Page 52 of Silver Spoon Falls, Vol. I

THIRTY-SEVEN

ZANE

“I fucked up.” The sense of foreboding that’s been nagging at the back of my brain slices through me as Playboy’s words echo in my ear. “The alarm went off at the estate.” He isn’t making any sense.

“What?” I grip the phone tightly and roar, causing Jude to stop and look at me.

“Autumn insisted on driving herself to your apartment, and I let her.” My heart squeezes in my chest as the torment in his voice cuts through my soul. “And the alarm went off at the estate.”

“Calm the fuck down and explain this to me. Make goddamn sense,” I manage to growl past the growing lump of horror filling my throat. Please, God. Don’t let him mean what I think.

“Jimmy Gatlin has Autumn. She never made it to your apartment, and the alarm at the estate just went off. I’m on my way there now.

” His garbled words all run together, but I hear the most important part.

That dickhead motherfucker has my soulmate.

Oh, hell no. My knees buckle, and I only remain standing by sheer will and the need to get my girl back.

“Fuck,” I roar and run out of the courthouse.

As I reach my SUV, Jude grabs my shoulder. “I’m driving.” He shoves me into the passenger seat, and I’m too overwhelmed thinking about what could be happening to my girl to even resist.

“The estate,” I manage to tell him as I slam my hand down on the dashboard. The pain shooting up my arm is nothing compared to the pain tearing my heart in two. Thank God, my friend puts two and two together and heads straight for the old Romano Estate.

“I heard enough of the conversation.” Jude presses the Bluetooth button on my steering wheel and barks out orders once Cash answers. “Jimmy Gatlin kidnapped Autumn. I’m on the way to the Romano Estate with Zane, and Playboy is headed there, too.” My brother’s curses fill the SUV cabin.

“I’m calling Dillon. We’re right behind you.” I hear Cash talking to someone in the background as he hangs up.

“Do you have a weapon in your vehicle?” he asks me, and I know he doesn’t have one since we just came from the courthouse.

“No.” I’m ready to crawl out of my skin as fear and worry overwhelm me. I can’t lose my little rebel now. No fucking way. “I’m going to kill the bastard with my two hands.”

Jude takes the turn onto the estate on two wheels and nearly drives up onto the elaborate front steps. “We don’t have time for subtlety,” he roars, throwing the SUV into park. I’m out the door and racing up the steps without even checking to see if my friend is following me. I don’t fucking care.

“Stuck-up bitch. Come out, come out wherever you are.” I hear the whiny bastard’s voice coming from upstairs as I burst through the front door.

I somehow make it up the stairs while my heart threatens to beat out of my chest. The next thing I know, I’m kicking the double doors on the left of the stairs open.

“No!” the soon-to-be-dead asshole roars.

“You can’t stop me.” He’s wildly waving the gun around, but I ignore the danger and rush the dickhead.

I kick the gun out of his hand and hear it scatter across the floor as I wrap my hands around his pudgy neck.

I give him several hard shakes before slamming him up against the wall.

“Stop!” my girl yells from across the room.

“Make Zane stop before he kills the jerk and spends the rest of his life in jail.” The red haze covering my vision lifts slightly, and I turn to see Jude holding Autumn back.

Playboy rushes in the door, and I see his body visibly relax when he sees Autumn standing next to Jude.

He pulls her out of my boss’ hold and wraps his arm around her shoulders while murmuring in her ear.

“Don’t worry.” Jude glances between Autumn and Playboy and me before smirking. “Zane won’t spend a moment in jail.” He points at Jimmy Gatlin. “No one is going to look too hard for that fucker.”

Suddenly, the room fills with Silver Spoon MC members and Sheriff Dillon Armstrong.

“Did you hear them threaten to kill me?” Jimmy wheezes out around the constriction in his throat caused by my tight hold.

The moron erroneously believes that he’s safe now that there are all these witnesses.

Little does the stupid bastard know, if I ask them to help me bury his ass, they’ll do without a second thought.

“I didn’t hear a goddamn thing,” Dillon roars and crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m at home having dinner with my wife right now. Right, guys?” He glances around the room, and all the other men nod in agreement.

“But, but…” Jimmy stutters out. “You can’t…”

“If I let Zane kill your ass, I’d be doing the world a fucking favor. It will save all those girls from having to testify against you.” Dillon shrugs. “Did any of you guys see anything?”

“Nope.” A chorus moves through the room.

“It looks like you’re shit out of luck.” Cash steps in and lays his hand on my shoulder. “Let me handle this, little brother. You go take care of your girl.”

“Oh, no. No one is taking care of him except the law.” My little rebel pushes away from her brother and walks over to place her hand on my arm. “You have to let the victims have their day in court,” she insists, and I’m both proud of her and pissed I don’t get to kill the motherfucker.

“If that’s what you want, little rebel.” I step back and let Dillon slap handcuffs on the dickhead.

“You’re one lucky fucker.” Dillon grips the dumbass by the back of the neck.

“Everyone else in this room was looking forward to your demise.” When Jimmy Gatlin starts spewing shit about suing everyone in the room, Sheriff Armstrong runs the dumbass into the wall, knocking him out cold.

“Oops. My bad.” Cash and Giant, another MC brother, drag the unconscious man out the door while all the other men follow them.

“I’m going to go with them.” Playboy comes over and hugs his sister. “I might get the chance to get a few licks in before they lock him up.”

“Good.” My girl never ceases to amaze me. “He deserves all the pain you guys dish out.” Playboy winks at Autumn before glancing over at me. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”

“Don’t worry. I plan to keep an eye on her for the next seventy years or so.” After my soon-to-be brother-in-law walks from the room, I pull my little rebel close.

“You aren’t allowed to scare me ever again.

” I wrap my arms tightly around her and stand there enjoying feeling her heart beat steadily against my chest. “I’m willing to take one for the team.

” I swallow. “I’m going to marry you and keep you knocked up so you can’t get into any more trouble. It will be my public service.”

“Sounds like a plan.” That wasn’t the response I expected. I really thought she’d make me work harder for it. My little rebel is going to keep me on my toes.

“Now, let me tell you about my plan for the estate.” Since she’s being so agreeable and all, I decide it’s the time to let her in on the plan I’ve been working on.

Autumn pulls back slightly, and I see confusion coloring her chocolate eyes. “You have a plan for the estate?”

“I do.” I take Autumn’s hand and lead her to the sofa before sitting down and pulling my curvy little rebel into my lap.

“I’m buying the estate from Playboy. We’re going to turn it into a shelter for abused women.

” I spell everything out, knowing my soft-hearted girl will love the idea.

“We’re both independently wealthy, and it’s time for us to use it to help women who are victimized by assholes like Gatlin. ”

“What about your job at the firm?”

“Jude will give me a position consulting on cases.” I have it all worked out. “We can build a house on the edge of the property so we have privacy but we’re still close to our work.”

My little rebel practically vibrates with her excitement. “I love you.” She throws her arms around my neck and whispers against my skin, “You showed me what love is all about.”

“I love you more than I ever thought possible.” I hug her close as my heart settles into place, and I’m able to take a full breath for the first time since Playboy called me earlier. “We can rebel together.”

“Sounds like a plan.”