Chapter Seventeen
King
TODAY’S BEEN LONG as fuck.
I typically don’t go out on the installation jobs for P.B.
Security.
Valor wants me in my office monitoring our various client’s homes and businesses because that’s part of the service we offer them.
Plus, I’m always around the clubhouse for any club business that comes up or I can fill in at the various businesses the club owns.
Unless, of course, I’ve had physical therapy and can’t move from my bed for a few days.
Those are the days I use my laptop to monitor everything and keep an eye on certain clients if we’ve noticed shady shit going on.
It doesn’t happen often, but there have been a few times we’ve prevented break-ins and dealt with the situation before the cops were involved.
So, it takes a lot out of me when I go to an installation and don’t have help like normal.
Valor always tries to schedule at least two of us for every job so one person isn’t doing everything on their own.
That couldn’t happen today because of the job so I was given the house to do on my own. The damn place was a mansion and not a home like I was led to believe. Fuckers!
The job took a few hours so it’s not like I was gone all day long.
Brynn assured me she’d stay at the compound and try to get some work done because it’s been three days since she was able to focus on anything more than what I told her about Jerome and what was discovered at his apartment.
I’ve been with her constantly and didn’t want to leave her today, but had no choice in the matter.
Thankfully, I didn’t run into any problems when I was doing the installation.
The hardest part of the job was having to climb up and down the ladder to ensure everything was in the right position and then make the adjustments.
I spent more time going up and down the damn thing that my legs are killing me and I don’t feel as steady as I should on my feet.
The rest of the day I’ll have to use my cane to make sure I don’t fall over when my legs give out.
This is why Valor doesn’t let me do jobs on my own.
He doesn’t want me going up and down the ladder when I have no one there to make sure I don’t have an accident and fall.
Today it didn’t work out that way and I’m doing the job slower than normal so no mistakes happen.
I skipped lunch in order to finish the job as early as possible.
My stomach has been growling for the last half hour because of my decision not to eat and I know when I get to the clubhouse that’s the first thing I’m going to do after checking on my girl.
Hopefully the ol’ ladies are making something amazing for dinner and it’s not one of the nights we all tend to fend for ourselves.
Those days used to bother me but now I use them to spend more time with Brynn in our room alone.
We eat our takeout and spend hours talking and laughing or watching movies.
Some nights we don’t eat our dinner when it’s still hot because one of us can’t help but start something that needs to be finished right then.
Those nights are my favorite because I’ll never get tired of being with my girl and worshiping her in the way I’ve learned she loves.
Walking in the clubhouse, Savannah enters from the opposite door and tears are falling from her eyes as Valor enters behind me and his wife rushes to his side.
“What’s wrong, Love? Why are you cryin’?”
he questions her, his voice soft and gentle as he pulls her against his chest.
“It’s Brynn.
She’s gone,”
she cries out, her eyes landing on me as I stand as still as a statue, thinking I misunderstood her words.
“What the fuck do you mean Brynn is missin’?”
Ghost yells out, entering the clubhouse through the main door behind me.
“She’s not supposed to leave the clubhouse or compound for any reason.”
“I know she’s not.
Cyrus got sick a while after everyone left to go to work.
I managed to catch Genesis before she left for work.
When I got down here to find one of the Prospects, the clubhouse was empty.
No one was here which meant there was only a Prospect on the gate and everyone else was at work.
Brynn was sitting in here with a bottle of water looking bored and out of it.
I mentioned Cyrus being sick and Vault and Annabell being on their way home.
Brynn went to the store to get some medicine for Cyrus.
I didn’t want her to go but she rushed out of here,”
Savannah informs me as more tears continue to fall and her voice breaks several times with the fear and concern racing through her.
“Why would she go to the store if you didn’t want her to leave, Savannah?”
I ask her, my tone full of accusation as Valor holds her closer while glaring at me.
