Chapter Twenty-One
Ice
Z EUS AND I have been working nonstop since I got to the clubhouse.
He’s digging into Dillon more than I was able to previously while I try to find blueprints for the apartment complex Nora’s place is in.
Judge sent guys out when Zeus and I kept coming up empty on the blueprints.
We try to never go anywhere like this without having a solid plan in place.
It’s the only way we can go in a building knowing as much information as possible so we don’t get shocked by anything.
“Ice, this fucker is a monster. Dillon has had calls to the cops about him since he was fourteen years old. Mainly for domestic violence and aggravated assault. Somehow he manages to get out of every single charge except for this murder one. I can’t figure out who bailed him out of jail until the trial, but someone did,” Zeus tells us all since we’re still in church.
“I know he was bad, but I didn’t have the slightest clue he was this vile.
Keaton was so afraid of hearin’ he was released on bail last night.
I’ve never heard her like that before. Granted, we haven’t known one another for a long time, but it’s enough to know he terrifies her.
I mean, she literally held her best friend in her arms as she took her last breath because he shot her right in front of her.
I need to get her back,” I state, keeping my eyes on the screen as Lock places a hand on my shoulder in support.
“We got eyes on the apartment complex now, Ice. Agony, Vulture, Fury, Tristan, and Zach are there. None of them will allow us to go in blind and will remain there if they spot Keaton. They won’t let Dillon take her from the complex for any reason,” Judge says as I continue to look up any information on the apartment and complex in general.
I’ve managed to find a few pictures the owner posted when they were trying to replace tenants, but that’s it. They really don’t show anything and I can’t guarantee it’s even the apartment Keaton is being held in.
Lock’s phone rings next to me and I quickly glance over to see Fury’s name on the screen.
“What’s goin’ on, Fury?” Lock answers his phone on speaker so we can all hear what they see.
“We have eyes in the apartment. It’s on the second floor and the fire escape goes to one of the windows.
Keaton is inside. She’s tied to a chair and there’s a man with her.
He’s in her face and has a gun pressed to her head.
From what we can see, Keaton isn’t scared at all.
She’s one tough bitch, Ice,” Fury informs us before I hear a commotion on his end of the call and I immediately become alert.
“What the fuck is goin’ on?” I question him, my voice strained with fear as I stare a hole through the phone like I can be there with them and see what’s going on for myself.
“A gun just went off inside the apartment. I’m not sure if Keaton is the one who was hit or not,” Fury says as I hear more commotion and I jump out of my seat.
“Where are you goin’, Ice?” Judge questions me as I pull out my gun and check it to make sure it’s loaded already.
“I’m not fuckin’ waitin’ another second. We have eyes on the apartment and Keaton might have just been shot. I’m not gonna fuckin’ lose her,” I say as I keep running out of church and straight for my bike.
Without placing my helmet or bandana on, I straddle my bike and start the engine.
Pulling out of my spot, I motion for the Prospect to open the gate so I don’t have to stop.
I hear several more bikes start behind me and know the club is following without hesitation.
I’ll probably get in trouble by Judge once this is over because I just left church instead of waiting for him to make the call to go.
He would have done the same damn thing if it were Wren in trouble and he heard from someone there a gun was fired.
I make the trip to the apartment complex in half the time, running red lights and swerving in and out of traffic.
Lock is right next to me in seconds. He will never hesitate to have my back no matter what kind of situation I find myself in.
It’s been this way since we were young and Lock knows I’d do the same thing for him.
We park our bikes next to the ones already parked here and I barely shut the engine off before I’m getting off my bike and running toward the building where I see the other members of my club heading inside.
Well, not all of them. Agony, Tristan, and Zach are the ones entering as I enter behind them and race up the stairs to the second floor where Fury and Vulture are already trying to break in a door.
“Are you sure this is the right apartment?” I question them as I push both men out of my way and slam my foot against the door in just the right place.
The frame of the door splinters as it swings open and I race inside without pulling my gun.
