Page 49 of Anything for You (Veterans of Silver Ridge #7)

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

Dove

I t took no more than three minutes to figure out where we were going.

I’d suspected from about minute two, and here we were, twenty minutes after getting abducted at gunpoint, rolling into the compound just a few minutes down the road from my own house.

Great.

The good news was, instead of wanting to shrivel up in a ball and cry, I was getting angry.

Not usually my default emotion—I wasn’t actually all that familiar with anger.

Most of my life, I’d avoided it since it didn’t do much for me.

What good would being angry with my parents, or the cult leader, or even my brother, do me?

But as they pulled me from the car, hands bound behind my back with what had felt and sounded like some kind of zip tie, and then manhandled Catherine out and immediately tied her hands behind her back, I felt the ore-melting fire of rage burning in me.

Because this had to be thanks to my brother, which meant I was going to murder him.

Well, not murder him.

Definitely do whatever I could to get out of this and then have him arrested, right along with his merry band of misogynist peabrains.

Sure, one might argue I didn’t know they hated women, but I’d suggest kidnapping two women at gunpoint hinted strongly at just that, not to mention a few other flaws in one’s character.

“You’re hurting me,” I said, hoping some amount of protest might be heeded. I hadn’t dared to speak in the car, but the gun wasn’t pressed into my head anymore, and I’d started feeling fairly confident they wouldn’t shoot me outright since Hawk would be mad. “Where are you taking her?”

No response, despite my continued questions as we walked. I’d ask Hawk—no, demand he tell me.

Granted, Hawk wasn’t a leader here. I knew that like I knew Dorian would be waking up in approximately ten hours and if I didn’t show my face soon after, he’d know I was missing.

Clock is ticking, crapheads.

We entered a building with faded sunflowers painted on the outside, no doubt a vestige of the sweet tenants who’d been elbowed out.

Inside, the barn appeared to be a meeting space with wooden benches and a stage up front with a microphone and lectern.

Behind it was a giant American flag and a chalkboard affixed to the wall with the word HISTORY in all caps and the his underlined.

Oh. Goody.

The claim that the history of the United States and more likely all of humanity was only valuable when looked at through the white male lens had been a common refrain in my childhood. It looked like Hawk had managed to find a group of people with a nearly identical ideology.

My stomach rolled, and I gritted my teeth against the bite at the hinge of my jaw.

If I wasn’t careful, I’d end up throwing up.

I’d never thought of myself as someone who could be triggered by things.

For the most part, I’d made decent peace with my past, especially since I’d had such a good life with Nan.

But based on the way I felt physically ill, maybe I wasn’t as solid as I thought.

We swerved past the stage and exited the barn out a back door, crossed a dirt expanse, and entered another building. Inside, fluorescent lights cast an eerie glow in the hallway. After one turn, we arrived at a room where the goon shoved me inside to find Hawk sitting at a table.

“Hiya, Dovey.”

In another life, I’d Hulk out and rip my hands out of my restraints and slap him silly enough he saw stars. In reality, I strained against the zip ties, the plastic cutting into my skin, and took a breath before speaking.

“Where is my friend?”

He merely blinked.

“You realize this is illegal and you are going to jail for this, right? All of you?” I turned to look at the person who’d taken me, but he’d melted away, back outside the door.

“No need to worry about that. You’re here to help, and since you’re obligated to do no harm, you’re going to do it without me doing anything more than asking.” He smirked like he held all the cards.

Maybe he did right now, but in what world would someone not come for me? Did he really not understand the real world enough to know this ended badly for him?

Clearly, making such an argument wouldn’t register, so I didn’t waste my breath. “Is someone hurt? Is that why I’m here?”

“Calm down, okay? First, you’re going to meet Jeb, and then?—”

“Jeb?”

His eyes hardened. “Yes. Jeb. He’s in charge here. And when you meet him, you’d be smart to keep your trap shut and show him some respect. You remember how to do that, right?”

