“Do it,” Doc says.
Luca steps back and raises his gun and shoots.
The lock explodes.
Then he and I both kick the door hard, busting it in. The bastard is mid-step, dragging a dresser across the room to block the door. Fucker’s too slow though, and as he is moving to grab his gun, Luca fires.
One shot to the stomach. Another to the leg. Another to the foot.
The man screams and staggers across the room, reaching out to the wall, but missing it. He falls to the floor and Luca’s already on top of him, beating the ever loving shit out of him.
Doc’s already moving. He reaches the bed in two strides, grabbing the blanket and covering Vee.
They fucking tied her to a bed. Her face is bruised and bleeding and she’s shaking. Doc takes something out of her mouth and when I get closer, I see it’s a sock.
My vision goes red.
I rush forward, my hands already working to undo the ropes restraining her hands. “It’s okay,” I mutter, cutting through the bindings. “We got you. You’re safe.”
The ropes fall away. Then I move to her feet. Cutting through those as well.
Doc slides his hands under her, lifting her gingerly from the bed. She clings to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, asshe buries her face into his chest. Then I hear it. Her crying. Muffled against his body.
The sound of it twists something deep in my gut. But she’s alive. That’s all that matters.
Doc is already moving back toward the door with her.
“Take them back to the clubhouse,” I tell Luca. “Our clubhouse. They’re going to fucking pay for what they did.”
Luca stops his assault on the man to come check on his sister. He leans in to Vee, kissing her softly on the head.
“They’re going to bleed for making you bleed,” he whispers to her.
“Javier, let everyone know we have her and we’ll meet them at your clubhouse. It’s time to take care of this trash,” Luca orders, but I’m already falling in step behind Doc, who’s leaving the room with our woman in his arms. We need to make sure she’s okay.
Chapter 33
Josh
Steppingoutthedoorof the house onto the porch, I’m hit by the cold morning air. I barely feel it though; all I feel is her. Veronica. Her body trembling in my arms. Veronica’s fingers twist the front of my shirt under her grasp, as if she thinks if she lets go of me, I’ll disappear. I hold her closer, one arm under her legs, the other wrapped around her back, pressing her against me like I can somehow shield her from everything that's happened to her.
Rage burns through my veins. But not just that. There’s guilt and grief as well. If we hadn’t been arguing. If we had just paid attention. She never would have been alone. My jaw clenches so hard it hurts. We were idiots. All three of us. Hank more than any of us.
Luke stays close behind me as we move down the porch steps. I glance over my shoulder back at the house we just rescued Veronica from. Other than the busted in door, and members of the Hellions and Rejects moving around, it looks just as abandoned as when we arrived, shielding everyone from the monsters who lived within it.
The older model black cargo van is already waiting out front, idling in the street. One of the brothers must’ve gone for it while we were inside, knowing that we’d need it.
The back doors open and one of the prospects jumps out. I climb in first, ducking my head, careful not to jostle Veronica. Luke climbs in right after me, shutting the door behind us.
I settle onto the bench we had installed in it and shift Veronica ever so slightly so that her head rests against my shoulder. She whimpers and my heart damn near crumbles.
Through the back window I see another car pull up behind us. One of the Satan’s Rejects’ members climbs out just as the trunk pops open.
Luke glances in the direction I’m looking. “Must be for the dead men walking inside.”
I nod in agreement. They better enjoy what little time left they have to live. Because they’re about to feel the wrath of hell on Earth.
My attention quickly reverts to Veronica. My eyes drift over her, trying to catalog any wounds she may have other than her face.
