The first thing I saw was the piece of shit who I hoped was John, cuffed to a chair.
I leaned over and placed my lips by his ear. Speaking through clenched teeth, I let the full force of my fury leak into my words. “If I find out you have touched one hair on her head, I promise you will beg for death before I’m finished with you.”
I swung my fist hard and fast, hitting him on the temple so hard his head snapped almost too far to the side. “Take him to the clubhouse basement. I’ll call it in. He can’t be here.”
As they dragged his sorry ass out the door, I raced through the house, yelling for my Jules. I came to a door in the kitchen. It was the only door in the whole damn house that was dead bolted shut. I knew she was in there. I could feel it. I heard boots behind me. My backup.
With my brothers flanking me, I unlocked the door with a shaky hand, preparing myself for what was on the other side.
9
Jules
Trying to stay alert was hard between the hunger pains and my tongue swelling from the lack of water. I had no idea when they might come back to feed us or even let us go to the bathroom. The ability to tell night from day was nonexistent. The only thing I was fully aware of was the cold. It was impossible to sleep when the ground felt like a block of ice. The cold seeped into my bones from my feet and ass, and everything was going numb. The feeling was a little scary.
I couldn’t trick myself into believing this would be over soon anymore. I had to admit, the temptation to give up hope was overwhelming.
Suddenly, the sound of motorcycles roaring to a stop and tires squealing outside had my head snapping up. My heart jumped as terror ripped through me. I just knew that whoever was here wasn’t here to help. They were either taking another girl or they’d found one to take Leah’s place.
My chest felt like it was going to explode and I felt dizzy. I couldn’t seem to catch my breath. Oh God, what if it was John coming for me? There was nothing I could do to stop him. No way to get free. I tried to take a deep breath and cried out in pain when the pressure pulled my rib cage, where the guy had kicked me earlier.
The room above us erupted with yelling and thumps and other sounds I couldn’t make out. Then the door opened and several heavy-footed boots stomped down the stairs toward us.
Terror set in full force as I shook. I couldn’t handle the unknown anymore. Screams let out around the room. Someone turned the light on for the first time in days and my eyes burned. I clamped them shut to block out the blinding light.
Someone grabbed me and I screamed. I kicked with my weak legs and punched with my free hand. I would not go without a fight. I tried to catch my breath through the screams as strong arms gripped me tighter.
My voice cracked as I screamed. “No! Leave me alone! Please, just leave me alone!”
Whoever had me was yelling something, but nothing registered over my fear and the roaring in my ears. My body finally gave out on me, my strength melting away as I fell to the side. Everything started to go black. I pried my eyes open, fighting the darkness.
Squinting in the flash of light that tortured my eyes, I swore I saw his face. The only man I had ever truly loved.
“Dom,” I whispered.
As the world fell away, I let myself float into the dream that he was really here and I was safe in his arms.
Dom
I headed down the stairs, my brothers at my back. The overwhelming stench of human waste nearly knocked me over, but I kept going. A pitiful chorus of whimpers and sobs, that would give a grown man nightmares, greeted us as we descended.
All of us ran our hands along the wall in the utter blackness, unsure of what we’d find and trying to watch our steps. One of my brothers found the light switch. When he flipped it on, screams blasted my ears. I tried to block them out as I took in the scene around the room. The image would be burned in my mind forever.
Four girls chained to the floor. Dirty, thin, bloody, and beaten.
Then I saw her. My Jules.
I ran to her and gathered her in my arms, my heart pounding in my chest. Part of it was relief that I had found her, the rest was rage at what they’d done to her. She panicked, her eyes not really seeing me, and started kicking and screaming for me to leave her alone. My heart shattered as I tried to hold her and keep her from hurting herself while telling her it was me. But she wasn’t hearing me. Then she gasped and fainted.
I held her tight as I yelled to my brothers. “Call this in and get some fucking ambulances on their way!”
Looking around I saw girls cowering and crying. I couldn’t tell if it was from fear or relief. Maybe both. Who knew what they’d endured or how long they’d been here?
I looked to one of the guys. “Find the keys. Let’s get these girls free.”
Minutes went by. There was movement all around, but all I could see was Jules. Finally safe in my arms. Someone ran down the stairs and I looked up and saw one of the brothers with a set of keys. He moved to the first girl. She sobbed violently, shaking as he unlocked her chains.
