Chapter Thirty-Four Chloe
I watch Spock and Rush drag Steven Blackwood toward the waiting SUV.
His boots scrape over the pavement, his legs barely working beneath him.
Spock has one fist twisted in the back of Blackwood’s shirt while Rush grips his arm.
Neither man appears to be exerting much effort.
They handle him like he’s nothing more than a sack of garbage they’re taking to the dump.
I can’t help but smirk at the analogy, because that’s exactly what he is.
The three men who chased me out of the neighboring house and the women who protected me stand in a group on the lawn next door to Blackwood’s house. Hawk, Dice, and Wildcard remain nearby, watching the street and keeping their weapons ready.
Spock jerks open the rear door of the SUV. He and Rush shove Blackwood onto the back seat.
“Wait.”
The word leaves my mouth before I can think better of it.
Spock freezes with one hand on the door. His gaze immediately finds mine.
“You don’t need to talk to him, sweetheart.”
“I know.” I walk closer, forcing my legs to remain steady. “But I need him to answer a few questions.”
Spock studies me for a second before stepping aside. Rush remains next to the open door, blocking any chance Blackwood might have of escaping.
Not that he looks capable of trying.
Blackwood slumps against the seat with blood smeared across his mouth. One eye is already swelling shut, and his shirt hangs crooked from where Spock grabbed him. When he sees me, something disturbingly hopeful flickers across his face.
“Chloe, I can explain.”
I ignore the plea in his voice. “Were you the one who attacked my father and sabotaged the site?”
His expression goes blank as he presses his lips together.
Spock moves so fast I barely see his fist before it connects with Blackwood’s jaw. The crack of the impact makes me flinch. Blackwood collapses sideways across the seat with a strangled groan.
Spock catches the front of his shirt and hauls him upright.
“The lady asked you a question.” His voice is low and terrifyingly calm. “You’re going to answer her, or I’m going to keep hitting you until you do.”
Blackwood spits blood onto the floorboard.
Spock draws back his fist again.
“Yes!” Blackwood blurts. “It was me. All of it.”
The confession punches the air from my lungs, even though some part of me already knew.
“You sabotaged the site?”
“Yes.”
“You hurt my father?”
Blackwood looks away. “He got in the way.”
Rage burns through the last remnants of my fear. “You could’ve killed him.”
“He wasn’t supposed to be there.”
“And the message?”
His gaze crawls back to me. “I left it.”
“Why?” My voice cracks. “Why would you do any of that?”
His face twists as if I’m the one being unreasonable.
“Because you were meant to be mine.”
A chill snakes down my spine.
“I asked you out first,” he continues. “Before him. Before that dirty biker started following you around and filling your head with lies.” His eyes shift to Spock, and his mouth curls into a sneer.
“I was going to make you understand that you needed me. The problems at the site, the threats—I was going to protect you from them. You would’ve turned to me eventually. ”
“You created the danger so I’d ask you to save me?”
“You wouldn’t give me a chance!”
The sudden shout makes me recoil, but Spock shifts between us, shielding me with his body.
Blackwood glares past him. “You chose some filthy criminal over a man who could’ve taken care of you.”
Spock looks at him for a long second before belting out a laugh.
It isn’t a warm sound. There’s no humor in it. Just cold certainty that strips Blackwood’s insult of whatever power he thought it possessed.
“You thought terrorizing her would make her love you?” Spock shakes his head. “And you think I’m the sick bastard?”
“I love her!”
“No,” I say.
Both men look at me.
I step around Spock far enough to meet Blackwood’s gaze one final time. “You don’t love me. You wanted to own me. There’s a difference.”
“Chloe—”
I turn on my heel and walk away.
“Chloe!” Blackwood shouts behind me. “Come back! You have to listen to me!”
My steps never slow.
“Chloe!”
The SUV door slams with a heavy metallic thud, cutting him off.
For the first time since the attack on my father, I can breathe.
So I do. A deep breath that I release slowly as a sense of calm flows through me.
My entire body aches. My wrists burn where the ropes tore into my skin, my stomach throbs from Blackwood’s punch, and every muscle feels stretched to its limit.
