Sanctuary (Freaks MC Book 2) (18 page)

EIGHTEEN

“I'm going to have to hit the store.” Emma closed the cupboard door. “We've got no food. Is there anything you want?”

“
Surprise me.” He was still fastening his jeans as he stood behind her. “You okay for cash? My wallet's on the table.”

“
I'm good, thanks.” She turned and tugged on his belt until their bodies were touching. “I won’t be long.”

“Hey.”

Emma wound down the window and waited as Deke jogged over. “What do you need?”

“Smokes. We got any beer?”

“
Some. I'll get more.” She pulled off the drive, waving her thanks to the driver of the black Mercedes who'd slowed to let her out, and headed into town.

~ oOo ~

Emma wandered around the store on the edge of town, ticking off items on her mental list. Beer, pizza, some salad vegetables, milk. She even bought some bacon as a treat for her man – she knew he missed eating dead animals sometimes – and a huge tub of ice cream.

Purchases made, she loaded the trunk, vaguely aware of a car pulling up behind her. Frowning, she straightened up. If the idiot parked there, he'd block her in. As she turned, she felt something cold and hard pressed into her ribs. “Get into the car
puta.”
She froze. “Now. Or I will kill you where you stand.”

~ oOo ~

Where the fuck was she? Deke picked up the cell again. “C'mon baby, answer your fucking phone.” Something was very wrong. He grabbed his keys and headed out to his bike, praying that he was overreacting.

It had taken ten minutes to find her car
parked in the Safeway lot. It was unlocked, and the shopping was in the trunk. “Fuck! Fuck!” Frantically, he looked around, not even sure he knew what it was he was looking for. He pulled out his cell. “Tiny? Emma's .... She's...” He couldn't speak. Couldn't.... His knees buckled and he sank to his knees.

“
Samson? Samson? Emma's what? Speak to me, brother.”

“
Gone.” He forced the word out. He tried to slow his breathing and to stop his heart from pounding out of his chest.

“
Samson! Get your shit together, brother. Gone how?”

“
Taken.”

“
Where are you?”

“
Aberdeen. Her car... her car's here. I gotta...”

“
Okay, brother. Here's what you're gonna do. Go home and keep your shit together. If someone's snatched your girl, they're gonna be using her as bait. She's no use to them dead, Samson.”

“
We don't know that. It could be... They could be... I gotta find her.”

“
We'll get her back. I'll call Wolf. We can be with you in less than three hours. Just go home and sit tight till then, brother. And don't do anything stupid.”

Sit tight and wait? Fuck that. He needed to find her. Now.

As he jogged back to his bike, he flipped open his cell. As before, it went straight to voice mail. “You harm one hair on her head, motherfucker, an' I swear on my patch that I will disembowel you with my bare hands.”

He didn't see the blue van pulling up, and it was probably the roaring of blood in his ears that prevented him from noticing the men approach him from behind. Whatever the reason, he had no time to register anything before the world went black.

~ oOo ~

“
Wolf? We got big trouble. I need everyone at the clubhouse. Now.”

Tiny hung up and marched into the kitchen. Beth was baking cupcakes with Abi. “I need you to book the first available flight to Cali. You and the kids can stay at ma's.”

“What? Why? I can't just....”

“
Do it, Beth. I want you packed and outta here now.”

“
O-Okay. What's happened?” Beth lifted Abi off the chair and set the on the floor.

“
Emma's gone missing.” He ran his hand over his head. “I need you an' the kids outta here. If you can't get a flight right away, you stay in the clubhouse. I'll get someone to come over. Until we know what's going on, you don't go anywhere without eyes on you. You clear?” She nodded. “Good girl.” He leaned over and kissed her. “I gotta go. Stay put until the prospect gets here.”

“
Joe?”

He was already halfway out of the door. “I gotta go, Beth.”

“I know. Just find her, okay.”

“
We will. Lock the door.”

~ oOo ~

All eyes were on Tiny as he took his seat at his President's right hand. Wolf leaned back. “Floor's yours, brother.”

He cleared his throat. Being center of attention wasn't something the Seattle SAA was comfortable with. “Samson's ol' lady has been snatched, and now he ain't picking up his cell. I got a bad feeling 'bout this.” He looked around the room. “This has to be Serpiente. The nearest clubhouse to Aberdeen is Portland, so I'm guessing that's where they'll be heading.”

“How can you be sure she ain't just took off?” Barney chewed on his thumbnail. “I ain't keen on racing across the country cuz they've just had a fight.”

“
Samson found her car. He's sure, an' so am I.” He glared at his brother as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I ain't gonna argue about this” He turned to the chapter's newest patch. “Trog. You know about computers an' shit. Could we track their cells?”

“
I dunno, I'll call Mac in Bay View. He's got some pretty neat software, he...”

“
Don't talk about it. Do it. Now.” Tiny pulled a cigarette from the pack. “Twins?”

The two huge Canadian nomads looked up. “Yeah?”

“Get out on the street an' get digging. Someone must know something. Samson lives way off the grid, someone must've have told these assholes where to find him.”

“
I still think...”

“
You know what, Barney? I don't give a fuck what you think. Now I suggest all the brothers with ol' ladies and kids either get them here or outta town. Trog, you and the grunt can stay here with the twins and take care of our families. Me and anyone who wants to ride with me will meet up with Fox, Tank and Spider at Samson's place.” He looked around the room. “That's all. Be ready to ride in fifteen minutes.”

As they all filed out, Barney hung back. Tiny scowled. “Problem?”

“I.. I.” He looked away. “I think we shouldn't go rushing in, guns blazing. We don't even know where they are.”

