Page 24 of Acceptance
“It’s life or death,” he gasps. “She always says we can’t count on anyone to save us other than ourselves. Lex, she knows she’s in a lot of trouble. She could possibly die. She’d only ask someone to save her if she’s desperate.”
The words hit home, and she wants to scream and cry, but she holds it together. She continues to rub his back as she looks up at Gavin as he runs into the office, returning with a gun in his hand.
“Gavin, you can’t go,” Felicity says. “I told you to come here so you’d get updates. You’re not patched in yet.”
“I’m going. I’m going, and no one is going to stop me.”
“Gavin—”
“I love her even if she refuses to let me. If she’s in danger, I have to be there.”
Colt runs inside with Brock behind. “We have her location!” he shouts. “We’re heading out. Lex, baby, stay here. I’ll call you when I know something.”
“I’m going,” Gavin says, standing tall. “You won’t stop me.”
His father’s mouth opens to protest, but Colt cuts him off. “You follow orders, got it?”
“Got it.”
“Let’s go.”
Every single man runs outside to their bikes, and relief alleviates some of her earlier fears. Their family is going to get her. They know where she is, and they’re going to save her.
Felicity sits on the arm of the couch and rests a reassuring hand on Lex’s shoulder.
“You heard that, right?” Lex asks Lucas. “The boots on the ground?”
He nods. “Yeah, it was kind of hard not to.”
“That’s our family on their way to get her.Herfamily. You hear me? We’re getting her back becauseourfamily isn’t complete without her.”
His lip trembles, but he nods. “I hear you.”
Chapter Nine
Riverview
Colt
It doesn’t take them long to make it to Riverview. The area Brock leads them to based on a pinpointed location from Hailey’s cell phone makes Colt shake with anger. Old warehouses, an empty meatpacking plant, multiple abandoned business complexes, and three apartment buildings. The perfect place to bring women against their will because no one will ever see, and if they do, they won’t care.
“This entire neighborhood is drug houses and squatter-central,” Brock says. “They knew just where to hide them.”
“You know which building she’s in?” Colt asks, his leg bouncing as they sit on their parked bikes down the street.
He nods and points. “The middle one. Said fifth floor?”
“Yeah, the doors lock at the fourth, so we’re gonna have to break it down.”
“What’s the plan?” Ky Short asks as he looks at his best friend while everyone begins to move towards the center of the industrial area.
His best friend will do whatever he needs him to because Colt and Ky consider themselves family. Everyone in this group is family, but they grew up together. Diapers to now. But he’s right. They need a plan.
“I say we just walk in like we own the place, and if anyone gets in our way, we break their fucking necks,” Venom says, cracking his knuckles.
“I’m with him,” Undertaker says.
The large man brings a sense of calm over Colt. Few people would dare mess with him, and it reinforces their chances of getting Hailey out of this unharmed. He just prays she hasn’t been touched yet.
