Chapter Nine
Savannah rolled her shoulders as she sat on her motorcycle, appreciating the quiet streets. It was her off day, a rare stretch of free time she’d been looking forward to.
Her mind drifted to Reaper, who had left earlier on an errand for the MC. He hadn’t elaborated, but he never lied to her, never gave her any reason to doubt him. She trusted him more than she’d trusted anyone in a long time.
A ping from her phone drew her attention. It was a text from Samantha.
Samantha: Hey, want to come over for lunch? I’ve got something to cheer you up.
Savannah smiled, her fingers flying over the screen.
Savannah: Sure! Be there soon. Need me to bring anything?
The message sent, Savannah tucked her phone into her jacket pocket. Lunch with Samantha sounded perfect. They often spent weekends together, catching up, venting about life, and playing with Samantha’s energetic son Caleb. Savannah softened her smile at the thought of Caleb’s giggles and sticky hands reaching for her.
As the minutes passed and no reply came from Samantha, Savannah shrugged it off. Maybe Samantha was dealing with Caleb, who could be a handful. She decided to swing by the diner on the way. Their apple pie was Samantha’s favorite, and it was always a good excuse to indulge.
The bell above the diner door jingled as she entered, the scent of sugar and cinnamon wrapping around her like a warm blanket. She ordered two slices to-go, the waitress boxing them up with a knowing smile.
Back on her bike, the hum of the engine beneath her was a comforting rhythm. She took the familiar route to Samantha’s apartment building, weaving through traffic with practiced ease.
When she pulled into the lot and cut the engine, a strange sensation washed over her—a prickling at the back of her neck, a cold weight settling in her gut. She tightened her fingers around the handlebars. The lot seemed normal, the usual cars parked in their spots, the building quiet. But something felt off.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that eyes were on her, lurking in the shadows just beyond her vision. She fished her phone from her pocket, her thumb moving quickly over the screen.
Savannah: Hey, just got to Samantha’s place. Heading up now.
She sent the text to Reaper, hoping she was just being paranoid. He always told her to trust her instincts, and right now, those instincts were screaming at her.
Taking a steadying breath, she pocketed her phone and climbed off her bike. She headed toward Samantha’s unit, her boots echoing against the concrete.
The hallway felt too quiet, each step sending ripples of unease through her. When she reached Samantha’s door, her heart stopped. It was ajar. Barely an inch, but enough to set off alarm bells in her mind. The hinges creaked softly as a breeze shifted the door. Her mouth went dry, and she swallowed hard, every nerve in her body on edge.
She glanced around the hallway. No one. Every rational part of her screamed to back away, to leave, to call Reaper or the cops. But what if Samantha and Caleb were in danger? What if they needed her now?
She cursed herself for leaving her gun at home. She’d grown comfortable lately, lulled into a sense of safety by Reaper’s presence and the routine of her new life. But now, that absence felt like a glaring mistake.
Pushing the door open slowly, she stepped inside.
The living room was dim, curtains drawn tight against the sunlight. Her eyes adjusted quickly, and her breath caught in her throat. Samantha was on the couch, her face streaked with tears, her arms wrapped tightly around Caleb. The little boy clung to her, his small body trembling.
Savannah’s heart twisted painfully. “Sam?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
“ I ’m sorry, Savannah,” Samantha choked out, her eyes wide with fear and guilt. “ I didn ’t have a choice.”
A cold chill swept through Savannah’s veins. She shifted her gaze—and landed on the figures standing near the window.
Slim leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, a cruel smile twisting his lips. Beside him, Raker loomed like a dark shadow, his eyes glittering with malicious glee. Her stomach dropped. The room tilted, the walls pressing in on her.
“Hello, darlin’,” Raker drawled, his voice like sandpaper against her skin. “It’s been too long.”
Savannah’s feet felt rooted to the floor, her pulse a deafening roar in her ears. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. She hadn’t seen Raker in over a year, and yet here he was—every nightmare, every fear given flesh and bone.
“How…” her voice wavered.
Slim chuckled, the sound a cold, hollow thing. “Your friend here was real helpful. Told us you’d come if she texted you.” He glanced at Samantha. “Ain’t that right?”
Samantha’s sobs grew louder, and Caleb whimpered in her arms. The sight of them—broken, terrified—snapped something inside Savannah. The fear was still there, but beneath it, a burning anger flared to life.
“ You son of a bitch, ” she hissed, curling her hands into fists. “ Leave them out of this. ”
Raker widened his smile, his teeth sharp and predatory. “Oh, this ain’t about them, darlin’. This is about you. You thought you could run forever? Thought you could hide?” He took a step toward her, and she forced herself not to flinch.
“ You belong to me, Savannah. Always have, ” Raker said.
Her skin crawled, bile rising in her throat. “ I don ’t belong to you. I never did,” she whispered.
Raker’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. “ Careful, now. Wouldn ’t want your friend or her kid to pay for your mouth.”
A cold sweat broke out along her spine. She glanced at Samantha, whose eyes were pleading. Do something , they begged.
Savannah’s mind raced. She had no weapon, no plan, just the raw, desperate need to protect the people she loved. A vibration against her hip startled her. Her phone. Reaper. He’d read her message. Maybe he was on his way. She just had to buy time.
Savannah’s heart pounded so hard it felt like it might shatter her ribs. The cold grip of fear coiled around her, but she forced herself to stand tall, lifting her chin and locking eyes with Raker.
Her voice, though shaky, held a thread of steel.
“ You want me? Fine. Let them go. This is between us. ”
Raker’s lips curled into a slow, cruel smile, the gleam of triumph lighting up his eyes. It was the look of a predator who’d cornered his prey, confident in the inevitability of the kill.