But I’m alive, thanks to Spock, the Demon Dawgs, and five brave women.
I walk toward the women with Spock on my heels.
“I don’t know how to thank you.”
The woman in front shrugs, but I see the warmth in her eyes. “You needed help.”
“You didn’t know me. You saw me running from those men, and you stopped them from hurting me.” I swallow hard.
“They aren’t that bad. A little stupid and slow. They would have figured out you needed help, eventually. We just helped them figure it out sooner.”
My eyes sting. I refuse to let the tears fall.
“I owe all of you my life.” I look at each of them, wanting them to understand I’m not saying the words lightly. “I don’t know how to repay you.”
“We owe you,” Spock adds. “If you ever need anything, come see us. You can come to the clubhouse or 1%. Just tell them Spock sent you.”
“What if we want jobs?” one asks.
“If you’re interested in construction, I’ll hire you,” I say without hesitation.
All five women turn to me.
“You serious?” the driver asks.
“Completely. My company is growing, and I need people I can trust. If construction isn’t what you want, I have contacts in other industries. I can make some calls and arrange interviews.”
“You’d do that for us?” another woman asks.
“You saved my life. I don’t think I could ever repay you.”
The driver studies me as if she’s searching for a catch. When she doesn’t find one, a slow smile spreads across her face.
“In that case, you better make sure we get those numbers.”
“We’ll be taking you up on that offer,” another woman adds.
“I hope you do.” My voice thickens. “All of you.”
We exchange names and promises to meet again before Spock gently touches the small of my back. The simple contact settles something inside me.
“Ready to go home, sweetheart?”
Home.
The word wraps around my battered heart.
“Yes.”
Spock leads me toward his bike while Hunter gets behind the wheel of the SUV.
Smooth gets in the back with Blackwood. Rush, Hawk, Dice, and Wildcard mount their motorcycles around us.
Spock hands me his helmet and waits while I put it on.
Then he climbs onto the bike and holds out a hand to steady me.
I swing my leg over the seat and settle behind him.
The moment I wrap my arms around his waist, the last of my strength abandons me. I press my cheek against his broad back and melt into him. His hand covers mine, squeezing once before he starts the engine.
The motorcycle rumbles beneath us, but the sound doesn’t frighten me.
Nothing can reach me here. Spock is solid and warm in my arms. I’m surrounded by the roar of Demon Dawgs motorcycles and protected by men who came for me without hesitation.
For the first time since I was taken, I know with absolute certainty that I’m safe.
More than that, I’m loved.
We pull into the Demon Dawgs’ clubhouse parking lot in a thunderous wave of engines. The SUV carrying Blackwood turns off toward the garage while the bikes roll to a stop near the entrance.
When the engine beneath me goes silent, I don’t immediately release Spock. My arms remain wrapped around his waist, my cheek pressed between his shoulder blades.
He reaches down to cover my hands with his.
“We’re home, sweetheart.”
Home. There’s that word again.
As if to demonstrate his point, the clubhouse doors open for Puma to exit with the rest of the club on his heels. My father is with them. Dad comes over to give me a hug.
“It’s done?” he asks.
Spark nods. “Blackwood was the one who was sabotaging the Riversedge site. He attacked Bill and left the threatening message.”
“Was he working for Monroe?” Dad asks.
“He thought I would turn to him for protection,” I explain. “He didn’t mention anything about working for Monroe.”
“He wasn’t working for Monroe,” Chill says. “We talked to Monroe and he admitted to helping Blackwood get the job with DC Construction. He thought Blackwood would help him destroy your business, but Blackwood turned on him.”
“What about Scaro?” Spock asks. “Did he admit to working with Blackwood?”
Puma shakes his head. “No. He said that Blackwood tried to convince him that Chloe wasn’t capable of running DC Construction. Scaro told Blackwood to fuck off. He was on his way to tell Chloe when we picked him up.”
“Well, that’s something,” I say. “I was afraid that I misjudged him, too.”
“He seems to be a good guy,” Puma says. “He praised you and your work. Not that we needed his input. We already know. He volunteered some information about Red Rock Construction. We think Darby might be in more danger than we originally believed.”