This was insane.
I wanted desperately to ask about Maddox but was afraid to have my son even enter their minds. Jeb hadn’t been around much. There was a remote chance he didn’t even know I had a child.
I let out an ear-piercing scream then, hoping someone nearby would hear and call the cops.
Suddenly, a large hand was around my neck, squeezing briefly but enough to deliver a message. Jeb stared down at me his eyes wide. “You want me to gag you? I will, if you pull another stunt like that,” he warned.
The fact that he hadn’t already, made me feel like maybe there was some part of him that didn’t want to do this. That gave me a small glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak situation.
He let me go, tossing me back against the bed like a rag doll. I coughed, trying to catch my breath. “What about the Knights?” I asked, imploring him in a hoarse voice. Loyalty was so important to them and I had serious doubts he’d survive a betrayal like this.
He shrugged again then sneered. “After all I’ve done for those fucks, they still won’t patch me in. Some shit about my dedication,” he snorted, using quotation marks. “I was fucking stabbed for those shitheads and it still wasn’t enough! So I found a club who’ll patch me in.” He shrugged as though this was perfectly logical.
I bit back the urge to retort that clearly their instincts had been right on about not patching him in.
“Enough fuckin’ talkin’,” the unfamiliar man barked. He was obviously the one in charge of this mess.
I looked between both men, racking my brain with how to buy more time. I knew Axel would be hunting for me. I just didn’t know how the hell he’d find me. I also had no idea how long I’d actually been gone. My fuzzy brain tried to piece together a plan.
I looked to Jeb. “They’re not going to let you into their club,” I blurted, figuring distraction was my only real weapon. That, and clearly I had a much bigger brain than Jeb if he hadn’t put this together.
Jeb turned to me with a mixture of anger and surprise. “What the fuck are you talking about?” he demanded.
“Come on, Jeb. Even I know enough about this stuff to know they wouldn’t do that,” I shook my head. “This guy here, I bet he’s acting alone,” I said, gesturing to the other man. “He gets the money and you’re dead, I’d guess.” I felt like my head was going to pound right off my neck as I nodded blearily. “His club isn’t stupid enough to patch in a discarded member of the Knights.” I swallowed, knowing I was taking a huge risk by pissing him off.
The smack to my face came so suddenly I didn’t even see it coming. My head snapped to the right as the Black Rider’s open hand connected with brutal force. “You want to survive this, I’d shut that pretty little mouth,” he growled.
My ears were ringing and I tasted blood. I was taking a chance in thinking that if they wanted their money, they’d know to keep me in one piece. But there was only so far I wanted to push that theory.
My hand moved to my throbbing face as I watched them both in silence.
“Dude, is she right?” Jeb demanded, his tone betraying the worry I’d planted.
“No,” the man barked. “Now shut the fuck up, both of you.”
“I want to know what the fuck she knows that I don’t,” Jeb continued stubbornly, his eyes wide with panic.
“She doesn’t know shit,” the man retorted, losing patience. “She’s graspin’, trying to stress you out. Chill the fuck out.”
I looked to Jeb, watching the slow wheels of his brain begin to crank.
“Jeb, if this guy doesn’t kill you – the Knights will if you go through with this,” I spoke up, despite knowing the consequences. I had to try to talk him out of this. Jeb wasn’t nearly as smart as the other guy – that much was clear. If I could get him scared enough, maybe I could swing things in my favor. “Let me go,” I demanded passionately as the other man stormed across the room and pulled me to my feet.
My heart pounded in my chest as fear raced through my bloodstream.
“You’re either brave or really fucking stupid.” His eyes were cold and calculating as he pulled me up so that our faces were inches apart. “You’re beautiful, too.” His eyes raked over my frame, remaining on my chest far too long for my comfort.
“You wanna give me a taste?” he leered, his head cocked to the side. His fingers moved to my top, unbuttoning the first three buttons.
“You touch me again you won’t see a dime,” I replied, my tone far braver than I felt. I was dangerously close to completely losing any semblance of bravery.
If my father had in fact orchestrated this, I had to at least cling to the hope he’d request I be unharmed. I wanted to curl up in a ball and scream for Axel, but that wouldn’t get me back to him or Maddox any faster.
He shrugged and licked his lips. “You’re probably right. Might be worth it, though.”
“Come on, Aron, stop fucking around,” Jeb cut in, using the man’s name for the first time.
Aron turned his dark eyes to Jeb, shoving me back onto the bed as he stalked in his direction. He punched Jeb hard in the face and I reeled back in shock as the two men began to fight in earnest. “You do not call the shots, boy. You got that?” Aron grunted as he gained the upper hand.
