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“It's not what I’m doing, son. It’s just we don’t really get the chance to talk like this.”
“We don’t need to do it now. We’ll find Myles, and then we’ll all go home.”
“It’s okay to be scared, Mase. It reminds us we’re human, no matter what your grandpa’s told you over the years.”
I am scared. The only thing I can cling to is that I will find Myles, and I will rip apart anyone and everyone who took part in taking him.
Chapter Two
Myles
My ankle is cuffed to the radiator pipe, and my wrists are bound behind my back. It hurts to breathe, and since I’ve broken a rib or two quite a few times in my life, I’m pretty confident these motherfuckers have broken a rib or two of mine. The wound across my cheek stings like a motherfucker. I have no idea where they’ve brought me, but I know I’ve been beaten several times since. It’s become painless in a way. Once your threshold has been reached, anything after is just a buzz.
From what I can make out, their base used to be a factory but hasn’t been in commission for years. The old pipes clank and clatter regularly, but no one notices over the music blaring and the video games the gangfuckers play nonstop. They’re essentially a bunch of fucking kids. It angers me, not only that they got me so quickly but that they took the town from Wyatt and the brothers. For once, I’m keeping my mouth shut. I’m using the time I’m invisible to them to watch them—every single one. I take in the names they call each other, their mannerisms,tattoos. And most importantly, I manage to see who’s who in the chain of command. So far, there isn’t any fucker here who I wouldn’t take on in a fight.
One of them walks over with a bottle of water and half a sandwich. Kneeling before me, he twists the cap off the bottle and tips it to my lips. I take the offered water but turn my nose up at the sandwich.
“I’m surprised you’re still alive,” he murmurs quietly.
I keep my mouth shut. No comebacks. No quick wit. These fuckers wouldn’t know strength if I were to punch them in the face. I swirl the saliva around my mouth and hawk it in his face. He springs up to his feet, using his sleeve to wipe my spit away, and lands punch after punch until it is lights out for me.
“I wish I could remember the day I became immune to the black eyes and grazed knuckles.”
Emma presses the bag of ice harder against my cheekbone and eye as if she thinks it’ll hurt me in the way she assumes it would. It does hurt, but I enjoy the frozen sting of pain.
“If it wasn’t for the fact I know you enjoy this, I doubt I’d ever be able to wrap my head around it.”
Her soft fingertips brush away the strands of hair falling over my other eye, and I lean into her touch.
“It looks worse than it is, babe,” I assure her.
“So you say. What was it this time? Was it because of the club? Or because someone looked at you wrong or something stupid like it?”
“For your information, I was rescuing a kitty from an asshole.”
“Really?” Her sarcasm bites, and I grin.
“Admit it, you find it hot when I come home from winning a fight. I bet if I were to slip my hand up your skirt, you’d be wet over it.”
Her chest heaves with a heavy sigh, and I know I’m right.
“Your ego knows no bounds, Mr. Simmons.”
“You love it.”
Dumping the ice bag on the table, she straddles my lap and ignores the swelling of my eye. Placing her hands on my shoulders, she leans in and presses a soft kiss on my forehead.
“Penelope is starting to ask questions and wants to know why Daddy is always hurt. If you don’t calm it for me, think before you fight for her. While I may find it hot, she does not, and she worries about you.”
My ego deflates faster than a balloon whizzing through the air. It’s one thing to tease Em, but hearing Penny worry about me is another.
“I’ll stay at the club till my bruises heal.”
“Don’t do that. Just tell her about saving a kitten, and you’ll be okay.”
I laugh, holding onto her tighter. “No matter what I go through, coming home to you always makes it better.”
Her eyes drop from mine, and all joking vanishes.
