17. Lash

17

LASH

"Fuck!" I roar in agony while I shove my hands into my hair and tug hard.

The second I realize that I couldn't get Sienna on the phone, I tried to race out of the clubhouse. Leo is the one who stopped me. I was covered in blood with crazed eyes. "He, along with Spike, Tella, and a few of the prospects, are with me now."

"Lash, you need to calm down." Leo tries to grab hold of me, trying to stop me from pacing like an animal in Sienna's living room. The door was open, and her things were thrown all over the place. It's clear that Santi was telling the truth. Fisher was already here to take her. I missed it.

"Calm down? He took my fucking woman." I shout at my president. Any other time, I'm sure he'd punch me right in the face, but these are desperate moments.

"We'll find her." Spike is scrolling through his phone. I don't know what he's looking for, but whatever it is better magically teleport Red right here in my arms.

"They fucking took her. These same fucks that have been running around kidnapping the other women stole what's mine." I pace back and forth, and when that movement doesn't lessen the fury inside of me, I pull my hand back and punch through one of her walls. I want to break something. I want to destroy anything. Even as I continue to break Sienna's place, I know nothing I can do is going to stop this ache inside of me.

"Do you have any type of tracking device on her? Anything like that?" Tella asks.

"No, man. I didn't think. I wasn't..." My words cut off as I think back on all the things I could've done to ensure that she was safe. I'm supposed to be the one protecting her, but right now it seems like I've done nothing but sit back and watch her get deeper and deeper into trouble on her own.

"What about surveillance?" Spike asks, looking at me. I shake my head, and all at once, everyone stops what they're doing. They know what I know. There's basically no way for me to find her.

I slump against the doorframe, my head falling into my hands as the weight of our situation crashes down on me. The realization that I have no way to track Sienna, no breadcrumbs to follow, no magic solution to bring her back to me, is like a punch to the gut. My chest constricts, making it hard to breathe.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I mutter, my voice barely above a whisper now. The rage that was fueling me moments ago has been replaced by a bone-deep despair. I can see her face in my mind, those green eyes that light up when she laughs, the way her nose crinkles when she's annoyed. The thought of never seeing those expressions again, of Fisher or his goons hurting her, makes me want to vomit.

Leo approaches cautiously, his hand hovering near my shoulder but not quite touching. "Lash, brother, we need to regroup. Come back to the clubhouse with us. We'll figure this out."

I shake my head, not lifting it from my hands. "How? How the fuck are we gonna figure this out, Leo? We've got nothing. No leads, no tracker, no goddamn clue where they might've taken her."

Spike chimes in, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "We've got contacts, man. People who owe us favors. We'll put the word out, shake down every lowlife in the city if we have to."

I finally look up, my vision blurry. I realize I'm on the verge of tears, something I haven't experienced since I was a kid. "It won't be enough. Not fast enough. You know what these bastards are capable of. By the time we find her..." I can't finish the sentence, the words sticking in my throat like shards of glass.

The room falls silent, the gravity of the situation settling over all of us like a heavy blanket. I can see the pity in their eyes, and it makes me want to scream. I don't want their fucking pity. I want Sienna back.

Leo tries again, his voice firmer this time. "Lash, staying here isn't helping anyone. We need you clear-headed if we're going to find her. Come back to the clubhouse, let's form a plan."

I know he's right, but the thought of leaving this place, leaving the last place I know for certain Sienna was, feels like giving up. My eyes scan the room, taking in the scattered belongings, the broken bits of wall where my fist went through. It's like a crime scene, and I'm terrified that if I leave, I'll be losing the last connection I have to her.

Spike steps forward, offering his hand. "Come on, brother. We're not giving up. We're just regrouping. We'll find her, I swear it."

With a heavy sigh, I reach out and clasp his hand, letting him pull me up.

My legs feel weak, like they might give out at any moment. Leo wraps an arm around my shoulders, steadying me as we make our way to the door.

Just as we reach the threshold, Leo's cell phone blares to life, the harsh ringtone shattering the tense silence. He fumbles for it, his eyes widening as he glances at the screen.

"It's Switch," he says, his voice tinged with surprise and a hint of suspicion. "The president of Hands of Hell."

My heart rate kicks up a notch. The Hands of Hell MC had been on shaky ground with us for months, their allegiances questionable at best. What could Switch want now, of all times?

