Hearing my own words damn near broke me. I was terrified of what it would do to my sweet wife if she miscarried; she had already been throughenough.
It took a few hours to get just down the road from the warehouse, and we were met by two guys I didn’t know from the Atlantachapter.
“Gents, this is Jaxon and Rigger, two of mybestmen.”
Jaxon nodded to us while Rigger started to explain, “We saw them take Raine in a beat-up dark van and they went around back of an industrial park just down the road from here. We know there were two guys in the vehicle, but we have not been able to assess how many areinside.”
Something felt off to me about Rigger. He seemed to know too much for someone that was just tailing. How’d he know the layout of the industrial park we were about to enter, if they couldn’t get close enough to know how many guys were in there? I pushed my concerns to the side because it didn’t matter how he knew any of this shit, he was helping me get mywifeback.
The sun started to peek up over the mountain range off in the distance. I stared off, trying to really get my head in the game. I reached into the side compartment on my bike, pulling out a hunting knife I’d had since I was a kid. The image of slitting all of Raine’s captors’ throats wide open flashed before my eyes as I fastened the leather sheath tomybelt.
Abel cocked his head to the side, looking at me. “What’s one more weapon?” I said with a shrug, and he left itatthat.
“We have a utility van stashed in the woods.” Jaxon pointed behind us. “We’ll leave the bikes here and all ride in together in thatbeast.”
Bear started to the walk his Harley back into the thicket. “We’re going to have to act quickly though. The element of surprise and the early hour are the only two things we have going for us. We’re probably going to be outnumbered andoutgunned.”
I started to chuckle, throwing the heavy-ass duffle I’d carried on my back all the way down there at his feet. “There’s no fucking way they have us outgunned unless this is a fucking storage locker for all of theirweapons.”
After stashing our motorcycles, we climbed into the van. Bear was at the wheel with Abel riding shotgun, and my dad looked across at me. “Everything is going to be fine, son. We’re going to get Raine home safe andsound.”
Pulling up to the gate, Abel jumped out. He cut the security chain and rolled the gate to the side. Hopping back into the front seat, he looked over at Bear. “Thatseemedeasy.”
“I agree.” He shook his head as he continued to drive toward the back of the lot. He parked the van in an empty bay and we all silentlyrushedout.
“I’m not liking how quiet it is here, even for the time of day and location,” Holt said to Abel. “I have a bad feelingaboutthis.”
Rigger trotted over to their side. “It should be right over here. We saw them turn this corner.” He pointed and started to leadtheway.
I was bringing up the rear of the group with my dad right behind Rigger. We were all on high alert and in agreement that something just didn’t feel right about the situation. There wasn’t a guard on patrol, no alarm on the gate, no one by the back door. The damn door wasn’t evenlocked.
We slowly filed into the large empty storage room. I looked around frantically, seeking any sign of where they could have been hidingRaine.
The sound of muffled weeping came from the very back. I held my finger up to my lips then pointed to my ears for them to listen closely with me. Right when I heard it again, my heart started racing—it was definitelyRaine.
I couldn’t run back there fast enough. I kicked the door open and there she was, balled up in the corner, cryingsoftly.
“Raine,” I said as I exhaled, scooping her up intomyarms.
“Ryder, I knew you’d come for me.” Her voice was weak as her head fell onto mychest.
Her hands were cuffed and she was really banged up, but she was alive and that was the most important thing. I started to rush back toward thegroup.
Right as I got about two steps away from Abel, a machine gun started firing from the open back door. Without even thinking about it, I rushed back into the room where Raine had been kept. Holt, Bear, and Jaxon were all rightbehindus.
“Where’s my dad?” Raine asked, looking at the guysdesperately.
“He’s here, sweetie.” Holt grabbed Raine from me as he reassured her. “He’ll be here anyminutenow.”
I looked through the cracked door—Abel was hiding behind some shelving on the far side of the warehouse. As I was about to shut the door again, a man walked up and tried to grab me. Without even thinking, I grabbed my knife. I cut his hand first then shoved the blade right into his eye socket. The body felt to the floor in a convulsing, bloodspewingheap.
Abel ran over to us, ducking into the smallspace.
“Daddy! Oh thank goodness,” Raineyelled.
He wrapped his arms around his daughter. “Baby, I am so glad toseeyou.”
“How many were out there?” Bear asked, getting us all back ontrack.
