Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
It was time. I bounced on my feet and stretched my arms in front of me while waiting with Cal and Jenny by the doors for the right moment.
We’d been in this shipping container for forty-seven long days. But that would end today.
A few of us had heard the masked guards talking about the ship docking to pick up the last of the “merchandise” before moving on to our final destination.
Final destination. I liked those movies even though they scared me.
But back to the matter at hand. I knew with every bone in my body that if we reached the place where our “owners” were, we’d be shit out of luck trying to save ourselves.
This was our only chance, and I was pumped for it.
I was tired of sitting back and waiting and pretending to be compliant.
I wanted to bring the hurt.
I wanted to war with all these men who thought they were allowed to take us, push us, starve us, and sell us.
They’d pay. I’d make sure of it, and then I could get home for that family dinner at my brother’s so he could announce Maya’s pregnancy. He’d better not have told anyone without me there. I wanted to see Mum’s face. I knew she’d be over-the-moon happy with a grandbaby.
That was if Maya was pregnant.
I was at least 80 percent sure she was.
“Again, you two don’t have to help,” I told Cal and Jenny.
Cal snorted. “You’re not doing this on your own.”
“Cal’s right. The others don’t have any skills in fighting like us. I know we’re not anywhere near as good as you, but we can help,” Jenny said.
“Thanks, guys.”
Iola was with the other captives, huddled closer to the back of the shipping container with the torch off so they wouldn’t be seen when the doors opened.
Movement outside had settled, and the ship was no longer swaying in the ocean, so we were already docked. It was just a waiting game now.
I hated waiting.
It was boring.
I wanted to move. To make waves so we could get out of here and be around the ones we loved. My family would be going crazy.
Hell, it really wouldn’t surprise me if they were out there waiting for us or had gotten someone to come help us escape.
Still, I wouldn’t sit around and wait to be saved. I’d do everything I could to make sure all of us were okay in the end.
I heard voices outside the doors.
“Shhh,” I called.
They opened with a creak and clang. Five masked guards with two captives appeared.
Two men.
They were shoved inside, and a guard I didn’t recognise said something before he walked off. The new men huddled close to the side of the container, and another masked man was about to close the doors.
I couldn’t lose this chance. Starting forward, I called, “Hey, hi, hello. Can I use the toilet, pretty please? I really need to go, and I don’t want to pee in here.
” As I approached with Cal and Jenny, one of the kidnapped men pressed the younger one back against the wall to stand in front of him.
Protecting him. I smiled in reassurance.
“Stop. No break,” a guard barked, pointing his gun my way. “Stay back,” he warned.
Jenny and Cal stepped out of the shadows and stopped behind me.
Using my thumb, I pointed over my shoulder to my friends and walked closer. “I know it’s early for a toilet break, but we really gotta go. We’ll be good.”
Before he could respond, I rushed him.
In one fluid move, I shot my arm out to grab his wrist. With a twist of my body, I spun him around, using his momentum against him.
I slammed my foot into his back and sent him stumbling straight into Cal and Jenny, who were ready for him.
I trusted that they could take care of him while I moved on.
Like the Flash—at least I liked to think so—I charged the remaining two guards.
“Stop! I’ll shoot,” one of them shouted, and I grinned at the panic edging his voice.
Only I didn’t even pause as I sprang at him, climbing his body like a jungle gym—one foot on his thigh, the other on his chest. Then I snapped my leg around his neck, and with a powerful arch of my back, I flipped him off his feet and drove him into the metal floor.
He hit the ground hard, choking and flailing as I cinched my leg tighter around his throat like a vice.
The last masked guard took a step forward with his gun trembling in his hands.
I almost laughed at his fear of little old me, but I kept it locked inside. “I don’t want to shoot you,” I told him calmly. “Drop your weapon.”
“Get off him! Stand down!” he yelled back.
Shit. His finger tightened on the trigger.
The man under me thrashed wildly—clawing, slapping at my thigh, his face reddening.
His actions hurt, but I ignored them. I had to get this scene under control.
Refusing to react, I repeated my words more harshly, “I said drop it.”
If only he’d listen.
Sighing, I shook my head and then pressed my hand against my leg to tighten the chokehold I already had on the guy under me with my leg.
