Chapter Thirteen
March
I slammed my fist down on the wooden table. Heads turned, eyes locking onto mine. They probably wondered if I’d lost my mind. Truthfully, it felt a bit like I had.
“I need everyone’s attention,” I barked. One by one they moved closer. Hatter stood beside me, his presence commanding silence without a word. He surveyed the room, every inch the President he was, before meeting my gaze with a curt nod. I stepped back, yielding the floor to him.
“Listen up,” Hatter began. “We’re about to dive into the lion’s den for Violet.” His eyes flicked briefly to mine, acknowledging the unspoken worry that gnawed at my gut. “Precision is key. No room for errors.”
My jaw clenched as I listened. How the hell had I let her slip through my fingers? I didn’t know how they’d lured her out, if they’d infiltrated the clubhouse. Either way, I’d make those fuckers pay. She’d been gone for about three days now. Too long! I worried if we didn’t get our hands on her soon, I might never see her again.
“Cheshire and Tweedle,” Hatter continued, pointing to where they stood. “Hit the front and make some noise.”
“Got it,” Cheshire said, flashing his usual grin.
“Rabbit and Mock, keep an eye on the perimeter. Take down anyone who comes out that isn’t wearing an Underland MC cut. Or isn’t Violet…”
“Understood,” Rabbit replied.
“March, you’re with me,” Hatter said finally, his gaze boring into mine. There was no questioning, no hesitation. Just the calm before the storm. “Knave and Carpenter will stay with the ladies, and I want Absolem at a computer in case we need a…”
“Keyboard cowboy?” Cheshire supplied.
“Yeah, that,” Hatter said.
“Copy that,” I answered.
“Timing’s everything,” Hatter pressed on, his eyes scanning the room. “Miss a beat, and it’s over for all of us. For Vi. We don’t know their exact numbers, or what kind of firepower they have.”
“Gear up,” I ordered, stepping forward once Hatter finished. The men dispersed, moving with military precision. I watched them go, their steps echoing in the clubhouse.
“March.” Hatter’s voice cut through the clamor.
“Yeah?” I turned to face him, bracing for what came next.
“Keep your head clear. We need you sharp.”
“Always am,” I assured him, though the lie tasted bitter on my tongue. With Violet’s life in the balance, I couldn’t promise to keep my emotions locked down. Not this time.
“Let’s bring her home,” he said, clapping a hand on my shoulder before striding off to prepare for the fight ahead.
Once everyone had changed and gathered their weapons, we were as ready as we’d ever be. I had my nine millimeter strapped to my thigh, a knife on the other side, and my AR-15 on my back. I was armed to the teeth and would do whatever it took to get my woman back safe and sound.
“We’ll bring her back, March,” Cheshire said quietly as he passed by, clapping me on the shoulder. I nodded, appreciating his assurance.
“Nothing else matters,” was all I said. And it was the truth.
The hum of the clubhouse faded into a low, menacing growl as I turned away from my brothers. The walls, once a sanctuary, now felt like they were closing in.
“March, time to move,” Absolem said, making sure I focused on the here and now.
We rode out, engines growling in the otherwise silent night. She would be safer with us. I would make damn sure of it. Once I got her home, I’d do whatever it took to make sure this sort of thing never happened again. I’d install whatever we needed… cameras, alarms, the works. We should have done this after Jo and Eliza joined us. Then again, no one was after the ladies anymore, and the rest of us hadn’t counted on finding someone. I sure the hell hadn’t expected Vi to show up, and in trouble at that. We’d all been trained to expect the unexpected. Maybe being civilians was making us soft.
Of course, we should have still put precautions into place. Even though my brothers and I weren’t strangers to gun fights, the women were. Every time someone opened fire on us in our damn space, it had to be terrifying for them. Neither Hatter nor Cheshire had brought it up, and the thought hadn’t really crossed my mind until now. We clearly needed to do better.
My phone buzzed and I checked it. Absolem had sent the coordinates he’d managed to pull from tracking Violet’s watch. I only had to hope they hadn’t noticed it on her and removed it. If I got to the location and Violet wasn’t there, I was going to seriously lose my shit.
We reached the location, and it looked like an abandoned industrial plant. We’d had to travel about twenty minutes outside of town to get here. Each of us came to a halt and killed the engines on our bikes. The Harley Davidsons were too loud to pull up any closer. I could see two men smoking off to the side, and it looked like another was patrolling the area. That was at least three plus however many were inside.
“Wait for my signal,” I commanded. This was it -- the point of no return. But as I looked at the faces of my brothers, their readiness to follow me into hell if needed, I knew we’d bring her home or die trying. Even the Pres nodded, giving me the go ahead. He knew I needed to be in control right now.
