Page 16

Austin

The war room was rife with tension, the air thick with cigarette smoke and anticipation. I stood at the head of the table, my hands braced against the worn wood, staring down at the scattered maps and intel Jax had pulled together. My men were gathered, a mix of deadly focus and barely leashed aggression, waiting for orders.

I’d wanted to be halfway to Mexico by now.

"Nothing yet," Jax muttered. The tech expert’s usual sarcasm was absent, replaced by a grim determination.

"We're running out of time," I growled. "She could be anywhere. Give us a location."

"She is anywhere," Jax shot back. "That's the whole problem. I can’t give you what I don’t have."

My patience was razor-thin, but snapping at Jax wouldn’t get us any closer to Emmy. The plane was on standby. All we needed was a destination.

Jax froze, the sound of his clicking keyboard ceasing. His entire body tensed, and his fingers remained still.

My pulse kicked up. "What?"

He didn't respond right away. His eyes were locked on the screen, his face pale.

"What the fuck is it, Jax?"

He turned the laptop toward me. The room went silent as the live feed filled the screen.

My world narrowed to that single image.

Emmy was in a dimly lit bedroom, lying on a king-size bed, her body bare, her legs open, revealing everything. Her skin appeared translucent under the glow of the soft lights. She moaned, and I looked closer. She was getting herself off.

Her hands were on herself. Her head tilted back, lips parted, cheeks flushed. I knew that look well.

A sick, twisted voice came from somewhere out of frame—speakers maybe—instructing her. “Good girl. Again.”

My chest tightened, fury roaring through my veins like an inferno.

I knew what I was seeing. Knew she wasn’t doing this willingly. I could see the tension in her muscles, the stiffness in her movements. The way her breathing hitched—not in pleasure, but in barely contained sobs.

My woman. My fucking woman. I saw red.

"Shut it off," I ground out, my voice like gravel.

Jax hesitated. "Austin?—"

"I said shut it the fuck off!"

He slammed the laptop shut, but it was too late. The image was burned into every one of my brain cells, fueling a level of rage I hadn’t felt in years.

The silence in the room was deafening.

"That was a live feed," Jax said quietly. "Which means she’s still there. Still in that room."

I took a deep breath, my fingers digging into the edge of the table. I needed to stay calm. Needed to focus. Losing my head wouldn’t save Emmy—it would get her killed.

"Did we get a location?" My voice was cold. Controlled.

Jax nodded, typing furiously again on a different computer. "Working on it. The signal was bouncing through multiple relays, but I’m tracing it back now."

I turned to my men. "Gear the fuck up. We’re going in."

I looked at Riot, who had remained mute throughout the entire exchange. The man looked sick. Doc had patched him up and gave him a shot of antibiotics, but I’d have loved to put a bullet between his guilt-ridden eyes. I still might.

"You still wanna be useful?" I asked.

Riot nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

My expression darkened. "Then pray we get there before I have to rip these fuckers apart with my bare hands."

Because I would.

If they hurt her—if they touched her—I would make sure their deaths were slow.

And I’d make The Ghost wish he’d never fucking been born.

I forced myself to breathe. To think. Every second wasted was a second Emmy was trapped in that hell.

Jax was still working as he traced the signal. My men were already moving, gearing up for the rescue. The sound of weapons being loaded, vests being strapped on, and plans being set into motion filled the room.

I turned to Tank. "Prep the vehicles. Full loadout. We go in fast, we go in hard."

Tank nodded and strode off without a word.

Riot lingered, shifting on his feet, his jaw tight.

"You got something to say?" I snapped, my patience now nonexistent.

"This is my fault."

My fingers curled into fists. No shit, it was his fucking fault. But saying it out loud didn’t help Emmy.

"You want redemption?" I said instead. "Then you help me get her back. Otherwise, shut the fuck up and stay out of my way."

Riot’s jaw worked, but he nodded.

Jax suddenly sat up straighter. "Got it!" He spun the laptop to face me. "It’s bouncing off a relay in Mexico, but I just cracked through the encryption. The signal is coming from a private villa outside of Hermosillo."

I barely glanced at the screen before barking orders. "Diesel! We’re heading to Mexico. Get the plane ready."

Diesel gave a nod and disappeared down the hall.

Jax was still typing. "This place is locked down, man. High walls, security on all sides. If we go in loud, they’ll put a bullet in her before we even get through the front gate."

"Then we go in quiet."

Jax hesitated. "Austin, I don’t think you understand—this guy, The Ghost? He’s not just some cartel fuck. He’s got connections everywhere. Cops, politicians—hell, even border patrol. If we make a wrong move, we could be walking into a massacre."

