Rush’s Retribution Chapter One
RUSH'S RETRIBUTION: CHAPTER ONE
The roar of five Harley engines rolls through the neighborhood as Hawk leads us toward the main road. Wildcard and Dice ride behind him, staggered across the lane. Spock and I bring up the rear, with Chloe wrapped around Spock’s back.
One glance at her is enough to make my hands tighten around the grips.
Her face is partially hidden by the helmet Spock gave her, but I can see the way she clings to him. Her arms are locked around his waist, and her body is pressed close to his. Even with several feet separating our bikes, I can feel the bond between them.
It’s a fucking miracle she’s alive.
We came too close to losing her today. If Chloe hadn’t managed to free herself and climb out that window, Blackwood could’ve moved her—or killed her—before we found the house. The thought sends a cold streak down my spine despite the desert heat.
Spock would’ve been destroyed.
He would’ve hunted Blackwood to the ends of the earth, but catching the bastard wouldn’t have brought Chloe back. Nothing would’ve filled the hole losing her carved into him.
Thankfully, that isn’t how the story ends, because we found Chloe and caught Blackwood.
The son of a bitch is in the SUV following us, wedged between Hunter and Smooth. They’re taking him to the clubhouse, where he’ll be transferred to The Pit. What happens after that will be decided by Puma, Spock, and the rest of the club, but Blackwood won’t be terrorizing Chloe again.
Club justice doesn’t come with appeals.
I glance at Spock and Chloe once more. He reaches down, placing one hand over hers for a few seconds before returning it to the handlebar.
Lucky bastard.
Until Chloe, I never thought Spock was missing anything. He has his club, his brothers, and a position he takes seriously. He’s always been one of the steadiest men I know.
But Chloe gives him something the club can’t.
She’s his.
And he’s hers.
There’s a part of him that belongs only to her, and she’ll protect it as fiercely as he protects every piece of her.
I’ve spent years telling myself I don’t need that. The Demon Dawgs are my family. Every man wearing our patch has my back, and they know I have theirs. If I go into a fight, I’m never alone.
That should be enough, but lately, it isn’t.
I want someone waiting when the club business is finished. Someone who understands the patch will always be part of me but doesn’t let it become all I am. A woman who stands at my back because she chooses to be there, not because club loyalty requires it.
A flash of red hair fills my mind.
Darby Archer.
I can picture her exactly as she looked the last time I saw her—bright hair falling over one shoulder, frustration burning in her eyes while she tried to pretend the problems with her hotel weren’t crushing her. She’s stubborn, beautiful, and far too determined to handle everything alone.
The urge to step in and take some of that weight from her hit me hard.
I was enthralled with her from the first moment I saw her, but I had to shut those thoughts down.
Darby is engaged. The ring on her finger makes her off-limits, no matter how often her smile slips into my thoughts or how much I want to tear apart the people trying to steal her dream.
She belongs to another man. She isn’t mine to protect.
The clubhouse comes into view, its familiar shape rising out of the desert darkness. Hawk signals before turning into the parking lot, and the rest of us follow him through the gates.
Five engines rumble across the pavement in a thunderous wave.
Hawk pulls to a stop near the entrance. Wildcard and Dice park beside him while Spock and I roll in behind them. The SUV carrying Blackwood turns toward the garage, where Hunter and Smooth will make sure the bastard doesn’t cause any trouble before he’s taken to The Pit.
I kill my engine and swing off my bike.
Spock stays seated while Chloe slowly releases her hold on him. He braces himself and helps her dismount, keeping one hand on her arm until he’s certain her legs will support her.
The clubhouse doors open.
Puma steps outside with the rest of the Demon Dawgs following him. Chill, Viper, Rattler, and Splint spread out behind our president while several other brothers gather near the doorway.
Puma’s gaze locks on Chloe.
“You safe?”
“I am now,” she says.
He nods, but the tension in his expression doesn’t ease. “Blackwood admitted he was responsible for everything?”
“The sabotage, the attack on my father, and the message,” Chloe confirms. “He created the problems because he thought I’d turn to him for protection.”
“Fucking psycho,” Chill mutters.
Puma looks at Spock. “Monroe admitted he helped Blackwood get close to Chloe by getting him hired at DC Construction.”
Spock’s face hardens. “Was Blackwood working for him?”
“Not exactly.” Puma folds his arms over his chest. “Monroe’s reasons were personal. He wanted DC Construction out of the way, and he thought Blackwood could help him destroy the company from the inside.”
Chloe stiffens. “So Monroe knew what Blackwood was doing?”
“He knew Blackwood was sabotaging your business. He claims he didn’t know about the threats, the attack on your father, or the kidnapping.”
“Do you believe him?” she asks.
Puma’s expression turns cold. “I believe he knew enough to make him responsible for putting you in danger.”
That answer seems to satisfy Spock. It certainly satisfies me. Monroe may not have ordered Blackwood to kidnap Chloe, but he opened the fucking door and invited the bastard into her life.
“What about Scaro?” Spock asks.
“Blackwood approached him,” Puma says. “Tried to convince him that Chloe wasn’t capable of running DC Construction and suggested they work together to force her out.”
My gaze moves to Chloe. “Did Scaro agree?”
“No.” Puma shakes his head. “He told Blackwood to fuck off. Scaro claims he was planning to warn Chloe about him, but we picked him up before he got the chance.”
“And you believe that?” Wildcard asks.
“I do. Scaro answered every question we asked, including the ones he didn’t know we already had answers to. His story held up.” Puma pauses. “As far as I’m concerned, Paul Scaro can be trusted.”
Chloe releases a quiet breath, but Puma isn’t finished.
“He also gave us more information about Red Rock Construction.”
Every muscle in my body tightens.
Puma turns his attention to the club. “According to Scaro, Red Rock’s operation is bigger than we realized.
They don’t just bleed developers dry with delays and manufactured problems. They identify vulnerable projects before the bids are even submitted.
Once they decide they want a property, they make sure the developer has nowhere else to turn. ”
Darby’s face flashes through my mind.
Her red hair. Her defiant green eyes. The engagement ring on her finger.
“What does that mean for Darby?” I demand.
Puma’s gaze shifts to me.
“It means her hotel was probably targeted from the beginning. If Red Rock realizes we’re interfering, they may stop trying to ruin her financially and find another way to remove her from the project.”
The words strike me like a fist to the chest.
“Remove her how?”
Puma’s expression gives me the answer before he speaks.
“Whatever way works.”
Rage floods through me so quickly my vision narrows. My hands curl into fists at my sides, and suddenly all I can see is Darby in Chloe’s position—trapped, terrified, and at the mercy of someone determined to take what belongs to her.
That will never happen.
“Where is she?” I snap.
Puma watches me carefully. “Juliet has been trying to reach her.”
“And?”
“She isn’t answering.”
Fear claws through the anger burning in my chest.
Darby might belong to another man, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stand back while someone puts her in danger.
I take a step toward Puma. “Then we find her. Right fucking now.”
Puma holds up his hand. “Spark is trying to locate her phone as we speak.”