Chapter 15
Fifteen
DARCIE
The air left my lungs as I stared at the beaten figure. I’d been so focused on Chase appearing that I hadn’t noticed him until it was too late. Not that I could have done something different. But maybe I wouldn’t have been so blindsided.
Cut the crap. It’s never a good time to see your father beaten within an inch of his life.
My vision went blurry, and my lungs burned as I kept staring. When the pain got too bad, I realized I wasn’t breathing and took a breath, filling my lungs with oxygen. My heart pounded against my chest, threatening to burst out. Bells rang in my ears, and I struggled to get enough air into my lungs despite actually breathing this time.
This. Wasn’t. How. I. Wanted. To. Say. Goodbye.
Brooks squeezed my shoulder, and the feel of his palm grounded me enough to get my breathing to stop coming out in ragged breaths. Agonizer droned on about something, but I missed it all. His words were muffled white noise as I focused on my dad. Tears threatened, my eyelids burning, but I didn’t let them fall. I couldn’t. I didn’t want to miss seeing him for even a second if it was my last.
That thought paralyzed me, and if it wasn’t for Brooks moving me, I might have died frozen to that spot. My vision blurred before the sticky night air coated my skin, and I finally blinked when the door shut and obscured my view.
He was gone. He was gone. He was gone.
“Darcie. Sweetheart, look at me.”
“I can’t leave him,” I cried, moving back toward the door. Brooks lifted me off my feet and carried me away.
I didn’t fight him. I had nothing left in me to do it. Some Queen I was.
I talked a good talk, but when it came down to it, I’d failed. Agonizer had beaten me, just like my dad said he would. Only this time, he’d paid the price.
Sobs wracked me, and now I couldn’t breathe for another reason. Noise boomed around me but I was too gone to care. I’d had my chance, and I’d missed it. I’d missed it.
“Darcie!” someone barked, the voice loud and commanding. It stunned me and broke my spiral. “Snap out of it.”
“Dude. A bit harsh.”
I blinked the tears away and focused on the face before me. Except it was wrong. All wrong. I clawed at the disguise, pulling off the beard wig I’d placed on Bubba earlier. When he realized what I was doing, he took off his wig and hat and waited until I could see him. My hands bracketed his face, and I touched him all over, needing him to ground me. To remind me he was real.
Bubba wrapped his fingers around my wrists, pressing tight on the pressure points. “We’ll get him back, baby. But we need you to do it. Come back to us.”
“I can’t. I’m a failure. A little girl playing a game.”
“No. You’re not. You’re the strongest person I know. It was a surprise. All of it. But now we know. We know , Darcie. So that means we can plan. But we need you , baby. You’re our queen.”
Falling forward, I rested my forehead on his. It was then I realized I was sitting in his lap. Looking to my left, I watched the world pass by through the window. To my right, I encountered Brooks. His brow was furrowed, his eyes worried as he watched me. He squeezed my thigh, offering me some of his strength. Just past him, Grayson drove the truck. He peeked over and winked. My heart settled some with the three of them here, but fear clawed up my throat when I realized who wasn’t.
“Maddox!”
Bubba squeezed my wrists again, bringing my attention back to him. “He’s safe. He’s with Tiny. We’re following them.”
I looked ahead and spotted the familiar truck. I let out a breath, and my heart rate slowed. The further I got from Agonizer, the easier it was to think. The steadiness of my men and their trust in me cleared away the panic and fear. By the time we stopped, I’d replaced them with anger and determination.
Agonizer wouldn’t win this war.
The door opened, and I was pulled from Bubba’s lap into Maddox’s arms. He squeezed me tight, stroking his hand down my back. “We’ll get him back, Princess.”
As much as I wanted to believe it, I knew I couldn’t solely focus on rescuing my dad. He wouldn’t want it that way either. It pained me, but there was more at stake. We had to finish Agonizer.
It would all end with him.
Becca. Hank. The Mavericks. Me.
Too many others I didn’t know the names of.
Feeling refocused, I kissed Maddox and pressed against his arms to let me down. I needed to walk on my own.
“You good?” he asked.
“No. But I’m ready.”
He nodded and set me down. I turned around, expecting the motel. Instead of the building we’d moved to earlier, we stood in front of a dilapidated barn.
“Um, please tell me we’re not staying here? I can rough it to an extent, but I draw the line at tents and sleeping bags.”
“I’m with Sunflower on this one,” Grayson said behind me. He draped an arm around my shoulders, kissing my cheek.
Maddox laughed. “Tiny brought us here. As far as I know, it’s just a pitstop.”
The man in question stuck his head between the double doors. “You guys coming or what?”
The five of us exchanged looks and shrugged. I took the lead. It gave me something else to focus on rather than the image of my dad. Shaking it out of my head, I pulled open the door and prayed it wouldn’t fall off.
Stepping inside, I stumbled at the scene before me. First, the inside of the barn did not match the outside. It was rundown and falling apart outside, but the inside was clean, bright, and set up in sections. The back had bunk beds like a military base, holding about twenty beds. Next to it was a curtain that separated into a medical exam room and supplies. An open area with a couch and chairs sat in the middle of the room, and the front had a kitchen area with tables.
The most surprising thing was how many people were inside. The place was bustling with activity as people cooked food, chatted, and argued over what show to watch next. It didn’t make sense how this place existed or why it was even here.