Leo answers, his thumb hovering over the speaker button. "Yeah?"

Switch's gravelly voice crackles through the line. "Put me on speaker, Leo. I've got something for Lash."

Leo complies, holding the phone out between us. The air feels thick with anticipation, and I can see Spike and the others leaning in, their faces a mix of curiosity and wariness.

"Alright, Switch," I growl, impatience coloring my tone. "What's this about?"

There's a pause, and I can almost picture Switch on the other end, probably puffing on one of those cheap cigars he favors. When he speaks, his words send a jolt through my system.

"Listen up, Lash. I know we've had our differences, but I'm looking to get back on Chrome Creed's good side. Consider this a show of good faith."

My fists clench at my sides, hope and dread warring in my chest. "Spit it out, Switch."

"I know where they're keeping your girl. Sienna."

The world seems to tilt on its axis. I grab Leo's wrist, steadying myself and the phone. "Where?" I demand, my voice a ragged whisper.

Switch's words come fast and clear, painting a vivid picture. "Old warehouse on the outskirts of town. You know that abandoned industrial park off Route 7? There's a building there, used to be a meat packing plant. Big red brick monstrosity, can't miss it. They've got her in the basement level."

My mind races, piecing together the location. I know the place he's talking about – we'd considered using it ourselves for some of our less-than-legal operations a few years back.

"How do you know this, Switch?" Leo asks, his tone skeptical.

There's a dry chuckle from the other end of the line. "Let's just say I've got eyes and ears in places Fisher doesn't expect. But you better move fast. Word is, they're not planning on keeping her there long."

The warehouse looms before me, a hulking mass of red brick and rusted metal. I don't hesitate, don't wait for backup or a plan. My boots crunch on broken glass and gravel as I charge through the entrance, my gun already drawn.

The air inside is thick with dust and the musty smell of decay. Shafts of late afternoon sunlight pierce through broken windows, creating eerie patterns on the concrete floor. My eyes adjust quickly to the dim interior, scanning for any sign of movement.

That's when I see them.

At the far end of the cavernous space, a large man is dragging Sienna up a set of metal stairs. Her hands are bound behind her back, and even from this distance, I can see the fear in her eyes. The man – Fisher, I assume – notices me at the same moment. He yanks Sienna in front of him, using her as a human shield.

"Stop right there!" he bellows, his voice echoing off the walls. "One more step and I'll put a bullet in her pretty little head."

I freeze, my gun trained on them. Sienna's eyes lock with mine, wide and pleading. I can see a bruise forming on her cheek, and a trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth. The sight makes my blood boil.

Fisher starts talking, his words rushing out in a panicked stream. "Listen, we can work this out. I'll let her go, we can negotiate. There's no need for-"

But I'm not hearing it. His words fade into white noise as I focus entirely on Sienna. On the rise and fall of her chest, the trembling of her lower lip. I've never been more certain of anything in my life than I am of what I need to do right now.

"Red," I call out, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins. "Do you trust me?"

For a moment, the world seems to hold its breath. Then, almost imperceptibly, Sienna nods.

"Yes," she whispers, her voice carrying across the empty space.

That's all I need.

In one fluid motion, I adjust my aim and squeeze the trigger. The gunshot is deafening in the enclosed space, echoing off the walls like a crack of thunder. Fisher's head snaps back, a look of surprise frozen on his face as a neat hole appears between his eyes. His grip on Sienna loosens, and she stumbles forward, away from his falling body.

Before the echo of the shot has even faded, I'm racing across the warehouse floor. Sienna meets me halfway, collapsing into my arms as Fisher's body hits the ground with a dull thud behind her.

It's over. Just like that.

I hold her tight, my hand cradling the back of her head as she sobs into my chest. "I've got you," I murmur into her hair. "You're safe now."

"I knew you'd come. I knew it." She whispers over and over. Finally the rest of the guys rush in and Red tells them about the other girls downstairs. I'm happy my brothers are here because there's no way I'm letting Red go now.

After a minute Red looks up at me, "He said it wasn't over. There are others."

I know she's talking about Fisher. It makes sense that he wouldn't be the head of this organization. It's much bigger which means it'll be much more trouble. This time I'm not going to shy away from it. "Whatever it is, we'll handle it together."