Chapter Twenty-Eight
Keely wasn’t sure when to expect Caine back home. As usual, he’d been vague on details. The note he’d left was no better. She was just coming out of the bathroom when she heard the elevator doors open. She smiled and rushed around the corner from the kitchen.
“This is a surprise.” Keely gasped, eyeing the men in their cuts standing in the living room.
The redhead smiled. “A good surprise? ’Cause I gotta tell you, darlin’, this is not the usual welcome we get when we break into someone’s place.”
Oh fuck!
She took off for the bedroom and heard the faint taunting, “Ah Cue, we got a runner.”
Keely grabbed the pocket doors, slamming them together, but instead of staying closed long enough for her to latch the lock, they sprung open.
She tried to calm herself, but her heart pounded erratically, and her hands shook.
She was able to get them closed again, but when she grabbed the lock they were pulled apart from the other side, and she fell backward, landing on her ass.
The two bikers stood in the doorway, making her only escape impossible. Fuck! When the redheaded biker started toward her, she scrambled to her feet, rushing to the other side of the bed.
The corner of his mouth spiked as he glanced down at the bed then up to meet her stare.
There was a feral glint in his eye that had the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.
She wasn’t sure what was worse, being chased down or being visually stalked.
She swallowed the knot in her throat, darting her eyes around the room but being mindful where both men stood.
She was no physical match against them, but she wouldn’t go down without a fight.
“What’s your next move, darlin’?”
I don’t have one, asshole.
He smirked as if he’d read her mind.
“Fun’s over, Gent,” Cue said and turned to her, lifting his hand and gesturing Keely toward him. “Let’s go.”
Keely stood frozen. She wasn’t going anywhere with them.
She racked her brain trying to quickly devise a plan.
She wouldn’t go straight for the elevator.
There was a five second delay on the doors closing.
That would give them ample time to rush in.
The only other option was the roof. There was a solid lock on the outside door.
If she could get up there, and close the latch, she’d be safe.
She wasn’t opposed to screaming from the rooftop for help.
When Cue started to approach, she braced herself. She might be able to duck low enough and get past him.
Gent snickered and held up his hand to Cue as he approached. “Wait, hold up, brother.” Gent cocked his head, staring right at her. “I see the wheels turning. She’s formulating a plan.”
“Gent,” Cue warned.
“She put all this thought into her plan, the least we can do is give her a chance to try and pull it off.” Gent smiled. “Give it your best shot, darlin’.”
Fuck!
“Let’s fucking go,” Cue snapped, then narrowed his eyes. “Unless you enjoy being locked in a bedroom with a psycho?”
“What’s my alternative?”
The lesser of two evils pointed toward the doorway. “You can wait in the living room.”
She slowly inched from behind the bed, and Gent watched her every move like a predator watching his prey. When she was a few feet away, he straightened, and she jumped, putting her a foot away from Cue. He gestured to the door.
“Go!”
Keely quickened her steps and heard his heavy boots following close behind. She rushed to the middle of the room and sat down when ordered.
Keely was on the corner of the couch, occasionally looking up at the ceiling door to the roof.
Depending on where the men were stationed would determine when she put her plan into motion.
In the best scenario, one would go to the bedroom and the other the bathroom.
That would at least buy her some time and give her a fighting chance at an escape.
Keely would just wait on the perfect opportunity. She glanced around the room watching the two men. She hadn’t even heard the elevator until the doors opened, and two men walked out.
One she knew, the other she didn’t. But they knew the two bikers apparently.
“Gent. Cue. We weren’t expecting you.”
The redhead smirked. “Oz, Sal, it’s always a pleasure.”
What the hell is happening?
****
Caine was in no condition to go through this deal without having confirmation of Keely’s safety. He trusted Nash but hadn’t heard from him since he’d reached out before leaving Inez’s.
So far, everything had gone according to plan.
They’d picked up Jared, who was riding with Jessie.
Cyrus was in a separate vehicle. All three were accompanied by Anders and eight of his men in two SUVs.