“Yeah, I had that look the first time I stepped inside here, too,” a pink-haired woman around my age said. She handed me a bowl of soup. “Eat up. It’s gonna be a long night.” The guys were given their own bowls.
“Um, thanks. I’m Darcie.”
She smiled. “I know. I’m Saucy, and I’m with that knucklehead. I believe you know her?” Saucy pointed over toward the tables, and I gaped at the girl. Her grin grew wide when she spotted me, and she skipped toward me. Her arms wrapped around me before I had time to process.
“Damn, Darcie. You’re lookin’ good.”
“Chelsie? What? How? Huh?”
Chelsie and Saucy laughed as I struggled to form words. Saucy wrapped her arm around Chelsie, and they stared at one another, full of love. “Didn’t I tell you she was cute?”
“You did. Though, I think she’s taken.” Saucy nodded to the men lurking behind me.
“Mad Dog!” Chelsie shouted when she spotted him. She broke away and ran to him, giving him the same warm greeting I’d received. It was such a contrast to the girl she’d been that I didn’t know what to focus on more—this place or the fact that Chelsie was here and in a relationship with a woman.
Brooks directed me to the tables, and I sat down and ate my soup. It was delicious, and my bowl was empty before I knew it. Saucy and Kiki—Chelsie’s road name—filled us in on the origins of the barn and its purpose.
“This is what’s left of the MCD program. Everything else was taken over by my father and ruined,” Kiki said, her voice full of sadness.
“How did you end up back here? I thought you hated everything to do with the MC life?”
“I did. But that was before I met Saucy in Tennessee.” Kiki smiled at her girlfriend. “We fell in love, and I realized it wasn’t the MC life I hated but my dad and how he ran things. Saucy's dad is part of the Rebels, and when Agonizer tried to marry me off in an alliance, we ran away. Her dad knew of Tank, so he reached out to him, and when he realized who I was, he sent Tiny and Mack to bring us here. We’ve been here a few years now. Right under my dad’s nose.”
Kiki smiled wide, pride pouring off her at being so close to the enemy and getting away with it.
“Does your brother know?”
She scoffed. “Hell no. He’s a mini Agonizer. No offense, I knew you had a crush on him.”
I shuddered. “Yeah, well. I thought he was my friend, but he wasn’t. So I stabbed him.”
Kiki’s jaw dropped, and Saucy barked out a laugh. “Shut up. No way!”
I laughed, some of the tension leaving me. “In the side, but I’d thought I’d killed him. But unless he has a twin, he’s alive and well.” My mood dimmed, and I dropped my eyes. Kiki reached out and grasped my hand.
“Your dad is strong. He’ll hold on.”
I nodded, but I couldn’t allow myself to believe her words. I couldn’t hold out hope for him. It would hurt too much later if I did. It would be better if I prepared myself now.
“Queen, if you’re done, I’d like to introduce you,” Tiny said, pulling our attention.
I looked around the barn, realizing everyone else had stopped what they were doing and were watching me. Kiki smiled, squeezing my hand, and motioned for me to follow Tiny.
Standing up, I kept my head high as I walked into the center. My guys followed and their presence was a comfort. The reprieve to eat had been nice, but it was time for business. We didn’t have any time to waste.
“Most of you know by now that Tank was taken by Agonizer tonight and beaten. He wanted to be the one to introduce you to his daughter, but since he’s not here, you get me.” Tiny smiled, garnering a few chuckles. “This woman is going to change the course we’ve been stuck on. She’s the one who will take Agonizer down and return our city back to what it was. Her name couldn’t be more fitting. I present to you, Queen.”
Everyone’s eyes switched to me, taking me in from head to toe. Thankfully, I no longer wore the boy costume. Brooks had taken the wig off in the truck, letting my hair down. Still, I’d wanted to look fierce when I met the last of the Mavericks, not like a panda who’d rolled around in their own filth. Nonetheless, I was here and owned it regardless of my appearance.
Head held high, I met the eyes around me with an unwavering gaze. I might look small, but I meant business.
“I’m not one to make empty promises. I had too many spoken to me in my lifetime to waste my breath. So know that when I say Agonizer will pay for the crimes he’s committed. If you want to join us in our fight, I won’t turn anyone away. But no one will be forced either. It won’t be easy, and there’s no guarantee we’ll all survive, but I’m tired of men determining my fate. So, if you’re in, meet us up front in an hour. I need to shower and change clothes before being my best badass self.”
I got a few chuckles, nods, and welcoming smiles, making me feel like we might be able to do this.
Kiki showed me where the showers were, and Mack handed me my bag. Apparently, they’d gotten word too late about Tank being taken and that it wasn’t safe to stay in the motel any longer, so a crew of RMD—Rebels Mavericks Diamonds who’d defected—had gone to pack up our things and bring our bikes here.
I was too thankful to have my stuff to worry about strangers touching my things. Sometimes, it was best not to entertain thoughts you couldn’t control.
After a mediocre shower, I dressed in leather pants, stiletto boots, a studded belt, and a red top that crisscrossed at the top. I brushed out my hair and did my makeup, taking extra care of my eyeliner and lipstick. Tossing on my leather jacket, I strutted into the room feeling like a million bucks, ready to lead the few people I figured would volunteer.
I came to an abrupt stop two steps in. Everyone stood at the front of the barn, waiting for my command. Everyone. Young and old. Kiki spotted me first and smiled wide.
“We’re all in, Queen. Ride or die.”
Ride or die, indeed.