22. Priest

I wince.Someone is pulling me out of my truck as I try to shake off the concussion that fogs my brain. I can hear police sirens and people all around me.

What the fuck happened?

My truck.

We got hit.

Gunfire.

Bella.

Where the fuck is Bella?

I start to struggle when I hear a familiar voice. "Easy, big guy," Harlem says. "Let's get you on the sidewalk before you start swingin' punches."

"Bella," I start. "They took Bella."

"We know."

"Where?"

"Lookin' into it."

"My cats… Jinx… Dex…" I look over his shoulder and see Riot running toward me carrying my babies. "Are they—" Panic rises through me and my heart stops beating for a second.

"They're goin' nuts," Riot says, frowning. "But they do say cats have nine lives and all of that. I guess you just put that theory to the test."

"Fuck," I mutter. Thank Christ my babies are okay, but then there's Bella. I take a few moments as Harlem plonks my ass down on the sidewalk. "Her family… They fuckin' took her."

I unzip the first carrier partially, afraid that Jinx and Dexter might get spooked if I let them all the way out. I check them over one by one, thankful that they were protected in the back and somehow survived the roll over. Thank Christ for those sturdy pet carriers and the seat belts. I poke and prod, making sure their legs are still working and nothing appears to be broken. They're just not happy, which I can sympathize with. Being thrown upside down and rolled ain't fun.

My heart drums in my chest if either of them were hurt. What made us all survive the impact was the fact that I was slowing down for a red light.

"Got Jett and Rock onto the security footage, they'll find the van in no time," he assures me. "I'm expectin' a call any moment now."

I start to stand and he shoves me back down, then I hear Nevada. For once in his life he's not telling a joke or trying to get his face punched in. "Shit, Priest. Anythin' broken?"

I shake my head. "I was knocked out cold…" I run a palm over my face. If it weren't for that then maybe Bella would still be with me now. I could have fought for her. Fought them.

I'm so fuckin' mad with myself.

My girl. Gone. Just like that.

Anger boils in my blood.

"Someone must've been trackin' her," Harlem says, taking the words right out of my mouth. "That's the only explanation. Nobody knows she's alive except for you and Cash, and me and Tag."

"Fuck." My head pounds. I don't even know if I'm hurt, nor do I care. "We need to find her."

"What we need is Casey to check you out. Your truck's in bad shape. Got Rock comin' with the tow truck. Definitely can't hide the damage from the cops."

It goes without saying that nothing will be said about Bella being kidnapped. I just hope no witnesses saw Bella being snatched as the cops will be all over it.

"I'll stay here and deal with the cops," Riot says. "Then I'll take the cats back to the clubhouse."

I give him a nod. "Put them in my room, don't let them out in the clubhouse, they'll freak."

"Got it."

I rub my eyes with my palms. Adrenaline courses through me. I have to find her.

I promised her so many things about not being afraid and never having to worry any more. All of that was a lie if I can't keep her safe.

Harlem crouches down. "You good?"

I look up at him. "No, I'm not fuckin' good. I promised Bella that she was safe, that she never had to see her family ever again, and now this. They'll kill her. They won't even hesitate."

He places a hand on my shoulder. "You don't know that. They took her alive, that was their main objective, and if she's still alive then that means we can find her and put an end to this."

His words are like white noise when I think about what could be happening to my baby. How they even knew she was alive… we haven't even been anywhere to be spotted, but maybe they were watching the clubhouse. Still. Bella was in a baseball cap with oversized clothing when we went there. There would be no reason for anyone to suspect anything. Which makes me wonder if someone knew all along that she'd escaped… Maybe this was always their plan, but why wait this long?

Why not take her when she was all alone before I met her at the Soup Kitchen? None of this makes any sense.

"I know you probably don't wanna hear this right now," Riot says as I glance up at him. "But we caught Rueben."

My eyes go wide. "What the fuck?"

"He's at the warehouse with Pipes, Bandit and Giggs." Giggs is one of the other prospects.

"They better not fuck him up too much, I want my hands on him first."

"Nope, they've been instructed to keep him tied up until I talked to you," Riot says. "Could be good to find out if he knows anything. He's the only other dude that knew about Bella bein' alive."

I doubt that asshole has anything to do with the mob, but stranger things have happened. "I'm gonna go there now." I push off the ground, taking Harlem's outstretched hand as he yanks me up.

"Gotta wait for Casey," he says.

I shake my head. "Fuck that, she can come to the warehouse."

Harlem gives me a look. "She can't come to the warehouse."

"Fine, I'll see her when this is over. I'm fine, H. If Rueben knows something we could find Bella sooner rather than later."

Harlem's phone rings and he answers, putting it on speaker.

"H," Jett says. "I'm hackin' into the security footage from the crash, gonna take me a little bit to get there, but I wanted you to know I'm doin' my best to track where it went."

"You're on speaker," Harlem says. "Priest is with me now."

"Glad you're okay," Jett says. "Aside from Carlo's compound and Bella's home, is there anywhere else they could've gone?"

