Chapter Sixteen
Eliza
Consciousness clawed its way back to me, dragging me through a thick haze of pain. My eyelids were leaden, resisting the urge to flutter open. When they did, darkness greeted me, thick and suffocating. I blinked, trying to orient myself, but the void clung stubbornly to my vision.
Lying there, my body felt like it had been trampled by a herd of elephants. Every breath was a battle, air scraping raw against my throat. The floor beneath me was cold, unforgiving concrete, and the stench of stale cigarette smoke and mildew assaulted my senses. Fear twisted in my gut and panic filled me as I tried to remember.
Bits and pieces shattered through the fog in my brain. The clubhouse. Jo’s face, pale as death, eyes wide with terror. My father’s gravelly voice slicing through the chaos, his silhouette looming over her. Two of his goons flanking him. I couldn’t remember how they’d gotten in.
My head pounded and I pressed a hand to my forehead, closing my eyes as I struggled to piece everything together. More of what happened filtered through my thoughts.
“Stay still,” one of them sneered at Jo, pressing a knife against her side. Seeing her so helpless against them infuriated me, and yet I was powerless against them.
“Eliza, come now,” my father commanded, as if I were nothing more than a dog he could order around. “Or she gets it. Won’t make me lose sleep to gut the little bitch.”
I moved toward him, knowing if I didn’t go, Jo could die. Her gaze followed me, brimming with tears. If my father hurt her, if that man so much as jostled her wrong or ended up stabbing her, then her baby could die.
I clenched my hands into fists, my nails biting into my palms. Jo needed me to be strong right now. I was the only one who could get her away from my father and his men. Even if it meant going back to the hell I’d barely survived before. For her, for the baby, I’d have to face it all .
“Cheshire,” I whispered into the blackness, “where are you?”
I didn’t know how much time passed, but I slipped in and out of consciousness. Pain clawed at me. My eyelids felt like sandpaper as they scraped open, revealing a sliver of dim light that stung. I blinked rapidly, but each throb pulsed a stark reminder -- I was alive.
More memories came to me.
“Eliza, we’ll get you back, darlin’. You’ll be home soon,” Hatter said. I grabbed hold of his promise like a lifeline, needing something to cling to, some spark of hope.
“Keep Jo safe,” I said, “and tell Cheshire…”
He shook his head. “You’ll tell him yourself.”
Before I could answer him, white-hot agony splintered across my skull, and the world went dark .
Now, the room swam into focus, more clearly this time. Grimy walls closed in on me, and the air was thick with must and fear. I wasn’t alone. A few men huddled in the corner, their voices low, gruff -- predators just waiting to sink their teeth into prey.
But my father… he was absent. Where was he? What twisted game was he playing now?
“Hey, she’s awake.” One of them nodded in my direction. Their stares felt like bugs crawling over me.
I sucked in a shallow breath, bracing for what came next. Father’s goons, no doubt. But why wasn’t he here to gloat? What kind of hell had he left me in? Were they going to hurt me in his place?
“Boss has plans for you,” another said, chuckling darkly. My stomach churned. Plans. Always plans. Like chess pieces, we were moved on his sick board.
“Shut it,” a third snapped. “You’re scaring her.”
“Good,” the first retorted with a sneer. “She should be scared.”
Their laughter echoed in my ears. They were enjoying this, wanted me to suffer. Well, maybe not the one who’d tried to make them stop. Still, if he was working with my father, then he wasn’t a good man.
The men’s eyes were like daggers, sharp and cold, as they stared at me. They were my father’s most trusted dogs. The fear crept up like a living thing inside me.
“Pretty little Eliza, all grown up and still so fragile,” one of them sneered. His words felt like a knife twisting in my gut. Despair grabbed hold in a relentless grip. I was in deep, maybe too deep to ever claw my way out. If Cheshire didn’t find me soon, I had a bad feeling he never would.
The fact my dad had brought me here -- wherever here was -- and not to the house, didn’t bode well for my future.
My mind raced, my heart pounding a desperate rhythm. Cheshire. Would he find me? Could he?
He had to. The thought of never seeing those piercing blue eyes again, never hearing that smooth, confident voice laced with humor… No, I couldn’t bear it.
I curled in on myself, arms wrapped tight around my middle. Vulnerable. So damn vulnerable. But I still had hope. Cheshire wouldn’t let this be our end. Once he knew I’d been taken, he’d do anything to get me back. I didn’t doubt him for a moment.
“Cheshire’s not coming for you,” one taunted, as if reading my thoughts like an open book. “You’re ours now.”
But they didn’t know Cheshire. Cunning, sly, always several steps ahead. He had to come. He just had to.
“Please,” I whispered into the darkness, a plea to anyone listening. “Please…”
More time passed, the minutes dragging by slowly. I had no idea what time it was, or how long I’d been unconscious. Was it still the same day? Had Cheshire already found out I wasn’t at the clubhouse anymore?
“Pathetic.” The word cut through the silence. “Little bitch can’t even sit up straight.”
