Page 11

Saint

A bloodshot eye looks up at me with thinly veiled hate. With the other eye swollen shut and his nose broken from the punch I delivered earlier, the man looks like he’s ready to pass out, but I’m not remotely close to being done with him. His face is bloodied from hours of being worked over, and I am equal measures surprised and impressed that he still has some fight left in him.

I roll up my sleeves and crouch to eye level with the broken man. “We went through so much fucking trouble looking for you,” I say with a disappointed sigh. “I hope the house you bought with our money was nice and cozy for the short time you occupied it because I can assure you that you’re never going to step foot in it again.”

The first real show of fear crosses the man’s expression, but he doesn’t beg for mercy. He knows it’s useless, and I don’t exactly like it when they beg. I’m not some sadist who gets off on tearful pleas and pain. What use is there sobbing and begging for mercy when these people knew full well what crossing us would lead to and still did it anyway?

It’s like they never learn, always figuring they’ll be the exception. That somehow, they’ll have the bragging rights for besting the Steel Rebels.

Derrick Halpin could have walked away when we offered him the bribe to look away as we smuggled in weapons. He could have played the good cop and told us to go fuck ourselves after the offer, but no. He took the bribe, shook our hands, and then went on to backstab us.

He didn’t just report the weapons we were smuggling in but made a media circus out of it. There was the press when the weapons were “discovered.” He was praised for being such a great cop and curbing crime in the city and got a promotion out of it. And what did the fucker do with our money? He used it to buy a cozy condo in the South Loop, brought in his mistress and went on about life as if nothing had happened.

No one crosses the Steel Rebels and gets away with it, and Derrick Halpin is going to set a great example for anyone who dares mess with us.

“Okay, now let me tell you what is going to happen next,” I start, but before I can continue, my phone vibrates in my back pocket. I straighten up and take it out. I find myself smiling when I see Kyle’s number, figuring it’s Jade calling to ask about something again. Fuck, it’s about time I replaced her phone, but I keep forgetting in my hurry to get back home to her.

The grin on my face has Knox snickering from somewhere in the room, but I don’t look up at the fucker. I’ll hold him in check when he falls in love too.

The thought gives me pause.

Love?

I’ve never thought I would associate such an emotion with myself. The thought of a biker falling in love is comical, and yet, I realize that this is exactly what I am—in love with a girl fate just dropped into my hands. Well, I had to fight off dozens of men to get to her, but it was all worth it.

“Hello,” I say with a smile once the call connects, but instead of Jade’s sweet voice, I hear Kyle’s distressed one.

“Prez,” Kyle’s weak voice breaks through the speaker, sending all the hair on the back of my neck standing up. I can already sense something is wrong even before he goes on. “I’m sorry, Prez. I couldn’t stop them. They took her!”

My heart drops to my stomach, settling there like a heavy bolder.

“Who?” There is ice in my tone. Enough of it to have the man tied to the chair shrinking into his seat.

“A girl,” he pants, almost like he’s out of breath. “There was a blonde girl and the two seemed to know each other. She… I’m sorry, Prez. I didn’t see the taser. I’m so fucking sorry!”

Kyle is a great kid, and that was the reason I left him with Jade. She seemed more comfortable around him with his baby face than she did around someone like Knox with his hardened features and sarcastic attitude. It’s clear that I made an error in judgment. Fuck, I should have had a patched-in member guarding her, not a prospect, least of all one who is still wet behind the ears.

“Tell me everything that happened,” I say, walking away from Derrick toward the door as Kyle fills in everything he remembers from the blonde woman to the getaway car that took Jade. He didn’t see the driver, but I have a feeling I already know who it is after the information I’d gotten out of the Den’s manager, Buck, earlier today.

Fuck!

They could be anywhere in the city. Chicago is not a small place, and even though we have control of the most districts in the city, our reach is weaker in the northern part of the city where our rival MC, the Vipers, is established. There are a shit ton of other, smaller crime organizations in other parts of the city that we don’t control. It doesn’t fucking matter, I will comb through every fucking corner until I find Jade. Whoever has her ought to know better than touch a strand on her head, or I will wipe out his entire lineage, and I will not be kind or quick about it.

I hang up the call with Kyle as I push open the door and leave the room in our clubhouse basement where we hold people we want to interrogate. Knox follows behind, but before he can say anything, my phone rings once more. I am tempted to ignore it, but one look at the unknown number flashing on my screen is enough to send me on high alert.

