Page 31

Heather

W e drive for what feels like hours, but it’s probably only a half an hour or so. I can see through the front windshield that we’re entering an industrial area.

The van comes to a rolling stop, and when the doors fly open again, Grime is standing there grinning like a mad fool. “I fucking love this place.”

When Carnage grabs me by the arm and hauls me out, he doesn’t realize that I’ve grabbed a thick black marker from amongst the junk on his floorboard and shoved it up my sleeve. I plan to use it any way I can to draw attention to the fact that I’m here.

Once I’m out of the van, Carnage forces me down onto my knees. “Stay there while I grab some supplies. Don’t even think about trying to run. If you do, I’m gonna break both your legs.”

While Carnage and his men are occupied I suddenly have an idea of how I can use the marker.

I write the word HELP in bold capital letters three inches high into the lower side panel because it’s all I can reach from my position on the ground.

Under that, I write Ghost’s phone number, my initials, and three men, to alert him of what they’re walking into.

I have no idea if anyone would ever see it, but it’s worth a try.

I quickly shove my marker back up my sleeve before Carnage hauls me to my feet.

Looking around for the first time, I see we’re at the candy factory I remember.

Our school took us here on field trips every year.

If I’m being honest, the place looks a little run down since I was here last. The paint is faded and a sign by the front office says that they are relocating.

I look around, and the reality of my situation finally dawns on me.

Carnage grabs the ropes on my wrists and leads me into the abandoned building. When he sees the tears glistening in my eyes, he frowns, “No need to be dramatic, princess. I’ve got just the place for you.”

Leading me by the ropes on my wrists, he drags me over to a radiator, shoves me down onto a mattress, and straps my ankle to a radiator pipe using a zip tie and a carabiner.

He paces in front of me, one hand clenched around a cheap burner phone, the other twitching weirdly at his side, like he’s full of nervous energy.

The more he paces, the happier he gets, “Bet you never thought in a fucking million years that I’d be able to track you down and take you back from that loser you were shacked up with, did you?”

Even if I didn’t have tape across my mouth and could speak, I wouldn’t have justified that with an answer.

Between being strapped to the pipe, with my ankle burning from the zip tie, and the incredible thirst I’m experiencing, I don’t know how much longer I can take this without losing my mind.

It’s Grime who finally comes over, takes off the gag, and cuts the ropes on my hands. I’m just so angry and frustrated that I slap him right across the face.

He just laughs and drops a bottle of water in my lap and a one-pound box of candy. His eyes go to Carnage, who’s scrolling on his phone, and he whispers, “Eat, if not for yourself, then for your baby. You never know when you might get another chance.”

“Well, fuck.” That was a fair warning that Carnage is not to be trusted to take proper care of me.

When Grime walks off, my eyes dart back to my ex who’s still pacing the floor like a madman.

I unscrew the lid from the water bottle and take a long gulp, then eat a handful of the candy-coated nuts.

They’re sickly sweet, but at least it’s something in my stomach.

Carnage stops in midstride and holds his phone up. There is something about his smile that’s unsettling. It’s too wide, almost giddy.

“This is it,” he states triumphantly. “Moment of truth.”

I don’t know who he’s calling, but I have a sick feeling in my stomach about who I suspect it may be. Carnage isn’t the kind of guy to leave a girl in the dark, so he puts the phone on speaker. It rings once, then I hear the man I love answer.

“Talk,” Ghost says, his voice low and steely.

Carnage’s whole face lights up. I get the distinct feeling this call means something to him that the rest of us can scarcely understand.

“Look who picks up on the very first ring. Guess I have something you want,” Carnage says in a teasing voice. It’s clear that he’s having the time of his life.

I flinch when Ghost replies, “We found Brittany. It’s gonna take close to thirty stitches to close up the wounds on her back. You hauled my woman out of there kicking, screaming, and fighting you every step of the way. You think destroying a good woman, like Brittany somehow makes you a man?”

Carnage keeps talking back, far too pleased about besting them to care who got hurt. Me? I’m devastated to hear about the extent of my friend’s injuries. I keep seeing that final glimpse of her on the floor, covered in blood.

“How about you? Whoever heard of a member of the Savage Legion all gussied up in a tux, strutting about at a fuckin’ gala? That was the stupidest shit I ever saw in my whole life.”

When Ghost doesn’t respond, I get the feeling that maybe they were starting to think what I already know—I’m too much trouble. Zoning out for a second, I just keep telling myself that isn’t true and Ghost would never abandon me.

Carnage’s voice rises, grabbing my attention again.

“And you had my woman on your arm that night at the gala. She looked damn good that night, if I say so myself. She looks good in anything, but that fancy dress that showed off the baby growing in her belly—my baby—sealed the deal. I knew I had to have her back.”

Walking over, he held up the phone so Ghost and I could see each other. His expression is stony at first but then falters and it breaks my heart. “Look how sweet and quiet she is now that she’s back with me? Even got her to cry a bit for me.”

“What the fuck do you want, Carnage? Why did you do this?”

“I want the Savage Legion back.”

