Chapter 18
Frost
Maverick’s phone pings. He curses loudly when he reads the message that’s come in. “Okay, guys—Phoenyxx has been found. There are issues though. The kidnapper is still there. We need to proceed with extreme caution.”
“What? Where?” I demand, already in motion. Maverick and Trav lead.
“I have the coordinates here. Tyler, Blade, and Black will follow us in a vehicle. Everyone stays together,” Maverick orders. He types on his phone, and the three ZYGOS guys all thank him.
“Got them, Mav,” Tyler says.
The other ZYGOS guys jump in one of the SUV’s, gunning it down through the grass.
I full-out start running, pure adrenaline pushing me.
I have to get to Killer. I need to see with my own eyes that she’s okay.
Razor and Trikk keep up, looking just as panicked and determined as I am.
The form of a house appears out of nowhere.
“Shit... a house!” I holler, making myself go faster.
“Boys!” Mav yells back to us, but we pass him and Trav, who are running behind us, going straight for the front door. We hammer up the steps, bursting inside.
I cock my head, hearing loud voices coming from below the kitchen in front of us. It must be a basement.
Then we see an open door on the far wall and dash for it.
I clatter down the steps, not slowing down for a second. Trikk and Razor are on my heels.
I come screeching to a stop as I take in the scene in front of me. Synn is holding an alive but pissed off Killer; 3 is grabbing some guy; Ghost looks like he’s about to lose his shit and... Ghost’s father?
“What in the holy fuckery is this?” Trikk says as he steps up next to me.
We end up standing there in shock at everything we see.
Synn looks at us and hollers, “Ghost’s father! That asshole is Demon mask, aka Ghost’s brother, Maxim.”
More footsteps and voices come from above, revealing the rest of the gang, minus Black—who must be driving the SUV—as the others fly down the long flight of stairs.
Trav takes control, marching towards 3 who is struggling to maintain his grip on Demon.
A mad scramble commences. Everyone is screaming.
I look over at Synn, and jerk my head towards the door, relaying to him he needs to take Killer and leave.
He listens, thank fuck.
I turn back to the melee… and realize someone else is missing.
“Where the hell did Ghost’s father go?” I shout to be heard over the other voices.
The commotion comes to a dead stop. We're all looking around, perplexed.
Maverick grabs the reins, barking commands. And then, “Where did Synn take the girl? They both better be in the vehicle. Everyone out! Get in the damn car. Take the prisoner first, understand? And stay the hell together.”
I move towards 3 and Trav, helping them contain the piece of shit who took our girl.
I just want to get to Killer. This asshole will be answering for a lot. I hope there’s a dungeon in the ZYGOS compound. A good place to string his ass up, so we can pummel answers out of him.
Phoenyxx
Dammit, why is Synn holding me so tightly? I need to get to Ghost.
The events taking place right now are making me even more frantic.
Why is Ghost’s father here? This is so bad.
My blood froze in my veins when Ghost’s father said he and Maxim were... brothers.
Oh, my God. I feel sick.
I screamed at Maxim to leave Ghost alone. He came towards me and Synn, but 3 and Trav intercepted him.
Then, everyone else showed up. Frost moved to help 3 and Trav transported the struggling Maxim to the waiting car.
Now, Synn carries me up the stairs, and out the door.
The door of the car is already open, and he shoves me in gently, following and depositing me onto his lap to put his arm across my middle like a seatbelt.
“I’ve got you, Pazessca. I'll never let anyone take you again. Or hurt you. Never again,” Synn whispers into my ear.
I shiver, understanding he's referencing all the way back to the first time he thought he was saving me when handing me to the Solomons.
“My Hoodie Boy. I trust you. I love you, Synn,” I admit, tears springing up in my eyes.
Synn makes a sound low in his throat, and peppers kisses along my neck. “When we get back, Pazessca, you’re mine.”
I stiffen in his hold, barely able to stand being touched as it is. I need time to process.
“Only when you’re ready,” Synn assures me, with a squeeze.
I’m relieved that I not only forgive him, but trust him to take care of me. I want him—badly. Hopefully I can beat back my newest trauma to finally have my Hoodie Boy.
Shock might be taking hold of me. I feel almost numb about the whole experience.
I crank my head around to peer at Maxim all the way in the back, 3 and Frost practically sitting on him to hold him down.
My heart beats faster, but my stomach doesn’t sink. My guys help me feel safe.
Maxim's voice floats forward to meet my ears. “Oh, Little Bird. I'm far from done with you. I will make you my wife eventually.”
“Fuck. No,” 3’s voice grits out. “You die.”
Maxim struggles, and a pissed off Frost clubs him on the head hard with the butt of a gun, knocking him out.