I slid the magazine into my Glock with a click. Around me, my brothers did the same. Each of us had donned a Kevlar vest under our cuts. I holstered the Glock and swung my AR off my back. After I double-checked the magazine, I knew it was time.
While Absolem hadn’t found as much intel as I’d hoped for, we at least knew where Violet was located. Whoever had her were either ghosts or had hidden their tracks well. Even though we had an idea of what they were up to, and a little bit about their operation, Absolem hadn’t found much in the way of details of the men we’d be facing. It made me wonder if they had someone just as gifted with computers who was helping keep them in the shadows.
“Stay sharp,” I said. “Watch each other’s backs. We didn’t survive hell just to die on American soil.”
A chorus of affirmations rang out amongst us, bone-deep determination etched on every face. I took one last look at my brothers, the men I considered my family, and nodded. With that, we moved out, each of us blending into the shadows cast by the crumbling buildings like specters on a mission.
We stayed low, our sights trained on the figures lounging lazily against the brick facade of the building. The scent of stale cigarette smoke hung heavy in the air as we moved closer.
Tweedle and Cheshire were first up. Silent as ghosts, they slipped forward to take out the sentries. The rest of us held position, waiting for their signal that it was clear. I focused on controlled breathing, trying to keep my adrenaline in check.
Suddenly, a choked gurgle broke through the quiet night air, followed by a thud. Before I could even react, another guard was hit out of nowhere. Tweedle and Cheshire had done their job seamlessly, leaving nothing but silence and falling bodies in their wake.
“Clear,” Cheshire’s voice came through over the earpieces we all wore. I signaled Rabbit and Mock to secure the perimeter while Hatter and I pushed forward toward the entrance of the building.
The door was old and rusted, groaning loudly under our force. My heart pounded against my rib cage as we stepped inside, guns raised and senses heightened.
The interior was as run-down as you’d expect from an abandoned factory -- dusty floors littered with debris and broken machinery creating ominous shadows in the dim industrial lighting. We began clearing room after room methodically, our weapons never wavering from their deadly aim.
“Got something here,” Hatter’s voice cut through my earpiece as he kicked open a door to reveal a small, makeshift office. Inside, a computer monitor glowed in the darkness.
“Absolem?” Hatter prodded at our tech wizard.
“On it,” came Absolem’s terse reply over the earpiece. “I’ll do what I can to hack into it and see what they’ve been up to. Keep moving. It looks like Violet is in the building. Check somewhere high up. The signal is too clear for her to be underground.”
Without another word, Hatter and I bolted for the stairs, determination and fear fueling our steps. As we approached the top floor, I felt my heart hammering against my chest as though wanting to break free.
I allowed myself to picture her face one last time before swinging my gun up, ready for whatever fight awaited us. There was no way I was leaving this forsaken place without Violet Benson wrapped safely in my arms.
The floor looked to be broken into quadrants. To the right I saw a door slightly ajar, emitting a sliver of sickly yellow light. The smell of stale cigarettes and cheap booze wafted from the gap. Hatter and I shared a look before we moved with a silent understanding, our boots barely making noise against the grimy floor.
Hatter took the lead, his broad form casting an intimidating shadow as he kicked open the door. Gunfire erupted immediately from within the room and I pressed myself against the wall, my heart slamming against my chest. Hatter went down on one knee in response to the attack but quickly rose up, firing back at our unseen assailants.
“March! I’m okay! Go!” Hatter’s gruff voice rang through the area as he laid down covering fire. There was no time for hesitation or fear now.
I broke cover and rushed into the room, ready to take down anyone who stood in my way. The room was dirty, furnished sparsely with only a rusty iron bed and a couple of wooden crates that served as tables.
A man stood from a folding chair and I opened fire, taking him out with a head shot and another to the chest. Scanning the area, I checked for any other assailants.
And there she was. My Violet -- tied to a chair in the corner of the room. Her eyes were wide under her dark hair, but she was unharmed, or so it seemed from this distance. Her body shook with fear that I could sense even from where I stood.
I realized, for whatever reason, I couldn’t hear much in this room. Not compared to the noise of bullets outside. It made me wonder what this room had been used for originally, because it seemed to have a small amount of soundproofing. It wasn’t entirely silent, though. But the noises were definitely muffled.
I dispatched another goon lurking in the periphery before finally allowing my gaze to meet hers. Her eyes sparked with recognition, and relief washed over me like a thick, heady wave. She was safe… for now.
