Chapter 6
KEVLAR
She’s killing me.
Guiding her into the kitchen, I’m not surprised to find those I mentioned earlier standing and sitting, waiting for her. All heads turn in our direction when we step through the door. Rosemary tenses, and before anyone can say anything, I speak up.
“We got tomato soup?”
Big’s lip twitches, and he pushes a bowl across the counter in front of an empty stool.
“It’s my girl’s favorite.”
At least they hadn’t made a sandwich. I saw the dread and revulsion in her expression when I suggested it. I’m willing to bet that’s what she’d been fed, so I don’t blame her, and I’m not asking her to confirm my suspicion.
Ushering her to the counter, I pull the seat out for her and let her hand go, feeling the bandages now in place over her busted knuckles. She hadn’t even flinched when I poured the alcohol over them. I hated seeing the way her eyes went dead.
Earlier, when she’d been in the shower, I heard those screams of anguish, and it just about killed me.
She’d been hurting, in so much pain, I couldn’t handle it.
I’d gone in there, hopped right in, and held her.
I did the only thing I could do to comfort her when she was suffering.
It took a while for her cries to stop, and when they did, she slumped into me, exhausted emotionally and physically.
If it weren’t for the fact she needed to eat something, I wouldn’t have bothered to bring her out of the room. Fuck if I could, I’d have kept her in the room. It felt good holding her, and I knew she found comfort in my touch. I felt it in the way she let me hold her.
No one speaks as Rosemary picks up the spoon and starts eating the soup.
“You want some crackers, Rosie?” Cobra asks, speaking up first.
I move to stand directly next to her, keeping close, giving her the comfort she needs.
Rosemary shakes her head in answer to Cobra’s question and continues to spoon up more soup.
Glancing at Viper, I meet his gaze. “The guests situated for the night?”
“They tucked in for the rest of the night. I’ve already told the others, first thing in the morning we’ll be meeting with our guests and finding out what they know,” Viper states cooly, his eyes going back to Rosemary, who looks upset.
Why, I’m uncertain, but I’m sure it’s due to the guests we’ll be dealing with tomorrow.
“Rosie, I have your stuff all set up in a room for you to use,” Jade announces. I’m sure it’s in hopes that she can get her best friend to talk.
I’m not sure why she’s not talking to anyone else, but alone she at least spoke to me.
Rosemary nods and finishes the soup, looking at the empty bowl.
“You done or want more?” I ask, taking the bowl from her. The way I worded the question gives her no choice but to speak up.
“More,” she whispers quietly.
That one word cuts through the tension that filled it, giving everyone a sense of relief, even if it’s a small amount.
“Got a whole pot of it ready for you, Princess,” Big remarks, reaching for the bowl. “Do you want some cheese in it this time around?”
“Please,” Rose answers and clears her throat as she lifts her gaze to me. “Milk?”
“That what you want to drink?” I cock a brow making sure I understand her correctly, earning a nod. “You got it.”
“I’ll get it,” Jade declares, considering she’s the closest to the refrigerator. Viper grabs one of the glasses and puts it on the counter for Jade to fill. A moment later, it slid across the counter and set in front of Rosemary.
Big also sets her bowl back in front of her with the cheese melting on top.
In order to make Rosemary feel more comfortable, I start up a conversation with the others. It’s mundane, but still, it’s a conversation to fill the silence.
Fifteen minutes later, Rosemary pushes her bowl away. “I’m done. Thank you.”
“No need to thank anyone, Princess,” Big says, taking in his daughter’s appearance. “Now, why don’t you go get some rest.”
Without a word, Rosemary scoots off the stool and looks toward Jade. “Which room is mine?”
“I’ll show you,” Jade answers, giving Rosemary a small smile.
It’s all I can do to keep myself from following after them. From taking Rosemary back to my room.
Fuck me.
I didn’t know that finding her would affect me this way. For that matter, I didn’t think I’d want her as I do, but fuck me, I do. She’s mine. Has been since the night we fucked, but I was an ass and sent her away. Then I’d gone and fucked up even more.
I’m gonna have to make things right with her.
“Did she tell you anything, Kevlar?” Viper asks, getting my attention.
“No,” I grind out. I don’t want to talk about what happened. It’s for Rosemary to share if she wants to, but I have a feeling she won’t.
The way she’d broken down in that shower was terrible. She’d been vulnerable and one thing I learned about in the time I’ve known her is she’s not one for allowing anyone to see her as weak.
Clearing my throat, I glance around, meeting each of the men’s gaze. “I’m not going to say what happened. Just know that the bastard who did this to her is going to pay.”
“She broke down, didn’t she?” Big grimaces. “My girl, she’s tough, always has been. I saw what I saw in her eyes, and I know she didn’t let that bastard break her, but what she did affected her.”