I take the call.

“Your original bid for the girl, one million. We’ll send you the drop location, but if you bring company, she dies.”

I grit my teeth at the words, taking note of the voice of the man I am going to tear into bits until there’s nothing left for the forensic team. He’s mistaken if he thinks I need anyone with me to deal with him. “Send me the location.”

The call ends, and minutes later, a message pops up with an address for an apartment building in the South Shore district, deep in Viper territory, which pisses me off for so many fucking reasons. Are they somehow involved in this? I’ll have to get to the bottom of that later. Good thing Buck is still coherent enough to answer some questions…for now.

“Need a hand?” Knox calls out from behind, and I barely hear him over the flood of thoughts raging in my head.

“Don’t insult me.”

The fucker laughs as if he finds the situation amusing. “Alright then, I’ll leave you to deal with buttercup. Maybe you’ll finally let the rest of us play a little with Derrick Halpin.”

“He’s all yours,” I say, figuring I have people that need more of my attention than the fucking rat.

My blood is boiling as I exit the basement and move to the common area of the clubhouse. It’s a fucking Wednesday afternoon, there aren’t many people here besides a few guys playing pool, and some are smoking and drinking. Something changes in the air as I stomp past them, and I can feel the tension as they all stop what they’re doing to watch me. It’s not common for me to display such rage. I am called Saint for a reason, and yet, it seems I have been taking it easy on people. I grab a prospect on his way out. “Grab someone and go check on Kyle at my house. Call Doc if you need to.”

The man, slightly older than Kyle’s twenty, nods. “Yes, Prez.”

I pat the man’s back before making my way out, pushing through the heavy doors, the sound of my boots slapping against the concrete walkway. Each step toward my bike is fueled by an image of her terrified face. I swing my leg over the seat of my motorcycle, the familiar rumble of the engine echoing my own fury. I rev it hard, the roar resonating through the air, before tearing away.

It’s a forty-minute ride in low traffic, but I intend to make it much faster as I speed down the streets, my focus on getting to Jade as soon as I can. She must’ve been terrified when they took her. Fucking hell, I can’t shake the image from forming in my head of Jade huddled somewhere, terrified for her life.

I promised to protect her. I never should have left her alone with an inexperienced prospect!

I pull up to the apartment building in record time—after breaking multiple traffic laws, but I can deal with those later when Jade is safe in my arms. I park my bike in the dodgy-looking parking lot, but I know no one would touch a Steel Rebel bike, not if they want to live to see the next week.

Blood is practically pounding in my ears as I stride into the building, my fists clenched at my sides. Reaching the elevator, I press the button impatiently, my mind racing with thoughts of her. The kidnappers didn’t tell me what apartment she was in, but this is Jade’s building. Of course, I know what apartment they’re keeping her in! I just didn’t think they’d be stupid enough to bring her here. Maybe they thought I wouldn’t recognize the address, but I do. This was going to be my next stop after I was done with Derrick.

When I reach her floor, the doors open with a ding, and I’m out in an instant. I can feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins as I march down the hallway to her door. I stop outside, and without a second to think, kick the door in, the wood splintering under the force as it crashes open.

The sound reverberates through the air, announcing my arrival if they hadn’t already heard me stomp down the hallway, and I charge into the room. I take in the sight before me, from the groaning man now sprawled on the floor—the fucker must have been listening at the door—to the wide-eyed girl curled up on the couch. Then to her .

Jade.

She’s tied to a chair in the corner, fear etched across her expression, but I notice it quickly shift to relief when she spots me.

She’s safe. She’s okay. Thank God.

“The money!” the man on the floor says weakly, breaking into a fit of coughs as he attempts to crawl to the gun he must’ve dropped when I kicked him across the room. The girl on the couch scrambles to reach for it, but I am faster, kicking it away before she can grab it. The gun skids across the room and disappears under the couch.

“You messed with the wrong fucking person,” I grind out, disgusted that this is what I have to deal with. I expected there to be some kind of fight, and I was ready for one, but instead, I am met with this? Oh, he’ll get what’s coming to them alright. I walk over to the man and step on his chest, pinning him down with the heel of my boot. “You should have left the city after that night at the club. You never should have touched what belongs to me!”

And now he’s going to pay with his life.

