Chapter Nineteen
King
S ITTING IN THE common room with the guys as we wait for Blood and the King’s Vengeance MC along with my dad’s club to show up, I don’t talk to anyone as a million thoughts race through my mind about what’s being done to my girl and if she’s okay. Hours have passed since I made those phone calls and we had church. So many fucking questions are on a loop as the unwanted images filter through my mind. Jinx, Hope, Vault, and Valor are sitting at a table with me. Hope is crying silently as Jinx holds her in his arms. My cousin and Brynn have gotten close over the last several weeks and I know she’s hurting because her friend has been taken by her deranged stalker. Savannah has been missing since she let us know what happened. I can’t even be mad at her because she was trying to take care of the kids during an emergency. Brynn is the one who chose to leave the compound because she didn’t want to endanger the babies here so put her life on the line to protect them. This is going to hit Savannah almost as hard as it’s hitting me because she’s the one who asked Brynn to take care of the kids and this is the result.
The beer bottle in my hand is still full as I look at the table in front of me. I can hear the conversations going on around me. Everyone is here waiting for both clubs to show up so we can search for Brynn and bring her back home. This is the last thing I want to be doing, but Vault has ensured I can’t escape the clubhouse to go out and search for my girl on my own. There are Prospects on every door of the clubhouse and Ghost is somewhere around here. He’ll be waiting for me to try to sneak out to leave on my own.
From the first second I saw Brynn sitting in the library, I knew she was going to change my life. In a store full of people walking around searching for the perfect book by their favorite authors, Brynn was in her own world and didn’t give a fuck about anyone around her. There was a soft smile on her face as she read her own book with a laptop sitting in front of her and a large muffin on a plate. She was holding a large coffee in her hand as the lights hit the top of her head and it made it appear as if a halo was above her. Instead of being the angel she looked to be, Brynn had claws and that’s why I call her kitten. She will always be my kitten because she has claws and I love the times she’s shown them to me. The second she showed me that side of her, I knew I had found the other half of my soul and would do whatever it took to make her mine. I never got the chance to tell her that before Jerome took her from me. The second I get her back, she’ll know exactly how I feel.
“King, what do you need?” Vault asks me when a lull comes over the common room.
“I need to be out searchin’ for my girl so I can bring her home,” I answer him with a whisper as I continue to look at the table in front of me.
“I know you do, King. We’re gonna bring her home. The second the other clubs get here, we’ll be out searchin’ for her. What do you need right now?” he asks again, knowing I internalize a lot of shit.
“Nothin’,” I say, leaning back in my chair but keeping my eyes on the table in front of me.
A hand rests on my shoulder and I don’t even bother looking up to see who it is. It doesn’t matter who’s touching me because I know it’s not Brynn.
“Son, we’re here,” my dad says, his voice washes over me and I stand from my seat and turn toward him.
My dad pulls me into his arms and holds me as I break. I don’t register when my mom pulls me from my dad’s arms. All I know is I’m surrounded by my family as I let myself cry without the fear of anyone judging me. They hold me until I get myself under control and pull back from them. My sisters replace them and hug me as they remain silent.
“Do you need to go in your office for a minute?” my dad asks me, knowing I hate showing emotion in front of anyone.
“No. I need to be out lookin’ for my girl. She needs to be here with me,” I state, my voice monotone as I remove all emotion and try to push all thoughts and images from my head.
“We’ll be on the road soon, Kingston,” my uncle Killer says as he steps up to me and pulls me into his arms.
“Not soon enough,” I state loud enough for everyone to hear.
“You’ll get your girl back, King. We’ll all ensure you do and then you’ll take out the sick fuck who took her from you. That’s a promise I make to you right now,” Killer whispers to me just before he lets me go.
With a nod of my head, I let my uncle and dad lead me to a different table to sit with them.
“Son, I’m here for you no matter what. I know I can’t be on the road with you when you go in search of your girl or do anything to help you get vengeance, but I will be here in whatever capacity you need me to be in. There isn’t anything I won’t do for you and that extends to Brynn because I know you love her and she’s your one. I will spend time with the women of her family while you guys do your thing to ensure they’re as okay as they can be and are comfortable here. Your sisters will help me. Have you furnished your house yet?” my mom asks me, tears in her eyes she’s trying not to shed.
“No. Brynn and I were gonna work on it this weekend so we could go out and find everythin’ we liked. She doesn’t want to bring anythin’ from her house because she feels it’s all tainted from this fucker. I don’t blame her one bit for it either. She’s also mentioned she wants to replace everythin’ that doesn’t hold sentimental value since he’s been in her home and she doesn’t know what he touched,” I answer my mom, thinking of the late night talks I had with my girl over the last several weeks when I was done worshiping her body and we were simply enjoying relaxing together without the rest of the world invading our bubble.