The mocking tone was a slap to the face. I glared at the shadowy figures, hate slowly burning through my fear. They were right. I couldn’t save myself -- not now. But I swore on everything holy, if I got out I wouldn’t be weak again. Never again. I’d do whatever it took to learn how to protect myself.
“Sheriff’s got plans for you, Eliza,” another voice chimed in, cruel delight in his tone. “A real nice future lined up.”
Laughter echoed off the walls, chilling and heartless. My stomach twisted, bile rising hot and bitter in my throat. Yeah, I’d just bet he did.
“Someone’s coming for you tomorrow,” the first continued, coming to stand in front of me. “Man’s looking for a delicate thing. Obedient.”
“Little more than a slave,” the second said, his words a dark promise. “And he paid a pretty penny for you.”
The room seemed to spin. A slave. Property. If Cheshire didn’t find me by tomorrow, my life would be over. This was hell. Just the thought of being helpless and owned by some unknown man filled me with dread. I’d rather die.
I bit back a sob, fists clenching till knuckles turned white. Fear clawed at me.
“Please,” I murmured, not to them, but to the part of me that still held onto hope. “Don’t let it end this way.”
I closed my eyes, picturing Cheshire’s smiling face. Right now, it brought me solace. But if this all went wrong, it would only serve as a reminder of everything I’d lost. I’d been too cautious, too afraid to dive deep into the heat between us. Now regret gnawed at me with sharp teeth. We could have shared so many more things together, if I hadn’t been so hesitant.
The image of Cheshire’s mischievous grin, those piercing blue eyes that saw through all my defenses, haunted me. If I had known our first time would be our last, I would have savored every second, let the day stretch into infinity.
A sudden crash jolted me from my thoughts. My pulse spiked, and I strained to hear over the thump of my own blood. Boots thundered outside, voices raised. The unmistakable clash of a fight.
“Cheshire?” The word was barely a breath, hope a fragile thing blooming in my chest.
Another bang, closer now. Shouts morphed into roars, feral and raw. Underland MC -- they had to be here. They had to be. My fingers curled into fists, knuckles scraping the cold floor as I willed the club to win, to be my salvation.
“Come on, come on,” I murmured.
Fear warred with hope. Each punch thrown outside might bring rescue or seal my fate. But the thought of Cheshire storming through the door kept the darkness at bay.
“Please be him,” I begged, desperate for the sight of that grin and the safety it promised. “Please, let this not be the end.”
The noise swelled, and with it, a chance. My chance. If not for rescue, then at least for revenge. I steadied my breath, ready to fight, to claw my way back to him, back to us. I was starting to wish I’d had a chance to actually learn something from Carpenter. He’d been tasked with teaching me and Jo self-defense, but I’d been so battered, I hadn’t been able to do much without hurting myself. Now I wished I’d pushed through the pain.
“Damnit!” One of the men stood, his chair scraping against the floor. “Come on. I think we need to get out there.”
“What about her?” another one asked.
The first one snorted. “Does it look like she’s fucking going anywhere? As long as we take down anyone trying to get into this room, she won’t be leaving anytime soon.”
All of them filed out, and I hoped the club managed to fight their way through them. I believed in Cheshire and the others. I had to. If they lost, then… it would all be over. I’d no longer have a reason to keep living, and I wasn’t sure I’d want to. Not considering my father’s plans for me.
* * *
Cheshire
A Few Hours Earlier
The moment we rolled up to the clubhouse, something felt off. The clubhouse door hung crooked on its hinges like a busted jaw. I killed the engine, my heart slamming in my chest.
“Shit,” Knave muttered.
We were off our bikes in seconds, boots hitting the pavement hard. Mock and Rabbit flanked me, eyes wide. What the hell happened while we were gone?
Inside, the place was trashed. Chairs overturned, glass shattered. My gaze locked on Jo, curled up by Hatter’s feet, her sobs breaking my damn heart.
“Eliza?” My voice was sharp, a blade cutting the air. I scanned the area, searching for her.
Hatter looked up. Jesus. What the hell happened to him? His eye was already turning black, and someone had busted his lip. As I looked around, I realized he wasn’t the only one looking like they’d lost a fight.
“Holmes came here. Took Eliza.”
“Fuck.” My heart felt like it might break through my damn chest. I thought I’d been smart. Gone off to face Holmes and keep Eliza safe. Instead, I’d given him the opening he’d been waiting for. Had he lured us there on purpose?
“Used Jo as leverage.” Hatter’s hand was on Jo’s shoulder, steady despite the quake in his voice.
“That explains your face. I’m guessing you didn’t just stand back and let it happen.”
Hatter shrugged. “Fighting didn’t seem to do any good. Eliza went with him. To keep Jo safe. Damn sorry, Cheshire.”
“Sorry doesn’t cut it.” My words were like ice. “We’re getting her back.”
“Whatever it takes,” Hatter vowed. “We owe her a lot.”
I stared at the mess in the clubhouse and felt the lack of warmth now that Eliza was gone. Rage erupted like a beast clawing out of my chest. I roared, the sound tearing from my throat as my fist shot out, coming down on the nearest table. Wood splintered under the force, a crack echoing through the clubhouse. My hand throbbed, but it was nothing compared to the fear gnawing at my gut.