I stepped closer. "I don’t care if the fucking devil himself is backing this bastard. He took Emmy. And I’m getting her back."

Jax swallowed. Nodded. "Then we better be smart about it."

I turned to my men. "We need eyes on the villa. Someone who can get close without setting off alarms."

Riot stepped forward. "I know this place. There’s a guy…"

I lifted a brow. "That so?"

"Yeah. Old contact from when I was running jobs in Mexico. He owes me." Riot met my gaze. "If he’s still breathing, he’ll help."

I studied him for a moment, then jerked my chin. "Call him. We move out in an hour."

He left to make the call, and I turned back to Jax.

"Keep that feed up," I ordered. "If anything changes—if she moves, if they fucking touch her—I want to know immediately."

I clenched my jaw as he opened the laptop, forcing myself to stay calm. But inside I was hanging on by a single thread.

I thought about Emmy, alone in that villa. Thought about what she was being forced to do.

Then my rage burned hotter than ever. God help anyone who got in my way.

My blood pounded in my ears, my vision tunneling on the laptop screen as the grainy live feed of Emmy’s prison flickered in real time.

She was sitting on the edge of a massive bed, her shoulders stiff, her hands clenched in her lap. She looked exhausted. The stark white dress clung to her gorgeous body, and I hated the men that had seen her in it.

The voice came through the laptop speakers, low and menacing. "Again, n ina . You know the rules."

If I’d been able to eat anything in the last few hours, it certainly would have come back up.

Emmy flinched, almost imperceptible, and her chin tipped up slightly. I knew that look—she was fighting, holding on to whatever strength she had left.

"Do it, or I bring in the men."

She sucked in a breath, her hands trembling as they jerked off the dress and moved over her body.

I slammed my fists into the table, causing the laptop to rattle. "I’m going to fucking kill him."

Jax spoke up. "I’m working on pinpointing the source of the feed. I can see where it’s bouncing, but this fucker’s got security tighter than the Pentagon."

"Keep digging. I don’t care what you have to do."

Tank reappeared in the doorway. "Plane is ready. We can be wheels up in thirty."

I nodded, acknowledging him. My eyes were locked on Emmy, the fury inside me sharpening to a deadly edge.

Riot returned, shoving his phone into his pocket. "My guy’s in. Says he can get us eyes on the villa. Maybe even a way in."

My gaze snapped to him. "Good. Because we’re not waiting. We hit that compound tonight."

Jax swore under his breath. "We don’t even have a full layout of the place yet, man. We need more intel."

I grabbed my cut from the chair, sliding my arms through the leather. "We’ll get intel on the ground."

Riot’s jaw tightened. "You go in without a plan, you’re getting yourself and her killed."

I stalked toward him. "You really want to talk to me about getting her killed?"

He held his ground but didn’t push back.

"Look, I get it, Prez,” Jax said. “But we need to be smart. We want our men and Emmy to walk out of that place alive."

I sucked in a breath, forcing my fury into a tight leash. They were right. Charging in blind would get Emmy hurt—or worse.

I turned to Tank. "Get the team briefed. We go in quiet, surgical. No one makes a move until I give the signal."

Tank nodded.

I turned to Jax. "Keep watch. I want to know if she’s moved. But don’t look at her."

I took one last glance at the screen, at Emmy’s pale face, at the way her body tensed under the weight of her captor’s orders.

Hold on, baby. I’m coming.

Tonight, The Ghost would learn the cost of touching what belonged to me. And it would be paid in blood.

Tank adjusted the strap of his tactical vest. “Riot’s contact confirmed a perimeter breach point, but we’ll have to move fast before they lock it down.”

I gave a sharp nod. “Then we move like ghosts.” My gaze snapped to Jax. “Where are we with the feed?”

The live stream flickered, but it was still running, still tormenting me with every second Emmy was forced to comply.

“She’s still at the villa. They haven’t moved her yet,” Jax said, his voice tight with concentration. “I’m running a backdoor trace on their network. If I can plant malware in their system, I can take out their security cameras before we breach.”

My lips pressed into a hard line. “Do it.”

I side-eyed Riot. The man had a haunted look in his eyes, but he stood firm. I didn’t trust him—not completely—but if he had information that could get us inside faster, he was useful.

“You said your guy has eyes on the villa?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yeah. He sent over coordinates. It’s heavily guarded. Fencing. Armed men patrolling every entrance. But there’s a service tunnel on the south side. It leads to a storage building near the main house.”

I looked over the satellite images Jax had pulled up on the screen. I pointed to a cluster of trees just outside the property. “This is our entry point. We take out the perimeter guards first—quietly.” My gaze flicked to Tank. “Once we’re inside, I need two teams. One secures the exits, the other goes for the security room.”

