22. Soul
Soul
The roar of motorcycles nears, but I don’t take my eyes off the federal facility ahead of me. They’re in there, but I can’t get to them. I promised Emery I would protect her and Charlie, and the second I left the compound, Zane sent his fucking friends after them.
Chaos rolls to a stop beside me, cutting his engine as Venom stops at my other side.
“Figured this is where we’d find you.” Chaos hangs his helmet on his handlebars, dragging a hand through his hair. “So what’s the plan? We storming the Feds?”
“I’m down.” Venom chuckles, climbing off his bike. “Always figured I’d go out in a shower of bullets anyway.”
“Amen, brother,” Chaos agrees.
“They’ve had eyes on me since I pulled up.” I tip my chin toward the two agents guarding the door. “I hate that they’re in there, and I can’t fucking get to them.”
I’ve been sitting outside the building since Tanner arrived at the compound and cut off all hope.
He lectured Steel on why we can’t do anything about them taking Emery, saying we needed to wait and see how this plays out.
Those words lit a fire in my veins. I couldn’t sit still any longer, so I left.
At least here, Emery and Charlie are close.
My family.
This is exactly why I never saw myself having one. To get to the club, they always go through our families. Emery is Zane’s niece, but she’s my wife. I put this target on her back.
I press my palm to my chest, but it does nothing to ease the knot. I’m fucking unraveling.
“I’m surprised Steel let you follow me,” I say, trying to think about anything other than the assholes watching from the building. “You realize if they decide us being here is a problem, there’s nothing stopping them from locking us up for as long as they like.”
“It’s not going down like that today; I promised Willa I’d come home to her,” Chaos says, sounding more certain than I feel.
“But I’m not leaving you out here alone either.
So we’re figuring out something else. Besides, I brought backup if someone needs to play the hero. We all know it’s his favorite thing.”
Venom chuckles. “Someone has to be a fucking hero if you assholes won’t do it.”
“Looks like we’re about to get our chance.” My fingers clench as a familiar figure exits the building.
Zane’s grin is as smug as ever. He fixes his tie, then brushes his hands down his perfectly ironed suit. Guards surround him on both sides, with two trailing behind him. If I had to guess, there are more we can’t see, watching from a distance.
He doesn’t go anywhere unprotected, and he had to know we’d be out here waiting for him.
Instead of walking to his car, where his driver is waiting, he heads our way. I hate that his arms hang relaxed at his sides. Like he didn’t just have his buddies take my wife and child away from me. Like none of this fucking matters to him.
It probably doesn’t.
Emery isn’t his family—she doesn’t mean anything to him. She’s a pawn in this game. And today was proof he still has the upper hand, whether I like it or not.
“No Steel today?” Zane pauses, assessing us.
I’m tempted to pull out a blade and shove it through his carotid, but I resist for my family’s sake.
“Sorry you only get us today.” I climb off my bike. “Where is my wife?”
“If I had to guess, she’s giving her statement now. She was quite distraught, so it might be a while.”
Chaos stops me when I step forward, reminding me that Zane isn’t worth me getting locked up for life.
“What’s with all the anger, Soul?” Zane smirks, stepping forward. “If anyone has a right to be pissed here, it’s me. After all, you went after my niece—my family. If you think I’ll let that slide, you’re wrong.”
“You have no right to call her family after all the shit you’ve done.”
“What would that be? I cared for her when my brother died. I gave her a home, an education, everything she could ever want and need.”
“You tried to sell her hand in marriage to close a business deal.”
“So you swept in to save her, is that it?” His eyes narrow. “You’re lucky I’m not completely heartless. If this little bit of rebellion makes her happy for now, then I suppose there’s no harm. She’ll remember where she belongs.”
“You say that like you think you’re ever getting her back.”
“I don’t need to get her back when I’ve never lost control of her.” Zane steps forward, finally getting into my space and dropping his voice. “Or did you forget where you’re standing right now? Outside waiting for her to walk out because there is nothing you can say or do to change the situation.”
My hands clench at my sides because he’s right. I can’t do anything but wait, and I hate it.
“This is your fault, Soul. It was one thing for you and your club to mess with my businesses, but you came for my family, and you need to know that anything that happens after this point is on you.” His jaw tightens.
“I want you to think about that as I personally dismantle your club bit by bit. As you watch your brothers get thrown behind bars. As their children are dragged away by Child Protective Services. As their women disappear. You took something of mine; it’s only fair I get something in return. ”
This time, it’s Chaos stepping forward, and Venom is barely there to stop him from pulling his gun on Zane.
“You even think about touching my old lady, I’ll kill you myself,” Chaos threatens. “I’ll cut you up into so many pieces, you’ll be missing every finger, toe, eye, and limb before I end your miserable life.”
Zane grins, not the least bit threatened. “And how do you expect to do that when you’re behind bars?”
“What the fuck do you want?” I shove myself between Chaos and Zane. “Clearly, you’re out here for a reason or you would have just driven away.”
Zane steps back, putting space between us. His guards stand at either side, watching the situation. They haven’t bothered to move because they know that with the Feds watching, we can’t do anything.
“I’m here to remind you that no matter where you keep them, I can get to them, and there is nothing you can do about it.
But for now, I’m willing to see how this plays out.
Who knows, maybe you playing house with my niece will work out for both of us.
After all, she said she wasn’t taken against her will. Maybe I’m inclined to believe her.”
There’s no way Zane isn’t working an angle, especially if he’s offering to let Emery stay with me.
“Send Steel my regards.” He steps back. “I hope he enjoys the little time he has left. I hope you all do.”
Zane grins, turning to walk away. My fingers flex at my sides, itching to grab my gun. But movement at the building’s entrance stops me as Emery walks through. Even from here, I can make out the red around her eyes.
He made her fucking cry.
I’m going to bury him.
Emery clutches Charlie, and the air leaves my lungs. My feet are moving before I realize that I’ve started walking forward. I’m practically running to them as fresh tears stream down Emery’s cheeks.
Her gaze darts between her uncle and me, but that only makes her sob more. When I reach her, I pull her against me, cradling Charlie between us as Emery shakes in my arms. Over her head, Zane is grinning, watching us as he climbs into his car.
“You came for me.” Emery sobs as Zane’s car pulls away. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather fucking be.”
Emery cries against my chest, her tears soaking my shirt. Her scent floods my lungs. Orange blossoms and cloves and heartbreak. I can’t hold her tight enough.
“You shouldn’t have come for me.”
“I’ll always come for you two. Always. You’re my family.”
She pulls back to look at me. I cup the back of Charlie’s head with one hand, brushing away Emery’s tears with the other. My chest cracks wide open. My heart is a bleeding mess with my girls in my arms.
Protectiveness roars in my chest, and even if I’m barely keeping it together, I stay strong for them.
“I’m sorry—”
“Don’t.” I stop Emery, wiping another tear. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“He’s my uncle.”
“And he’s going to pay for what he’s done. I promise.”
Zane will pay if it’s the last thing I do.