"Her ex could be involved, name's Leo Campaldi. She also mentioned they had a warehouse and gave me the address." I dig around in my back pocket for my phone. The screen is cracked but the phone still works. "I'll text you the address."

"Good, I'll update you when I get the footage."

"Hurry," I say to Jett. "She… She won't survive this. We know what that family is like, and this seems like Bella is the one who betrayed them. Hell, they'll probably blame her for the shootout, think about it…"

Harlem squeezes my shoulder. "Let's not jump to conclusions." I know he's just trying to make me feel better, but it's not working. "We don't know who has her yet. If it's that Leo guy, wasn't he her ex-finance?"

"Exactly." I run both hands through my hair. "He was obsessed with her. I don't know much about the guy except he was being groomed to join the mob, then when Bella's father died, she assumed he moved up the ranks to take his place. Either way, he's heavily involved and we can't discount him having nothing to do with this."

This whole time I never considered the idea that her family knew she'd be alive. I still don't understand how that would be possible, but like I say, nothing surprises me anymore. The more I think about this Leo guy, the worse feeling I get. I know gut instincts and I always follow them.

"You gotta decide which way you wanna go," Riot says as I try to stand without falling over. Both men steady me on either side. "Either with H to the warehouse to question Rueben while we wait for Jett, or wait to storm the compound where Carlo and his men are."

I frown. "Did Cash?—"

"He's not wasting any time," Harlem says. "So this is gonna be bloody. Once Jett can confirm where the van went, we'll better establish if we hit the compound now, or nightfall. The longer we wait, however—" He doesn"t need to finish that sentence.

My heart beats like a runaway freight train. I get the idea.

I don't let my mind go there — to the idea that they'd just kill her.

"We need to find Bella, if we storm the compound… She could be in there…"

"Which is why we wait for Jett," Riot says again. "Just may take a while to get what you need out of Rueben, that's if he knows anything."

I'm certain he does. The more I think about it, the more my gut tells me something's up with him. That this wasn't just a case of him trying to get Bella alone because she was vulnerable. What if… What if he was part of this all along?

Is he some kind of mastermind, or just a bum with nothing else to do?

"Cash ain't raidin' nothin' until I'm done with Rueben," I grit. "I'll call him myself."

We all know I don't have the authority to make that call, and normally, we'd make a big decision like this at the meeting room table at church, but that won't be happening any time soon.

Harlem and Riot share a look but don't say anything. "We better hurry," Harlem says, nodding to his truck. "Cops will be here any second."

I nod to Riot. "Thanks bud, for stayin'."

"Anytime. I'll meet you later, once Rock's picked up the truck."

I make my way over to Harlem's truck and hop in. We take off just as an ambulance and two cop cars come screaming up to the scene. I sigh with relief. That last thing I need is to be caught up with the cops all afternoon. Once Callaghan got wind, he'd keep me down at the precinct until dooms day. I know what that snotty little bastard is like, and I don't need him involved.

"She can't be gone," I murmur as Harlem looks over at me.

"You know how good our team are," he tells me. "Jett will find the way."

"And if he doesn't?" My eyes meet his. "What then?"

"We'll do whatever it takes, brother. Like we always do."

Harlem has always had the ability to calm me like nobody else. He and Tag are always like this in a jam. They don't panic or break a sweat, or if they do, they don't let it show.

I slam my fist into my thigh. I'm so fuckin' angry with myself. I should've protected her better. I should have realized that threats were still out there, even if her identity deception should've been enough to keep her safe. Now I can't shake the feeling that my beautiful, sweet, innocent girl is at the mercy of men who want her dead for real this time.

The mob are brutal, we've established that. They have a network of human trafficking and they're trying to bring that into our neighborhood. There's no way I'm going to let that happen. There's no way this club and Cash will let that happen.

We've worked too long and hard to ever go back. When Cash established BADVA — Bikers Against Domestic Violence Association — it was to protect women and children when they go to court to testify. It's something the entire club is now heavily involved in. So to think these assholes came back to New Orleans to try and turn our streets back into cesspits where the underworld rules, just ain't gonna sit with any of us. The underworld may have its place, but not for trafficking. That's something even Big Daddy and the Irish draw a line in the sand at.

"Your minds doin' overtime," Harlem says after a long bout of silence. "This girl mean that much to you?"

I look out the window. There's no point in hiding it. "I love her."

I feel his glance in my direction, though I keep looking at the traffic. "She got you."

I swallow hard. "She did. It came out of left field. One day I was celibate and abstaining to help reaffirm my goals and commitment to God, and the next I'm falling in love with a mafia princess who I'd walk through the pits of Hell to protect."

"I guess we all have a breaking point."

I shake my head. "When you fell for Indigo… You just knew, right?"

Harlem chuckles. "Oh, fuck yeah. It was like a lightning bolt to the chest. I not only knew she was the one, but I also couldn't imagine takin' another breath without her by my side. It wasn't gravity holdin' me to the earth anymore, it was Indi."

I nod. That's exactly how I feel. "If anythin' happens to her…"

"You gotta believe that you'll see her again." He says it like it's obvious. "You'll be reunited because it's part of the plan."