“And you?” Tank asked.

“I’m going for Emmy.”

The room fell silent for a beat.

Jax was the first to speak. “You better get to her fast, brother. ‘Cause if this feed goes public?—”

My jaw locked. I didn’t need Jax to finish that sentence.

We had one shot at this. If The Ghost planned to auction Emmy off to the highest bidder, I would make sure he never got the chance.

I holstered my gun, checking the magazine before slamming it into place. The familiar weight of my weapon was comforting, but it did nothing to soothe the rage simmering in my blood.

This wasn’t just a rescue mission. This was war, and I was going to burn that fucking villa to the ground.

Fifteen minutes later, we were loading into the waiting blacked-out SUVs, engines rumbling like a beast waiting to be unleashed.

I slid into the front seat, gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turned white.

Tank sat in the passenger seat, stealing a glance at me. “You good?”

I let out a slow breath, forcing my pulse to steady. “I don’t get to be good, Tank. Not until she’s safe.”

He held my gaze, understanding in his eyes. “Then let’s go get her.”

I slammed the SUV into gear, the convoy roaring forward.

We were coming.

And hell was coming with us.

As the jet cut through the night sky, I sat near the window, my mind running through every possible scenario. I had men at my back, a plan in motion, and the kind of anger that could drive me for days—but none of it eased the knot in my chest. My phone vibrated in my pocket, and when I pulled it out, the name on the screen had me hesitating for just a second.

Ryan Cole.

We hadn’t spoken in weeks, but I knew my old friend didn’t call without a damn good reason. I answered with a gruff, “Now’s not the time, Cole.”

He didn’t waste a second. “I know where you’re going. And I know why.”

Of course, Cole knew. The man always had his ear to the ground. “If you’re calling to talk me out of it, don’t bother.”

He exhaled, the sound full of frustration. “I wouldn’t waste my breath on that. You’re already in the air, which means nothing short of hell itself is stopping you. But listen to me, brother—there’s a way to play this smart.”

I pushed to my feet, pacing the length of the cabin as the others glanced my way. My men knew better than to interrupt, but their curiosity was palpable. “I don’t have time for a lecture,” I muttered.

“This isn’t a lecture,” he shot back. “It’s an opportunity.”

I didn’t speak, but I didn’t hang up either.

“The Ghost has been on our radar for years,” Cole continued. “He slips through our fingers every damn time. The feds want him bad, but they can’t touch him outside U.S. borders. Me? I’m not a fed. I can work outside the lines, just like you.”

I let out a bitter chuckle. “Since when do cops work outside the lines?”

“Since they have friends willing to get their hands dirty.”

That had me pausing.

Cole took advantage of the silence and pressed on. “You want Emmy back. I get it. But while you’re at it, bring The Ghost in. Alive. We nail his ass to the wall, and in return, we help your club transition into what you’re trying to build. No more whispers of outlaw ties, no more roadblocks when it comes to going clean. You get official cooperation, a working relationship with the department for jobs that toe the legal line but don’t cross it.”

I rolled my shoulders, glancing at Jax, who was still focused on the laptop, tracking flights and movement on the dark web.

I had to admit, it wasn’t a bad deal.

“You’re asking me to keep that bastard breathing,” I muttered. The thought of The Ghost still walking, still alive after what he’d done to Emmy made my blood boil.

“I’m asking you to think about your future,” Cole corrected. “I know you, Austin. I know the kind of man you’re trying to be. Revenge is easy, but this? This is playing the long game. Take him out now and, yeah, you get your vengeance. But bring him in? That’s a legacy move. That changes everything.”

I exhaled slowly, gripping the back of a seat, my mind spinning.

“I’m not saying it’s an easy choice,” Cole added. “But it’s the smart one.”

Smart didn’t always mean satisfying. But for Emmy—for my club—maybe it was worth considering.

“I’ll think about it,” I said at last.

“That’s all I ask. And one more thing. Crow is off the hook for the murder. There was an eyewitness who marked him off the list. We’re still looking for the killer.”

The call ended, but the conversation lingered. At least something was going our way. Getting Crow cleared could have been dicey. I stared out the window, the darkness stretching endlessly before me. I had a war to fight, a woman to save—but now I also had a decision to make.

“Bad news?” Jax asked.

I slipped the phone back in my pocket. “Depends on how you look at it.”

Could I let that fucking bastard live? That was the real question.

The villa loomed in the distance, bathed in the eerie glow of floodlights. I crouched low, hidden within the thick brush at the perimeter of the property. My earpiece crackled as Tank’s voice came through.