Confused, I ask, “If you guys had guns, why didn’t you just shoot Maxim?”
Frost grits out, “There were too many people cramped in such a small space. We weren’t going to risk hurting you.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
“I’m going to check you out really quick, Malishka,” Ghost tells me from where he’s next to me and Synn.
“Wait, I am struggling being touched. Can you give me a minute, please?” I take a few deep, calming breaths, reminding myself that Ghost would never hurt me.
Sucking in one more breath, I say, “Go ahead.”
He pats me down gently, carefully checking every inch of skin he can. “Are you hurt anywhere? Did he force himself on you?”
I shake my head. “No. He did beat me though... and he branded me. I'm okay. In pain, but I have a high pain threshold.”
“What? Where did he brand you?” Ghost cries.
I shakily point to my pubic mound.
Ghost leans over and softly inches my nightgown up, peering at the bandage. He carefully peels it back.
“Well, it’s healing and doesn’t look infected. But we will properly have you looked at by a doctor when we get back,” he says.
Throwing him a small smile, I turn around, looking at everyone in the SUV. “Where’s Razor, Trikk, Hunter, and Purge?”
“Razor and Trikk are in one of the other two cars. Purge and Hunter stayed at the compound to help the other hackers,” Synn answers.
“What about Val and Bryan? Shit, are they okay? And where is Cynthia?”
“They’re fine,” Ghost responds. “Last we heard, Cynthia is being taken care of by Thor.”
I'm not even going to begin to pick that apart. I'll save it for later.
Settling into Synn, I close my eyes while we drive. I desperately need some rest. Being in Synn’s arms calms me.
“I’ll wake you when we get there,” Synn murmurs, kissing me on the head.
Purge
“They found Pretty Girl,” Harris tells me over his shoulder. “She’s okay.” He blows out a breath, relief on his face.
“Talk about the last to know!” I yell, angry no one said shit to me.
“Man, chill, it’s copacetic,” Thor says, reaching over to pat me on the head.
“You are the geekiest nerd I’ve ever seen,” Bill grumbles from his seat.
Right on cue; me, Thor, and even Harris all shout, “Fuck you, BILL!”
“Come on, guys, settle down,” Jax calls from the other side of the room.
Restless, I shift around in my seat. I'm counting the seconds until Iskra is back here. I'm grabbing her the minute I see her and never letting her go.
Hunter
I was so caught up in the screen in front of me, tracking the team's movements, I forgot to inform the others in here of what I’m seeing.
The tracker I’m following from Pretty Girl showed the vehicles stopped for a while. Then Mav sent a series of texts updating me.
I am reeling from the fact Ghost’s father was there and slipped out without being seen.
And that Demon mask is Ghost’s brother, Maxim?
Then there’s the fact that the psychopath was holding Pretty Girl in a basement and was calling her “wife”. She must be so traumatized. I know my girl already has multi-trauma PTSD, but Maxim’s added to it may end up being too much for her. I will be watching her closely when they return.
I fire a text out to Frost, asking how Pretty Girl is doing. He responds telling me she’s okay, and Maxim is on ice—unconscious.
I raise my voice so the guys in the room can hear me, relaying what Frost just told me.
“Thank fuck,” Thor says.
“Oh, thank God,” Purge breathes. He's trembling with anxiety. The telltale signs are all there.
“Purge, are you in need of a Rage Out?” I ask him.
Purge looks at me, answering, “I can wait. I'll take it out on that kidnapping piece of human garbage.”
I grunt in response.
I will be taking my own pound of flesh.
Maxim
I can’t believe this group of pussies got one up on me.
How dare they interrupt my impending nuptials with Little Bird? She was almost ready for me.
I’ve been in love with her since I first saw her in The Morgue. Torturing her made my dick so hard I had to rub one out on the daily.
I knew I had to have her when we caught her escaping The Retreat.
I saw the way she looked at me. She wants me just as badly; she just won’t admit it.
So, I’m making it my mission to get through to my Little Bird. She will love me and leave these losers in the dust.
I don’t care if Ghost is my brother or not. Fuck that guy. He will die by my hand—they all will.
Phoenyxx
“We’re back, Baby Girl.” Synn’s voice washes over me; he’s stroking my hair gently.
I rouse, blinking. My head turns, looking for the other car with my guys inside. They're pulling in right next to us.
The door to the compound flies open, and I see Valley and Bryan running toward the car I’m in. My guys in the other SUV tumble out, catching up to my bestie.
“Nyx, oh, thank God! Bryan, she’s okay.” Valley throws open my door, her small body clinging to mine, her arms around me, sobbing.