35. Mars
Mars
We rush forward en masse, drills and hammers and screwdrivers in our hands like we’re some sort of deranged group of superheroes.
It’s how I feel right now. I feel like I could fly if I tried, like I could destroy anyone in my way with a single look. These men, these criminals, had my girl locked in a cottage, and though I’ve gone out of my way not to think about that for days, now it’s all I can remember.
I don’t know if the Saints are the ones who kidnapped her, and I don’t fucking care. Because they were holding her hostage, and that’s just as fucking bad.
I should have given my men the command to go after them days ago.
Right after we rescued her, when we realized who they were.
Hell, I could have told them after the Saints attacked the girls at the cafe.
Every single one of my men would have jumped at the chance to protect Sammy and Taryn, and they would have sold their souls to protect Arden.
I should have.
But I didn’t. I was too distracted by everything else.
Now, I’m not distracted.
And I want blood for what they’ve done to the girl.
We tear into the first group of them, our fists raised and ready. I see Dutch take one man out while Whiskey stabs another with a screwdriver, and on my other side Orion is beating a man with the butt of his gun.
I want to tell him to use the fucking thing right, but I’m too busy with the man in front of me.
I slip my brass knuckles onto my fingers with the ease of long familiarity and swing, but he ducks the swing and comes up aiming at my nose.
I get out of the way of his swing and take it in the shoulder, and he pulls a gun from somewhere.
Before he can pull the trigger, Rookie tosses me a tire iron and I swing, connecting with the man’s temple.
He hits the pavement like a sack of stones and I step over him, already swinging for the next guy in line. I have to get through this group of defenders to the men with the rope. They’re still heading for the house and Arden is in there by herself.
I’m not going to let them take her again.
I hear her scream and my swinging gets more frantic, man after man going down until I’m in a clearing and can see the front door of the house. The Saints are at it, and though it’s locked, they’ve got someone in front of the door trying to pick the lock.
I don’t think he’ll manage. I had Gunner design that lock specially, and I think it’s unbreakable.
But I’m not willing to chance it. I take one more man out and sprint for the group trying to break into my home, murder on my mind and fury rushing through my veins.
Orion appears from somewhere and falls into stride with me, and a second later Bear tears into the driveway in his truck and screeches to a halt.
He jumps out and takes up my other side, and I glance over to see that he’s brought two guns.
Of course he has.
Bear always has to be so extra.
“Where’s your brother?” I shout, wanting as many men here as I can get.
“Fucking out of town, but you know he’s no good in a situation like this anyhow,” he says. “He’s lost his edge.”
“Lost it? He never fucking had one,” I return.
I see the corner of Bear’s mouth curl in a smile, and we rush up the stairs to the patio, where we come to a stop right behind the Saints. One of them whirls with a gun his hand and clicks the safety off, but Bear steps right up to him and puts the nose of his gun against the guy’s temple.
“I don’t want to shoot you, kid, but I also already don’t like you. You might remember me as sheriff around here. You might also remember that we’ve already kicked your asses once. Funny of you to think you’d do better this time.”
“They stole something from us,” the guy snarls, like he’s somehow in a position to negotiate.
And evidently that’s enough for Orion. He steps forward and swings, hitting the guy right in the nose, and the man goes down, his nose spurting blood and his eyes rolled back. Orion flips his gun so the handle is in his hand and clicks off the safety.
“Anyone else want to get mouthy?” he asks, pointing the gun around. “Because I’m not having a good time, and I’m starting to feel trigger happy.”
My jaw drops. I’ve always suspected Orion comes from a criminal background, or at least didn’t always walk on the right side of the law, but I’ve never seen this side of him.
I never thought he’d actually shoot someone.
Now I realize I was wrong, and that he’ll do anything it takes if someone as important as Arden is on the line.
The Saints look like they realize all of this at the same time, because they’re suddenly melting back. I hear several trucks roar into the driveway behind us, and recognize the voices of the rest of our club, as well as some of Shane’s firefighters.
Bear must have triggered the community on his way over here. Thank God.
In front of us, one of the Saints bends down and hauls their friend to his feet, and then they’re rushing off the porch like they just remembered they have somewhere better to be.
But we have them marked, now, and it’s going to take more than that for them to get off the hook. My eyes meet Bear’s and he nods.
“Leave it to me. We’ll get rid of them,” he says.
Then I hear someone calling my name.
And she doesn’t sound like she’s got enough breath to put much volume into it.
Orion and I glance at each other, both of us knowing exactly what that means, and turn to run for the door at the side of the house.
Because Arden has locked the one at the front of the house, and that means we have to find one she didn’t get to yet.
Which means it’s going to take us that much longer to get to her.
We find her slumped at the top of the stairs, but still conscious, and I take her into my arms while Orion takes her hand.
“Are you okay?” I ask. “Did they get in here?”
She huffs out a laugh. “No, it’s not them. It’s my heart.”
“What?” Orion asks. “What does that mean?”
“It means I’ve been keeping secrets from you.”
“Right,” I say. “Well that ends right now. What haven’t you told us?”
She swallows heavily, like she’s fighting telling us even now, and I have to fight the urge to fucking shake her. Now isn’t the time for her to get shy.
“Arden,” I say, my voice gruff with warning.
And finally, finally, she relents.
“It’s my heart. It doesn’t work right. Never has. And I haven’t had enough of the medicine that controls it.”
My own heart sinks right into the floor below me.
“What do you mean you haven’t had enough?”
“I’m supposed to take it every day, but I didn’t have enough. And I... I didn’t want to say anything. I was already asking so much from you, and I didn’t–”
Orion slides his fingers up her jaw and makes her look at him.
“Fucking hell, Arden, haven’t you heard us at all? You’ve never been a burden. We would have done anything for you. Tell me what you need. Tell me right now.”
Something in her seems to break, and her eyes are suddenly glassy and nearly blank. “A doctor who knows about hearts.”
The smile that breaks out over his face is like the sun coming out.
“Perfect. Just so happens we have one of those. Mars, let’s go.”
I stand, Arden still in my arms, and rush down the stairs after him, thanking the universe for putting a cardiologist within reach.
Because it’s about fucking time something went our way.