Chapter 30
CHAPTER THIRTY
blaze
“Hello everyone! Thank you for being so patient. We are waiting for a few more people in the wedding party, and then we will begin. In the meantime, please enjoy a refreshment and mingle with the people around you!” the peppy wedding planner Marley just had to hire says into the microphone at the front of the room.
I nod to her in agreement with her distraction plan for the guests as I walk around the room, checking in with my brothers to see if anyone has heard anything.
A hard slap lands on my shoulder. “How’s Marley doing?” Prince asks as he shakes hands with the men around me.
“She’s all wound up about not hearing from Jenna, but she’s hanging in there.
” I let out a heavy breath, thinking about the look on her face when I’d told her I hadn’t heard anything.
“She’s more stressed out than I’ve ever seen her, and I just want her to relax and enjoy the day.
Fucking Axel. If we find out they are somewhere fucking while we’re all running around waiting for them, I’m going to beat the shit out of him. ”
“We’ll find them,” Prince nods at me as he heads over to talk to D.
He looks exhausted, and I know he’s been working his ass off to make sure we’re ready if the Reapers make a move.
Their silence these last few months is unusual.
We haven’t seen one of them since the incident at the club.
I know they’ll attack sooner or later, but just sitting back and waiting is pissing me off.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see a flash of white charging toward me.
I turn just in time to catch Marley, who slams into my chest. She looks up at me with glassy eyes and a look of bewilderment.
Holding up her hand, the screen on her phone lights up to display a message from Jenna.
I hold her shaking hand still as I read the plea Jenna has sent to her: Help.
Realizing there’s now a small crowd around us, I glance to my right and see Prince looking at the phone screen, too.
“Heard anything from Shiny?” I ask in a low voice. He shakes his head, no. We all know this has to be the Reapers. Our enforcer and his girl go missing, and all we get is a one-word text before radio silence? Not likely to be a mistake.
I look back down at Marley and cup her face in my hands. She’s pale and shaking, her eyes unfocused, and I can tell her thoughts are racing. “Hey, Mar. Look at me, Babe.” Her eyes lift to mine, and tears start streaming down her face.
“I’ve been sitting here worried about our wedding while my best friend is out there in danger,” she whispers. My need to rip apart the people responsible for making her feel this way takes over. I’ll do anything to ensure she never feels this way again.
“Stop that,” Looking her right in the eyes. “You had no idea what was going on and couldn’t have known. Understand?” She nods and wipes her tears.
“What can we do to help?” Marley asks, straightening her shoulders and looking as if she’s ready to go to war.
“I need you to go back to the clubhouse and stay there until I call you.” My voice comes out more commanding than I mean it to, but I can’t have her fighting me on this.
“But—” Marley starts to protest; I shake my head.
“No buts, babe. I can’t do what I need to do if I don’t know you’re safe.” I can tell she wants to tell me off and jump into this headfirst, but her eyes soften, and she nods silently.
“Okay, but I need you to keep me updated, and if there’s anything I can do, don’t hesitate to call me.
” She reaches up on her tiptoes and crashes her lips to mine.
Our tongues explore each other as if it might be our last kiss.
My gorgeous girl is so perfect and understanding.
I stare into her large brown eyes and wonder how I got so lucky.
Marley leans back and gives a single nod, steeling herself.
I call out to Spider, who’s already at my side.
“Can you make sure the girls get back to the compound and take a few men with you to keep them safe?” I ask, already stepping into the VP role I know so well.
“Absolutely, Blaze. With my life.” Spider nods and heads to Marley to lead them outside.
All the women start to follow her toward the doors, and I turn to see Prince, Jax, and Cal checking their weapons.
A chime sounds around the room, and Prince quickly answers the call, putting it on speaker for us to hear.
I look around the room, realizing we’re still in the middle of the wedding venue, but everyone is already gone. The only people left are my brothers.
“What do you got for us, Bear?” Prince hollers.
“Just spotted Shiny and Axel’s bike at his garage. Jenna’s car is parked near the back entrance. We just parked, heading in now. Oh fuck—” Bear stops, and then a heavy sigh comes through the phone.
“Shiny’s dead,” he states. I hear the click of him turning the safety off his gun.
“Fuck!” Cal bellows from our side.
“Do you see Axel or Jenna? Anyone else there?” Prince asks. There’s rustling on the other side of the line, and then someone in the background yells.
“Axel’s here!” My heart thunders in my chest as I wait with bated breath to hear if he’s alive.
“He’s breathing, but it looks like they knocked him out cold,” Tank says in the background.
“Is Jenna there?” Cal asks. I know he and Jenna have developed a strong bond since the fallout with Axel. The look on his face has panic written all over it.
“She’s not here,” Bear replies.
I shake my head. “They had to have taken her. We’re lucky they fucking left Axel alive.” I stand straight and eye the men around me. “We’re coming there now. Stay where you are, and I’ll call Doc to meet you.” I say, already halfway out the door.