77. Dom
DOM
The Brabus was nearly out of gas. But I didn’t care. I would’ve ridden it into the fucking ground if it meant finding her.
We’d been riding for hours — something I’d only noticed when we pulled up the run-down motel at the edge of Valemont. A neon red vacancy sign lit the parking lot along with the Starlite Motel logo in bright blue.
As we pulled in, a group of bikers rode their motorcycles to the street, each of them giving us a wave as they headed out. We’d set up patrols, or Spencer had while Leo and I drove around desperately trying to catch whoever had snatched Kiera from our grasp.
Across the lot, Spencer walked out of a beige door and waved.
Leo led the way, parking her Ducati in the empty spot out front of the room. Joining her, I threw down my kickstand and stared at my bike. I couldn’t get myself to turn off the ignition.
It felt like giving up. An urge I refused to indulge. Because this was my fault. Kiera was taken from me because I had been reckless. I’d loosened her leash, let Isaac get under my skin.
I never should have let her in my house. She would have been safer if I’d left her in the streets. It had been selfish to think she was safe under my watch. No one was safe if they were close to me.
Look what happens.
Turning off her bike, Leo pulled off her helmet and stared at me.
I won’t rest until I find her.
There would be no peace in Valemont until she was back in my arms.
From my periphery — limited by my helmet’s visor — I could see a group of our Violence accomplices walking over. They were ready for orders. And I needed to step up. We wouldn’t find her if we let the night slip away from us.
Turning off the bike, I climbed off and set my helmet on the seat.
Leo stood behind me, arms crossed. Her face was covered in soot, gray smears running across her chiseled jaw. Closing the room door behind her, Spencer stepped into the parking lot and leaned against the concrete posts that held up the overhang.
I cleared my throat before speaking to them, my voice raspy from the smoke.
“Listen up. They couldn’t have gotten far, we know that.
Tonight, three groups will search. One will be long range, going as far out as you can.
The second will lurk around the house, monitoring for any suspicious characters digging through the rubble.
The third will stay local, you’ll search every back alley and every dark corner until you run out of gas. ”
The glow of the red and blue signs was making my head spin, exhaustion and smoke inhalation starting to get to me.
Shaking it off, I roared to the rest of the crowd, “The rest of you will be trying to connect us to the cell towers and protecting the kids in our care. We need access to every cell phone in Valemont.”
My eyes scanned all of them, sword and wings, sword and scale tattoos plastered across their bodies. Our only allies.
“We are the only people we can trust. If they don’t know Justice, we don’t know them.” I was barking now, knowing that I’d have to buy all of the Violence a beer when this was over.
It wasn’t often that we demanded so much of our riders. We let them seek Justice on their own, hunt who they pleased. All that was asked was that the call was answered when your sister called for help.
And they always did.
“Our lives depend on finding her. Do not disappoint me.” My temper was short, my fuse nearly nonexistent.
My bikers nodded, peeling off toward their bikes and search parties.
Turning to Leo, I spoke through my clenched jaw. “We need hackers. Every hacker The Oracle has. I need data and maps. Call Mendez too.”
Spencer watched us closer as we picked up our phones.
The call to The Oracle was short. I told them I’d lost the asset. The pigeon on the boards told me they would fly the coop. Whatever the fuck that meant.
Every call I made was an attempt to quiet my racing thoughts.
I’d let her slip away. She was really gone.
One thing was certain, Isaac’s plan was crystal clear now. He wasn’t marrying Maura for love or some sick affection. He was going to kill Kiera — my Viper — and steal the inheritance from her mother.
If we didn’t find Kiera before the wedding…
With any luck, he’d keep her alive until they said “I do.” We had just about 48 hours to find her before his sick game would be complete.
Shaking my head, I moved toward the motel room door. I wouldn’t entertain the thought of losing her. I’d already had that reckoning. And then her ghost walked right into my kitchen, snarky attitude and all.
I’d raze Valemont to the ground to smoke out the goons who took her from me.
Spencer grabbed my shoulder. “You need to rest. You’ve been riding for hours.”
I opened my mouth to fight her, but she shook her head with a seriousness I’d never seen from my goofy roommate. “No, you’re no good to her if you drive yourself into the ground before we can find her.”
There was a knowing nod from Leo, despite the fact that I knew she felt the same burning fire in her belly to go all night.
But I shrugged Spencer’s hand off my shoulder. “There will be no rest until he’s dead.”