“Ohh, Axel, I hear you have something I need. How about you come on out and we can discuss our situation,” a loud gravelly voice hollers through the open garage. I watch as Axel pulls his gun out from under his suit and shoots me a quick glance before turning away from me towards the front of the vehicle.
“Red,” he states, looking across the hood of the truck. He slowly rises into a standing position and walks around the vehicle. I don’t move from my crouched position, but I dip my head lower so I can see under the car. Five pairs of boots line the room in front of Axel, and my heart begins to thunder in my chest. He’s outnumbered.Think, Jenna, think.
I quickly grab my clutch from under my arm and swipe the screen open on my phone. I ignore the growing list of texts andcalls that have piled up since we left and text Marley, hoping she is with everyone else by now.
Jenna
Help.
I hear footsteps moving closer to me, so I hit send and shove my phone back into my clutch, not wanting to draw any more attention to myself.
I turn my attention to the conversation between Axel and Red. I don’t know what I’ve missed in my panic, but their voices are rising.
“So, you’re the fucking rat,” Axel snarls.
I hear a menacing laugh and then a growl of anger. “You had no idea, just went about business as usual. But you did have one thing right—Tex was in on it. He was just an idiot and got caught.”
“I will kill you for betraying us,” Axel returns, the pure hatred in his voice seeping into every word.
“Well then, it’s a good thing you won’t be seeing me after today. Reapers will tear your club apart, and I will be glad to stand with them as we watch you all burn.”
My hands shake, anger and anxiousness coursing through my veins. I lean down a little more, hoping to get a glimpse of the man responsible for deceiving us all, for killing Shiny. But a blinding pain sears my scalp as my body is yanked up from the ground. I immediately realize that someone has grabbed me by my hair as the men and Axel come into view. Taking a steadying breath, I remember my training and stab my heel down into the attacker’s foot while bringing my elbow up, smashing it into the nose of the man holding my hair. Blood splatters over my shoulder as I thrash around in his grip. The asshole doesn’t letgo but lets out a loud howl and then licks the side of my face as if enjoying my struggle.
I freeze when my eyes finally meet Axel’s. He has turned toward us, turning his back on the others around him. His gun is drawn, ready to kill the person behind me, but in an instant, he goes down with a loud thud. The person behind him is holding a crowbar, Axel’s blood glistening on the smooth metal. My heart stops, and I scream. I can’t remember how long I scream, but I scream for him—to wake up, to fight back, to do something.
“Axel! No! What have you done?!” I look up at the man holding the crowbar, his blonde shaggy hair and short beard so familiar. A single tear falls down my cheek as realization stabs me in the gut. The first night I ever went to the clubhouse, he was working the gate.
“Why?” I ask, steeling myself and not allowing any more tears to fall. I can’t let them see me crumble. I try to get a glimpse of Axel to see if he is still breathing, but the man behind me restrains my arms behind my back. I buck my head back in hopes of catching him off guard, but he holds my head steady. The traitor in front of me doesn’t reply to my question. He just smirks at me as I feel a sharp pinch sting my neck.
I fight against the piercing pain, but my body won’t respond. Panic like I’ve never felt before takes ahold of me as I struggle to move, but before I have time to process what is happening, the room begins to blur, and a heaviness settles over my body.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
marley
“Bite me,”I snap at Bear. We arrived at my wedding venue over thirty minutes ago, and there is still no sign of my Maid of Honor or Blaze’s Best Man. The crowd of our friends and family is growing restless, but I don’t care. This is my wedding, and I won’t do it without my best friend.
“Marley, they are probably on their way and can meet you up there.” Bear tries to reason with me as I pace back and forth in my small waiting room, but I glare at him in response. Bear huffs and holds up his hands up in surrender and walks out the door, probably to inform Blaze his bride is holding everything up. I was the one who wanted this wedding so I’m going to get exactly what I want. God, I kind of sound like a brat.
I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to focus on my breathing. Jenna wouldn’t want me to stress, but it doesn’t feel right doing this without her here.
“Call Jenna again, please.” I say to Mia, and she gives me a sympathetic nod. She dials her number and puts it on speakerphone. It rings a handful of times before Jenna’s voice fills the room,“Hi, sorry I missed you, but leave me a message and I’ll get back to you when I can!”I roll my eyes and let out a huff.
“Jenna, so help me… if you are not here in ten minutes, I’m sending a search party!” I say as I walk over and end the call on Mia’s phone. I take a deep breath and try to reign in the bridezilla making her grand appearance today.
This isn’t me, but something about professing my love in front of a room full of people makes me nauseous. I’m not getting cold feet; I know I love Max more than anything. But this is a lot to deal with, and without Jenna, I don’t know how I will be able to do it. I don’t realize I’ve started pacing at a rapid speed until my mom is next to me, guiding me to sit down on the plush golden couches lining the room. My bridesmaid, Malory, hands me a champagne flute filled to the top with rosy bubbles. Taking a large gulp, I allow the sweet flavor to relax my nerves.
“She must have got caught up figuring out her car troubles,” Mia coos in a reassuring voice. I nod at her and take a deep breath.
“I know you’re right; I just wish she would text or call to let us know she’s okay.” This whole situation doesn’t sit right with me. Jenna’s car breaks down, but she said the tow truck already picked her up, and she was going to be on her way back soon. That was over an hour ago.
I sigh as the door opens to the most welcome sight. My mom jumps up and rushes over to Blaze, shoving both hands in his face. “It’s bad luck to see the bride before the wedding!” she screeches at him, standing on her tiptoes, barely covering his face.
His chuckle wraps around me, giving me a moment of reprieve from my all-consuming stress. He gently removes her hands from his face. “Lora, I don’t believe in that. Let me see my girl.”
Our eyes meet, and my breath hitches. I don’t think I will ever be immune to how gorgeous this man is. His dark brown hair is pushed back and perfectly combed, and his bright crystalblue eyes shine with adoration and love. Max’s black suit is perfectly pressed, and his watch glistens on his wrist. I can’t help the small amount of drool that may have escaped my mouth. I can barely keep my hands off him when he’s in his cut, but dressed like this, he is sex on a stick.
He makes the room seem small as he reaches me in only two large steps and drops to his haunches in front of me.
