I’ve been shot before, once. Stabbed a bunch of times. I was even hit by a car when I was thirteen. Nothing made me feel out of it this fast. I blink rapidly, and then, I feel Gage’s hands on me, patting, searching.
“Madd,” he chokes out, the sound so worried, I force myself to look up even as I stumble backward. He grabs me and helps me to my knees. “What the fuck is this? Why are you—”
He breaks off as his body jolts into mine.
His eyes go wide, and he jolts again.
“Gage…” My voice is cracked, warbled. It doesn’t sound right. “Gage?”
His eyes flutter as he reaches his hand up toward my shoulder, leaving my wound to bleed freely. I grunt when his fingers trail softly over my exposed skin before tugging harshly. I gasp at the unexpected prick of pain as something tumbles onto my lap.
“Tranqs,” he murmurs as he yanks one from his thigh. My eyes grow hazy and the world spins just as his words settle in, in, in…
“It was a trap.” He licks his lips, his eyes heavy as he sways into me. “They took her. They took Isabella.”
And then all I see is darkness….
Chapter 13
I’ve been awake inthis damn cell for hours, my body aching and my mind spinning. Fury courses through me like a raging beast as I stare at the cold, unyielding cinder block wall before me. How the hell did they manage to capture me? I was supposed to protect Ella and my brothers, and I failed.
Failed.
The memories play on a loop in my head, taunting me. I remember the chaos, the sudden attack, and the adrenaline-fueled frenzy as I fought back against our attackers. Three of them, and it took all three to bring me down. They bound my hands, shoved a suffocating hood over my head, and still, I fought…for her.
I saw her being ripped away from me, her screams for us echoing in my ears as they dragged her away. I tried to crawl toward her, my voice hoarse from shouting her name, but it was too late.
It was too late for all of us.
They were gone, and I was left here, chained and helpless to do a fucking thing about it.
I clench my fists, my knuckles white with rage, as I recall the feeling of powerlessness. I should have been stronger, faster, smarter. I should have protected her. My brothers, too. They needed me, and I let them down.
With a growl of frustration, I turn away from the wall and start pacing the cramped cell. I’ve already checked every inch of it; I know I’m alone in here. But the anger, the fear, and the guilt still gnaw at me, leaving me restless and consumed by the need to find them, to rescue Ella and my brothers from whatever hellhole they’ve been taken to.
I won’t rest until I have answers. Until I have them back. And whoever did this to us, they’ll pay with their blood for the pain they’ve inflicted on us all. For taking her from us.
Isabella.
I run a hand through my hair and shoot a glare at my filthy pile of clothes. I stripped off the blood-soaked mess the second I woke up, knowing it would only rot and fester the longer I’m stuck in here, and getting sick isn’t something I can afford. I’d rather be cold than weak, powerless.
Never again.
This isn’t my first time in a cell, but it is the first time I’m locked up without knowing why or where.
The memory of my final moments of consciousness comes rushing back, haunting my thoughts as I continue to pace the few feet I’m allowed.
“Why are you here?” I shout, my voice a thunderclap of fury barely audible over the warzone behind me.
The blacked-out fucker before me says nothing. His head cocks to the side, his body language oozing an arrogance that doesn’t fit this situation. Doesn’t he realize I could snap his neck in a second?
I press my arm across his throat even harder, cutting off his oxygen, and yank his ski mask off, revealing his smirking face.
I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’tthis. Wasn’thim.
“Juan?” I grunt, my brows crashing together as I stare into the black, soulless eyes of Agustus Luna’s favorite lackey.
Gus.