“I wanted her to sit with the kids while I went to the store to get what was needed for Cyrus.
Brynn refused to sit with them.
She didn’t want to risk Jerome making his move when she was with them and something happening to one of them.
Told me she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if one of them got hurt because of her,”
Savannah informs us as Vault and several other men enter the clubhouse to find us standing around.
“I tried to stop her, King.
She brushed by me so fast I couldn’t get a grip on her.
I doubt she even felt it as she rushed out of the clubhouse.”
I’m rooted to the floor as I try to process what Savannah’s telling us.
The words are a jumbled mess as they float around my head and I try to clear every other thought from my mind to make sense of what I’m being told.
It doesn’t work.
The only thing I can truly hear is the blood rushing through my veins and my heart beating out of control as rage and fear consume me with the thought of my girl being out there on her own and Jerome getting his hands on her.
“King!”
Vault yells, getting in my face as he snaps me out of the frozen state I’ve been in.
“Go to your office and track your girl.
Find her.
Try callin’ her.”
Pulling out my phone, I press call on Brynn’s contact.
It doesn’t even ring before going to voicemail.
I try several times in a row with the same result.
Going to the app I use for tracking, I click on her name and nothing comes up at first.
After several minutes, a red dot shows up at the grocery store.
I zone in on the area and know she’s no longer there deep in my gut.
I don’t even have to show up there to know Brynn has been taken and is now in Jerome’s hands.
“It’s showin’ her at the grocery store not far from here.
She’s not there.
Jerome has her,”
I state, my voice void of any emotion as I look around the room.
“You don’t know that, King.
She could be there gettin’ what’s needed for the kids,”
Hope says, walking in the room and trying to ease my fears.
“No, I know.
Deep in my gut I know she’s been taken by him.
I have to call Blood,”
I say more to myself than anyone else in the room.
“Everyone who’s not a member get the fuck out,”
Vault calls, his voice echoing in the common room as I focus on my phone, dreading the call I’m about to make.
I barely hear Vault dishing out orders as I pull up Blood’s name and start to walk toward my office.
When I open the door and enter the room, I realize Valor is following me along with Ghost.
Ghost shuts the door behind him and locks us in the room as I call Blood and Valor does something on his computer that’s in here so he can work with me when it’s necessary.
“King, what’s goin’ on?”
Blood answers his phone and dread fills me more than ever before.
“Blood, I need to talk to you, Scathe, and Ace.
I don’t have good news to share,”
I tell him, the line so silent after I speak I have to look to make sure he didn’t hang up on me.
“Where is she, King? Where’s our girl?”
Blood questions as I hear a commotion in the background.
“My daughter better fuckin’ be there!”
Scathe yells out and I can envision him being held back by multiple members of his club.
“She’s not.
One of the babies here got sick.
Savannah, an ol’ lady, wanted her to watch the kids so she wouldn’t leave the compound.
Brynn refused to watch the kids.
Didn’t want somethin’ to happen to one of them if Jerome showed up when she was with them.
Savannah tried to stop her, but Brynn was on a mission and left.
I don’t know when she left or how long she’s been gone.
Vault is gettin’ more details from Savannah but I knew I had to call you and let you know,”
I inform Blood as the commotion continues in the background and now I hear crying and screaming from women.
“We’re on our way.
The entire club is comin’.
Not askin’ Vault for permission.
I’ll owe him when this is over.
The only thing that matters right now is gettin’ to Brynn and bringin’ her home.
This isn’t on you, King.
You’ve been there for her and have made sure she’s safe and protected.
Even when you gave her information you didn’t want to.
My girl is in love with you and wouldn’t want you to carry the guilt you are right now.
We’ll be there as soon as possible,”
Blood says before hanging up the phone.
“They’re on the way here.
He’ll owe Vault when this is over.
His only concern is Brynn and gettin’ her home,”
I tell Ghost and Valor.
“I’ll let Vault know.