I reach down and grab the man by his greasy hair, and for someone with such a big build and who has caused immense fear in Jade, he sure looks helpless now. I kick open a door, not bothering to look at what kind of room it is before shoving the man inside. He lands on his stomach, and there is a loud thud as his head connects to the floor. I turn to the girl cowering in the corner. “P-please don’t hurt me,” she whimpers. “They made me… Buck and Nero made me do it!”

I assume the man I just tossed in the bathroom is Nero since I know exactly where Buck is. Still, I don’t believe it for a second, and I am not moved by his trembling lip and swimming eyes. “Are you going to join your friend, or do you need help?”

“Please let me go. I’m a victim too, I promise—”

“I am a patient man. But I’m not feeling very patient right now,” I growl, my resolve wearing thin. This is the girl who tricked Jade into going to the club. The same girl who came to my home and harmed a prospect so she and her boyfriend could kidnap Jade! I am not falling for whatever act she’s putting on. “Get in there, or I will make you!”

She shrieks when I take a step forward, nodding as she hurries into the room as well. I close the door behind them, locking the two inside with a chair shoved under the doorknob. I’ll figure out what to do with both later, but now…

“Saint?”

I rush to Jade, feeling a fresh wave of anger flood in. I am mad at myself and the people locked in that room. “I’m sorry,” I say, unable to meet her eyes as I untie the ropes. My mind keeps running over what could have happened if the kidnappers had not been so stupid. “I promised to protect you, and I almost lost you.”

“You came!”

“They never should have gotten to you!” I argue as I help her to her feet. I should check for injuries, make sure the fucker didn’t hurt her in any way, but I tug her to me, wrapping my arms around her shoulders and hugging her tight against me. “I’m so fucking sorry, precious.”

“I’m fine,” she whispers, her warm breath fanning my neck as she strokes my back. I bury my face in her hair and breathe her in, letting her scent steady me. Remind me that she’s safe. “I haven’t even been with them for a day, and you were already kicking down doors.”

“Fuck, baby,” I hiss, beating myself some more for letting it get this far. “I was so fucking scared they’d done something to you! I would never forgive myself or them if you got hurt.” I still have no intention of forgiving them. Since they wanted my attention so bad, they’ll have it soon enough.

“I’m fine,” she hums, burying her face in my neck and nuzzling my skin the way she does when she’s smelling me. It’s something I still can’t wrap my head around, but for some reason, she likes my natural scent, breathing me in like a drug, and fuck if that doesn’t send heat coursing through me. “I never doubted that you would show up, but God, the way you kicked down that door was so hot.”

“Jade—”

“Buck, Nero, and Natalie don’t seem so scary anymore,” she says, pushing back, and I read the heat in her eyes when they lock with mine. “When you sent him flying across the room, he looked so small. So insignificant compared to my giant.” She traces a finger over my bristled jaw and down my throat, my eyes flare when her hand traces my chest down to my erection. Fuck, I shouldn’t be hard in this situation, but it’s Jade. How can I be anything else but? One look at my precious jewel, and my cock is already pushing hard against my zipper.

“Not here, Jade,” I tell her, framing her jaw with my hand and angling her face so her entire focus is on me. “Let me take you to the hospital for a checkup in case those monsters—”

“Hm, no,” she says, her breathing uneven as she tracks her hand down my abs, but I grab it before she can touch the tent in my jeans. “Is it weird, that I am fired up after everything you just did? That I’m hot up from watching you do everything you promised you would.”

“Fuck, Jade. You’re killing me here.” And isn’t that a norm when it comes to her? Pushing at my control and snapping at all my resolve.

“Don’t stop me,” she says, lowering her hand to my stiff cock, and I bite back a groan. She tugs down my zipper, and I hiss when she slides her hand inside and grabs my cock. “They wouldn’t believe me when I told them that I was no longer a virgin.” A low groan escapes when she starts stroking my dick, sliding her hand up and down my shaft and driving me to insane with need. My dick is hard as stone, and I hiss out a sharp breath when she runs her thumb over the sensitive head.

“Goddamnit, baby—”

“I’ll prove it to them,” she says with a mischievous glint in her eyes, and I watch with surprise as she drops to her knees. “I want you to take everything. Show me. Teach me how to do this too.”

Fuck!

Is she trying to kill me or something? Because it fucking feels like it. Kneeling on the floor next to the ropes that were tied around her moments ago, green eyes bright with need and innocence, she floors me. God, she’s so fucking gorgeous, and I am a weak man. One incapable of saying no to this girl.

