Page 56 of Cries of Cassie

"No matter what, our compound is on lockdown. Nobody in and nobody out on the day we decide the swap will happen. Guns loaded, guards positioned, eat on duty if you're starving, no leaving your stations. No alcohol, no sex." I make the expectations very fucking clear, even if it pains me to put these limitations on our new relationship too. My heart may be with Cassidy right now, but I can multitask. "Absolutely no distractions."

"If Victor so much as thinks we're lying, he'll come after our women and home," Maddox adds, making the large group of men growl and curse Victor to hell.

Koa clears his throat and leans his elbows on the table. To Maddox, he advises, "You can't be the one to do it, Shade. Victor would never believe you capable of making the drug. It has to look like someone wants to overthrow you."

"But has to have the means to pull one over on you," I add my input, finishing my statement by looking at Ripley. "Ripper, you up for it?"

Frowning, Ripley crosses his arms and leans back in his chair. "How am I the best candidate for this? Not that I won't, but is it smart considering I'm literally in Shade's bed?"

"Right, which means I trust you wholeheartedly and would never expect you to lie or betray me." Maddox paces, clearly thinking through options. "You want to reinvent us. Just lean into Ripper mentality and get dark. Coin will join you and tell Victor that this will fix our finances. And Bash is your muscle beside you, making it clear you have some really good strength to pull this off."

"Fine, but if he so much as comments on Cassidy, I don't know if I can control myself from killing him right then and there," Ripley admits.

A snort slips free from my mouth, but I own it. "You won't kill him because if her name comes out of his mouth, you'll torture him as long as his body can hold out."

The office door opens, and the last fucking person I want to see comes walking in. "I can keep him alive long enough to do maximum damage," Bandaid offers with a grin.

I'm out of my chair so fucking fast it doesn't stand a chance, and quite frankly, I don't give two shits about the dent it makes in the wall. "What the fuck are you doing here?!"

"Whoa, hey!" Bash gets in my face trying to calm me down, but there's no taming the beast now.

Shoving past him, I close in on Bandaid. "Where is she? You should be with Cassidy." Where the fuck is my sunshine?!

He's calm and collected when he tells me, "Starlight wasn't in my office when I got there. I assumed she went to your house to lie down or something. So I came back to tell you, Spider."

"If she's not with you, then where the fuck is she?!" Snarling, I barely refrain from shoulder checking him out of my way.

Koa follows me out of the office, my rage already drawing the attention of everyone in the clubhouse. "Parker, maybe Bandaid is right, and she's resting at home. We didn't really take into consideration that she might not want to be seen by him."

My head pounds, threatening to explode into panic and rage. "I don't fucking care what Cassidy wants. She's in pain, and we have a fucking doctor!"

Koa reaches for me, but Maddox is there to stop him from getting in the middle of my fear and my fists. I'm scared. Something feels wrong. I have to find her faster.

"We'll check the house and have everyone search for her," Maddox orders, tugging Koa along behind him to catch up to me. "No killing your family, Parker!"

Narrowing my eyes over my shoulder, I falter. Ripley is as still as a statue outside the office with Maddy's phone to his ear. I'm right—something's wrong. Then, to my complete horror, he flinches and cries out before sprinting to us like a man possessed.

I don't know what snaps him out of the trance, but I've already stopped moving so he's able to catch up to us in under five seconds. Yet it feels like too long. So much can happen in five seconds.

The words that come out of Ripley's mouth are my undoing.

"Cassie's gone."

Chapter Thirty-Three

Cassie

"Just get in the fucking car then!"

Jake curses and rips the passenger door open before flinging himself into the seat. "This is such a bad idea, Cass. Seriously. Going out without protection? Do you have a death wish?!"

I grin and speed through the closing gate. "Then it's a good thing I have you, bestie."

"I'm serious," he says, sounding really fucking mad. "This better be quick. Ripper's going to kill me."

I hum and flip my blinker at the first red light on the main road. "I'd be more concerned about Parker."

"Fuck, Spider really will kill me. Koa will hack my phone and virtually ruin my life. Maddox will ban me, and I'll never get to see you again."