He’s not gonna give a fuck that they’re on the way here.
She’s their family and he wouldn’t expect anythin’ less,”
Ghost says as he leaves the room and I sit down at my computer.
“Search the cameras in the city to see if you can figure out where Jerome took her, King,”
Valor tells me as I hear him typing away on his keyboard.
“I’m tryin’ to pull up the security footage at the grocery store so we can get a lock on what kind of vehicle Jerome has right now.”
Without saying a word, I start hacking into the cameras placed all over Pine View.
It doesn’t take me long to gain the access I need as the thought of calling my dad enters my mind.
Grabbing my phone again, I make the call so I can tell my dad what’s going on and get his help to find Brynn so I can bring her home.
Anything less than her being back in my arms won’t do.
“Dad, I need you,”
I say when my dad answers the phone as my voice breaks with the emotion I’m trying to hold back.
“What’s wrong, Kingston? What do you need?”
he questions me, an urgency in his voice I rarely hear.
“He has her, Dad.
Brynn was tryin’ to help Savannah and left the compound.
Jerome has her and I can’t track her at all.
It’s tellin’ me her phone is still at the grocery store.
I know deep in my gut she’s not there, Dad,”
I tell him, the first tear falling down my face.
“Okay, Kingston.
We’re on our way.
I’ll get with Slim and tell him your mom and I are on our way.
I’m sure the rest of the club will come if not Killer will be with us.
You know your uncle isn’t gonna sit this shit out when it involves you.
Have you called Blood?”
he asks me, the sound of him moving around filling the background of his phone.
“Yeah.
They’re on the way.
He’s not callin’ for permission.
This is bigger than all that shit.
Scathe lost his shit and I know he’s gonna blame me when he gets here.
It’s okay.
This is my fault.
I wasn’t here for her and was out on a job,”
I tell him, the guilt eating away at me as I try to focus on the screen in front of me.
“This isn’t on you, Kingston.
You’ve been with your girl every fuckin’ day and haven’t been goin’ to work doin’ the installation jobs like you were before.
This is on the fucker who’s developed an unhealthy obsession on her.
Yeah, I know everythin’ you’ve found.
I’ve been keepin’ tabs on this situation because I know you’ve found your one,”
my dad informs me, his voice gentle as I listen to his words that refuse to sink in.
My dad says a few more things to me as I focus on the screen in front of me.
I don’t even know when he hangs up the phone because finding Brynn is my only focus right now.
I’ve made the necessary calls and can now do my job.
The screen is blurry as I try to search for any sign of Jerome’s car in all the traffic in the city.
Valor already slid a photo of Jerome’s car in front of me.
I find the car after several long minutes that feel like an eternity.
I follow it’s progression out of town and toward Cedar Bay.
There’s so many places to go between Pine View and Cedar Bay.
At the edge of the city, the cameras stop.
I’ve lost them and failed Brynn once again because there’s no way I can continue tracking them.
“Vault’s callin’ church.
Bring everythin’ you two have so far,”
Ghost says, entering my office again.
“Vault’s gonna call Blood when we’re in church so he can hear what’s goin’ on.
Is your Dad comin’ down?”
“Yeah,”
I tell him, grabbing the file I’ve filled with all the information on Jerome as Valor and I leave our desks and head out of my office.
Kian takes my phone and chain before I enter church.
Heading inside, I take my normal seat and can already feel the tension in the room as no one speaks and we all wait for Vault to call the meeting to order.
It doesn’t take long at all.
“Brynn has been taken.
She went out to help Savannah with the kids and Jerome managed to get his hands on her.
Give me a second to call Blood.
Promised him I’d call while we’re in church so he knows what’s goin’ on.
Scathe and Ace are in the truck with him so they’ll know everythin’ we do.
Tonya and Brynn’s mom will be in the truck too.
I don’t give a fuck about them hearin’ the information we have.
The only thing we’re holdin’ back is what was found at the apartment because those two women don’t need to know that shit.
