Chapter 19
STYXX
“What’s going on?” Promise asks the moment we step outside the school.
“You see anyone that shouldn’t be here? Anyone approach you?” I ask, relieved that she was safe, but my gut was still twisted up inside.
“No,” she answers with a shake of her head. “Why? Did something else happen?”
“Just needed to make sure you’re safe,” I tell her as my phone buzzes in my pocket. I glance around to see Reaper is on his phone, so are Tombstone and Hellhound. Angel was looking at his.
“Brother,” Scythe grunts.
I yank my phone out and find a message from Hope. I pull it up and step away from Promise, seeing that it’s a voice text. My chest tightens as I hit play.
“Hey, I’m so sorry to do this, but he’s got Promise. I didn’t think anything of it. I had to go. I just wanted to let you know. It’s at Dogwood Park. I’m not sure what I was thinking not calling you first, but she’s my sister. You know I’ll do anything for her. Love you, Styxx. Please know that.”
I lower my phone as I glance over at my brothers to see them surrounding me. All except for Azrael, who is standing guard with Promise.
“Son of a bitch,” I snarl and shake my head, shoving the damn phone in my pocket.
“Azrael, take Promise to the clubhouse. Keep her there,” Reaper orders.
The man jerks his chin and starts to guide Promise toward his bike. I stalk in their direction and pull her in for a tight hug.
“It’s all gonna be good, stick to Azrael and stay at the clubhouse. Watch over Eabha for me,” I tell her, trying to be reassuring without telling her what’s happening.
Promise lets out a whimper and nods without words.
Fuck. I’ve never known Promise not to have something to say about what’s happening around her.
“I’ll make things right,” I say and let her go.
I don’t bother looking in my brothers’ direction as I head to my bike. They know where I’m heading, and they’ll have my back on this.
As much as I want to throttle Hope for leaving the clubhouse, for not calling me, I gotta have pride in the fact I know she would do anything for Promise.
When I get my hands on her, I’ll be sure to paddle her heart-shaped ass for going at this alone and telling me she loves me over a God damn message.
Fuck.
I need to get her back. The sooner she’s back where she belongs, the sooner I can tell her exactly what she means to me and not over a damn voice-recorded message.
The trip from Promise’s school to the entrance of Dogwood Park takes less time than it would take from the clubhouse.
Typically, it would be roughly twenty minutes, but speeding, we cut the time down to thirteen.
I didn’t care for speed limits. I didn’t have a care for the curves.
All I thought of was getting to Hope before it’s too late.
What I don’t understand is what it is with people and Dogwood Park?
The bullshit with Bristol? They brought her to this same damn park.
Don’t people think about what they’re doing when they come here?
There’s one main entrance in and out. That’s it.
You have to have access to the others, and I doubt that Ronald has them.
Pulling into the park, I take the curves faster than posted, coming to the center of the park where the massive field I remember as a kid from when our folks would bring us there for playing soccer and tossing a ball around. I spot my truck on the opposite side. Two other cars were there as well.
My gaze instantly locks on Hope as Ronald sees us coming. He immediately grips Hope by the hair and pulls a knife to her throat.
I come to a stop, drawing my gun from its holster, aiming it at him.
“Not smart going after my woman, Ronald,” I tell him, getting off the back of my bike.
“Stupid bitch, told you not to call them.” Ronald jerks Hope around, tightening the knife pressed to her neck.
“I didn’t call them,” she wheezes.
“Bullshit.”
“She didn’t,” I confirm, nodding to my truck. “Followed my truck’s signal,” I lie, though I do have a tracker on it. There’s one on all of the cars belonging to those in the club and their spouses.
“I don’t believe you,” Ronald shouts, face red with rage.
“Look, Ronald,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady despite the rage boiling inside me. “This isn’t gonna end well for you. Let her go, and maybe we can talk.”
Behind me, I can hear my brothers positioning themselves, their boots crunching on the gravel. I don’t need to look to know they’ve spread out, creating a perimeter.
I could see Atkins behind him, looking ready to bolt at any given second. “I wouldn’t do that, Atkins,” I growl, not taking my attention from Ronald and the grip he has on the knife.
Ronald’s eyes dart around nervously, taking in the sight of six armed bikers. Sweat beads on his forehead. “Stay back,” he shouts, pressing the knife harder against Hope’s throat.
I don’t miss the thin line of red that appears on her skin or the drip of blood that creeps down from the wound.
