“No time to explain,” he responded, giving me no choice as he effortlessly picked me up. “Trust me, if you want to live, we have to move.”
I took a deep breath and nodded, steeling myself for what lay ahead. With one last glance at the cell that had been both my prison and my forge, I clutched the stranger’s neck as he ushered me out of the cell. The corridor was a labyrinth of shadows, each turn fraught with potential danger. My senses were heightened, every sound and movement amplified as he navigated the narrow passageways. The stranger led with confidence, his familiarity with the layout evident.
I didn’t know the man who carried me, but as he strode down the darkened hall, I felt his power radiate around him. He was not someone to challenge. For some reason, he was determined to get me out of this place and I was going to let him. The urgency in his actions and the intensity in his eyes spoke volumes. My survival hinged on his resolve, and I had no choice but to trust him.
When we emerged from the cell, I saw several men, all just as determined as my rescuer to save as many as they could. Each moved with a purposeful stride, their faces set in grim resolve. The surrounding chaos was a symphony of urgency, with every note striking a chord in my heart. The walls seemed to pulse with the collective effort of liberation and for the first time in a long while, I felt the stirrings of hope.
I wish I could say that hope lasted, but it didn’t because the second we were far enough away from the Trick Pony, the stranger handed me a couple hundred bucks, wished me luck and walked away, leaving me to decide what to do next. That was the last time I ever saw him.
“Val!” Montana shouted loudly, ripping me from my past. Turning to see the man storming toward me, along with Reaper and Mercy, I steeled myself for whatever asinine fit the son of a bitch was in.
Sighing, I rubbed my neck and groaned. “What happened now?”
“Why didn’t you tell us that Sypher was awake?”
Blinking, I looked at the gruff asshole and sneered, “He’s not. He’s still in a coma.”
“Bullshit,” Mercy stated. “Then how in the hell did he just send me a text?”
Showing me his phone, I looked at it and frowned. “That’s impossible.”
Pushing past them, I hurriedly walked down the long hall toward Sypher’s room. Upon entering, I found it completely empty, and the nurse from earlier walked over and explained, “The MRI techs need another hour.”
Absently, I muttered, “Did you move him?”
“No, ma’am. You told me to schedule the MRI first.”
Rounding on the woman, I yelled, “Then where is he?”
Montana, Reaper, and Mercy both rushed into the room and started shouting.
This was not fucking good.
Sypher was gone.
Reaper
I was going to kill someone fast if they didn’t start talking.
I always knew when the shit hit the fan that I would have to be the one to clean up the mess. For years, I watched those in power struggle to maintain their hold on what was technically never theirs to begin with. My father included.
Greed was a nasty thing, but the illusion of power was blinding. Montana learned that lesson the hard way. I tried to warn him several times, but the fucker wasn’t ready to hear the truth.
After searching the entire private floor and finding nothing, we knew that someone betrayed us. Someone on this fucking floor was working against us and when I figured out which motherfucker it was, I was going to kill them with my bare hands.
As I looked around the room, I glared. “Let me be very fucking clear. Either someone admits they fucked up right fucking now or I will reign down hell on everyone in this fucking room. Someone has to know something. Now I know it wasn’t fucknuts ‘cause the bastard’s been glued to my ass since shit went down, but all of you better start explaining.”
“You can’t think I did something,” Trout spoke up first, looking at the men around him then at me. “Danny’s my brother. I would never do anything to hurt him. I want him fixed. Not dead!”
“What about you, Ace?” Montana sneered threateningly as he stood beside me, arms crossed over his chest. “You’ve been pretty fucking vocal about his care since the surgery.”
“Fuck you, Montana!” Ace roared, jumping to his feet. “It wasn’t me.”
“Fucknuts has a point, Ace,” I seethed, backing him up. “You fucking hate the club life and tried your damndest to keep Sypher away from his family. You’ve got the means and power to pull something like this off.”
Ace snarled as Matthew Law threw out his arm to stop Ace. “It wasn’t Harbor Security. Danny owns the company now. Anything happens to him, we’re dead too. Why not ask one of your brothers, like Fury? Ask him where he was?”
Fury’s head snapped up. “What?”