"God's plan?" I snort.

"Now don't go gettin' all pissy and blamin' the big guy," he laughs. "She's strong, despite what you think. She's had to be if she's part of that family."

I know he's right and it gives me some comfort. Even though Bella was like a frightened deer when I first laid eyes on her, I know deep down she has a fire inside her belly that is yet to be really set free.

I need her to use that power right now. I will it to happen… For her to make it out alive… For us to be in each other"s arms once more.

"She is strong." My voice is low. "She can survive this."

I just want her back. I want her back in my arms, where she belongs.

Harlem mutters my name under his breath as I pull back from punching Rueben over and over. Of course, he's a pissant and spills his guts immediately.

The rage I feel inside isn't comparable. I've never felt this way before. Well, I've felt anger, of course. But the idea that I could kill a man with my bare hands… That hasn't affected me since I got out of jail. Now I don't give a shit if I go down for murdering this petty little asshole.

"I told you!" He spits, blood narrowly missing my boot. "It was after the incident at the park…"

"The incident where you tried to rape her?" I clutch him by the throat and his eyes go wide.

"Keep him talkin'," Harlem mutters, but I barely hear his words.

"I never—" He trails off. "It was after that. He'd been followin' her and that's when he approached me and wanted to know what I knew; which wasn't much."

"Who?" I know who it is, like I've always known this guy would be a problem for us. Ever since I heard his name and how badly he treated Bella.

"Campaldi."

I shake my head. "And what did he want you to do?"

"Keep followin' her, which I did, but then you showed up at the parish that night before I could?—."

I swallow hard, my hand tightening around his throat. What the fuck? "You went back after her that night? After you already attacked her?"

He shakes his head. I'm sure he'd wave his arms around too, if they weren't tied behind his back. "You've gotta understand, he paid me a lot of money. I'd suck his dick if he wanted me to. I'm broke. I'm a nobody."

Why do I fucking care if he's a nobody? I shake my head. "Sometimes souls are not for sale." Squeeze. "Sometimes money doesn't buy you jack shit except a one way ticket to Hell." Squeeze. He starts to pale as no oxygen gets to his lungs. "Sometimes sufferin' long and hard is all you deserve, and trust me, I can keep this shit up for days."

He tries to talk but no sounds comes out. As I want him exhausted and scared, I ease off. He starts to gasp for air, coughing and spluttering.

"You're pathetic," I spit at him. "Stalking a defenseless woman who was nothin' but kind to you, to everyone she meets, and this is how you repay her."

"I never wanted to hurt her…"

I slam my fist into his ribs and he cries out. "No?" I do it again on the other side.

He's gasping for air now, and I consider landing a blow to his windpipe and watching him struggle for breath until he dies in front of my face. But torturing him is so much more fun. Now he'll know what it's like to be completely terrified, just like my Bella was.

"Why now?" I tilt his face up so he's looking directly at me. "Why didn't Leo just take her when he knew she was still alive."

"He was toying with her," he sputters. "He wanted to get back in with her uncle, to take his place…"

"Take her father's place?"

Leo shakes his head. "No, you don't understand. He wants to be Don."

I frown. "That makes no sense. How did he find her?"

"The ring," he chokes out. "The one she wears… It has a tracking device…"

My lips part. A tracking device? So Leo knew that she was alive this whole time…

"He wants to create a diversion because he knows the MC will attack the compound," Harlem puts in, standing next to me. "Make a big noise over here, and we'll take out the Don for him. It's win-win in his eyes."

"And since he's bein' groomed as the new Underboss, nobody will question that it'll be him that takes over as Don. Carlo had no sons…" I trail off.

Rueben nods, smiling like an idiot. I don't know what he's got to smile about. "That's right, that's what I was trying to tell you…"

If only he'd stayed quiet, I might have decided to leave him there until later, not that he deserves anything but to suffer. But if the cops are already sniffing around once Riot gets back from the accident, I don't need to lead them all the way down here to find Rueben tied up.

I turn to Pipes. "Take him to the Bayou."

Rueben frowns. "W—what?"

"Feed him to the alligators," I add. "But make sure you keep him alive until then."

"No!" Rueben struggles against his restraints. "Please!"

"You let Bella suffer. She was terrified and you preyed on her, you hurt her. I'd kill you myself," I add, landing him another blow to his already bloody face. "But I've got a girl to go and rescue, no thanks to you."

"But— Wait, you can't do this!"

Harlem reaches around to pull his gag up. It doesn't quieten him up much, but at least his words are muffled.

I turn to walk away, but fuck it, I land a punch to his windpipe and he starts to gag. I hope he fucking chokes on his own tongue.

"Where to?" Harlem asks, falling into step behind me.

"I don't know if we can track Bella when we don't have the device," I mumble. "But we know she's not at the compound. Where the fuck is Jett?"

"I'll call him again." Harlem dials and puts his phone to his ear.

We walk back to Harlem's truck and I tune out Rueben's cries for help. Damn it. My blow didn't have him suffering nearly long enough, but the alligators will fix that.

For the first time since Bella was snatched, I smile.