I nod. “Yeah, she broke down.” I can at least give him that and look at Viper. “I don’t want to wait til morning. Rosemary’s gone to bed. You know Jade’s going to stay with her. I want at this fucker and get to the bottom of it all.”
“Same here.” Cobra growls, eyes flashing with hatred.
“Then let’s get out there and see what’s what,” Viper grunts and pulls out his cell. “Cyprus wants to be there as well. None of this sits well with either of us. The way we got her back was too easy, none of them fought us as we expected.”
“Agreed,” I mutter, brushing my fingers through my hair. “It was far too fuckin’ easy. Do we know the name of the guy who had her?”
“Vulture’s been working on getting the information we need.
Got to work on it the moment we got back.
Ordered one of the prospects to get a case of Monsters for him.
Said he ain’t sleeping until he knows as much as he can find,” Viper remarks, heading toward the door.
“What he found was the guy’s name is Donovan Rowe. ”
I repeat the name over and over in my head, rolling it over, memorizing it.
Stepping out of the clubhouse, I keep my steps matching Viper’s and head toward the smaller warehouse we converted to a storage area, but also put in cells to house those we need to deal with.
It’s something we’ve learned with all the bullshit we’ve had to deal with over the years.
It’s always best to be prepared for the potential threat rather than be caught off guard.
With the shit that happened to Rosemary, her being taken off grid the way she was, it’s enough for us to go on the alert.
I know we fucked up in not looking for her harder.
We’ve had a lot of shit going on with the move, getting businesses up and running, along with working with Mateo Quirino, Noelle’s cousin, who also happens to be one scary-ass motherfucker who is the head of the Quirino family.
We need to find out what the hell is going on and why she was taken in the first place. Was it because she’s a fighter? Or is there something else at play?
I step through the entrance into the building, already hearing a man shouting. He was talking about us being sorry for what we’ve done.
“Don’t know what the hell we’re gonna be sorry for,” I state snidely, getting the other man’s attention.
“I’m not the one in a cage right now. That would be you.
” I come to a stop just outside the cell doors and rest my arms on the bars.
“I suggest you start talking.” I’m quick to inform him and grin knowingly.
He doesn’t know what he has coming for him.
Between Wolf and me, we’d gotten creative in setting this place up for causing as much pain as possible.
“Fuck you,” Donovan sneers. “You’ve crossed the wrong people for what you’ve done.”
“Yeah?” Cobra chuckles, coming to stand next to me. “Why don’t you enlighten us?”
“No, you can find out on your own.” Donovan’s eyes lighten with glee, and he looks like the little weasel he is.
It takes me a full minute to take him in.
To see him clearly and fuck me if it doesn’t make me want to kill him.
At first glance, in the heat of the moment, the eyes played tricks, but getting a good look at him now, this wasn’t the guy that had guided Rosemary.
“Who are you?” I demand through clenched teeth.
“I see you’re figuring it out,” he clucks, grinning. “I thought it would take you longer. That we’d get further along. What gives it away?”
“What’re y’all talking about?” Big growls.
“This isn’t the guy from the fight club. He’s not the one who came in or took Rosemary out,” I state tersely and spit out, “They’re twins.”
“The fuck! How do you know?” Cobra snarls.
“Look very closely at him. They switched up, and we didn’t see it.” I jerk away from the cell and move toward the pillar off to the side of the cell.
“I’d step back, Cobra, Big,” Viper suggests.
“Why?” The one word comes out as a sneer, and that pisses me off.
“Because of this,” I snap and don’t wait as I jerk the lever up slightly.
The crackle of electricity is like music to my ears, along with the sharp cry Donovan lets out.
Lowering the lever, I look toward the bastard within the cell as Cobra curses.
“You want to do that again, or do you want to talk?”
“Fuck you,” Donovan pants.
“Wrong answer.” I yank the lever back up and watch as his body seizes and his head falls back, a scream on his lips. I shut it off and grin. “Wanna talk? I can do this all day if you like.”
I could too. I knew what was needed and how much a body could take.
That’s what happens when you have a dad like mine who works with electricity as he does.
That was before he moved off grind, taking my mom with him.
He didn’t want to live in the suburbs anymore.
My dad tried to get me to come, but I’m good.
I found where I belonged and love being a part of this club.
“I won’t talk,” Donovan grits out.
“Bullshit.” Flicking the lever once more, I leave it for a moment longer, watching the fucker with satisfaction before lowering it back down. “Ready yet?”
“You won’t get me to talk. I’m loyal to Enyo. To Dominic. I refuse to give you what you want,” Donovan says, breathing heavily as he falls to his knees.
“Don’t need you to say anymore, you gave me just enough,” I mutter and jerk the lever once more. I don’t need to know more from him. We got the names.
Though, the question remains, who are Enyo and Dominic?
I hate to have to do it, but it’s a question we’ll have to ask Rosemary. See if she knows either of them.
Regardless, we’ll find out who they are, and when we do, they’ll pay for what they’ve done to Rosemary.