I glanced down when he bucked before passing out.
My gaze snagged on the blade at his hip. Reaching down, I yanked it free, and with a flick of my wrist, I threw the knife. It spun through the air before sinking into the last guard’s hand.
He screamed as he dropped his gun and clutched his bleeding palm to his chest.
I did warn him.
“Stay still, please,” I said, rising to my feet, pointing the unconscious guard’s gun at the whimpering man. “Cal, take his weapon and watch him.”
My friend nodded and moved quickly to help.
BANG. BANG. BANG.
Repeated shots were fired, and screams started from deeper within the container.
In a panic, I ordered, “We need to leave. Cal, Jenny, round everyone up.”
“Wait,” one of the new guys called. He walked towards me, holding the other younger guy’s hand. “That will be my family. My man, he was here hiding with the Diamond MC and—”
Hope bloomed, and I blurted, “Get the fuck outta here. The Diamond MC? I’ve heard of them. I overheard my dad talking about our club doing a favour for yours.”
The man gaped. “Romania?”
Smiling, I told him, “Rommy for short. Oh wow, oh wow, is that why you guys are here? Did Dad call in a favour to help me? Aww, that’s the sweetest thing.”
See, I knew my family would help. They were the best.
“Oui, chéri. Our family was already here to help everyone when Sawyer and I, Henri”—he touched his chest—“were taken.”
“I like your accent. French, right? I’ve always wanted to learn it.” Groaning inwardly, I smacked my palm to my forehead. I could be a fool sometimes. I quickly said, “But now’s not the time to talk about it. Will your guys be easy to notice?”
“Oui, they won’t wear masks and will have the biker vests on. Except my man, Blaze, he’s a really big man and probably the one going crazy on the kidnappers.”
He sounded like my kind of guy. I wanted to get out there to see for myself.
“Cool, cool. I’m gonna go see how things are travelling.
See if they need help.” I checked the gun for bullets.
“How about you all stay here and watch these idiots?” Glaring down, I kicked out at the one who’d passed out to check he wasn’t faking.
“He’s still out. Good. I’ll bring your guy back? ”
He paused, looking at the guard and then at me. “Oh, oui. Thank you.”
“You got it.” I faced Cal and Jenny, who were now smiling as they stood armed over the ship crew. I grinned. “We’re getting out of here. Yay!” I cheered before I took off running.
I could have cried knowing we weren’t alone. We had help, and from the sound of it, there were a lot assisting in our rescue.
Rounding a corner, I saw chaos. So much fighting, but it was slowing down. There weren’t many masked guards left to deal with.
Pity, but I was grateful since I’d been worried I couldn’t have handled everyone on my own.
A big guy in a club vest caught my attention when he yelled in the face of his opponent as he wrapped his hands around the guy’s neck.
However, he also left himself unprotected and was about to get a knife to the back.
Launching myself forward, I hit the guard in the side of the head with the back of my gun and watched him fall to the floor unconscious. Bending, I checked his pulse, which still ticked away, before bouncing up to my feet and noticing how quiet it’d gone around me.
Waving, I announced, “Hey, hi, hello, hot biker guys. I’m Romania.
But call me Rommy. You might be here to save me?
I have the others who were kidnapped in the back.
” I shot finger guns at the massive, good-looking guy I just saved.
“Dude, you need to remember to watch your back.” Then I pointed at the other guy, who was bigger than my dude and looked ready to murder some more people, and said, “You’ve got to be Henri’s beau.
Come on. I can tell you need to see him.
” I tipped my head back. “This way. Wait, does my dad know I’m okay? ”
Another biker brother, who was holding an iPad, stepped forward. “I’ve just messaged them. They know we’ve got the ship under control.”
Tension drained from my body. “Thanks heaps.” I imagined they’d already be heading to the airport to get here to me, so I didn’t even need to ask. Instead, I waved Blaze over. “Come on. You’re barely hanging on. Your Henri is this way.”
The big broody brute followed me silently with two others. The one I’d saved and another brother, who looked worried about something or someone.
Blaze was almost vibrating with tension. “Don’t worry, big man,” I told him as we walked. “He’s just down here. Once you see he’s fine, you can settle down.”
