Chapter Eleven
Rebel
The roar of our bikes echoed through the empty street. Intel from Wire had been enough to send us racing toward the abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. The wind howled around me as I leaned into a turn, my fingers gripping the handlebars tightly. Viking, Royal, Spade, and Lynx rode alongside me.
“Isy’s stalker is here. Let’s bring that bastard down,” I muttered under my breath, feeling my blood boil with rage at the thought of anyone laying a finger on her. We pulled up to the warehouse. Our headlights cut through the night, illuminating the crumbling structure before us.
“Stay alert. This fucker could be anywhere,” I warned my brothers as we dismounted our bikes, the gravel crunching beneath our boots. We moved as one, weapons drawn as we approached the entrance.
“Rebel, you take the lead,” Spade ordered, his voice low and steady. Our eyes met for a moment, and he nodded, knowing my personal stake in this hunt. He might be the club’s VP, but this was about the woman I’d claimed.
“Got it,” I replied, stepping forward, my hand tightening around the grip of my gun.
Inside the warehouse, shadows clung to every corner, creating a maze of darkness. My senses sharpened, adrenaline pumping through my veins as I led everyone deeper into the abyss. We didn’t have to search long before we found him, crouched behind some old crates like a rat.
“Look what we have here,” I sneered, my voice dripping with venom. The stalker’s eyes widened in fear, his body trembling as his gaze darted between each of us. I took a step closer, towering over him.
“Who sent you?” I demanded, my anger flaring. “Why are you stalking Isy?”
“Fuck off,” he spat, his voice shaking. “I’m not telling you shit.”
The stench of fear hung heavy in the air as I stood over the sniveling man, my eyes locked onto his every twitch. Sweat cascaded down his face. He wasn’t only deathly afraid of us, but I’d be willing to bet he was high on something as well.
“Wrong answer,” I growled, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him to his feet. I felt satisfied at the look of stark terror on his face. Looked like he could dish it out when it came to a woman, but he couldn’t handle it when a man confronted him.
“Let’s try this again,” I hissed. “Who sent you after Isy?”
“Go to hell!” he snapped, defiance flickering in his eyes despite the fear that danced behind them. My free hand shot out, striking him across the face with a sound that echoed through the warehouse. A thin trail of blood trickled down from his split lip, but he remained silent.
“Tell us who’s behind this, or I promise you, it’ll only get worse from here,” I warned, my voice getting deeper and lower as I tried to hold back my fury. The stalker hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering between me and my brothers.
“Rebel, man, take it easy,” Lynx murmured. “I know you want to slaughter this bastard, but we need more information first.”
I couldn’t afford to be gentle. Not when Isy’s life was on the line. I needed answers, and I needed them now. If he wouldn’t talk with this little bit of coercion, then clearly I needed to up my game.
“Talk, or I’ll make sure you never walk again,” I threatened, meaning every damn word.
“Fuck you!”
“I’m done playing nice.” From what Wire had pieced together, this didn’t seem to be the man calling the shots. I dropped him to the cement and shot both his knees. He screamed and cursed at me, rolling on the floor. Crouching down beside him, I pressed the barrel of the gun to his temple. “Let’s try this again. Who sent you?”
The stalker swallowed hard, his body trembling as he finally caved under the weight of my intimidation. “All right, all right! It was… it was Price. He hired me to keep tabs on her,” he stammered, desperation laced in his voice.
I stared into his eyes, searching for any trace of deceit. But all I found was terror.
“Price…” I repeated, committing the name to memory. “You better not be lying, or I’ll find you. What does this Price want with Isy?”
“I-I don’t know!” he sputtered, gasping for air. “He just… he told me to watch her, report back on what she did, who she saw.”
“Pathetic,” I muttered, digging my fingers into his windpipe, forcing him to confront the reality of his situation. “You sold your soul for a few lousy bucks, and now you’re too much of a coward to tell me everything.”
“Please,” he begged, his voice barely a whisper. “I’ve told you all I know.”
“Then you’re worthless to me,” I snarled. I left him crawling on the ground like the pathetic worm that he was. Maybe I should have killed him, but I had a feeling he’d suffer a worse fate at someone else’s hands. He’d failed to get the job done. This Price person would make sure he suffered. Probably do worse to him than I ever could.
“Let’s get out of here,” I ordered, my voice cold and detached. This was far from over, but I had what I needed -- for now. We had a name, but there was still work to be done. The hunt for Isy’s true enemy had only just begun. So far the fucker kept sending lackeys after her. How long before he showed his face?
“Rebel,” Spade said, catching my attention as we walked toward our bikes. “You did what you had to do. Now we’ve got a name, and we’ll deal with him.”
I nodded, filled with determination. “Damn right we will. For Isy.”
As we left the warehouse behind, my mind raced with thoughts of Isy. As we rode back to the Savage Raptors’ compound, my thoughts raced with the implications of what we’d discovered. Whoever this Price was, he’d made a grave mistake by targeting Isy. I vowed to make him pay, no matter the cost.
The warehouse loomed ominously behind us, a symbol of the darkness that threatened to swallow Isy and our club whole. As we rode back to the Savage Raptors’ compound, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was far from over.
“Rebel, you good?” Viking shouted over the wind, concern etched across his face.
“Never better,” I replied, forcing a grin, but inside, my thoughts were racing with worry for Isy and rage toward Price. I needed more information before I could make sure Isy stayed safe.
The moment we pulled into the compound, I drove straight to the house, needing to see Isy, to hold her and prove to myself she was exactly where she should be.
“Isy!” I called out, bursting through the door. Her eyes widened in surprise, taking in my disheveled appearance. “We found your stalker, but there’s more. Someone else is after you.”
