Page 270 of Conquered

My head turns to face forward again, and though my eyes see what looks like a lawn of yellow flower heads cheerfully bobbing in the slight breeze, my mind is still wondering who Roman and Rowan Kent are.

And what could my uncle possibly need to protect me from?

CHAPTER THREE

LOKI

Hunter ‘Shadowman’ Anderson:

Found her.

“Guys!” I shout, my heart pounding in my chest like it’s trying to get to my girl right the fuck now, the sounds ofGoneby Blake Rose playing in the background. Leaping up and ignoring the slight wobble due to the heavy night of drink and drugs I’ve still not recovered from, I rush out of my room, almost colliding into Jax in the hall. “Did you see?” I ask him, almost breathless in my excitement.Of course he fucking knows, dumb-ass, it was on the group chat we have with the leader of the Shadows Crew.

“Yes,” is all our quiet, giant of a brother says as we pound down the stairs to find Ash and Kai already standing in the main room waiting, heads snapping up as we approach. Ash strides towards us, hands slightly raised in an almost placating gesture, and I just know that what he’s about to say will piss me the hell off.

“I need you to remain calm and hear me out. Both of you,” he tells us, his voice hard but not unkind. My eyes narrow, and I stop in front of him, arms crossed over my chest, which rises and falls with my heavy breathing. I can barely contain the swirling storm of emotion running through me, like there’s a sandstorm inside of me, waiting to burst free and suffocate anyone who gets in my way.

Jax comes up beside me, mirroring my pose, and a flash of respect and admiration runs through me at Ash, our leader, not flinching under our heavy scrutiny. Many grown-ass men would be cowering by now. Many have, but not him. His monster recognises its kin.

“Fine,” I grumble out through clenched teeth. Jax just grunts.

“I’ve just spoken to Hunter, and the Kent twins have seen her,” he starts, and a breath rushes out of me, my whole body tingling at his words. I was so fucking worried that she was gone for good, like a beautiful ghost, never to be seen again. “They say she’s weak, likely drugged up, and seems confused, but looks like she’s being fed and has a nurse with her.”

My vision clouds, the red mist of my anger obscuring the room until everything else fades away, and the pounding in my ears is so loud it feels like the drums of war are sounding all around us in time with my racing heart. Jax’s growling snarl brings me back to the present; Ash is still standing in front of us, spine ramrod straight, facing down the demons that have surfaced within his brothers.

“That dickhead cunt is drugging her?” I question, my voice cold and measured as I plot all the ways I’m going to remove his body parts while keeping him alive. No one hurts my Pretty Girl and gets away unscathed.

“They think so, but don’t know for sure.” He grimaces, and I feel my face twitch, knowing that there’s more that will enrage my beast. “The point is, we can’t rush in and rescue her.”

As soon as the words leave his lips, Jax’s fist connects with his jaw, and Ash stumbles back but manages to stay upright. My arms lower, hands clenching tightly, itching to do the same, even though I know that he’ll have a good reason behind his orders. Kai comes over, standing between the two men, though Ash shows no sign of retaliation, just rubs his jaw as a line of blood trickles down his chin from a busted lip.

“If we rush in, it could get Lilly killed!” Kai snaps, his outstretched hand trembling, as if that would keep Jax back. He lowers it when Jax just stands there, chest heaving, but makes no move to hit our leader again.

“Explain,” I bite out, arms folded once more to try and curb the desire to destroy everything and everyone in my path.

“There is no way myfatheris not involved, and if we suddenly ride off on a rescue mission, he’ll know what we’re up to. All it would take is one phone call, and she’s gone…permanently,” Ash informs us, and I know that he hates this just as much as we do. His controlling nature won’t allow anything less than everyone he cares about being within arm’s reach, safe and protected by him. But more than that, our fearless leader loves our girl with all his dark and wicked soul. He needs her light, just as we all do. We can no longer survive without it.

I’ve slipped back into drinking and taking drugs every night, seeking oblivion, chasing her spectre. Jax is working out harder than ever, and I suspect he’s been taking part in the more illegal fighting circuits if his own bruises are any indicator. Kai looks as though he hasn’t slept in weeks, working all the hours he can trying to find a lead. Fuck, even his schoolwork has dropped off, and he’s not been on us to keep our grades up either. And Ash, he got us to hide all the knives and shit, but I’ve seen bloody tissues and bandages in the trash can in his room.

We’re falling apart without her, and I don’t know how much longer we can go on.

“What do you suggest?” I ask, my very soul feeling bone tired. I just want my–our girl back.

“Kai’s birthday is in three weeks. We will book flights to Amsterdam, it is his nineteenth after all, but once we get there, we fly back to England and meet up with the Shadows. We’ll need their help. Meanwhile, we replace her current nurse with one of our own. Hunter knows someone, so we can keep a closer eye on her and try to help where we can and stop the drugging,” Ash tells us, his penetrating gaze swapping from mine to Jax’s, trying to gauge our reactions. It’s what makes him not only a good leader but a great one. He takes our opinions seriously. It’s the one reason why our monsters heel to him.

“Three weeks?” Jax murmurs, voice laced with the sweet taste of promised violence and bloodshed.

“Three weeks,” Ash replies, a sharp nod in Jax’s direction. The big guy’s nostrils flare, taking in a huge inhale.

“Okay,” he responds before turning around, grabbing his gym bag which has taken up permanent residence by the door, and leaving. Ash turns to me.

“Three weeks and not a day more,” I state, nausea swirling in my stomach. How will she forgive us for leaving her there, knowing that we might have been able to get her out sooner? How can we forgive ourselves?

“Not a day more,” Ash vows.

“Not an hour more,” Kai adds, and the promise settles on our shoulders, a weight that I know we will all bear until we’re holding our soul safely back in our arms.

Hold on, my love, we’re coming for you. Just a little longer now.