He didn’t respond, which was fine and understandable. He wanted his eyes on his man.
I glanced to the other two and couldn’t help but say to the one I’d saved, “Hot damn, you’re just as big as Blaze, aren’t you?” When he said nothing, I laughed as I skipped through the gap first. When Blaze and his brothers walked through, I gestured to the hostages. “See, all safe.”
No one said anything. They all stood there staring. I watched back and forth between Henri, Blaze, and the biker brothers. The one with darker hair was looking at Sawyer, Henri’s friend, with concern. Were they an item?
Yet, they were still standing around like they had all the time in the world.
They didn’t.
I wanted to get everyone somewhere we could shower, eat, drink, and sleep knowing we were safe.
“So,” I drew out. “Is this standoff normal?”
The smoking-hot guy I saved snorted. “Give them a moment.” I glanced down at his nametag on his club cut. Quake.
“Mon amour?” Henri said.
Blaze’s jaw clenched again, but he unlocked it to order, “Here. Now.”
Henri ran at him and jumped into his arms. My heart warmed at the scene.
I moved closer to Quake and nudged his side with my elbow. “Aww, they’re so cute together. Don’t you think?”
He coughed and hesitantly said, “Ah, yeah.”
Laughing, I told him, “You’re cute too.”
The big guy blushed before he turned around and started walking back the way we came when he called, “I’m goin’ to check on the brothers.”
I’d worm my way into his heart, and bed, if I was lucky enough.
But for now, I really wanted to get things moving.
Clapping, I asked, “Right, who wants to get out of here? I really gotta call my dad soon before he shits kittens. The tech guy said they messaged him I was found and safe, but he’ll want to hear my voice.
” I waved my hand towards the exit. “Let’s go, people.
Time’s wasting. We need food and water and definitely showers.
Huh, maybe that’s why that guy ran off quickly.
” I lifted my arm and sniffed under my armpit, then screwed up my nose at the stink.
“Yeah, that’s rank.” I moved up behind Blaze.
“Hey, big man. Just gonna put my hands on your waist and help you step to the side so people can get past. You just keep breathing in your man and calming down.” Before I did, I looked to Henri, who nodded, so I placed my hands on him so people could walk by.
Finally, we were free.
Stepping off the ship for the first time in over a month was the best feeling. I smiled widely at everyone around me.
“Rommy,” Cal called. He stood with Jenny, Iola, and another man. I went over and hugged them. Except the stranger, though I’d have if I’d known him or if he wanted a hug.
Pulling back, I gripped Iola and Jenny’s hand. “We’re free.”
They grinned, and Cal nodded with a bright grin. “We are.”
“Thanks to you,” Iola said.
“Rommy, this is Officer Jones.” Jenny dropped my hand to gesture to the cop. “He’s here to help all of us get home again and to stay protected until the ones behind this are taken care of.”
Nodding, I smiled up at the cop. “Thank you.”
“These three hold you in high regard, Romania. Thanks for helping keep everyone safe.”
I shrugged. “I only did what any person would.”
“Rommy.” A man with a wicked beard and ’stache walked up. The name on his club vest read Country. He was the president to the Diamond MC. “You’ll come with us. Your family will arrive at our compound tomorrow evening.”
“You got it.” I winked. Facing Cal, Iola, and Jenny again, I gave them a sad smile. “I guess this is goodbye.”
“Not forever,” Cal said quickly. “You’re stuck with us for life.”
Tears sprang to life, and my gaze blurred.
“I wouldn’t want it any other way. Does anyone have a pen and paper?
” I called. The officer produced one, and I wrote down my number, passing it to my friends.
“Call me. Anytime. Love you, guys.” I hugged them tightly before stepping back.
With a big wave where I stretched my arm all the way up, I called. “Bye, everyone. Take care.”
There were a lot of farewells before I turned and made my way to the car with Country.
I felt dead on my feet, but the excitement of seeing the Diamond MC compound and meeting more amazing people gave me enough energy to keep my eyes open.
Plus, I knew I’d be getting food soon, and I really couldn’t wait for that.
Just the thought had my mouth pooling with saliva.