold my hand out for Grayson to drop the other syringe into my palm. Approaching Tank on the floor, I squat by his head and hold eye contact as I put the needle to his arm. “See you soon, bitch.”
He manages to lift his leg out from under Stone, who has his lower half pinned, and kicks Stone in the side, making him grunt. “Take your fucking time, Harley,” Stone growls.
I raise a brow at him, not pushing the needle in. “Maybe I will.”
“Harley…” Axe chuckles, but it’s strained as he keeps holding onto Tank. Tank is by no means a small man; he is large and probably outweighs all the other guys, but I don’t think he has much strength.
After I inject Tank and he falls limp, they both stand, and Stone shoots me a glare before rubbing his side.
“Don’t worry. If you tell Raven you're injured, she’ll take care of you.” Axe laughs as he slaps Stone on the back.
“Ready, little flame?” Ryker asks as he wraps an arm around my shoulder and pulls me against his side.
Glancing at Bri’s dad, I ask, “Was there a girl with them?”
Rocky nods. “Yeah, she doesn’t come out of the room Killer is staying in, though.”
“Where is the room?” I ask him.
“Upstairs to the left, second door,” he tells us, and I start walking, Ryker and Grayson right behind me.
With the ear pieces still in, I can hear Colton asking Rocky about Killer and Tank.
“They asked for a place to stay, and I didn’t mind. We don’t really do much around here anymore. We had some issues when we tried to take in new members. They aren’t good guys and have been causing us issues. We want to just close the club and leave, honestly, but Killer said he could help if they could stay here for a while. He didn’t say anything else about it,” Rocky explains.
When we get up to the door, I knock twice, and when there is no answer, I slowly open it and step inside. “Zero? Are you here? It’s me, Harley. Do you remember me?” When I get no response, I walk farther into the bland, basic room and look around. There’s a bed in the center of the room and then another small air mattress along the wall under the window. Opening the closet door, I find minimal clothing items, but no one is in here.
“Where is she?” I ask Ry and Gray.
“Let’s get everyone to search around. Maybe she got scared and is hiding,” Grayson says.
After an hour of searching in and outside of the club, we come up empty. She isn’t here.
“What the hell,” I murmur.
“We only saw her twice. When they got here, and then the other day he brought her out here with him for a few minutes but otherwise she never left that room. I don’t know where she could have gone,” Rocky says.
“Harley, we need to get going. They won’t stay out for long, and she’s not here,” Grayson says gently.
I nod and glance at Rocky, who nods. “If we see her, we will contact Sugar.”
“Thanks,” I say, and we head out.
“I don’t understand how she just disappeared.” I sigh as we start heading back home again.
“I know, baby girl. There’s lots of reasons, though, and if she doesn’t want to be found, we can’t do anything about that,” Cade tells me.
“This would be a lot more fun if I had my fucking man cave still,” Noah whines as they put Killer and Tank into the cells in the shed. The room is bland, just a counter to the right side by the door and large cells along the back of the room.
“Did you just call your torture room at the nightclub your man cave ?” I tilt my head at Noah, cocking a brow.
He shrugs as a grin forms on his lips. “It was my own little man cave. Like some men have game rooms or like a place to watch sports or whatever else the fuck they do–I have my own man cave.”
“A torture room?” I question.
“Perfect for me, right?” He grins manically.
“Why did you have it at the Dirty Sinner anyway? Wouldn’t it have been better to have it here?” I wonder out loud.
“Because of us,” Ryker comments as he throws an arm around my shoulder.
Noah nods in agreement. “I didn’t want the enforcer side of me anywhere near these punks before they were old enough to be around it.”
“So instead, we just found our own trouble.” Ryker smiles.
Noah shakes his head as he drags a metal chair in the center of the room. “Who’s first?” he shouts and claps his hands together.
“Killer,” Colton demands as he walks into the room with the other ranking officers.
Noah and my guys, the prospects, brought them in here, and now it’ll be us along with Axe, Stone, Nerds, and Colton.
“Give me a hand, prospect,” Noah says to Cayden, who helps him drag Killer back out of his cell and plops onto the chair. They get him tied to it before Stone pulls something out from the cupboard below the counter and waves it under Killer’s nose.
I must look confused, because Ryker explains, “Smelling salts. They’ll wake him right up.”