“
They?”

“
I...I meant she.”

Tiny had spent a lifetime watching people. There was a reason his brothers hated playing poker against him. Quietly, as Barney chewed on his thumbnail, he closed the door. “You meant they.”

Barney stepped back, trying to keep the table between him and his brother. “It was a slip of the tongue.”

Tiny leaned on the door. “You're dead. You know that, right? Right now, though, I ain't got time to play games. So here's the deal, I'm gonna ask you two questions. You answer them truthfully, I will walk out of here and you have the time it takes to get Samson and Emma back to get away. Lie to me, and I'll get the truth from you
my
way.” He folded his arms. “Who has them?”

“
I don't know.”

“
Wrong answer. Who has them?”

“
Serpiente.”

“
You have a contact?”

“
I..”

“
Are you fucking stupid? Your contact. Call him now. Arrange a meet.”

“Twins.” Tiny strutted through the clubhouse. “Take a van, be on the lot on the corner of Twenty-First in half an hour. Grab the Mexi piece of crap waiting there and make him talk. Text me as soon as you have a location.”

They both looked back into the chapel, but any questions they had went unasked as they nodded and headed outside.

Tiny pulled out his burner. “Fox. Change of plans. Head straight for Portland. If I haven't contacted you by the time you get there, get over to the Serpiente clubhouse and stir up a shitstorm.” He hung up and looked over to Wolf. “You get that?”

“
Yeah.” He, too, nodded to where Barney was lurking. “We'll deal with that later. C'mon, brothers. Lets roll.”

~ oOo ~

Emma opened her eyes as the door was flung open and two goons walked in dragging Deke between them. “Deke!” Not caring that the plastic ties dug deeply into her wrist and oblivious to the pain in her shoulders, she struggled futilely against her restraints. “Deke!”

“
Shut up, bitch.” She was slapped so hard that her head hit the post she was shackled to. “Tie him to that beam up there, then wake him up.”

Deke groaned as his arms were yanked over his head as the goons chained him to the wooden beam, but he didn't open his eyes. Emma struggled harder. “Oh god, Deke.”

Slowly he opened his eyes and lifted his head. His face was covered in blood and his lip was swollen. “Emma?” His head dropped again, but his eyes remained open. “I am going to kill every one of you motherfuckers.”

“
No. I don't think you will.” The owner of the voice was, Emma assumed, the man in charge. “You are going to watch my brothers and I have fun with your bitch before we slit her throat, then I will decide what we will do with you.” He laughed. “I have a fancy to leave you alive. But, meh, we'll see.”

“
Let her go. She's innocent in all this.”

“
She opens her legs for you – the man that tortured and killed my baby brother, then dumped him at our door – she's not innocent. She's a dirty whore.” He moved closer to her and ran his finger down her face. “She is a pretty little thing though. What's the word you crackers use? Sweet.” He grabbed her hair and from his pocket pulled out a switch blade. “Such a shame to spoil it.”

“
No! You cock sucking son of a bitch.” Deke threw himself forwards as the blade sliced into her cheek. “Oh fuck, no! Emma baby.”

It stung, but didn't hurt so bad. She wanted to reassure him that she was okay, but her mouth felt wrong and she wasn't sure she could speak. So instead, she forced her eyes to meet his, and tried to smile. “That's it, baby, focus on me.” Shit, he was crying. “C'mon, keep looking at me. They're nothing, nobodies. Cowardly pieces of shit. No, baby, don't look away. I'm here. I love you, Emma. Hold on to that. Hold on to me.” She looked up again and he smiled. “That's my girl. Stay with me, okay?”

~ oOo ~

Deke bit down on a scream as he felt the pin in his shoulder move. Swallowing the nausea he forced himself to hold her gaze as the Serpiente President sliced her dress open. “You're dead. I am gonna take your balls and choke you with them.”

The Serpiente ignored him. “Such pretty tits.” He grabbed one and squeezed hard, laughing as Emma whimpered. “When I've finished playing with them, I think I'll keep one as a memento.” He looked over to one of his goons. “Untie her and turn her around. I'm going to do to her what that cracker scum did to my brother.”

“Emma!” The pain shot, red hot, through his shoulder and he felt himself losing consciousness.

“
Wake him up. I don't want him to miss the show.”

Despite the agonizing pain, Deke allowed himself to slump forward. Fuckers wanted him awake, he'd stay unconscious. Anything to buy time for his little girl.

Samson never once doubted that his brothers would find them; all he needed to do was keep her alive. He wasn't sure how long it had been since he called Tiny, but at his best guess, they must have been about an hour away. Maybe less. He kept his eyes firmly closed as he was repeatedly slapped about the face.

“
Do I have to do everything myself?”

He forced himself to remain limp as his head was pulled back, then with every ounce of his strength, he slammed his head forward, connecting with his capturer’s nose. Ignoring the flashing in front of them, he opened his eyes and grinned at the bloodied man. “Fuck you.”

As the blows rained down on him, he kept his eyes fixed on the girl in front of him. The wound in her face was deep and blood was running down her body and pooling on the floor. She screamed as he was hit hard across the his back with a metal rod. His vision swam, but he kept his eyes on her. “It's okay, baby.” He wasn't sure if she could hear him, so he tried to smile. All their focus was now on him, and a few more precious moments were being bought.

“
I love you.” Had he said it out loud? He tried to focus but the pain was everywhere and his body fought to shut down in an act of self defense. One of the goons got within kicking range, Samson wasn't sure how much damage he'd inflicted, but the beating intensified and he allowed himself to sink under the gray blanket of nothingness.