They were following the truck Caine was driving.
Ridge had offered to take the wheel, but Caine needed something to focus on to keep his mind off of Keely. It wasn’t working.
“Watch your speed, Caine,” Ridge said from the passenger seat. It was the third time he’d been reminded.
Caine gripped the steering wheel, and his knuckles whitened. He was currently transporting enough product to get him and everyone else a life sentence. He needed to stay focused.
When an alert sounded from a phone, he glanced down, but it wasn’t his. Fuck! What the hell was taking Nash so long to send him an update?
“She’s safe.”
Caine jerked his head. “You hear from Nash?”
Ridge glanced over. “The message is from Oz. He’s with her.” Ridge smirked. “And so is Sal. That pretty much means Keely is currently the most protected person in the Underground and the state .”
Caine drew in a breath, feeling the tension loosen from his muscles and his chest. Oz may have gotten some pushback from Killcreek, if they were following orders from Inez, considering the situation. But they wouldn’t test the boundaries with Sal. Even Inez knew better.
Caine passed through Turnersville. At this time of night, it was quiet with only a few cars parked on the street. He stopped at a red light and glanced over at the corner shop. He hadn’t spent any time in the small town. There was never a need.
“Ah fuck.” Ridge laughed. “You scoping out places to ring shop? That’s one way to make it official with Keely.”
“What?”
Ridge pointed to the store. “It’s a jewelry store.”
Caine looked back. He hadn’t even realized it at the time.
He was watching the front door when it opened and a woman walked out.
She turned and locked it then made her way to the crosswalk.
His light was still red, but it would turn any second.
It seemed the woman wasn’t taking her chances.
She bundled up her jacket and glanced up at the sky.
She couldn’t have been much older than Keely.
While the small town had a low crime rate, in Caine’s mind it wasn’t safe for any woman to be out this late and alone.
The light turned green, but he didn’t move.
When the woman looked over, he waved for her to cross.
She hesitated and looked at the opposite end of the street before crossing at a swift pace.
When she was directly in front of the truck, she looked up, smiled, and waved.
Caine didn’t let up on the brake until she opened her car door and got inside.
“Fuck, Caine.” Ridge laughed. “Look at you. Keely softened the fuck outta you. Now you’re watching over random women. It’s a good look, man.”
Caine ignored the comment and headed to the designated location.
Ace’s directions were on point, and he pulled down the darkened turnoff and parked.
He watched in his rearview mirror as the trucks behind him did the same.
Cyrus was last in line, essentially making it impossible for any of them to get out.
“Where the fuck is Killcreek?” Ridge asked.
In order for this plan to work, the MC had to be hiding in the wings. Caine got out of the truck, scanning the wooded area. It was too dark to see anything. The perfect spot for an ambush.
Anders and his men filed out of the SUVs. The longer they waited on Killcreek, the more danger they were all in. They were outnumbered by Anders and his men.
Anders spread out his arms. “Why the fuck are we stopping?” Caine watched him move closer and looked past his shoulder at the doors of the truck. He scowled and looked around the area. He hadn’t been suspicious before, but he was now.
Without Zeke or his crew emerging, it sent up red flags. All the others seemed to take note of Anders’ behavior, and they all reached for their guns at their hips. Caine was prepared to take the shot he needed to keep himself and his men safe.
It never came to that.
In a choreographed move, the area went from pitch black to lit up like daylight. Unbeknownst to any of them, including Caine, Killcreek had been lying in wait, circled around the entire perimeter standing in front of their bikes.
It all happened so fast, Anders nor his men had time to react. Killcreek came down on them so quickly, there were three bikers per man surrounded and unarmed within seconds.
It was a fucking success. For the first time in over twenty-four hours, Caine could take a breath. Caine watched Ace, Cross, and Wraith move in closer to Anders.
Ace grabbed his phone, lifting it to his ear with his eyes pinned on Caine.
“It’s done.”
There was only one person he could’ve been reporting to.
Inez.
It’s done.