36. Valen
Chapter thirty-six
Valen
I almost don’t check my message, but at the last minute, I pull my bike to the side of the road and pull out the phone. There are three words in the emergency chat. Every person in this club knows to only post if it’s dire. My skin crawls as I stare down at those three words. Not enough information. Not nearly enough.
My heart beats so hard I think it’s going to break through my chest, and I tremble. It feels like an eternity before I can move, but in reality, it’s only been a second.
Help.
Shot.
Lia.
The words repeat themselves around and round in my brain. What does it mean? Why did Kyle send just three words? I twirl my finger in the air, turn my bike around, and fly back to the mansion. I don’t even care if the others are with me or not.
All that matters is getting back to her.
I burst inside and spot Nick and Kyle immediately. Lia is gone. Where is she? Why is there a massacre in our kitchen? Everything in me goes into sharp relief. I notice every detail. The back door is wide open, and the spoon Lia was licking is laying on the ground. There is a spot of blood on the far wall, several feet from the bodies. Nick is lying face down on the ground, while Kyle is lying on his side.
I check Nick, but he’s gone. I grip his still warm hand and feel regret that he was taken so young. It looks like he went instantly, but when I move to Kyle and carefully roll him over, his eyes stare up at me and blink.
I’m so surprised I almost forget to say something. I clear my throat and try again. How is he alive?
“Kyle?”
I yank up his top and find the holes. I press my hands against the bleeding, and he moans weakly.
“Malone.”
I stare down at the young kid. The word takes too long for me to understand. “Malone did this?”
“Took Lia,” Kyle whispers. “Killed Nicky, in the back…coward.” His words get weaker and weaker. I frantically look at the door and call out.
“All right, it’s good. You did good. Just focus on hanging in there.” I turn my head, hearing the sounds of people entering the mansion. “HELP!”
A moment later, I hear boots.
“Fucking hell!”
“Who did this?”
“Kyle!”
“Move!”
Everyone parts, and Zaden and Ranger stare down at Kyle and Nick.
“I can’t find Lia!” Mills shouts.
Ianto appears at the back door and nods. “Malone?”
I jerk my head in a nod, noticing Zaden’s eyes tighten. His breathing is rough, and I know he’s not seeing Nick and Kyle, he’s seeing his mother and Lia.
“Malone shot them and took Lia,” I confirm. “Kyle said so.”
“Where?” Mills booms.
Zaden hasn’t taken his eyes off Nicky.
“I don’t know where, but I think it’s got something to do with Andy Anderson, Despair’s president, and Bailey Raines,” Ranger says with a growl. “At least we know who the inside man is. The fucker who tipped them off to our whereabouts.”
Yoshi slams to his knees beside me and starts pulling shit out of his medical bag. It’s a small miracle he came out with us today.
“Okay, hold this here. I’ve got the blood. Let’s get an IV in him. We’re going to need to get him to a hospital.”
“You can dump me, it’s fine,” Kyle whispers.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re one of us,” Zaden growls as he suddenly comes to life. “I want Nicky treated with the utmost respect. Badger,” Zaden pauses, “ring my dad. Tell him I’ll call him back as soon as I get back here. But tell him about Nicky.” Zaden sweeps his eyes to Kyle. “Get a bus here. Save him. And, kid, you earned your place in this club. So don’t you dare die on me!” Zaden’s furious and cold gaze finds me, his jaw tightening. “We’re going after Lia.”
The parade of bikes that storms the city roar long into the night. We call in every favour. All of them. But tonight, the roar of our bikes sounds like the roar of war.
I punch the guy’s face one more time. My knuckles are split and bleeding, but I can do this for days. “Where is she?”
He pants and slumps to the ground, his legs collapsing under him.
“I fucking don’t know, Valen!” he rasps out and tries to brace himself, but his arms collapse.
I growl and throw him across the bar.
“A hundred k to whoever brings me information that leads to the return of Lia Raines,” I shout into the room.
The silent bar is full of customers that eye me warily. I glare at them, searching for a guilty face, for something or anything that can give me something to chase.
The desperation inside me needs an outlet. I stalk out of there and get on my bike, roaring through the city streets until I find another haunt.
I kick the door open and stalk inside.
The dim light shows half a dozen leather-wearing, long-bearded men. They aren’t ours.
Perfect.
They see me and pick up pool cues. One thumps it into his hand. I note absently that the music is some cheesy ancient number. A woman with too much makeup and a cigarette hanging out of her mouth watches nervously. Her hand is clenched around a mobile phone.
“I’m looking for Bailey.”
“Don’t know him.”
“He’s got my Lia.”
The biggest guy sneers. His hair is steel grey, but he doesn’t have wrinkles. I can’t pick his age, but then it doesn’t matter. I don’t care if he’s a hundred, I’ll still beat the shit out of him.
I crack my knuckles.
He swings. I catch the cue and rip it out of his hands, throwing it aside. His mates rush me, but I step to the side and send the first face-first into the nearest table, and the second, I get a really good punch to the side of his jaw, which lays the pussy flat .
I look back up at the talker and let out a deep growl.
“Where is my Lia?”
He shudders, glancing from me to the people watching.
“You gotta understand, we can’t, I can’t-” he stops talking and looks down. “They aren’t going to hurt her.”
I growl. “I didn’t ask if they were going to hurt her. Come on, you heard me the first time. I asked where she was.”
He closes his eyes. The damn coward is going to sing like a fucking bird. I can feel it.
“Hospital.”
My rage explodes.
“Which one?”
I leave that bar in pieces. Get on my bike and call Ranger.
“Joeslyn Hospital.”
I hang up and ride towards the pack, the hospital, and the woman who rules my heart.