Something inside me snaps at the sight. My finger twitches on the trigger, and I fight to keep control.
Hope doesn’t need me to fuck this up. I have to get her safe before taking her uncle out.
Hope’s eyes meet mine, and despite the fear in them, I see the fear mixed with something else.
Trust.
My woman trusts me to get her out of this mess. To make sure she gets safe.
“What’s your play here, Ronald?” I ask, keeping my gun trained on him. “You thought taking her was gonna work out for you? That we wouldn’t come for her?”
His grip on Hope tightens, making her wince.
“She’s the reason I never get Promise! All she had to do was give me Promise and this would never have happened.
That girl was mine. She’d have solved everything.
I’ve already sold her off. But this bitch,” he snarls, jerking Hope, the knife biting deeper into her skin, making her whimper.
“Just couldn’t get with the program. I will have what I want.
Promise. After this one is dead and gone, nothing will stand in my way.
I didn’t want to, however, I’m done with her standing in the way of me getting what should have been mine all along.
I’ll have the money. I’ll have Promise to her owner, and it will all be good. ”
“You are one twisted fuck,” I say through gritted teeth. “You’re not getting your hands on Promise. Not fuckin’ ever. Now, let my woman go.” My finger on the trigger twitches more, the blood flowing through my veins boils as it courses through my veins.
Ronald’s eyes are wild now, darting between my brothers and me. “I will have her. You want this one alive, then bring me Promise!”
“Told you, asshole, you’re not getting Promise,” I snarl, my knuckles white around my gun.
I can see Hope’s pulse hammering in her throat, right where that blade is pressing. The sight of her blood makes something primal rise in me. Ronald doesn’t know it yet, but he’s already a dead man.
“Styxx,” Hope whispers, her eyes lock with mine.
“I’m right here, mo chathú,” I tell her, not breaking eye contact. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ve got you.”
Behind Ronald, I notice movement. Reaper and two others have circled, using Ronald’s fixation on me as a distraction.
Good.
We need all the advantages we can get.
“That’s never gonna happen,” I growl, taking a step forward, my gun still trained on him. “You and your buddy are not getting out of this. There’s no way out of this park except through us.”
Ronald’s eyes dart around frantically, like a cornered animal. “Then she dies,” he screams, pressing the knife harder against Hope’s throat.
I see Hope’s eyes widen in pain, but then something changes in her expression. She catches my gaze and gives me the slightest nod. Before I can process what she’s about to do, she slams her elbow back into Ronald’s gut with all her strength.
The knife slips, cutting her shoulder instead of her throat as she twists away. I don’t hesitate. The moment I have a clear shot, I pull the trigger.
The bullet hits Ronald in the shoulder, spinning him around. Hope stumbles forward, and I rush to catch her before she falls.
“Motherfucker,” Ronald shouts, stumbling.
I’m not worried about him right now. My focus is on my woman and making sure she’s okay. “Mo chathú, you’re okay. I’ve got you.”
Hope nods and shoves her face into my chest.
“I need you to get in the truck and wait for me. Can you do that?” I ask. I don’t want to leave her, but I need to finish this.
Again, Hope nods.
“Thank you, baby.” I press a kiss to the top of her head and lead her to the truck. I open the door, scoop her up, and plant her in the seat, grabbing a towel from the back. “Press this to your neck and shoulder.”
I didn’t like to see the fresh blood leaking from her, but I knew the cuts weren’t bad. We’d be able to fix her up at the clubhouse. Stella would at least.
Closing the door, I turn my attention back to my brothers, who had both Ronald and Atkins contained.
I stalk back toward the two men, rage still coursing through my system like fire.
Both are on their knees now, my brothers keeping their guns trained on them.
The Atkins guy is shaking, his face pale as he stares at the ground.
But Ronald—that piece of shit is glaring at me, clutching his bleeding shoulder.
“You’re dead,” Atkins says, speaking up for the first time. “All of you. You have no clue who you’re dealing with.”
“You think we haven’t looked into you after you showed at Keeper’s Temptation with this fuckwad?” I snarl, looking him dead in the eye. “We know who your boss is. You’re no more than a lowlife to him. He won’t give a shit if you die.”
“We should get these two back to the clubhouse, deal with them there,” Reaper grunts.
I nod, knowing he’s right. Their bodies will be dealt with there. Right where the girls ride their racing bikes.
“You can’t kill me. People will be looking,” Ronald sputters.