Eyes down. Soft voice. Respond when spoken to, otherwise be silent. Don’t be tempting. Always be willing to serve.

The mantra from my childhood echoed through my mind, and an involuntary shudder racked my body.

“I’m not getting involved in anything here, Hawk. Let me go.”

He sighed and shook his head. “Not an option.”

“Let me go now and I won’t report it to the police.” Total lie, I absolutely would, but it was worth a shot.

His sneer could’ve sliced me open. “Right. I’ll believe that the day I believe you’re living a righteous life.”

Great. Here we went with the nonsense. “I don’t think we have much to discuss. You wanted me to meet someone? Take me to them.”

I was not going to listen to him spout on about how I was wrong for living my life—how my long hair was tempting men or my pants were an offense to him and all his brethren.

I was not about to listen to someone who’d orchestrated a kidnapping tell me about righteousness, especially knowing where we’d come from and all the horrible things that’d come along with the culture .

When you put women in cages, you lost the ability to say anything about righteousness.

“Fine. Come with me.”

He grabbed my upper arm in a tight, merciless grasp and began walking.

He slowed after a few twists and turns in the hallways and arrived at a larger room where a man with dark hair tied back from his face in a low bun and a neatly trimmed beard stood with his hands pressed together, a pleased expression on his face.

My throat tightened, and my pulse ratcheted up. I didn’t know this man, but I’d known one like him. He had that energy that said he was in charge and everything would be fine, that he was loving and charismatic, but if anyone crossed him… good luck.

I wanted to be brave. I wanted to spit in his face and run out of here, get across the property line to Dorian’s farm and start screaming. Maybe Bear would hear me, or one of the farm hands might be at work early. Who knew. Anything would be better than this.

Except every muscle in my body had frozen at the sight of this man in his tunic-like shirt and slacks, a wolf in sheep’s clothes who embodied everything that’d haunted my nightmares as a teen.

It was a man just like this who’d filled my father’s head with lies, and a man just like him who’d poisoned my brother.

They’d had their own choices to make, but I would never pretend there weren’t some people who had a little extra ability to sway weak-minded people. They were the wolves, and here I was, standing in front of one again.

“Welcome, Ms. Jensen. We’re so glad to have you as our guest.” His smooth, low voice would’ve been pleasant if I didn’t know any better .

“Do you kidnap and handcuff all your guests? That’s not a very kind way to treat people.”

Hawk’s grasp tightened around my arm, a warning.

But the man shook his head, his face showcasing dismay. “My goodness, my apologies. I was told you’d offered your assistance.”

His gaze cut to Hawk’s, and my brother’s hand instantly loosened. Then in another few seconds, the zip ties were cut.

“I’m Jeb Johnson. Please.” He extended his hands to me.

Internally, I recoiled, but externally, I was still frozen. When his hands covered mine, they were soft and warm.

“Take a moment. Do you need anything? Some water?” His solicitous tone made no sense.

I’d had it. “Why am I here?”

“Did your brother not tell you? Hawk, come now.” He clucked at Hawk like an old man might, though he couldn’t have been much older than me.

“One of my friends is in labor. She’s been struggling for the better part of a day.

We’d like your help, if you’re willing. And after that, we’ve got a few other people who could use your attention. ”

I blinked, absorbing this. “I’m here to help with medical needs?”

Some part of me relaxed, knowing this was actually something I could do. If the root of all of this drama came down to them needing medical care, I could handle it.

They wouldn’t have needed to kidnap me either. It might’ve taken some convincing, but didn’t Hawk know I’d willingly help if I could?

“Yes. What else?” Jeb looked truly troubled.

I shrugged, relief flooding me. “Never mind. Please show me to whoever needs help.”

And I would’ve taken that ease with me if I hadn’t seen an odd glint in Jeb’s eye as he cast my brother a look that chilled me to the bone just before he set a hand on my back and led me away.