Page 43 of Carver’s Crusade

The thought keeps replaying in my skull like a hammer strike.

Six bikes roar through the streets in a tight pack, engines tearing through the quiet night. Babe and Ranch are in the lead. Torch is at my side—Min and Shield are behind us.

We pull into Raven’s apartment complex fast enough to have heads snapping in our direction. The second I kill the engine, Shield swings off his bike.

“We’ll sweep the lot,” he says. “If the bastard’s still here, we’ll find him.”

Torch cracks his neck. “Hope he stayed.”

Ranch pulls a flashlight from his saddlebag. “Let’s hunt.

I nod once. “Call the second you find him.”

The three of them disappear into the dark while I head for the entrance with Babe and Min beside me.

My pulse pounds harder with every floor we climb. By the time we reach Raven’s apartment door, I’m barely holding myself together. I pound on the door and call out.

A chain rattles on the other side before the door flies open.

“Carver.”

Raven launches herself straight into my arms.

I catch her automatically, wrapping both arms around her while her whole body shakes against mine. Her breathing comes fast and uneven against my chest.

“I got you,” I murmur, pressing my hand against the back of her head. “You’re safe.”

The apartment smells faintly of pepper spray and fear. Babe quietly shuts the door behind us while Min scans the room like she's expecting Tony to jump out from behind the furniture.

Raven clings to my kutte with both fists.

“He was waiting for me,” she whispers. “I don’t know how he found me.”

I carefully tip her chin up. The rage burns through me when I see the new bruises. Her tears make me lose my damn mind.

“You need to tell us exactly what happened.”

She swallows hard and nods shakily.

I guide her to the couch, sitting beside her while Babe leans against the kitchen counter and Min leans against him.

Raven drags a trembling hand through her hair.

“I came home from the clubhouse because…” She hesitates briefly before continuing. “Because I needed some space.”

The words land wrong in my chest, but I shove that aside for now.

“What happened after you got here?” I ask.

“I parked in my spot and started walking toward the door.” Her voice wavers. “Then somebody grabbed me from behind.”

Babe mutters a curse under his breath.

Raven’s fingers tighten together. “At first I didn’t know who it was. I threw my elbow into his gut and stomped on his foot to free myself. That’s when I realized it was Tony. I had a can of pepper spray, so I sprayed him in the eyes before I rushed inside and bolted myself in my apartment. That’s when I called you.”

Despite the fury boiling inside me, pride cuts through it. Tony picked the wrong person to attack. My girl isn’t weak.

She gasps when someone pounds on the door. We all go still until we hear Shield’s voice coming from outside.