In one swift move, I crossed the room and reached her side, instantly going to work on her bindings. She’d managed to free one hand, but the rope was still secured to her other wrist. The skin looked raw on both, where she’d done her best to free herself. “I’ve got you, Vi.”
Hatter had regained control over his situation and joined us, his sharp gaze assessing Violet for any potential harm. Over the earpiece, we heard Absolem’s voice crackling, “Cops incoming… three minutes out. I’ve accessed what I could off that computer. We can discuss it when you’re back.”
“We need to move,” I snapped, my focus solely on Violet as she tossed the rope aside and stood on shaky legs. I scooped her into my arms, feeling her slight weight against my chest as her arms wound tightly around my neck.
Hatter nodded and cleared a path for us while I held onto Violet, promising silently to keep her safe. As we made our way out, rounds of gunfire echoed behind us while the Underland MC held their ground. While Hatter and I hadn’t had to face off against many, it seemed Cheshire hadn’t been so lucky. Although, the grinning bastard seemed to be having fun.
“Ready?” Hatter asked me as we reached our bikes parked a distance away from the factory.
“Just go,” I ordered with a glance at Violet who was now seated securely behind me, holding on tight.
As the sirens grew louder in the distance, all of us rode away into the night and back toward safety. I felt Violet press closer to me, her body trembling slightly. Even amidst the lingering fear and uncertainty, there was an undeniable sense of relief that washed over both of us.
We were headed home. Together.
* * *
At the clubhouse, Jo and Eliza came for Violet, leading her away. I knew they’d help her get cleaned up, and they’d let us know if she had any injuries. The look on Absolem’s face said we needed to stay and hear what he had to say.
“They were sloppy. From what I was able to access, they’d planned to sell Violet to someone overseas. But it’s worse…” He eyed me. “How much do you know about Violet’s recent past?”
“Are you asking if I know she was raped?” I asked.
Absolem sighed. “Yeah. Glad it won’t come as a shock. The men who hurt her -- and yes, I mean plural -- were apparently testing to see if she’d be a good fit for their plans. It looks like they did the same to nearly a dozen other women. Anyone who fit the requirements of their buyers has either already been rounded up, or they’re in the process of it. Looks like they don’t go back for them until they think they have a buyer lined up. One of them is in the territory of another club. I sent the info over to them in the hopes they’d be able to extract her in time.”
“And the others?” I asked.
“I sent an anonymous tip to the FBI. Even their brightest won’t be able to track me. I gave them enough they should be able to save those women, and hopefully round up the assholes responsible. Even if they can’t handle the ones overseas, they may be able to convince the agencies who can. Depends on whether those bastards actually give a fuck.” Absolem took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Also, I let Sheriff Hurst know about the bodies they’d find at that factory. He’s going to cover for us, but I don’t know how many times he’ll be willing to do something like this.”
“Sounds good,” Hatter said. “I don’t want us mixed up in this any more than we have to be. It’s about time we found some peace and quiet.”
“I’m going to go check on Vi,” I said. Leaving Hatter and Absolem behind, I went to my room, knowing that was likely where Jo and Eliza had taken her. I pushed open the door and found her wrapped in a towel while Jo dabbed ointment on a few cuts.
“She’s fine,” Eliza said, waving a hand at her. “Just some minor scratches and a few cuts. She may end up bruising. Her wrists were the worst of it thanks to the ropes they used on her.”
“I’m good,” Violet assured me. “But I wouldn’t say no to a sandwich and a nap.”
“Then that’s exactly what you’ll get,” I said.
“We’re on it.” Jo put the medical kit back in my bathroom. “You stay with her. I’ll knock when I come back with the food.”
“Thanks. Both of you.”
They nodded and left, shutting the door behind them. I went to Violet, kneeling at her feet and taking her hands into mine. I studied the wounds on her wrists and kissed the center of her palm.
“You scared the shit out of me.”
She gave me a wan smile. “Sorry. I was on my way to the common room when someone grabbed me from behind. I think they came in through the back door.”
“We’ll make sure that can’t happen ever again.” I leaned up to kiss her lips softly. “Love you, Vi. I thought I was going to die while you were gone.”
“I knew you’d find me,” she said, pressing her forehead to mine. “My very own hero.”
“Not a hero,” I corrected. “Just a man obsessed with his woman.”
“Close enough.” This time she kissed me . When Jo came back and knocked on the door, I stood and went to get Vi’s food. My hand shook a little as I opened the door.
“If the two of you need anything else, just let us know,” Jo said. “No one is going to bother you the rest of the night.”
I gave her a nod and shut the door, twisting the lock. I needed to feel like I was blocking out the world. It was only me and Violet right now, and that’s how I needed it to be.