“Perimeter guards are in position. Three-man rotation on the east side, two at the south tunnel entrance. Cameras are still live.”

My jaw clenched. “Jax?”

“Almost there. Give me fifteen seconds.”

I gripped my suppressed pistol in one hand and my knife in the other, my heart hammering. My mind kept replaying the last thing I saw on that live feed—her tear-streaked face, the forced pleasure, the humiliation.

I was going to kill these bastards.

Jax’s voice cut through my rage. “We’re dark.”

The moment the cameras went down, my men and I moved. Like shadows, we advanced, swift and silent. Riot took point at the south tunnel, slipping behind one of the guards. A quick flick of his knife, a gurgled choke, and the body slumped to the ground.

I was already moving past him, my own target in sight. The second guard barely had time to register my presence before my knife buried deep into his throat. I caught the man before he hit the ground, easing him down into the dirt.

No alarms. No noise. Just death.

Tank signaled from the tree line. “We’re in.”

I gestured forward. “Go.”

The team filed into the tunnel, our boots silent on the concrete. It smelled of damp earth and rusted metal, but my focus was on the villa above us.

Where Emmy was.

We reached the tunnel’s exit—a locked steel door. Diesel pulled out his lockpicking set.

“Two minutes,” he whispered.

I wiped sweat from my brow. We didn’t have two minutes.

I stepped back and raised my silenced pistol. One shot to the lock. The mechanism blew apart, and I shoved the door open.

We moved fast.

The hallway beyond was dark, but we had a map of the layout. Riot led the way, his knowledge of the villa keeping us on track. We passed closed doors—storage rooms, servant quarters—but there was no time to clear them.

My only concern was her.

Jax’s voice came through the comms. “Security room is down. You’ve got five minutes before someone notices.”

That was all we needed. I reached the grand staircase and signaled to Riot. “Where is she?”

He hesitated. “Top floor. Last door on the left.”

I didn’t wait. I took the stairs two at a time, my gun raised, my vision red. Two guards stood outside Emmy’s door. They had no time to react before I put two bullets in their skulls. Their bodies dropped. I kicked the door open, and what I saw...

Emmy was standing in the center of the room, naked and shivering. A camera opposite her was still active, the little red light blinking.

“Ah, finally, the knight arrives,” the disembodied voice announced, sounding almost pleased.

I didn’t think. I raised my gun and shot each camera.

Emmy gasped. Her wide, tear-filled eyes met mine. “Austin?”

Relief, rage, love—all of it crashed into me at once. I was going to burn this whole place down. But first I was getting Emmy the hell out of here.

I stormed into the room, my pulse roaring in my ears. Emmy stood frozen, her body naked, her arms trembling. I could see the terror in her eyes, the effect of everything she’d endured.

I reached for her. She flinched and my gut twisted.

“Baby, it’s me,” I said, my voice rough with barely contained rage.

Recognition flickered across her face, and then she was moving—throwing herself into my arms. I crushed her against me, my grip almost painful, but she clung to me just as desperately.

“You came,” she whispered, her voice shaking.

“I’ll always come for you,” I murmured into her hair.

The moment shattered with the sound of boots pounding down the hall.

“Move!” Riot barked from the doorway, gun raised.

I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed that damn white dress from the bed, pulled it over her head, and then hauled her into my arms. She tensed, but she didn’t fight me. I had no time to reassure her.

“Cover me,” I ordered.

Tank and Riot took position, unleashing controlled bursts of gunfire down the hall as more guards charged toward us. The scent of gunpowder filled the air, mingling with Emmy’s vanilla shampoo—a scent I never thought I’d get to smell again.

Jax’s voice came over the earpiece. “You’ve got company coming from the south wing. ETA, two minutes.”

I cursed. We were out of time. “Where’s our exit?”

Riot fired off another shot before jerking his head toward the window at the end of the hallway. “Balcony. There’s a ledge that runs along the side of the villa. We can get to the east courtyard.”

I glanced at Emmy. “Can you hold on?”

She nodded, her breath unsteady. “I trust you.”

That was all I needed.

With a final burst of shots to slow down the pursuit, I rushed into the hallway and toward the balcony. Riot smashed the lock on the doors. The glass swung open, letting in the warm night air.

I didn’t stop. I leapt onto the stone railing and balanced Emmy against my chest. Riot led the way, his boots finding steady purchase on the narrow ledge.

Emmy buried her face in my neck, her breath hot against my skin. “Don’t drop me.”

“Never,” I promised.

