Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
JASON
The tension in the room could choke a person. I’d been in hostile territory before, but this was different. These guys operated by rules that were slightly different than the ones I typically lived by.
“I want to know where Colter might have taken Cora and Elias. Do we know where Daisy is?” I looked from Shade to Tank.
They exchanged looks.
“Watch the tone. We’re letting you stay here as a favor to Kane.”
We’d barely made it out of the courthouse alive.
Colter had hung up, and the fire had closed in.
Then we’d found a door, half covered by one of the many filing cabinets.
We’d found the missing JP dead behind it, with several gunshot wounds, but beyond that was a hallway that led to some kind of service tunnel.
Our driver had picked us up after we escaped. Kane directed us here—the old club president’s house. There wasn’t much to look at, but it was the one place Colter would never think to check.
Kane had barely stepped inside before heading back out. Said his guys would give us whatever we needed. That was three hours ago.
“And I appreciate that, but how would your tone be if your woman and child were taken at gunpoint?”
Shade’s jaw worked. “I get it. But we’re trying to find Kane too. They’re probably in the same place.”
If Kane was still alive, but I didn’t voice that. If he were my friend, I wouldn’t want to hear it either.
Thomas. I’d never forget the impact of the bullet, the way his knees buckled, the wrong way his body hit the ground. The one person in the world who’d never betrayed me. Would never. I’d even suspected him at one point. He was more brother than friend.
“And no one’s seen Daisy?” I asked.
Tank shook his head. “Ranger’s checking the back room at the bar, but he’s gotta be careful. More Sons are backing Colter than Kane right now.”
I could feel the tension this split was causing. Brothers against brothers and the inability to trust each other. What they didn’t know was I had personal experience with that in my own family so I understood it more than they knew.
Thomas coughed as he walked in, still looking like he needed a hospital bed.
I shook my head. He’d passed out on the way here from smoke inhalation. “You need to stay on oxygen.”
“I’m fine.” He held his fist to his mouth as another coughing fit hit.
The nurse who’d checked him followed behind. “You need to stop fighting me.”
Thomas smiled at her. “I’ll be fine. I’ve had enough.”
“Your friend needs to rest,” she said, glaring at Thomas. “He needs at least another hour on oxygen.”
I looked from Thomas to her. “He’s hardheaded. Thanks for making a house call.”
She grumbled and walked out.
“Let’s focus on finding Cora and Elias.” Thomas grabbed his tablet from one of our guys. “Is there anywhere else Colter might take them?”
Tank shifted on his feet. “Colter’s been working on that old gym. It has a basement.” He looked at Shade. “Kane suggested using it for the younger guys before things fractured between him and Colter.”
“What kind of work?” I asked.
“The kind that requires soundproofing,” Shade said.
My blood went cold. “That’s not what I wanted to hear.”
“The basement’s like a maze. It used to be locker rooms and storage. Colter’s been adding holding cells, installing cages. Turning it into something sick.”
“How many ways in and out?” Thomas asked.
“Main entrance, emergency exit in back, and a maintenance entrance that connects to the storm tunnels,” Shade said. “Problem is, Colter’s got guys watching.”
“How many guys?”
Tank shrugged. “Hard to say. Maybe twenty, twenty-five loyal to him. Plus whatever muscle he’s hired.”
“What about cops?”
Both men laughed. No humor in it. “Half are on his payroll,” Shade said. “Other half are scared of him.”
Tank shot a look at Shade. “But that might work for us. Colter thinks he’s untouchable right now.”
Thomas looked up from his tablet. “What about weapons?”
Shade nodded toward a back room. “Kane said to let you have whatever you needed.”
At least that was something. “How well do you know the gym’s layout?”
“Well enough,” Tank said. “We helped with some of the work, but then the thing between Colter and Kane went down.”
“Yeah,” Shade said. “I’ll kill a man with a smile on my face and zero remorse, but I ain’t selling no babies.”
“Or women,” Tank added.
I looked at Thomas then back at them. “We lost quite a few men when Colter hit the house. We could use the help, if you’re willing.”
“Kane’s in there. We’re in.” Shade crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his chin. “We need a plan first.”
“Then let’s make a plan.”
Kane’s guys nodded. “We’ll see if we can get a few more to help. Some of them don’t know about the baby selling.”
Thomas looked at them. “Don’t tell them we made it out of the fire. It’s better if Colter thinks we’re dead.”
I felt that familiar surge before any operation. But this wasn’t about territory or money. This was about Cora and Elias. About family. My woman and child were being touched by evil.
“Then let’s go get them back.”