Chapter 6

Jax

My heart slams against my ribcage, the panic surging through me like wildfire. The cabin is eerily quiet, and Cassie's absence is a void that swallows the entire space. I dart from room to room, adrenaline coursing through my veins, searching for any sign of her.

She's gone.

I've just received intel—her father had found us. We had a mole in our ranks, someone who couldn't resist the lure of cash. I had been keeping a close watch on her father, but the bastard managed to out manoeuvre us with a clever diversion. By the time my team caught wind of his manoeuvre, he was already closing in on Sweetheart Falls. The fucking bastard thinks he can take my baby girl away from me.

I slam my fist against the wall, the wood splintering under the force of my anger. I check the cabin again. Cassie has taken the bag of art supplies I left so that means she must've run off to the spot I showed her. I grab my tactical backpack, filling it with the weapons I had strategically placed around the cabin—my handgun, a tactical knife, extra clips of ammunition. Every second counts. My instincts scream that she's in danger, and I need to move fast.

They have Cassie.

My muscles are taut with tension as I strap on a utility belt and check my gear. I yank open a hidden compartment under the floorboards, retrieving a concealed weapon I had stashed for emergencies. It's a compact but deadly piece, and I slide it into a holster around my leg.

I burst out of the cabin, my boots thudding against the ground. The air is crisp, but it feels suffocating with the weight of what I know. Cassie's father—the man who had been watching us, planning who knows what—has come for her. The thought of her in harm's way fuels my rage. She's mine, and no one, not even her father, is taking her from me. If a single hair on her head is harmed, I'll make them all fucking pay. I should've killed her father when I had the chance, but I didn't want to scare Cassie.

The forest is eerily silent, the kind of silence that makes my instincts scream danger. I've barely made it through the trees when I realize I'm not alone. A chill runs down my spine as I sense the presence closing in around me. I'm surrounded. Shit. Fucking dumb move, Jax Regent. I've been so fixated on Cassie that I've walked straight into a trap.

"It's over," one of them says.

I have four guns pointed at me. I don't have much of a choice. I raise my hands in the air so they can see I'm not going to make any sudden moves.

The men are professionals—cold, efficient. They close in on me with ruthless precision, stripping me of every weapon I had. My knives, my guns—all of it taken away in a matter of seconds. I'm left with nothing but my fists and a heart racing with fury.

My mind is a maelstrom of anger and worry. What have they done to my baby girl... I can't let them win or hurt her. I would rather die.

"I will fucking kill you all with my bare hands. If you hurt her, I will kill you."

I swing my fists, catching the nearest man off guard and sending him crashing into a tree. Another one lunges at me, but I sidestep and land a brutal kick to his side. I'm moving fast, fighting with the raw, unfiltered rage of a man who's determined to protect what's his.

But even as I fight back, a gnawing fear clutches at my insides. I need to end this quickly, to get back to Cassie. That thought alone fuels my every move.

Just as I'm gaining the upper hand, I hear the crackle of a branch underfoot. My blood runs cold. I turn to see her father emerging from the shadows, a cruel smirk spreading across his face. My heart skips a beat when I see Cassie with him. Hands tied up, her eyes wide with fear, her body trembling.

The sight of her, vulnerable and terrified, stops me dead in my tracks. The fight drains from my muscles as I realize the gravity of the situation. Her father's gaze meets mine, a twisted satisfaction in his eyes.

"You think you can just take my daughter and get away with it?" he sneers. "It took me a while to track you down. Money talks, and people will always betray for the right price. Just like your father." His words cut through the air like a blade. "She'll be in Russia by morning, and you'll be dead. I've had enough of this charade. Take him into the forest and kill him."

I'm going to fucking kill this man!

The men, momentarily stunned by the sight of her father, quickly recover. They hold me down trying to restrain me, but I don't make it easy for them.

Cassie's eyes meet mine, filled with a mix of terror and something else—love. Her scream pierces through the chaos.

"Don't hurt him, please! I love him!"

Her plea for my life hits me like a thunderbolt. She fucking loves me as much as I love her. Nothing will happen to my Cassie I will make sure of it. I struggle against the men holding me, my muscles straining.

"Cassie!" I shout, my voice raw with desperation. I fight against their grip, but their hold is unbreakable. Each second feels like an eternity as I watch her—tied up, her eyes wide with fear.