Suddenly, Killer starts coughing, trying to get out of the chair.
“Good morning, sunshine.” Noah grins.
His nostrils flare as he takes in everyone standing in front of us before his eyes land on me. A slow smile stretches over his lips. “Did I break you, little girl? Couldn’t handle watching your poor daddy die?”
Ryker tenses, but I lay a hand on his chest before I step forward. Mimicking his smile, I punch him in the cheek as hard as I can. When he grunts and glares at me, I lean in close and sneer, “You can’t break me, grandfather.”
Stepping back, Ryker is quick to wrap his arms around my waist as I tilt my head at Killer. “Why is Zero so important to you? Who is she?”
Killer’s eyes widen as he tries to glance back behind him into the cells. He must be able to see enough, because his shoulders drop for just a split second before he tenses again and tries to look unaffected. “She means nothing to me.”
I glance at Colton, who steps forward. “You used to be a much better liar. What happen? Old age gettin’ to you?”
Apparently done with the topic, he just presses his lips together and falls silent.
“Fine. Don’t tell us shit. We already know what we need to know. You are a low life piece of scum, and it will be my honor to send you to hell.” Colton clenches his fists at his sides, his chest heaving with each word.
“I don’t know if you remember, with your old man brain and all,” Axe begins, “but you did gift me my name, so I might as well use that gift to show you how much I appreciate you.”
My eyes widen slightly as Axe comes from the back of the room with a fucking ax in his hand. “They aren’t going to hold back. I know you are strong and can hold your own, but are you ready to see these guys with their demons splayed wide?” Ryker whispers in my ear.
I nod immediately as Grayson steps up next to us and takes my hand. “I’m going to head back to the club. I’ll be back when it’s time, but I don’t particularly care to see this side of them.” He tells me hesitantly. His eyes are pleading with me to understand.
Pulling out of Ryker’s arms, I step forward and wrap mine around Grayson’s shoulders while I go up on my tip toes and lock eyes with him. “There is nothing wrong with that. I need to see this after what I had to see when I was gone, but I understand not wanting to see them like this. I love you.”
“I love you too, beautiful.” He kisses me gently before pushing me back towards Ryker and leaving the room.
Cayden takes his spot, standing next to us and intertwining our fingers as we watch everything go down.
Axe raises a brow at me, and when I stare straight back at him, he smiles and moves forward, raising his ax.
Killer, the bastard he is, doesn't beg or cry. He clenches his eyes shut as Axe swings it down right onto his wrist. When his hand falls to the ground with a soft thud, we all watch it bleed until someone sighs dramatically from behind us.
Glancing back, I spot Doc coming in with a long metal rod like one used on me that he immediately presses to the stump left on Killer, causing Killer to scream even louder. “If you’re going to torture, call me so I can at least keep them alive long enough for you idiots.”
“You got out of all of this a long fucking time ago,” Colton remarks.
“And this motherfucker took a boy I considered a son away from me. I’m staying, and the missus will be more than understanding,” Doc snaps.
Killer lets out a pathetic scoff. “You made an oath to me—“
“And you grew an amazing son who deserved more than a piece of scum for you as a father. My oath to you died the day my respect did,” Doc tells him.
“Your oath to me died the day you got your dick wet and became whipped to a piece of—“
Killed is cut off as Doc pinches his cheeks together so his lips are puckered. “Go ahead and keep spewing your shit. I’ll stay here for days just to make sure whatever they do to you doesn’t kill you until I decide you're done.”
Ryker whistles with a quiet chuckle from behind me. “Remind me not to ever get on Doc’s bad side.” He says so only Cade and I can hear.
I bite my cheek to keep from chuckling as Doc pushes the burning hot rod to his stump again while saying, “For good measure.”
As all the ranking officers take turns torturing Killer, a sick sort of satisfaction settles deep in my chest. After having to see my dad in a chair, suffering by Killer’s hand, it helps to see him get the same treatment back. I don’t feel the need to step in and do any of it myself; it’s almost like this peace has consumed me.
Being with two of my men, watching some of my loved ones get their revenge for what happened to Gabe, settles something in me.
It’s also a stark reminder that I am going to have to decide what to do with Tammy and Richard after this.
Part of me wants to just put a bullet between their eyes and call it day, but I know deep down, after all this time, that would never be good enough. They deserve worse. They deserve to suffer like I did.