“Wh-who?” she stammered, fear clouding her eyes.
“Some fucker named Price.” I clenched my fists. “We’ll take care of it, babe, but you need to be careful. Until we know who he is, where he is, and what he wants, it’s not safe for you to be roaming free.”
“Cam…” Isy whispered, her voice trembling. She looked so vulnerable, and it tore me apart. I crushed her against my chest, feeling the heat of her body.
“Come on,” I said gruffly, guiding her toward the bathroom. “Let’s get cleaned up.”
Although it was only me who needed a shower, I wasn’t ready to let her out of my sight. It didn’t take long before steam filled the room from the hot water. I stripped out of my clothes, helped Isy remove hers, and we got in together. Her body melded to mine and I held her protectively. I could feel her heart pounding against my chest, matching the frantic beat of my own.
“Cam, what if they get to me?” she asked. I kissed the top of her head, needing to comfort her as much as myself.
“Never going to happen.” My grip tightened around her. “I won’t let anyone hurt you, Isy. You’re mine.”
“Promise?” she whispered, her eyes searching mine for reassurance.
“Swear on my life,” I vowed, capturing her lips in a desperate kiss. Our bodies pressed together under the spray of the water, seeking solace in one another as we faced the unknown.
“Thank you,” she murmured against my chest, her fingers digging into my muscles. “For everything.”
“Always, Isy,” I whispered, holding her close as the water washed over us, cleansing our bodies and souls, bringing a momentary peace amidst the storm that was brewing.
* * *
Isy
The cold tiles pressed against my back, a sharp contrast to the scorching water cascading over us. Rebel’s hands roamed my body possessively, fingers digging into my flesh as if trying to imprint himself on me.
“Look at me, Isy,” he demanded, his voice low and rough. I met his piercing gaze, my breath hitching at the intensity that burned within them.
“Tell me you trust me,” he said, his eyes searching mine for confirmation.
“I trust you, Cam,” I whispered, feeling the weight of those words settling deep within me. I meant them. I truly did. No matter what happened, I knew he would keep me safe, and do everything he could to make sure I stayed by his side.
“Good,” he replied, visibly relieved.
Rebel’s lips found mine again. Our tongues tangled together, fueled by desperation and desire. His hands gripped my hips, hoisting me up and pressing me against the tiled wall. I wrapped my legs around him, feeling the solid heat of his body against my most intimate parts.
“Cam,” I moaned, clinging to him for dear life. “Please… I need you.”
“Shit, Isy,” he groaned, his own need evident in the strained tone of his voice. “I want you so fucking bad.”
Our bodies ground together under the relentless spray of water, seeking friction and release. His length throbbed against me, teasing my pussy.
“Are you sure?” he asked, his pupils blown wide with lust.
“Have I pushed you away before? I appreciate you asking, but it’s not necessary. If there’s ever a time I don’t feel like having sex, I’ll tell you.”
He entered me slowly, allowing me to adjust to his size. The stretch was delicious, overwhelming in its intensity. As he began to move, my nails dug into his shoulders, leaving crescent-shaped marks, as if I were branding him as my own.
“Fuck, Isy,” he growled, his thrusts becoming more urgent, more primal. “You feel so goddamn good.”
“Cam,” I cried out, my body tensing as waves of pleasure began to crash over me. “I’m… I’m…”
“Let go, baby,” he urged, his voice strained with effort. “Come for me.”
My climax shattered through me, tearing a scream from my throat as I clung to Rebel, my anchor amidst the storm. His own release followed shortly after, his body shuddering against mine as we rode out the aftershocks together.
“Isy,” he murmured, his breath hot against my skin. “You’re mine, and I’ll be damned if I let anyone take you away from me.”
“Yours,” I breathed, feeling the truth of those words resonate within me. “Always.”
We embraced, our bodies pressed tightly together, finding solace and strength in each other’s arms as the water continued to rain down upon us, washing away the fears and uncertainties that had followed us, lurking in the shadows and in our minds.
I didn’t know what the future would hold for us. There was still so much we needed to overcome. We still hadn’t spoken to my father, and for every clue we found about the man we thought was trying to kidnap me, we seemed to only end up with more questions. It felt like this would never end, and I worried about what it meant for me and Rebel.
Right now, passion burned hot between us. Would that fade once things settled down and the danger was behind us? Did we only have a physical connection to one another? It felt like I loved him, but I had to wonder just how deep it ran. Was this the kind of love that lasted a lifetime? Or would we end up miserable at some point?
I’d seen someone lurking outside the house. At first I thought I was imagining things, but I’d seen her again. I’d met the Savage Raptors’ old ladies, and I knew she wasn’t one of them. They didn’t have club whores here anymore, either, so who the hell was she? As odd as I found it, I didn’t think anyone could break into this place. Which meant they were probably invited.
I knew I should ask Rebel, get everything off my chest and in the open, but I worried she might mean something to him, or that I’d taken her place in his life. How would he respond if I told him about her? It felt like jealousy was gnawing at my insides like a parasite, eating me up. I knew it was illogical and unreasonable, but I couldn’t help it. Every time I saw her, I wondered what she meant to Rebel. She’d been coming around when he wasn’t here, which made me think she wanted me to see her.
Rebel sensed my unease, his voice gruff in my ear. “Hey, what’s wrong? You okay?”
I smiled, plastering on a facade of happiness as I held his gaze. “I’m fine. Just tired is all.”
“You’ve been through a lot today,” he said, his brows furrowing together as he studied me. “Let’s dry off. You can get some rest. We can talk later.”
I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to voice my concerns. Mosty because I worried what his answer might be.