Page 19 of Dylan’s Dad (Horsemen Of The Apocalypse MC #1)

Lola

The low hum of the stereo fills the house, the old vinyl spinning beneath the needle, crackling just enough to make it feel alive.

I sway to the rhythm, bare feet gliding over the wooden floor as I wipe down the counter.

The scent of lemon cleaner mixes with the lingering traces of motor oil Reaper always carries home with him.

It’s faint, but it’s there, woven into the fabric of this place—just like he is.

I glance at the clock. He should be home by now. Reaper didn’t tell me exactly how long he’d be, but he did say he wouldn’t be gone too long, and it’s been hours.

The thought makes my stomach twist, but I push it away.

Worry never does me any good. Instead, I let the music take over, turning the volume up just enough to drown out the silence.

A slow smile curls at my lips as the beat picks up, something sultry and old-school, the kind of song that begs to be danced to. So I do.

I let my hips sway, let my body move like I have nowhere else to be, nothing else to do.

The cloth in my hand finds its way to the table, forgotten as I spin, hair spilling over my shoulders.

This is how I keep the nerves at bay—losing myself in motion, in music, in the simple act of making this place feel warm, feel like home.

The sound of two gunshots echoes through the room and I immediately freeze.

My mind is telling me to run, to find a place to hide, but my body won't cooperate.

The door bursts open, as if someone had kicked it in with all their might.

In a matter of seconds, Dylan appears in the doorway.

His voice drips with contempt as he sneers at me.

"There she is," he says. “ The dumb fucking whore who will screw anyone.”

“Get the fuck out!” I yell, but he just laughs. Does he seriously find this situation amusing? How did I miss this completely unhinged behavior before.

“You think you're the one calling the shots? You're dead wrong.” His right hand comes into view, revealing a gun that I didn't even realize he had until now. “I'm the one in control.”

“What are you hoping to gain from this, Dylan? I have protection from the club and Reaper will be home any minute now.” I lie through my teeth, I honestly have no idea how long Reaper will be at the club.

Once again, he's laughing, but it sounds off. How did I never notice the way his laughter makes my skin crawl? There is no warmth to it; instead, it's cold and cruel. “You obviously aren’t that special, if they had that dumbass prospect guarding you. He’s dead now, didn’t even draw his weapon, dumbass.

As for my dad, we will be long gone before he gets here. ”

"Gone?" I question.

"Yeah, we're going on a little drive," he says with a sinister smile.

"Why would I go anywhere with you when you're probably just going to kill me?" I scoff in disbelief.

"You have two options," he offers. "You can either come with me, or we can stay here and wait for dear old Dad to arrive. And when he does, I'll put a bullet in his head without hesitation." He nonchalantly throws a pair of handcuffs onto the floor in front of me. "So, what's it going to be?"

Dammit! I can’t let him kill Reaper because of me.

I just need to stay alive long enough for Reaper to find me and I know he will stop at nothing to find me.

Going with him is the best chance I have to stay alive long enough.

Picking up the handcuffs I lock my hands in front of me.

Dylan crosses the room grabbing me by my hair and shoves the gun into my back forcing me toward the door.

Once we get close to his car he releases my hair but keeps the barrel pressed to my back.

I hear a beep as if he pressed a button on the key fob and his trunk pops open.

I can't believe this. Is he really going to put me in the trunk?

He's shoving the gun harder into my back.

"Get in!" he demands. "Either you get in or I'll put you in there.

" Following his orders is my best chance at surviving, but my feet won't budge.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shoots through my head and then everything goes dark.

***

Reaper

The sound of Stallion's phone ringing interrupts our conversation. He answers it brusquely, "What?!" My best friend's expression turns pale as he looks at me and then back to the call. "Hold on." Stallion presses the speaker button and says, "Okay Ray, can you repeat what you just said?"

“Dylan was just here. He showed up and shot me. He went into the cabin and just a few minutes later he was dragging Lola out at gunpoint.” Ray’s voice is strained, and his breathing sounds labored as if it's being forced from his chest.

“How bad are you injured?” I ask.

“I don’t think it’s that bad. I took one to my side and one to the thigh.”

“How long ago did they leave?”

“Less than 5 minutes.”

I look at Stallion and he nods. “Everyone get ready to head out. I’ll call soon with the location. Find Keyes and have him meet me at my house.” I shout and head out the door.

I sped through the drive that normally takes 30 minutes in just 20, with a heavy heart and racing thoughts.