Every time the guys push too hard, Doc steps in and fixes him right back up, just enough so he won’t die. Noah grabs some pliers and a knife as he approaches Killer, a wicked gleam in his eyes as he stares at Killer’s mouth.
Before he can do anything, Stone stops him. “Wait.” He glances over at Colton and Axe. “Untie him.”
Without question, they do while Stone leaves the shed. I furrow my brows and glance around the room in confusion. “He’s going to get some payback,” Axe murmurs, a hint of sadness and anger in his tone.
Stone comes back in the room a while later with a bucket of water and steps in front of Killer on his side on the floor. Gripping Killer by the back of his hair, Stone rips him up, causing him to groan in pain.
Without any hesitation, Stone dunks his head into the water and holds it there, not letting up until Killer is trying to flail even with his broken and battered body. Pulling him back up, he leans in close, whispering in his ear.
When Killer shakes his head, Stone tsks and dunks him again.
Bile rises in my throat, and I spin around, burying my face in Ryker’s chest. “Fuck,” Cayden growls from where he presses up behind me.
“Let’s leave,” Ryker says.
“No.” I inhale Ryker’s scent and clutch his sides, knowing he will hold me as I glance at him. “No, I want to stay–need to. I just can’t watch this part.”
“Harley–”
“I know it’s not the same as what happened to me. Please, trust me. I’m okay. Just watching it, it’s like the suffocating feeling takes over.”
Ryker yanks me back against his chest, not letting me move as Cayden rubs my back. I listen to Killer being dunked in the bucket over and over again.
Was it too much to assume I was past my shit from the Wilsons? I thought it was over and it wasn’t something I would still struggle with, but apparently, I was wrong.
I don’t think this shit will ever fully go away.
Every time Stone pulls Killer back out, it’s silent in the room as Stone whispers in his ear. Finally, Killer speaks. “Okay, okay, fine!” he says while gasping.
Ryker loosens his hold so I can spin back around as Cade steps to the side of me. Stone is holding Killer up in front of the bucket with a raised brow. “I was the worst president, and Gabriel was the real man of this club. I get it you all hate me, but–”
His words are cut off as Stone dunks him and pulls him right back up. “No one wants to hear your excuses.” He hisses before glancing at Noah who laughs.
After they rip his teeth out one by one and then cut his tongue, Colton steps forward with a knife. Yanking Killer’s head back, he says, “I was goin’ shoot you in the head, but that felt too easy. This is gettin’ off easy too. We should keep you alive for days, but none of us want to look at your fuckin’ face for that long,” he tells him right as he slices his throat wide open.
“Can’t believe that fucker survived all these years,” Axe says, staring down at him.
“That didn’t fix me,” Nerds mutters as he leaves the shed, Colton following after him.
“And what about that fucker?” Noah asks, pointing to Tank, who is now awake in his cell but gagged with a–
“What is that?” I ask, pointing to the thing in his mouth.
Noah grins. “A ball gag.”
My eyes widen as Ryker snickers behind me.
“Can we have the room for him?” I ask, changing the subject.
They all nod. “Of course. Prospects, push Killer to the side. When you all are done, you guys will get to do your first burn session,” Axe tells them.
“Can you tell Grayson to come back?” I ask Noah as they all walk out.
“Oh, I’ve been waiting for this,” Ryker says, stretching his arms out.
When Grayson comes back in, Ryker and Cayden move Killer before pulling a fighting Tank out and strapping him down to the chair.
“Did you have fun watching Killer’s party?” Ryker asks him, pulling the ball gag out of his mouth.
“You won’t get away with this,” Tank shouts.
Grayson tilts his head, a gleam I have never seen before in his eyes. “Isn’t that like a classic movie line right before the person dies? Either way, we have already gotten away with it.”
“Anything you want from him, little flame?” Ryker asks me, standing behind Tank.
My heart races as I glance around the room, taking in my three guys, who are all here, angry, just for me. They would do anything for me.
“He may not have been the one who took that away from me, but he ruined me in other ways, and I—” I bite the corner of my lip as I look at Tank and remember the nightly trips to the room. For a month. He stole my power, he stole what I thought I healed. He left me in the hands of someone who took something that was only ever meant for my three guys. Maybe I’m not ready to admit it all and deal with it, but there's something I do want now.
“I want my power back.”