“Okay. We’ll figure out where to go,” my mom says as the rumble of bikes fills the mostly silent clubhouse and I stand from my seat and head for the front door.
“Where are you goin’?” Vault asks me, standing and coming to my side.
“To meet Blood and the rest of his club outside. I’ve failed his granddaughter but it doesn’t mean I can’t be a respectable guy and meet him outside to welcome him to Pine View,” I answer without looking at my President.
Vault and I leave the clubhouse with Devil and Ghost at our back. They aren’t leaving us on our own when they have no clue how Blood is going to greet me. How Scathe and Ace will act when they see me because their daughter and niece is now missing when I should have been here protecting her.
“King, you didn’t listen to me,” Blood states, getting out of his truck and making his way over to me to pull me in one of those man hugs. “This isn’t your fault. We’ll get Brynn back and she’ll tell you the same thing. My girl is strong and determined. She won’t let Jerome win and will make him pay for takin’ her from you.”
I greet the men and women of Blood’s club. Brynn’s mom, aunt, and grandma hug me close as they cry and tell me we’ll bring our girl home. Everyone is so convinced we’ll bring her home. I am too. I just don’t know how she’ll be mentally, emotionally, or physically when we get to her. Tonya, Blood’s wife, introduces me to Brynn’s cousins. Damien and Tucker are wearing cuts despite her using their real names for the introduction and Taylor is wearing a rag. They’re all tied to the club in one way or another. We all make our way in the clubhouse and the common room is beyond full with three clubs filling the space.
“Since there are so many people here, everyone who is not a member of the clubs needs to vacate the clubhouse,” Vault calls out after whistling to gain everyone’s attention. “If you’re an ol’ lady or family member of the club, you can make your way to the homes at the back of the property. Kim, your golf cart is waitin’ for you out back and it’s fully charged. If you’re a Phantom girl, get the fuck out because you shouldn’t even be here still and were told to leave hours ago. I want all of my Prospects to search the clubhouse top to bottom to ensure no one is lingerin’ before you stand guard at the doors. Kian and Deegan, after searchin’ you come here and sit in the meetin’. You’ll be ridin’ out with us while the rest of the Prospects remain here to protect the women and kids.”
“I want my Prospects to go with Vault’s and help them clear out the clubhouse before standin’ guard with them at the doors,” Blood adds in as everyone who isn’t staying here begins to move away and go where they’re supposed to.
Slim walks up to me and Blood.
“Blood, it’s been a long time. I’m sorry that we’re meetin’ again under these circumstances,” Slim says, shaking Blood’s hand.
“Our clubs will be tied together forever, Slim. King is gonna bring my girl home where she belongs and they’ll continue to build their lives together. We need to start gettin’ together more often. You’ve always been an ally to our club and it’s time we let the rest of our members get to know one another,” Blood responds as the room is almost empty of everyone who doesn’t belong here for the meeting.
I don’t pay attention to anything else as the room clears of everyone but the men belonging to the three clubs. Still, I don’t pay attention to anything going on around me until my dad and Killer step up on either side of me with Blood, Scathe, Ace, Tucker, and Damien behind them. They’re giving me their silent support when I need it the most. My dad’s hand is on my shoulder as Vault talks and updates everyone on what we know so far. Slim stands next to him and I know Blood should be up there as well but he remains behind me.
My phone vibrates in my pocket as Vault continues talking. Pulling it out, I see Venom’s name on the screen and don’t hesitate to answer it. Venom must have a reason for calling because it’s rare he does. Though why he’s calling me instead of Vault is a mystery.
“Not a good time, Venom,” I answer my phone, prepared to hang up on the President of the Wild Kings MC in Cedar Bay.
“You need to hear this, King,” he says before I can hang up on him. “Got a girl here at my clubhouse. Claims to be your girl. She’s banged up and was wearin’ nothin’ when we came across her.”
“Brynn,” I whisper as my dad’s hand tightens on my shoulder. “Is she with you now?”
“She is. We’ve had Doc in to look at her and Vanessa and Willow have been takin’ care of her. Says her name is Brynn and she was taken from the grocery store in Pine View. Is this your girl, King?” Venom asks me, reluctance in his voice because this wouldn’t be the first time a woman has claimed a biker in order to get help from a different club.