"Take him into the forest. Make sure he suffers before you kill him."

With the order given, the men start dragging me deeper into the woods. My heart races as I struggle against their grip, my mind racing to find any opportunity to escape. I'm dragged past Cassie and her dad. I want to break his damn legs. Her eyes meet mine, and she gives me a strange look. Is Cassie going to do something?

Then, as if on cue, Cassie makes her move. In a bold, defiant act, she bites down hard on her father's arm. He lets out a howl of pain, his grip on her loosening just enough to create a momentary distraction.

I spot my chance as they drag me toward the forest, the men's grips loosening just enough.

"Run, Cassie! Get to the cabin!" I shout, my voice a harsh, commanding roar.

With a surge of strength, I break free from their hold, my arms swinging wildly as I grab a nearby fallen branch. I use it to thrash at the men, each swing fuelled by the need to protect her. My training kicks in, turning my rage into lethal precision.

In the chaos, Cassie bolts for the cabin, her figure vanishing into the distance. With the remaining men momentarily disoriented, I spot a gun lying on the ground. I snatch it up, feeling the cold metal settle into my hand as I prepare to fight back.

I take aim, my focus narrowing as I pick off the remaining men with swift, precise shots. Then two shots go flying over my head. I duck instinctively; it's her damn father.

My heart pounds in my chest, adrenaline surging as I duck behind a tree to avoid incoming fire. I peer out.

"Jax!" Her voice cuts through the chaos, and I see her running back towards me. The sight of her only fuels my resolve, but her father spots her and turns around, his face twisted in malice. What the fuck? He's going to kill her. Why did she run back?

I don't hesitate. With a grim determination, I raise the gun and fire three shots, each one finding its mark in her father's back. He stumbles, then falls, his body collapsing to the ground.

I rush toward Cassie, my heart racing as I scoop her up in my arms, pulling her close.

"I've got you." As I shield her from any further harm, I feel her trembling in my embrace. Her father's body lies sprawled on the ground, not too far away.

I hold Cassie tightly, my heart pounding as I try to calm my breathing. The noise of the forest fades away, leaving just the urgent, throbbing silence between us. I look down at her, my voice choked with a mixture of relief and frustration.

"What were you thinking, my sweet girl? What in the hell were you trying to do?" My voice cracks, full of anguish, and my eyes burn with unshed tears as I run my hands over her, checking for injuries, my touch trembling. "You could have been killed! You knew what they were going to do to you!" I can't contain the anger and desperation in my voice. "How could you risk your life like that? How dare you put yourself in such danger?"

I pull her even closer, my heart aching with fierce protectiveness. "Do you think I could live with myself if something happened to you? Do you think I'd want to go on knowing you're gone? I'd be a wreck, Cassie. A complete fucking wreck."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I just wanted to be free. I didn't want to be a prisoner and I thought that's what you wanted to do with me."

"I know you want that, but now that your father is gone, you can have it. He was an evil man. I will feel better if you go out and do things, but you still have to tell me where you are at all times."

"I know he was evil, and I'm glad he's gone Jax."

I clutch her tightly, my movements erratic and desperate. Every part of me is shaking—adrenaline, fear, love.

"Goddammit," I mutter, my voice raw and trembling. "I'm going to have nightmares for the rest of my life. You ran straight in front of the gun. Don't you ever put me through this again. You are my life, Cassie. Please. My fucking life."

Her tears soak into my neck, and I can barely breathe, my chest tightening with the weight of what just happened.

"I promise," she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. "I promise I won't. I just... I couldn't let them hurt you."

I pull her even closer, my breath ragged against her skin.

"I love you," I murmur, my voice breaking under the strain. "I love you so damn much. Just don't ever scare me like that again. Please."

I scoop her up in my arms, my sweet girl.

"Where are we going, Jax?" she asks, her voice trembling.

"I'm calling the authorities to clean this up and getting the minister from town," I growl.

"Why?"

"Because I'm marrying you today."

She rests her head on my shoulder as I carry her to the cabin.

Two hours later, atop the mountain with the police still clearing up, Cassie stands beside me in a pristine white dress. The officiant prepares as we exchange vows.

When we're finally pronounced husband and wife, I pull her to me, my kiss fierce and desperate, full of every ounce of relief and passion I've been holding back.

"Mine," I growl into the dusky air. And she is. Completely and always.