Chapter Twenty-Six
THE WOMAN STROLLED back into the room after transferring Hope, her eyes locking onto mine as I stood by the window, lost in thought. She leaned casually against the wall, her gaze piercing and judgmental. “What was Samuel thinking by letting himself get stuck with such an ugly woman?” she sneered, shaking her head in disbelief. “But then I guess that’s one of the reasons he wanted to get rid of you.”
Her words were meant to cut deep, but I refused to let them hurt me, giving her any satisfaction. “Why am I here?” I demanded, choosing to ignore her venomous insults.
“Because if your grandfather finds you, he’ll insist on going through with that silly contract,” she explained, her tone dripping with condescension. “And I won’t allow that to happen because Samuel belongs to me.”
Frustration bubbled up inside me. “Then why not just leave me where I was?” I snapped, turning to face her fully. “And how did you even find me?”
She smirked, twirling a strand of her hair as if this were some trivial game. “I couldn’t risk Vittorio finding you,” she replied, her eyes studying me intently. “My partner tracked you down at that clubhouse, and I infiltrated it to figure out our next move. It was surprisingly easy, really. Men will do anything for a good fuck. That biker club should work on their security. Anyone could just waltz right in,” she chuckled, the sound cold and detached. “But then they moved you after Samuel’s visit.”
“And yet again, I was safely hidden away. How did you find the cabin?” My voice wavered with a mix of anger and desperation.
She stepped closer, her expression one of smug satisfaction. “My partner searched all the tax records of one Kaven Rafferty—your boyfriend—and found it easily enough. I knew he was the one who had taken you away,” she said, her tone growing more predatory as she closed the distance between us. “Now, let’s get this finished. I want to be available to console Samuel in the most physical way possible.”
Her words sent a shiver down my spine, but I stood my ground, refusing to let her see my fear. The stakes were higher than ever, and I knew I had to find a way to outsmart her, not just for my sake, but for everything I cared about. But as she pointed the gun at me, my heart sank, not having a clue how to make it happen.
“FUCK,” I GROWLED as the van jolted when Adam hit a pothole in the road; the headlights cutting through the darkness. I sat in the passenger seat, my mind racing. The club’s bikes roared in front of us, a convoy of determination. My head throbbed with each bump, but I forced myself to focus.
“We’re gonna find her, man,” Adam said, his voice steady. “We’ve got eyes everywhere.”
I nodded, clenching and unclenching my fists. “We better. Every minute that passes...”
“I know,” he interrupted, glancing at me. “We’ll get her back.” Adam was a childhood friend of mine and Valley, even though he was a few years younger than us and an all-around good guy.
The radio crackled to life, Scotch’s voice breaking through. “We’ve got a lead. The jeep took exit 330 off interstate I-76 and disappeared. They’re scouring the back roads now with google maps to see what’s around the area.”
“Heard that,” Adam replied. He pressed down on the accelerator, the van’s engine growling in response.
I grabbed the mic and shouted, “Patch, what’s the plan?”
“We’re splitting up,” Patch’s voice came through, crackling with static over the sound of his motorcycle. “Half of us will cover the interstate exit left and the other half right, combing the back roads. Samuel’s men are already on the ground and heading in the same direction.”
“Got it,” I said, my heart pounding harder. “We’ll follow left.”
Minutes felt like hours as we raced down the highway, the tension in the van thickening with each passing mile. I glanced out the window, the landscape a blur of shadows and fleeting lights as we took the exit and our group parted.
“Think they’ll try to hole up somewhere off the beaten path?” Adam asked, breaking the silence.
“Depends on who they’re working with,” I replied, my mind piecing together possibilities. “It’s a long shot finding them, but I’m not about to give up.”
My eyes scanned the darkness as we slowed down at each driveway and road we saw. Then there it was—a black jeep sitting in front of what looked to be a vacant house, except it wasn’t because a light shined inside.
The radio crackled again as I picked it up. “Midnight here. We’ve got a location on the jeep, five miles left off the exit, parked at an old house. I’ll ping the location. Looks like they’re trying to lie low, house looks vacant.”
“On our way, stay still till we get there,” Patch said, as my gut twisting with a mix of hope and fear. “If they move follow, don’t let them slip away.”
“Understood,” came the chorus of replies.
The old house loomed ahead, a dark silhouette against the night sky as the van skidded to a halt a short way down the road, and I jumped out, the night air cool against my fevered skin. The roar of bikes filled the air as the club pulled in behind us.
“Form a perimeter!” Patch barked, dismounting his bike. “Don’t let your guard down!”
I scanned the area, eyes narrowing. The jeep was parked haphazardly, its engine still ticking as it cooled. “There!” I pointed, seeing a shadow pass in the low light.
“Move out!” Patch ordered; his voice hushed.
We spread out, moving quickly but cautiously. My heart pounded in my chest, each step bringing me closer to Haddie. I tightened my grip on the pistol at my side, ready for whatever came next.
Samuel and his men joined us, their presence a silent but powerful reinforcement. We surrounded the house, the tension crackling in the air. I approached the front door, my senses on high alert. Nothing but silence reached my ears, and I motioned for the others to follow as we entered through the front door, which wasn’t even locked.
We all spread out, searching the place, and a small thud sounded from upstairs, and Samuel and I headed that way, knocking open the doors as we went down the hallway until finally, we got to the last door, which was locked.
Samuel motioned for his man to kick the door open. The old wood splintered under the force, and we stormed inside. The room was dark, shadows from the moon dancing in the corners. “Help.” Her faint voice sounded from somewhere close. I moved toward the sound of her voice, my pulse racing.
“Haddie, where are you?” I called, my voice echoing through the empty room.
“In here!” Her voice was stronger now, closer.
“She’s under the bed,” I shouted, shoving the bed away from the wall.
Sure enough, under the bed was a small door, and we scrambled to open it, finding her tied up and bruised but alive. Her eyes widened with recognition. “Hold on, Haddie,” I whispered, rushing to pull her out. “We’re getting you out of here.”