Chapter 23

"We need to go," I snarl, shoving the phone back in my pocket and slashing a glare at Gwyneth's father. If I lose my sister, this shit is on him. I'll kill him along with anyone else that gets in my way.

"Brother, we got to assume this wasn't just sent to us," Hammer says far too calmly.

"Oh, I'm willing to bet it was sent to the women as well," I snarl and stomp to my bike. I struggle to lock down the rage wanting to take over. I need my head right now. Also don't need my brothers to lock my ass up to keep me under control.

"I want half of you going to the clubhouse, secure the women and kids. Lock them together in one of the rooms, and don't let them out. The rest of you, we're going to Bruiser's sister's house," Hammer yells.

My phone buzzes, this time alerting me to a phone call. I pull it out as I straddle my bike and find it's my woman calling. I take a deep breath to calm my ass down and answer. "You get the same text as me?"

"Come get me, Bruiser. Trade me for them. Give him what he wants. Don't let there be more bloodshed, please, just give me over to him."

I close my eyes, clenching the phone in my hand tight enough, I'm surprised I don't break the damn thing. "Not happening, Princess. We'll get them safe."

"And you'll shed more blood. The simplest thing to do is give me over. Let him have me. Save them, and then later you can save me," Gwyneth says softly, her breath hitching. "If you don't come get me, and give me over, I'll go myself. I'll run. I swear I will."

"Don't you dare think about it," I snarl and look at Hammer. "You do that, and I swear when I get my hands on you, you won't walk for a week."

Hammer meets my gaze, and I tell him what she said.

He nods, grimacing. "Hate to say it, but she's got a damn point. Save them, then we save her."

I clench my teeth together, not liking this one bit.

"Brother, we can get her back," Dagger remarks. "Remember, your woman can take care of herself. She'll protect herself until we can get to her."

"It's not ideal," Malice adds, nodding. "But it would get your sister and the kids out of harm's way."

"Y'all realize you're talking about sacrificing my woman, right?" I sneer, my lip curling in disgust that they would even agree with Gwyneth on this.

"You know I'm right, Bruiser. Save them. I'll do what I have to do to protect myself until you can get to me," Gwyneth utters in my ear.

I let out a harsh breath and grind my teeth. "Fine, but swear to fuck, you get even one damn bruise, woman, and I'm tying you to my bed."

"Come get me." She disconnects, and those words scream in my head.

I'm sacrificing my woman in order to save my sister and her kids.

Fuck. Fuck. Motherfucking fuck.

"I called the number that the text came from while waiting on you," Gwyneth mutters as soon as I pull her in my arms, crushing her to me.

"The fuck did you do that for, Gwyneth," I snap, not letting her go.

"Because I don't want him to keep your sister or those kids longer than they have to endure this nightmare," she answers, pressing her hands against my chest. "He said that he would be here within an hour to handle the trade."

Fucking hell.

"That fucker is coming here?" Hammer snarls.

Gwyneth twists in my arms and nods. "Yes. That was an hour ago. He said it would ensure that you all wouldn't follow after him. Said there would be eyes on the place to ensure you don't." She pauses, takes a breath, and looks at me once again. "He said that if you follow, he'll have all the women here taken and the kids killed. He hadn't forgotten about Willow, but he's willing to long as I go, and no one comes for me."

"Fuckin' hell," I growl and pull her tight once again. The thought of letting her do this is killing me. "I can't let you go, Princess."

"I don't want you to either, but I refuse to see anyone else harmed in any way," she states sternly and presses her forehead against my chest. "It's the only way, Bruiser."

"I've got an idea," Savage remarks gruffly. "I've mapped out the different ways to get off this property. The potential places the property could be watched from. We got a couple blind spots that even in the dead of night, you can't see anyone going unless they're hacked into Cy's cameras."

"That ain't possible for them to do." Cy grunts. "I change up the coding and security on those cameras daily. Someone would have to be in my room in order to be able to do that. I also checked the wiring last week to make sure I didn't have any issues."

"So, what are you thinking?" I demand.

"Gunner and me take to the blind spot. Get off the property before they get here. We get in place and follow," Savage suggests.

"There's a chance we could get caught following, but it's better than sitting here not knowing what's what or where he's taking her," Gunner states, nodding.

"I still don't like it," I grumble. "I say we stand our fuckin' ground. Get my sister and those kids, then kill ‘em all."

"Think, brother, think about them getting caught in the crossfire," Malice mutters.