“Fuck!” I growl, fisting my shaft and nudging the crown against that pretty mouth. Her lips open obediently, and I sink a couple of aching inches into her mouth, nearly coming on the spot when those lips close around my dick. “Fucking hell, precious, is this what you want? My big cock in your mouth before I ram it into that tight little hole? You’re going to make it wet for me, aren’t you?”

She nods, moaning around my cock as I sink deeper into her before pulling back when she chokes. She grabs my thighs, leaning in and taking more inside her before pulling back with a gasp. “I’m not fragile, Saint. Not when I’m with you, so take control,” she says, bathing my cock with a lick, all the shyness from the first moments we spent together gone. “Use me.”

I grab a fistful of her hair, our eyes locked together as I sink my shaft into her pretty mouth. Her lips suction around my cock, and I start fucking that pretty mouth. She chokes and gasps around my girth, her eyes watering with every shallow thrust until I feel myself teeter close to the edge, and I realize there is no fucking way I am going to last long.

She gasps when I pull my cock from her lips before tugging her to her feet. I’m a raging bull, high on her as I spin her to face the wall, grab the waistband of her shorts, and yank them down. “You are fucking temptress, you know that?” I growl, fisting her hair even as I guide my hand between her legs to feel for her arousal. A groan rumbles in my chest when I find her wet. “Christ, you liked that, didn’t you? Liked my cock buried in that sexy little mouth.”

“Yes,” she breathes, pushing her full ass against my groin. “Want you, Saint. Please.”

I replace my hand with my cock, positioning my aching shaft between her cheeks and nudging it against her wet hole. She cries out when I slam forward, burying all my thickness into her tight pussy, and I’m riding her before she can recover from the intrusion. “I won’t last long, baby, not after that hot mouth of yours,” I grunt into her neck, working her pussy like a man possessed.

Jade is everything.

She is mine!

I slide a hand back under her legs and strum her clit as I pound my cock into her. Her thighs jerk and she sobs, crying out my name. Every thrust into her tight little pussy sends me closer and closer to the edge.

“Fuck, I’m close. Come for me, baby!” I rasp into her ear, grinding my shaft into her as I rub rough circles against her sensitive nub, and I’m nearly on the edge when she throws her head back with a scream. Her entire body shudders, sex cinching hard around my cock and pushing me into my own climax. I come with a roar, burying most of it in her hair where I press my face.

Jade sobs, her body shaking against mine as I flood her womb with my seed, the thought that I could get her pregnant making my pleasure even more intense.

“Mine,” I say thickly, my thrusts growing shallow as I push my release into her. “I will kill anyone who touches you, Jade. I’ll carve them up and tear them to pieces for so much as looking your way.”

“Yours.”

“Goddamn right.” My breathing is labored as I pull out before spinning her around so she’s facing me. I gather her into my arms, wrapping them tightly around her. “I can’t live without you, Jade. I won’t.”

“I don’t think I could live without you either,” she whispers, nuzzling my neck. “I love you, Saint. I’ll only ever belong to you.”

“I love you too, precious. Now let’s get out of here so Knox, Blaze, and a few other guys can come collect the trash. I promised Kyle some one-on-one time with your kidnappers.”

“It wasn’t his fault. You’re not mad at him are you?” Jade asks, peering up at me with those gorgeous green eyes.

“No, baby. It’ll be a while before I’m ready to let you out of my sight again, but I know what happened wasn’t Kyle’s fault. He’ll need more training before he gets another protection detail, but Blaze can see to that. Hell, they can use those three as training dummies.”

Jade giggles before quickly sobering again. “I don’t want to know what happens to them. I just want to know I’ll never have to see them again.”

I have to force my body to relax as I think about those fuckers and what they tried to do to Jade—what they likely did to countless other women before her. I won’t share the details of their fate with her; she’s too pure to be tainted by the darkness of my world. But I can make her a promise. “You don’t have to worry about them bothering you or anyone else ever again, Jade. You’re mine to protect, and I will always keep you safe.”

She snuggles into my side with a smile and a happy hum as she lets me walk her out to my bike.

I kiss her temple, holding her tight in my arms like I’m afraid she’ll disappear into thin air, or I’ll wake up and this will be a dream, but she stays. The dream plays on. And I hope I never wake up from it.