Nerves of steel. I grinned as she lifted her chin and walked into the room as I held the door open for her.
Rhino glared at us from the chair he was tied to.
I wasn’t sure when he woke up, but the gorilla was pissed. This was going to be fun.
CHAPTER 8
Rue
Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be in a MC clubhouse about to see a man being tortured. Or that I’d be thereasonfor that man to be tortured. Or that I would’ve found a group of men who I trusted so quickly.
I hadn’t even told Gary what I was up to with trying to find Ryan. And I’d known him for years. But from the moment I met Overdrive I’d just wanted to let my walls down around him. I looked into his eyes and I just knew he wasn’t going to do anything to hurt me. And he wasn’t going to hand me over to the cops.
I hadn’t expected him to take on this little mission of mine as his own, but after telling his brothers my story, I was getting the impression they were all looking forward to helping out. I wasn’t used to anyone being so eager to help. Growing up the way I did, I’d learned pretty quickly that everyone turned the other cheekif you even asked. So I’d stopped. I’d learned to do it all on my own.
Looking around the room, my eyebrows rose. It was sparse, but obviously set up for this kind of activity. There was a drain in the floor and a table with all sorts of instruments, both sharp and blunt, on it. There was a mallet, a shovel, and a large ax in the corner. I met Overdrive’s eyes and his lips twitched a little. He could read the shock on my face. When he said they had a space to take Rhino I hadn’t been expecting a literal torture room.
Even though he explained that they helped people, this seemed to be a bit much. But what did I know? My way of helping people was keeping them alive, not killing their enemies. I swallowed hard. Could I actually watch a man be killed? Death didn’t bother me. I saw it nearly every day. I’d become immune long ago. But this?
I wasn’t sure I had any other option. Judging by the look in Rhino’s eyes as he glared at me, he’d have no problem killing me.
“Just stand over there, okay?” OD said in a low tone.
Nodding, I stepped out of the way and watched as he, Relay, Bolo, and Drifter circled around. There wasn’t enough room for everyone so the rest of the guys were out front.
“What do you want with her?” OD asked, motioning to me.
Rhino looked between us. “What’s it to ya?”
“She’s my friend,” Bolo snapped. Then his fist flew out across Rhino’s jaw, sending blood and a tooth across the room. “You hurt my friend. Now answer the fucking question.”
“She was following me.” He spit more blood from his mouth as he shrugged his shoulders, acting like the punch, and loss of a tooth, meant nothing.
“I was following Teddy,” I said. Everyone looked over at me. “He’s a friend of my brother’s.”
“Left Teddy behind before I confronted you,” Rhino said, eyes narrowing.
“I wanted to see what he was involved in,” I replied.
“Why?” Rhino snarled.
“Because…” I looked at OD and he nodded for me to keep going. “My brother went missing in that part of town six months ago.”
“So?” Rhino replied. “Why should I give a shit about that?”
“You involved?” Relay asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Nope.”
The bikers all exchanged looks. Relay went over to the table and picked up a hammer. He circled back around to where Rhino could see him. “See, she thinks you are.”
“Who cares what she fucking thinks?” Rhino growled. “She’s the one who started all this by following me.”
“I’m sorry that you’re the victim here. It must be terrifying to be stalked by a woman.” OD rolled his eyes theatrically. “Whether you’re involved with the disappearance of her brother or not, most men don’t react to a woman following them with suspicion and fists,” OD said, leaning down until his face was level with Rhino’s. “They sure as fuck don’t stalk her back to her work place and try to finish what they started.”
“Never said I was a normal guy,” Rhino replied.
“You’re going to answer our questions,” Relay told him as OD moved out of the way.