Siege’s voice rang out. “Yeah? Well even an unpredictable, ignorant fucker like you has to know that’s never gonna happen.”

“Oh right,” Carnage snarls. “I got stripped of my cut, named and shamed. Thrown outta the club I helped to build for what? Supportin’ our club president at the time?

Wanting more than back breaking work for low pay?

Butch tried to make something out of the Legion and you just couldn’t fuckin’ stand that, could you? ”

Rigs’ voice rings out, clear and strong. “Butch was the kind of man that only a damn halfwit would follow. And let’s not forget, you helped Butch kill Claw and betrayed your club brothers to the fucking Hellfire Hounds MC.”

“Claw was old and weak, but he clung to the gavel like no one else was capable of leading.”

“He was murdered by the very man he betrayed his club brothers for. That fact alone proves he was unfit,” Rigs replies.

“That’s all ancient history. We’re living in the here and now. And I’ve just proven that I can steal any woman I want, right out from under your nose when you’re on lockdown and hunting me with every brother in the club. Call yourself a fucking leader?”

Siege’s angry voice comes over the line. “We’re not handing the Savage Legion over to your dumb ass. Why don’t you tell us what’s next on your wish list in exchange for Ghost’s old lady?”

Carnage chuffs out a laugh. “You ignorant fucks want to call me a dumbass when you couldn’t even tell that I was just messing with you about wantin’ to run your pansy-ass club.”

When no one responds, Carnage continues “I don’t need your fucking club. I have my own club.”

Ghost says, “Yeah, we heard all about your little club.”

“Unlike the Legion, I’m building something real.

Six heads, one crown. Do you know what that means?

Loyalty. Blood. Purpose. Not patching in mechanics and pretending it’s a legacy.

That kid in my old lady’s belly? He’s gonna ride for something that matters.

I’ll raise him right. Raise him to be strong like me. ”

I stare at him, unable to believe what I’m seeing and hearing. Carnage is full-on crazy-go-nuts. Six heads, one crown? I’ve never heard of anything like it before. And it sure as hell doesn’t sound profound by any stretch of the imagination.

Ghost finally speaks again, his voice deep and angry.

“You sure he’s gonna grow up at all? Your club doesn’t have such good odds of survival as you think.”

Carnage stops moving. His face morphs into an expression of horror. “What the hell did you do, Ghost?”

“You’re not the criminal mastermind you like to think you are,” Ghost explains. “If you were, you’d know we’ve already picked up three of your boys. Fifty percent of your club is sitting in our lockup.”

Carnage’s hand begins to tremble.

Ghost names them, “Joker. Hawk. Merc. We’ve got them all. The question is, how important are your club brothers? Important enough to trade for a woman who doesn’t even want to be with you?”

Carnage freezes in place. “You’re a liar. Sometimes they can’t get cell service where they are.”

“Yeah, that rinky-dink cabin had really bad cell coverage, as well as bad everything else.”

Carnage begins losing his shit. He brings his cell phone up to his head and smashes it into his forehead a couple of times before yelling, “This is a trick. It has to be. My men would never let the Legion get the jump on them.”

“They didn’t exactly let us,” Ghost says. “They fought hard and one’s dead. We’re trying to decide if the other two get to live long enough to be useful.”

“You’re full of shit!” Carnage explodes. Suddenly, he’s screaming into the phone and pacing like a wild animal. He starts ranting about getting revenge and burning down the clubhouse.

Watching him unravel is the scariest thing I’ve ever witnessed with my own eyes. The man who kidnapped me went from proud and gloating to absolutely feral in the span of a few minutes and I can’t believe what I’m seeing.

Grime walks over just as Carnage starts breaking down, puts his hand over the phone and gives it a little tug.

I can’t take my mind off the scene that’s unfolding before my very eyes.

Carnage stares at him for a brief second before letting the phone go.

Grime rips the back off the phone, removes the battery, and casually tosses the burner phone away.

“Never let your enemies see you at your worst. It’s one of the first lessons you ever taught me.”

Carnage straightens up to his full height. “Thank you, brother,” he says with quiet dignity. “This is the thing we have that the Legion never had—brothers that have each other’s back no matter what.”

Grime brings his hand up and gives Carnage’s shoulder a squeeze before walking off.

I just sit there, nervously cramming nuts in my mouth, like I’m watching some kind of bizarrely engrossing blockbuster.

Stress eating is apparently becoming my thing.

This whole situation is off the damn chain, but it’s driven one point home to me.

Carnage isn’t really interested in me. He’s so fixated on the Savage Legion that he’s forgotten I’m even here.

I feel invisible to him. Then something sparks in my brain.

I’m invisible. I’m bait. They’re using me to lure the Legion to them for a final showdown.

I can tell because they’re starting to set up barriers and reinforcing the catwalk with metal panels, so they can get a high advantage while keeping themselves out of the direct line of fire.

They begin breaking into wooden crates that I thought contained more candy because of the markings on the outside.

But it’s all weapons and ammo, a shit ton of it. Holy shit, I’ve got to warn Ghost.