“ Now you ’re talking sense,” he drawled.
His fingers twitched like he was already imagining closing them around her throat.
Savannah’s stomach churned, bile rising, but she refused to let her fear show. Her gaze flicked to Samantha, whose tear-streaked face was buried in Caleb’s hair.
The little boy clung to his mother, shaking and confused, his wide eyes darting between the adults.
Slim’s leer was as sharp and filthy as a rusted knife. “We’ll let them go, but you’re comin’ with us, sweetheart. No tricks.”
Savannah nodded, the motion almost imperceptible. She needed them to believe she was compliant, that she was giving up. She knew the risks—felt the icy dread seeping into her veins—but there was no other choice. She wouldn’t let Samantha and Caleb suffer because of her past.
“Fine,” she said, her voice hollow. “But promise me you’ll really leave them alone. Don’t touch them. You have me now.”
Raker’s grip on her arm tightened, his fingers digging into her flesh like iron clamps. “ Don ’t think you’re in a position to make demands, darlin’.”
“You do want to make it out of here, don’t you?” Savannah asked. “This is Iron Sentinels territory. Samantha and I are both with Sentinels. You lay one hand on her or her kid, and the entire club will hunt you down.”
Raker clenched his jaw, the muscle ticking along his cheek. He knew she was right. The Iron Sentinels didn’t take kindly to outsiders threatening their own, and he didn’t have enough men or firepower to take on a full club in their home turf.
Slim scowled. “She’s got a point, Rake. We need to get movin’. We’ve already pushed our luck,” Slim said.
Raker’s eyes bored into Savannah, his hatred rolling off him in waves. Finally, he let out a low, frustrated growl.
“Fine. They live. For now.” He sneered at Samantha, who was still sobbing softly, clutching Caleb so tightly the boy let out a whimper. “Lucky for you, I’m feelin’ generous today.”
He yanked Savannah forward, and she stumbled, her shoulder nearly wrenched out of its socket. Samantha’s broken apology cut through the air like a blade.
“ I ’m sorry, Savannah. I’m so, so sorry…”
Savannah didn’t look back. She couldn’t. If she saw Samantha’s tearful face or Caleb’s frightened eyes, she’d break. Instead, she gritted her teeth and focused on keeping her steps steady, her head high. It’s going to be okay , she told herself, her mantra against the terror trying to consume her. Reaper will come. He’ll know what to do. She clung to that hope like a lifeline. Reaper had to come.
They led her out of the apartment, Slim closing the door behind them with a grim finality.
The hallway was dim, the air stifling, the weight of her decision pressing down on her like a slab of concrete. Raker’s fingers bruised her arm, and she bit back a wince.
“ Don ’t try anything stupid,” he hissed as they walked toward the stairwell. “ You ’ll regret it.”
“ I already do, ” she snapped back, venom in her voice.
He laughed, the sound low and menacing. “Still got that fire. I’ll enjoy puttin’ it out.”
They descended the stairs, each step echoing ominously. Savannah’s mind raced, cataloging exits, timing her steps, searching for any opportunity. But she couldn’t risk it. Not yet. They were still in the building, too close to Samantha and Caleb. If she made a move now and failed, they’d pay the price.
The parking lot was eerily quiet, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the cracked asphalt. Raker’s bike was parked near the exit, a gleaming black monster that seemed to mock her with its presence.
Slim climbed on his bike, kicking it to life, the engine’s growl breaking the silence. Raker jerked his head toward his own bike, his grip on Savannah unrelenting.
“ Get on. ”
She swallowed hard, glancing back at the building, at the windows where Samantha’s unit was. There was no movement, but she knew her friend was probably calling Reaper, giving him every detail, every scrap of information she could.
Hurry, Reaper.
Her hands shook as she swung her leg over the bike, the leather seat cold beneath her. Raker climbed on in front of her, his back a wall of muscle and menace.
“Hold on,” he said, his voice laced with cruel amusement. “Wouldn’t want you fallin’ off now.”
The engine roared, vibrating beneath her, and the bike shot forward, tires squealing against the pavement. The world blurred around her, the wind whipping her hair into her face, stealing her breath. Fear clawed at her insides, sharp and relentless. The reality of her situation was sinking in, the cold dread that she was alone with two men who wanted nothing more than to see her broken and powerless.
But she wasn’t that girl anymore. She wasn’t the scared, naive girl who had fallen for Raker’s charm and lies. She was stronger now, sharper. She had something worth fighting for. Someone worth fighting for.
Reaper’s face filled her mind—his steady gaze, his rough hands, the quiet strength he radiated. She clung to that image, to the memory of his arms around her, his promise that she was safe.
The bike sped toward the edge of town, the buildings giving way to trees and open fields. Savannah’s pulse quickened. They were taking her out of Sentinels territory. Away from safety. She had to do something. Now.
“ Raker! ” she shouted over the wind. “ You think you ’re going to get away with this?”
He laughed, a dark, hollow sound. “ I already have, darlin ’.”
Her fingers curled into fists. Her eyes darted to the road behind them, praying for a glimpse of headlights, of salvation. And then, in the distance, she heard it. The low, familiar rumble of motorcycle engines. Her heart leapt into her throat. Reaper.
The sound grew louder, the thunderous chorus of vengeance on two wheels. Raker tensed in front of her, his head snapping around.
“ Shit, ” he snarled.
Savannah’s hope flared, fierce and blinding.
Hold on , she thought. Just a little longer .
Reaper was coming. And this time, she wouldn’t be running away.