I know it's too late to catch them, but there's no other choice but to go home. Ray is slumped against the front steps, his blood staining the concrete beneath him. He lied, his injuries are far more severe than he let on. Using his belt as a makeshift tourniquet, he managed to slow the bleeding from his leg, but his shirt is drenched in red and a pool of blood forms around him. As I approach, I can see how deathly pale he is. FUCK! “You said it wasn’t bad! You need a fucking ambulance.”

I place my hands against the wound with one hand dialing 911 with my other.

When they get here they are gonna wanna question me and that will take time Lola doesn't have.

I will have to make myself scarce while they are here.

As soon as I hear the ambulance I look down at Ray.

"They will be here soon and I can't be here when they arrive. "

Ray's eyes meet mine, filled with regret. "I let the club down...I let her down. I'm so sorry."

"Hey, look at me you did no such thing. I need you to hang in there though." The sound of the emergency vehicles grows closer.

Ray shoves at me, “Go! You need to leave so you can save her!"

I quickly stand up and sprint into the house, making a beeline for the secret basement that I had carefully included during my early renovations on the cabin. It’s dark and musty but the paramedics won't linger and with no one else around they should be gone fairly quickly.

Keyes arrives shortly after the ambulance departs, and I am relieved to see him.

"I rushed here as fast as I could. Let's go inside so I can set up and track down your girl.

" His unusually friendly demeanor is unsettling; he's usually a cocky and sarcastic asshole.

As we enter, I watch him pull out his laptop and arrange his equipment on the kitchen island.

"Do you think she has her burner phone with her? "

"I'm not sure. Usually, she keeps it on the nightstand when she's here. I can go and see if it's there." As I start to head towards the stairs, the sound of computer keys tapping fills the room.

“Don’t bother, it's here. Give me a second let me run the GPS on his phone.” More clacking and then, “Shit!

He must have turned it off. I'm getting nothing.” Running his fingers through his shaggy blonde hair, he cracks his neck and returns to typing away.

“Let me run some property records on him. Wait! His car is newer right?”

I casually lift my shoulders in an unsure gesture, but he doesn’t even glance in my direction. He is fully engrossed in the computer screen.

"It looks like there is a 2020 Dodge Charger registered under his name. It's equipped with an advanced anti-theft GPS system, which can be challenging to hack. I'll see what I can do. By the way, do you happen to have any black cherry soda?"

“Uh, no. Is that even a thing?”

He turns toward me with a look of bland irritation. “Yes, it’s a fucking thing. Jesus Christ Reaper you need to broaden your horizons and banging a 20-year-old is not what I’m talking about.” There it is. There’s the Keyes I’m used to.

“Fuck you, Asshole.” I growl.

He laughs manically going back to his screen.

“Hang on. . . I think I might have it. Fuck! Firewall.” He leans in closer to his screen as if that somehow will make it easier to do his hacking.

Actually I know nothing about hacking, maybe it does.

“Let me just find a backdoor really quick.” It’s a little unsettling how he can hack anything he sets his mind to.

I’m really glad to have him as a brother instead of an enemy.

“Bingo! GPS says this is where his car is. . .” He turns the screen to face me.

“Text me and Stallion the location. Stay here and keep tracking the location, let me know if his car moves.”

“What no, please?” He looks at me with a shit eating grin.

“You want me to knock your ass off that stool?”

I dial Stallion’s number as I walk out the door, “Keyes found the GPS location of Dylan’s car.

He should be sending you the location. I’m leaving now.

Get as many guys as you can and meet me there.

Oh, and bring a cage.” I’m not sure what we will find when we get there but one way or another he’s gonna be brought back alive and put in the cave beneath the clubhouse.

“Done, brother.” With his confirmation I end the call. Climbing onto my bike and pulling up the location on my phone. According to this they didn’t go too far but it’s secluded and that sends a chill down my spine.

I pull up on the Charger parked in the middle of the road a few long minutes later.

Getting off my bike I pull out my Glock and approach it slowly, It’s empty.

There is nothing but the woods out here.

A burst of fear grips my heart, what if he killed her?

This would be the perfect place to dispose of a body.

No! No, I will not go there. I pull out my phone and shoot a text to Stallion.

Car is empty going into the woods. My girl is a fighter.

She is out here and she is still alive. Looking for any sign of which way I should go, I see it.

Blood. It’s not enough to be fatal but it’s quite a ways back down the road heading into the woods on the east side.

Did she jump out of the fucking car? I can’t think of another reason there would be blood this far from the car.

Quietly I make my way through the woods, gun raised.

I doubt either of them made it far enough that they wouldn’t have heard my bike.

My girl is smart and she won’t come out if he hasn’t already caught her.