“She’s mine. I’m on my way to get her. Tell her I’m on my way, Venom,” I state as my voice breaks and hope fills me. “Got three clubs comin’. Slim and the guys are here, our chapter, and the King’s Vengeance.”
“She’s in good hands here, King. We won’t let anyone get close to her,” Venom assures me as I hang up the phone and look around the room.
“Brynn’s in Cedar Bay at the Wild Kings clubhouse. They found her and I don’t know anythin’ more than that. I’m leavin’,” I state as I turn to Blood and look at him with tears in my eyes. “They won’t hurt her. That’s a promise I can make to you right now. They’re good men and she’s with two of the ol’ ladies.”
“Let’s go,” Blood says as we all start to rush to the main door of the clubhouse.
I race to my truck and get in as my dad, uncle, Jinx, and Scathe get in with me. Starting my engine, I don’t hesitate to pull out of the compound and start the trip to Cedar Bay. They’re not too far from Pine View, but the distance is more than I like knowing my girl has been gone for over a day. The need to put my eyes on her and hold her in my arms overwhelms me as my foot presses down harder on the gas pedal in my haste to get to Brynn.
P ulling into the compound of the Wild Kings feels as if an eternity has passed. My truck was silent during the entire trip. I park haphazardly in the parking lot and put the truck in park before jumping out with Scathe right behind me. We race into the clubhouse to find Venom sitting at the bar with several members of his club.
“King, she’s in the back in the medical room. Doc has checked her over, cleaned up her wounds, and taken blood to send out. He’ll forward the results to your club’s doctor the second he gets them,” Venom informs me, getting off his stool and walking over to Scathe and I as more men enter his clubhouse.
“Venom, this is Scathe. He’s Brynn’s dad. Scathe, this is Venom, President of the Wild Kings MC in Cedar Bay,” I quickly introduce the men and Hawkeye makes his way up to us and leads us to the hallway where their medical room is.
No one follows Scathe and I as we practically run to the room. Hawkeye opens the door and I finally get eyes on my girl. She’s sitting on the exam table with Vanessa and Willow at her side. Brynn’s wearing clothes that don’t belong to her. Her body is bruised and has cuts and scrapes in the areas of skin I see. There’s a bandage wrapped around her head as well. Brynn looks up and I take in her tear-filled eyes as she carefully gets off the table and races to me. I hold her close and bury my face in her neck not caring that she’s dirty and covered in grime. The only clean areas of her body are where she has an injury.
Brynn starts crying, her entire body trembling as I step back and let Scathe take my place. Blood and Ace enter the room and I watch them visibly relax at the sight of their girl in her dad’s arms. She pulls back and gives her uncle and grandpa a hug before rushing back to my side and wrapping her arms around me as tight as she can.
“Don’t let me go,” she cries, her voice a broken whisper as she buries her face in my chest.
“I’m never lettin’ you go again, Kitten. You’ll get sick of me bein’ at your side every second of the day,” I promise her, my voice breaking again with the emotion coursing through me.
We make our way out of the medical room after I lift Brynn in my arms. She wraps her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck while burying her face in my neck. Her entire body is trembling as she continues to cry and break. I take a seat at a table after her dad pulls out a chair for me. My arms don’t loosen around her as she remains wrapped around my body. Scathe, Ace, and Blood join us as my dad and Killer stand guard. Vault and Slim talk to Venom and a few of his men.
“I want to go home, Kingston. Please take me home,” Brynn pleads with me as I stand from the chair and know I’ll do anything this woman wants after the hell she’s been through.
“Not yet, King. I want to talk to Brynn and find out what happened while we’re here so we can get to Jerome quicker. The sooner we get rid of the fucker, the quicker you can get your girl home. We’re not leavin’ until we know for sure he’s been taken care of and Brynn doesn’t have to worry about him ever again. If we wait, there’s too big of a risk he’ll disappear once again. We only have a small window to take care of this,” Vault says, stopping me from leaving the clubhouse.
Nodding my head, I take a seat once again with Brynn. She doesn’t fight and make me take her home because that’s where she wants to be. My girl understands what Vault has said and knows he’s right. I don’t know what happened and how Brynn got away from Jerome, but the quicker we find him and take him out, the sooner I can get Brynn home and take care of her. That’s all I want right now as I wait for everyone else who came with us to enter the clubhouse. Scathe rubs his hand up and down his daughter’s back while Blood and Ace never take their eyes off her. Brynn is loved and her family is going to find it hard to leave her once this is over with. It's written in their eyes as I close mine and savor the feeling of her in my arms, not caring that her tears are soaking my neck and tee-shirt.