“Cara,” I murmur, softly as I approach the door of the damn thing to examine the lock. Her body tightens and she whimpers. I was going to need to pick the damn thing.
“VP, we gotta pick that fuckin’ lock and get her out of there,” I growl.
“Going to need to get Whip for this,” Tracker states and moves out of the room.
Fuck. This is bad. Time’s ticking and we’ve got to get her out of here.
“Cara, baby, hang on. I’m going to get you out of here,” I state before moving as close as I can.
“Nick,” she whispers, inaudibly but I hear her and my heart clenches. She’s the only one to ever call me by my real name rather than by my road name.
“Yeah, baby, I’m here. We’re going to get you out of here. Can you sit up for me?” I ask, gently.
“I don’t know.” Tears seem to choke her up as she struggles to get up.
“It’s okay, baby. I’ll help you up in just a minute. Whip’s on his way in here to pick the lock,” I state, calmly.
“What do we have?” Whip asks as he steps in the room.
“Cage lock, can you get it open?” I grumble, nodding to the cage keeping me from getting to Cara.
“Yeah, not a problem,” Whip states as he kneels down in front of the door and does his thing with his pick tools. Seems like minutes when it’s mere seconds that he has the door open and I’m able to get to Cara.
Wanting to give her some modesty, I shrug out of my cut and holster, remove my shirt. Kneeling next to Cara, I gently pull it over her head, her eyes clenched closed as I do this. “I got you, baby, just hold on and we’ll get you out of here.”
“Brother, we don’t have time to waste. Shadow has the timer suspended for now but whoever made it was smart enough to set a secondary timer that will trip it if the first is tampered with. We gotta go,” Venom declares from the doorway.
“We’re coming,” I say, grabbing my holster and cut in order to put them back on. Quickly yet gently, I lift Cara into my arms and join the others in the hallway. Rushing down the hall into the main room of the building, Shadow opens the door and holds it for us to exit.
“Gotta get to the ditch and take cover,” Shadow orders as we dart out the way we’d come.
I barely get into the ditch and brace when the deafening noise of the building exploding resounds around us.
Fuckin’ hell that was close.
Only good thing is we’d gotten my woman out of there. Next up, getting her the help she needs.
Chapter Three
Cara
“Brother, you know he’s going to be pissed for not being kept in the loop.”
“Don’t care. Doing this for her. She wouldn’t want him to be around her like this.”
“It’s your funeral.”
“He’ll get over it once he sees reason.”
“If that were my sister laying there in a hospital bed, I’d want to be told right a-fuckin’-way.”
“Coyote’s had enough shit to deal with lately and he doesn’t need to come down here when he’s got his kid and ol’ lady to take care of.”
“Doesn’t matter, brother, I’d still carry my ass down here to lay eyes on my sister regardless.”
The conversation around me filters through the haze pulling me out of the nightmares chasing me. What’s going on? Last thing I remember . . .
Oh God.
Thrashing my head side to side, I try to erase the memory away. The men raping me. All of them, but the one who enjoyed it the most was the least expected, Dicky. He’d been the one who destroyed me completely. The way he told me no one would be able to help me, that I was ruined for anyone else.
It was my lesson to be learned, as well as my brother’s and everyone in his club, especially the members from Twister’s club. This was an act of regaining themselves as the Dragons Fire MC.
“Shit.” One of the voices that had been talking mutters. “Shh, Cara, it’s okay. You’re safe. We got you.” I know that voice. Dreamt it many times, only to shake it away.
Nerd.
Please kill me now.
I never wanted him to see me like this.
The man I’ve been in love with since nearly forever and now I’m ruined completely.
Forcing my eyes open, I tilt my head to meet his gaze. Tears well in my eyes as I take in the pity in his.
“Hey,” he murmurs.
“Please leave,” I say, my throat scratchy and hurting from being raw.
Nerd tenses, his shoulders going taut. “What?”
My heart sinks in my chest as the pity I’d seen flickers to hurt. I know he’s only here because of my brother. Not me.
I heard him. He said it all only a minute ago.
Diverting my gaze from Nerd, I fiddle with the sheet at my waist.
“You need to leave. All of you,” I whisper.
“Baby,” Nerd breathes.
Shaking my head, I close my eyes. “Leave,” I state again. “Just leave, I don’t want you here. None of you. Go.”
By the time I say the last word I’m screaming. My throat tightens as tears spill down my cheeks, as I open my eyes again and lift my head I find Nerd staring at me, this time anger filling his gaze.
“Brother, let’s give her some time.” This comes from Tracker who I’d seen behind Nerd but didn’t pay attention to.
Without a word, Nerd turns on his heel, storms out of my room. The rest of the men in the room do the same, only Rage stays for a brief second to stare at me. A look of sorrow on his face. I don’t know why but it’s as if he understands me and my need right now.