"I know," I grind out. I can't do that. None of us can.

"It'll be okay, Bruiser," Gwyneth murmurs, tilting her head back in order to meet my gaze. "You do this the way it needs to be done. Then, when you find me again, you'll make them all pay."

"Damn right I will," I snarl, slide my fingers in her hair, grip it tightly, and slam my mouth down on hers.

I kiss her long and deep, not releasing her mouth until the both of us are breathing heavily.

"We'll be okay," she utters breathlessly.

"You're right. We will be, and you better make damn sure you don't get hurt," I tell her, kiss her one more time and let her go. I look at my brothers. "We do this, get my sister and the kids safe, then I'm finding the bastard and killing him . . . slowly."

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Hammer nods, eyes glimmering with fury. "We kill the bastard and send a message of our own at the same time. No one fucks with our club."

"Fuck yeah," Malice states, with a few of my other brothers chiming in with remarks of their own.

The next ten minutes that pass, I spend them holding Gwyneth for as long as I can. Savage and Gunner left out, sticking to the shadows, and reported a few moments ago that they were in place. They also reported they already spotted a couple of Johnathan's men lying in wait.

Gwyneth's phone rings, and she lifts it to show me the number. "He's calling."

"Answer it. Put it on speaker," I tell her.

She does as I tell her and answers. "Hello."

The tremble in her lip and the way her hands start shaking is enough to gut me.

"I shall send the kids in first. Once you're in my sight, I'll let the woman go, and as you get in the car, she can run into the building. None of those men are to step foot outside. They do, and they're dead. Do you understand?" the man's voice on the other end of the line says nonchalantly. It's almost as if he has no fear of this club whatsoever.

"I'll come out alone," Gwyneth murmurs, and I give her a squeeze.

"Good, and you can tell the behemoth if he dares come for you, I will not hesitate in making him regret it," Johnathan remarks.

"He won't come for me." The way she says it so weakly guts me.

There's no way in hell I'm not going after her.

"Then time is ticking, come on out." He hangs up, and Gwyneth drops her head, shoulders shaking ever so slightly.

I take the phone slowly from her hands and tightly pull her in my arms. "I promise you, Princess, I won't let him have you. We get my sister and those kids free and clear, then we get you. Okay? I swear you won't be with him for long."

"I know," she utters as the door opens.

"Unca Ruiser," the oldest of the kids screams.

Hammer intercepts one of them while Malice and the others help with the others. My Prez looks at me, grimaces, and nods. "Gwyneth, swear to all I am, this club will get you back."

"I know, Hammer." She nods and lets out a shaky breath. She tilts her head back and slides her hands up to cup either side of my face. "I'll see you even if it's only in my dreams."

Without giving me a chance to remark, she twists out of my arms and rushes out of the clubhouse. I want nothing more than to run after her. To bring her back here. To tell her what she makes me feel.

Damnit all to hell.

Moments later, my sister comes barreling through the door, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Oh God, Bruiser," she murmurs, barely making it to me before her legs give out underneath her. "You have to get her back. If you don't, she'll be lost to you. I know what he intends to do to her. He . . . he told me."

"What did he tell you?" I growl, feeling my gut twist even further than it already was.

"He's taking her straight to the airport where a buyer is waiting," she sobs, shaking in my arms. "He killed a woman in my house in front of me and the kids. Said she was of no use to him anymore and that her debt was paid in blood."

"Savage says they're on the road heading east," Hammer says, coming toward us, holding the phone to his ear and an arm around the little girl in his arms. He hands her over to Leanna and meets my gaze. "We ridin'?"

"Damn right, we are." There's no way in hell I'm not riding out. I'm not letting this fucker take my woman anywhere. If he's heading toward the airport, there's only one he'd be going to. He wouldn't chance a scene at a large airport. He'd go for the secluded, more private one with the hangers where smaller planes are stored. "Tell ‘em he's heading for Grove End Landing Strip."

"You hear that?" Hammer asks, talking to Savage. "Right. We'll be heading out."

I give my sister a squeeze and step away from her. "Go on back to where the rooms are, knock on the doors until one opens. Stay with them until we get back. And give the Gradys a message for me. Tell ‘em we got this under control."

"Tell the Gradys you have it under control," she repeats, nodding. Taking the kids with her, she does as I tell her.

I turn my full attention to my brothers. "Now, we get my woman back and kill ‘em all."