Gunfire erupted behind us. The Ghost’s men had breached the room. Tank fired back, covering our retreat as I followed Riot along the ledge. The drop below was two stories, the cobblestone courtyard gleaming under the moonlight.

“We jump from here,” Riot said and pointed below them. “Look, there’s a roof extension one floor down, drop to it and then there’s a tree to help you to the ground.

I followed his directions. tightened my grip on Emmy. “Hold on, baby.”

Then I jumped. We landed hard. Emmy gasped as I absorbed most of the impact, tucking her into my chest.

“Move!” Riot hissed.

The second our feet hit the ground, we were running. Bullets tore through the night, chipping stone and shattering glass as guards swarmed the villa.

Jax’s voice came through the comms. “Get to the north wall. I’ve got exfil incoming.”

My heart pounded. I could hear the roar of approaching motorcycles, the deep growl of an SUV’s engine. My men were waiting.

“Almost there,” Riot grunted.

As we rounded the last corner, a black Escalade screeched to a halt in front of us, blocking our escape. The doors flew open, and the man I assumed must be The Ghost stepped out. Dressed in a tailored white suit, he adjusted his cuffs, then smiled like the cold, menacing shark he was.

“I was hoping you’d come, Austin,” he said smoothly. “Saves me the trouble of finding you myself.”

My grip tightened on my gun. My blood sang for violence.

“Give me the girl,” The Ghost continued. “And I’ll let you walk away.”

I bared my teeth. “Over my dead body.”

His smirk widened. “That,” he said, “can be arranged.”

More guards appeared. We were surrounded. I shoved Emmy behind me, my body coiled like a predator preparing to strike.

The Ghost stood in front of me, pristine in his white suit, completely unfazed by the bloodshed and chaos around us.

“You’ve been a real thorn in my side, Austin,” he said. “Breaking into my home, stealing my property.” His gaze flicked to Emmy. “You have a bad habit of taking what doesn’t belong to you.”

I shifted slightly, positioning myself more fully in front of Emmy, my chest rising and falling with controlled fury. “She was never yours.”

The Ghost chuckled. “Oh, but she was. You just didn’t like how I chose to handle her.”

My vision blurred at the edges, my blood running hot. “Say another fucking word, and I’ll put a bullet between your eyes.”

He sighed, shaking his head as if disappointed. “Always so quick to violence. You and your damn brother both.”

I stilled. Every nerve in my body went taut.

Luke.

The Ghost saw it. The moment I took the bait. And he smiled like a man who had just won the game.

“Ah, now I have your attention.”

He took a step forward, completely unafraid, like my gun wasn’t aimed directly at his heart. “You’ve been so busy looking for your little fuck toy here, you never stopped to think.” He tilted his head. “Why did Luke really disappear?”

“Don’t,” I growled.

“Oh, come now.” The Ghost tsked. “You’ve figured out by now that he was working for me, haven’t you?” He paused, then sighed dramatically. “Well, working against me, really.”

I had suspected Luke had gone undercover to find Riot’s sister, but if The Ghost knew that, then?—

“Where is he?” I demanded.

The Ghost smirked. “Alive.”

Relief slammed into me until he added, “For now.”

I lunged, dropping my gun, as a gunshot cracked the night. I dodged left, shoving Emmy down as a bullet whizzed past my ear. Riot and Tank fired back, and immediately gunfire rang out all through the courtyard. I yanked Emmy to her feet, gripping her hand so tight I was sure it bruised. “Stay low. Stay with me.”

She nodded, eyes wide but determined.

Riot took out a guard to our left, grabbing his rifle and tossing it to me. I caught it in one hand and spun, firing off three quick shots.

The Ghost ducked behind the Escalade, barking orders. “Take the girl alive!”

“Like hell you will.” I swung the rifle around, aiming for the tires of the Escalade, blowing them out in a burst of shrapnel and rubber.

Tank and Riot were pushing forward, cutting through the guards, but more were coming. Too many.

“Backup’s here,” Jax said in my ear. “Get to the extraction point now!”

I grabbed Emmy’s waist and hauled her against me and picked up my handgun. “We need to move!”

We ran as bullets rained down, hitting stone, glass—everything but us. The second we rounded the corner, I saw them—the bikes. Riot was already swinging onto one, and Tank was gunning down the last guards by the courtyard entrance.

I lifted Emmy onto the seat behind me. “Hold on.”

With no time to spare, she locked her arms around my waist as I revved the engine and took off. The moment we hit the main road, black SUVs peeled out behind us.

A high-speed chase through the dark Mexican countryside on a bike wasn’t the best thing for Emmy. She was in shock. But I had one mission—get her the hell out of here.

And once she was safe…

I would come back for The Ghost. I was going to end this.