Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
RHYS
Pulling up outside of Hell’s Asylum hurts like a bitch.
The Amberwood Fire Department is already on scene, hosing down the blaze that stretches up toward the sky.
The smoke stings my eyes, the accelerant smell still clinging to the air, sharp and assaulting.
We all know this was no accident, even if the police report will say it is after Chaos speaks with Police Chief Edwards.
I look through the crowd for my crew, finding Chaos standing with a few others in the middle of two police cars.
A burning beam collapses with a roar, sparks flying out everywhere.
I feel like my legs belong to someone else as I stomp over to Chaos, at a loss for words. All we can do is watch, my fists clenched at my sides, blunt nails digging into my palms. We’ve had this building for more than two decades, and now it’s about to be reduced to ash and rubble.
“Was anyone inside?”
“No, thank fuck.”
“So just the building, then.”
“Queenie built this way before he took me and Lucas in. But we spent so much time here, even though I started out cleaning toilets and mopping floors.” Chaos’ voice is quiet, lethal, and far more dangerous than fire. This hurts him more than anyone else. But goddamn does it hurt me, too.
“We’ll find them.”
“I want him brought in. Now. No one sleeps until we do.”
We all head to our bikes, riding in formation back to the clubhouse. There’s a heady mix of rage and turmoil bleeding and blending through our ranks. As if this wasn’t already personal, they just took something from us that is equivalent to a life.
The engine roars under me, loud and angry, like it can feel the fury rolling off my skin in waves. Even with my brothers in formation around me, that lonely feeling starts to creep back in. Caged. Contained. Every mile back to the clubhouse just winding that coil in my gut tighter and tighter.
I keep seeing the flames behind my eyelids every time I blink. How much time we all spent in there, especially as teenagers and prospects. They torched a piece of who we are, and we have never been the kind of club that lets something like this slide.
The tension thrums through each of us, the air crackling with the same need burning in our guts.
Revenge. Justice. Blood. As their vice president—as Sin—I’ve always been the one to swerve into the darkness, the one to do whatever it takes to seek retaliation, or right the scales.
But right now, as Bristol slips into mind like she always does, her soft voice, her beautiful hazel eyes, her sweet, gentle smile, for the first time since becoming Sin, I don’t want to be that man.
She hates violence, and I can see it in her eyes that she hates the death and destruction that surrounds the club life. Bristol loves all the pieces of me that I’ve spent years trying to keep hidden. She’s given me exactly what I’ve been waiting for, what I’ve been wanting. She sees me.
But what the fuck am I supposed to do? We can’t let this go.
This was just another warning. He knows where she is, and he wants her back.
It’s only a matter of time before he comes for her, or the place that means the world to her.
I can’t pretend that my club, my family, didn’t just receive a crushing blow, either.
The handlebars tremble underneath my grip, rage pulling me one way, the love of my life pulling me in another. I’ve never felt so torn before, but I also know the choices have been made for me.
The clubhouse gates come into view, and my patch brothers and I ride through like a storm, building to a colossal strength.
I let myself go to it, doing what I know is right, what I’ve always done.
I’m Sin, a Hell’s Heathen, and I’ll do whatever needs to be done to protect my family.
Getting revenge will be the easy part. Holding onto that humane part of me for her?
That’s the fight that might break me if I’m not careful.
Once we’re inside the clubhouse, the ranked members head to church, the double doors falling closed behind us.
The energy is palpable as we take our seats, Malice antsy, his leg bouncing as he picks at his chipped fingernails, Wrath gripping his knife, flipping it in his hand, Rogue pacing back and forth behind his chair, Noose grinding his molars.
I clock each of them, letting myself feel all of it.
Letting it build, letting it all take over.
“What do we know?” Chaos finally says, breaking the silence stretching between the walls.
“We’ve got his addresses, but he’s been quiet, hasn’t made any movement,” Malice answers.
“I can call Bristol, see if she has any known addresses or places he might be hiding.”
“Get it. Now.”
“Anything else?”
“I’ll call Otto, see if we can get into his personal banking now that we know his information and anything else helpful we might get from Bristol.”
“Do it. Anything you all can think of, I don’t care how small. Find him. Bring him in.”
“Alive,” I add, looking at everyone as I pull out my phone to text my mom, knowing Bristol didn’t bring hers with her when she left his house.
I send the text, asking my mom to show Bristol the message.
My sweet woman gives it all up, knowing what that could mean for him.
Then she sends one more, and my heart practically breaks from happiness behind my ribs.
I understand now. I love you.
I don’t know what my mom said to her, or what helped her get to this point, but I’m thankful for it. Knowing I have Bristol’s understanding is everything; it means I don’t have to skirt these two lives, it means I can just be me. All I’ve ever really wanted to be.
“Alright, boys, here we go. We got names, addresses, and phone numbers. Where are we starting to look?”