Blood and the other two already know,”
Vault says, picking up his phone and putting it on speaker as it rings through to Blood.
“We’re here,”
Blood answers his phone and I sink lower in my seat as the guilt gets even heavier on my shoulders.
“King, sit up.
I know this shit is weighin’ on you and I already told you this isn’t on you.
Your dad told you the same shit.
He called me the second he hung up with you.
Brynn loves you and knows you had to go to work.
You love her and that’s why this is hittin’ you so fuckin’ hard.
We’ve all been there and know what you’re goin’ through.”
“King, my dad is right.
We all have to work and make money.
Brynn understands this and knows you were gonna get back to her as soon as you could.
Don’t internalize this shit and let it fester.
Focus on bringin’ our girl home where she belongs so you can start livin’ your lives together,”
Scathe says, the rage he’s feeling lacing his voice as it echoes through our meeting room.
“This is on me! I wasn’t fuckin’ here for her!”
I yell out, finally shattering and losing my cool as I stand from the chair so fast it slams against the wall behind me.
“If I were here, she wouldn’t have been here on her own.
I could’ve gone to the fuckin’ store for the kids.”
“Stop, King,”
Jinx says, wrapping his arms around me before I can pick up my laptop to slam as the rage overwhelms me.
“We’re gonna bring her home.”
“I fuckin’ failed her,”
I break, more tears sliding down my face as I tell them about following Jerome’s car as he left Pine View and headed for Cedar Bay.
“We know what direction they’re headin’ in then,”
Ace speaks up, his voice calm instead of filled with rage like his dad and brother.
“We’re gonna bring my niece home and there’s nothin’ that’s gonna stop that from happenin’.
She’s a strong woman and will get out of this shit one way or another.
We might not find her until after she’s already escaped on her own.”
“Valor, what did you find?”
Vault asks once Ace is done speaking.
“The only thing we know is her cell phone was found by Devil in the parkin’ lot of the store by her car.
That’s why it’s showin’ you that she’s still there.
Her phone is off.
Not sure if it’s gonna work from the fall or if it damaged it beyond repair.”
“Jerome got her when she was leavin’ the grocery store.
She knew he was followin’ her.
Started walkin’ faster toward her car and got the groceries put in the passenger seat before makin’ her way to the driver’s side.
Just before she got the door handle in her hand, Jerome got her.
Yanked her back by her hair before he said somethin’ to her.
That’s when he started draggin’ her away.
I can’t hear what’s said between the two of them, but Brynn was goin’ off on the fucker.
“At one point, she managed to get away from him and took off runnin’.
He got her back again before she could get more than a few cars away.
The parkin’ lot was full of people and not a single fuckin’ one of them tried to help her in any way.
Brynn fought as hard as she possibly could against Jerome but he overpowered her.
When she almost got away again, Jerome grabbed somethin’ out of the trunk of his car and hit her in the back of the head.
She lost consciousness just after he stuffed her in the trunk.
He raced to get in the car and tore out of the parkin’ lot like his ass was on fire.
Just after that, the police showed up but no one was willin’ to talk to them.
Guess they don’t want everyone knowin’ what pieces of shit they are,”
Valor informs us all as I start pacing my side of the table.
Knowing that people watched my girl get taken and they did nothing to stop it fills me with an anger I’ve never once felt before.
These stupid fucks could’ve prevented Jerome from getting his hands on my girl and saved her when she needed it the most.
I can’t stop myself as I grab anything that’s not nailed down and start smashing it.
Ghost and Jinx are on me before I can get too far into destroying our meeting room.
They hold me as everyone around me talks and works out a plan of how to not only find Brynn and Jerome but how to get her back without anything more happening to hurt her.
I can’t focus on the words with the new knowledge I’ve been given.
My vision is nothing but red and I know this shit is going to haunt me for a long time after I bring my Kitten home.