13. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
Silver
I’ve never even told her I love her. If I can get her back, I’ll tell her a million times over. -Silver
Annie’s words echo through my brain in a loop for precious seconds before their meaning becomes clear.
“Charity was supposed to meet me for lunch. She never showed. Silver, someone spotted her being toted away by a heavyset guy. The idiot thought it was her boyfriend being romantic. Since I know the only guy she’s interested in is you, I know that’s not true. She’s in trouble, real trouble.”
Tornado grasps my upper arm. His hard grip finally pulls me out of my stupor.
“What’s wrong, Prez? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. You’re fuckin’ white as hell, man, and I don’t mean just your hair.”
I stumble backwards towards my desk. “Char…Charity. It’s Charity. She’s been taken. Don’t know by who.” Fuck, why can’t my brain function? And why does my heart feel like it’s breaking within my chest?
Tornado’s grey eyes snap to attention and the look in them is pure steel. “What the hell do you mean, taken? Tell me, Prez.” His grip lightens on my arm, and he grimaces. His hand immediately rifles through his thick brown hair. “Fuck, man. I’m so fuckin’ sorry.”
His words finally trigger something in me. Anger, frustration, fear…a fuck ton of fear courses through me. I straighten my spine and finally turn into the leader I am.
“We’re going to find her, Tornado. I need you to gather all the guys. We’ll meet at the gates. I’ll know who has her and we’ll fuckin’ find her.” I ball my hands into fists. “We’ll find them and we’ll destroy them,” I growl.
“We got you, Silver. I’m gone already.” Tornado tears off without another word and I know he’ll return with the whole club.
I stand there for a moment, my mind running through all my contacts. I have a shitload of resources in this world, but at this exact moment I have no idea who to contact first. It’s then when my phone rings again.
I breathe a sigh of relief when King’s name appears on the screen. I can get him to help. He’ll provide more resources.
“King, I need your help,” I answer in a rush.
I hear him emit a long sigh. “Yeah, I figured you could. We got a problem, Silver. I’m guessin’ you’ve noticed you’re missing a certain someone.” His voice is tight with pure anger.
“Yes, I’ve fucking noticed.” My hand tightens on the phone. “What do you know?”
“I’m sorry as hell, Silver. It’s that asshole Cowboy. The one who took her years ago. I heard he was back in the area a few days ago. I should have contacted you right away.” I can hear the remorse in his voice, but right now I don’t give a shit about his regrets.
“Yes, you should have. Tell me where he is. Tell me what he wants.” Not that he’ll get anything. The only thing the man who took her will get is death. And a painful one if I can make it happen.
“He’s with two of my other men.” His voice drops into a low growl.
“They decided they wanted to stage some kind of fuckin’ mutiny.
They don’t like the way I’m leading things.
Think I should go back to the old ways. They’re holding her for ransom, Sil.
They want money from both of us and they want control of the club’s assets. ”
“They won’t get shit except a bullet hole in their foreheads, King. I’m loading up my men. We’re going after ‘em.” I pause. “And if they’ve hurt her…if they’ve touched a hair on her head, there won’t be anyone in heaven or hell that can protect them.”
I can practically hear King nodding through the phone. “I’ll meet you with my guys on the ridge. You’ll have more than enough backup. They’re hiding out in Hell’s Canyon a few miles away from here. Cowboy’s aunt has a house there.”
I hang up with King and take a deep breath.
She could be dead. The woman I love could already be dead. Or dying. She could be hurt, lying there bleeding, waiting for me…
I shake my head and with real fear gripping my heart tell myself that those thoughts are useless. Those thoughts will lead nowhere but hopelessness.
I know now how I feel. I know now exactly what I want. What I’ve always wanted. I just want her. I want to build a life with her, give her babies to play with and raise, and grow old with her. I want it all.
Hell of a time for you to figure your shit out, Silver. Hell of a time.
I roll back my shoulders. Time to go get my girl.