Holmes could kill her. That thought hammered in my skull with each ragged breath. Eliza was caught in his twisted game. My fists clenched.
“Cheshire…” Jo’s voice, small and wrecked, broke through the red haze.
I turned, and there she was. Her eyes filled with terror and pain. But alive. She took a hesitant step toward me, her arms open, seeking solace or maybe giving it.
“None of this is on you,” I said as I pulled her into an embrace, feeling her tremble. “Glad you’re safe. Eliza did what she had to do. I just wish like hell I’d realized what Holmes was up to and stopped it from happening.”
She clung to me, her grip saying what words couldn’t. Over the top of her head, my eyes locked with Hatter’s. No need for words between us either. He saw the storm in my gaze.
I’m bringing her back. No matter what it takes .
The phone in my pocket vibrated. I pulled it out, Absolem’s name flashing on the screen. What the fuck? Wasn’t he here? Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t seen him.
“Talk to me,” I said when I accepted the call.
“Got something,” Absolem’s voice was steady, but I caught the undercurrent of urgency. “Wasn’t easy. Had to pull strings, twist arms. Come to my room.”
I hung up and walked quickly down the hall to Absolem’s door. It was already open, and I stepped inside. He sat at his table with his laptop out, and a bunch of paper strewn everywhere.
“Location, Red,” I said, using his given name. “Give it to me straight.”
“Remember the warehouse you went to? He’s at another one. Opposite side of town. Actually, outside of the town limits. It’s heavily guarded. From what camera footage I could access, it looks like Holmes’ boys are crawling all over it.” I glanced over the papers on his table, trying to piece everything together.
“Risks?” I asked, though I already knew. When I went after Eliza, I’d be putting my life on the line.
“Big. It’s tight there. But we can do it.”
“Underland doesn’t back down. And Eliza is one of our own now. We’re getting her back.”
Absolem followed me to the main room. We filled in Hatter and the others, and everyone agreed we had to go after Eliza. Hatter handed Jo off to Mock. He helped us prepare everything we’d need as the clubhouse became a hive of activity. Brothers loading guns with methodical precision, strapping knives to their belts or thighs. Hatter’s gaze met mine -- grim and resolute.
“We’re going to war for one of our own.” I looked around the room at my brothers, knowing I could count on them.
Mock tossed me a shotgun, his face grim. “We got your back, Cheshire.”
“Make sure you come back with her,” Hatter added, his usual calm shattered by the sharp edge of concern.
“Nothing’s stopping us. Tonight, Eliza comes home. Or we don’t come back at all.”
Knave checked his pistols, the clicks joining the symphony of preparation. Rabbit slipped a knife into his boot. My brothers, ready to ride into hell with me.
“It’s time to bring her home.”
The night air bit at my skin as our bikes growled to life. We filed out of the compound in a single line, our headlights cutting through the darkness as we rode through the streets, shadows slipping past sleeping houses, the only sounds the low rumble of our engines. My heart hammered against my chest, each beat a drum rallying me to fight, to save her. I heard an engine coming up behind us and glanced over my shoulder, seeing Hatter approach. I gave him a nod as he pulled up next to me. It looked like Jo had convinced him to join us.
The warehouse loomed ahead, ominous and still. Too quiet. I killed the engine, the sudden silence screaming in my ears. We dismounted, moving together. Absolem had said this place was heavily guarded, so where was everyone?
“Perimeter,” I whispered. March nodded and slipped away, his frame melting into the shadows.
I felt it then -- the coil of tension before the storm, the edge of something deadly. It was more than just dark. It was the abyss staring back, hungry and cold. We were on its doorstep.
“Cheshire,” Hatter’s voice came low and urgent. “Time.”
“Right.” My fingers tightened on the grip of my gun. It was now or never. “Knave, you’re with me. Rabbit, flank left. Mock, keep watch.”
“Got it,” they murmured, positions taken.
Eliza, I’m coming for you. Just hold on a little longer .
“Move in. Quiet,” I said, but my gut screamed for speed, for action. My body thrummed with the need to burst through the door, to tear down anything between me and Eliza.
We crept closer, the building a hulking beast in the moonlight. Then, the world exploded.
“Go, go, go!” I shouted as gunfire erupted. Bullets spat from the darkness. I saw the flash of a muzzle and returned fire.
“Cover!” Knave roared, his voice a battle cry.
“Cheshire!” It was Mock’s voice, a warning.
I turned, a figure charging at me, knife glinting. No time to think. My arm shot out and I fired. He dropped with a thud on the ground.
“Push forward!” Hatter commanded, his presence a steady force amid the chaos.
“Clear!” Rabbit’s voice cut through the din.
“Second floor,” I yelled, taking the stairs two at a time, the others hot on my heels.
We reached the top and paused at the door, heart pounding, my gun ready. This was it, the moment of truth. I kicked the door open, my brothers at my back, ready to face hell itself.
“Eliza, wait for me. We’re coming!”
The battle had begun in truth, and I wasn’t walking out of here without my woman.