I don’t give a shit what happens to me as long as Keaton is okay.
Looking wildly around the space in front of me, I spot a man lying on the floor with blood pooled around his body.
At first I don’t see Keaton anywhere and the fear I’ve been battling down for hours takes a tighter grip on me and I start to shake where I stand.
It’s like I’m frozen in one spot and can’t move no matter how determined I am to find my girl.
Lock gives me the push I need and I break free from the hold keeping me hostage.
I round the small wall separating the doorway from the apartment and my eyes land on Keaton.
Her eyes are closed as she lays on the floor with a chair attached to her.
There’s a small amount of blood on her forehead and the floor right next to her, a large bruise in the center of her forehead, and her body is at an odd angle.
I don’t know if it’s because she’s still attached to the chair or if some other damage has been done to her body I can’t see at this point.
“Keaton,” I call out, gently touching her cheek to find her still warm as I look at her chest rising and falling steadily. “Come on, Baby. You gotta wake up.”
“I’m gonna untie her hands, Ice. Hold her body steady if you can,” Lock tells me as I keep my entire focus on the woman in front of me.
“Do what ya gotta do just be careful, Lock. We don’t know if there’s any other injuries to her body,” I warn my best friend as he starts to work behind Keaton.
“He used a cord he ripped outta somethin’.
It’s diggin’ into her skin and she’s got blood all around her wrists.
I don’t think the damage is too bad, but I’m not sure at this point.
She has to be cleaned up before a doctor can tell how bad the injury is,” Lock informs me as a few more guys surround us.
“I’m callin’ this in. There’s no way in hell someone didn’t hear the gun go off.
We’ve been in the apartment so our prints will be here.
I’ll call Arnold,” Judge says as I look at him for a second before turning back to Keaton.
“Tristan, pull the SUV up closer to the door so Keaton can get loaded in the back. Someone call and let them know we’ll be bringin’ a patient in.
I don’t want to get an ambulance here if we don’t have to.
Ice, you know to keep her neck stable. Lock, you hold her head the entire time so it doesn’t flop around.
We won’t let her get hurt more than she already is. ”
“She’s free, Ice. You lift on three and I’ll stabilize her neck.
We’ll move fast but steady so we don’t move her around too much.
I’ll sit with you in the back so I can keep holdin’ her head and neck,” Lock says as I move and place my hands so I can lift Keaton in my arms while Lock gently holds her head steady.
He gives me the countdown and we lift her lifeless body together.
Fury walks out in front of us while a few more guys trail behind.
More of them remain in the apartment to wait for the cops to get there.
Lock and I manage to get down the stairs in the complex as Fury ensures no one gets in our way.
An older lady gasps when she sees Keaton and asks if she’s okay.
Fury lets her know we’re on the way to the hospital with her now as she allows us to pass without hesitation.
When Fury opens the door for us, Tristan has the SUV parked directly outside the complex and the backdoor is open already.
I carefully slide inside after Fury opens the other door and helps me as much as he possibly can.
Lock gets in right after me and we hold Keaton steady as the doors are closed and Fury hits the door twice so Tristan knows to leave.
I don’t move a muscle as he drives us through town toward the hospital.
Keaton doesn’t wake up as I keep my eyes locked on her for any signs of distress or her waking up.
Lock holds her head while I run a finger up and down her cheek.
I need to be touching her somehow and feel her warm skin against mine so I know she’s still alive and here with me.
***
T he second we got Keaton to the hospital, doctors and nurses were already waiting outside for us with a gurney.
They had a neck brace and put it on her before Lock and I even attempted to move her out of the SUV.
Together we made sure to place her carefully on the gurney before she was wheeled away from me.
I quickly followed them inside and stopped as they disappeared through the doors to the emergency department.
I’m not going to stop them from helping Keaton and I know I can’t go back there with her right now.
So, I move to the desk and tell the woman sitting there as much information about Keaton as I have.
It’s a lot more than I thought I had as I answer her questions and sign off on any papers she hands me so Keaton can receive treatment.