Marek (Knights Corruption MC #1) (35 page)

I decided right then and there to save all of my strength.

I was going to need it if I hoped to die with any kind of dignity.

Marek

“Let me in!” I heard a woman scream, her voice becoming shriller the more she was denied access into Chambers. Everyone knew women weren’t allowed behind these closed doors, the only exception being when we made a back room into a makeshift operating area for Tripp, and Adelaide was the only one attending to him. Once he was well enough to reside in one of the regular bedrooms, he’d been moved.

“You know you’re not allowed back there,” one of my men called out, but the thickness of the doors muffled their voices enough that I couldn’t tell who’d said it, nor who the female was who was trying so desperately to push past them.

I heard scuffling, then a fierce pounding on the door, followed by more shouting.

“What the hell?” I grumbled, catching Stone’s focus while I rose from my seat. I’d pulled him behind closed doors a few minutes prior to discuss the phone call I’d received from Yanez. He told me they would be stopping by our club in the next week to finalize all details, something I thought we’d already done through him, but I guessed his boss wanted to speak to us face-to-face. I wasn’t opposed to talking to Carrillo, finally being able to see his face while he promised me once again that my club could walk away from the cartel. It was just one more thing I had to oversee and handle to ensure the safety of my men.

But that was what I’d signed on for when I accepted the gavel, I supposed.

The handle turned with such vigor I was surprised it hadn’t popped off altogether. Whoever was on the other side was adamant about getting in, and my curiosity as well as my anger rose with every heartbeat.

“Adelaide, calm down!” the man shouted, who I soon realized was none other than her uncle, Trigger. And for him to be restraining her from entering meant something serious was going on.

My mind instantly shot to Sully for some reason, if only because I knew how close the two women had become. Calming my thoughts, I settled on that she was probably trying so hard because Stone was with me. As soon as the thought breathed to life, I shoved it aside, realizing Adelaide wasn’t like the women I’d had normal dealings with. She didn’t seem to overreact to situations, instead being the calm one everyone gathered around to seek the same kind of serenity in times of panic. Tripp’s situation being one such time.

As soon as her name drifted out of Trigger’s mouth, Stone jumped to his feet and flew toward the locked door, twisting the handle and throwing it open. Adelaide looked frenzied, her wild eyes searching for someone. They landed on Stone first, passing him an unspoken message before shoving past him and toward me. My heart raced, the hairs on the back of my neck bristling with worried anticipation.

“Marek,” she cried out, crushing the rest of the distance between us until she stood two feet from me. “Sh-she’s g-gone,” she hiccupped, tears breaking free and trembling down her reddened cheeks. “W-we were in the store . . . th-then she was gone.” Her hysterics heightened my worry, but she was speaking so fast I could hardly make out what she was saying.

Grabbing her arms, I steeled her shuddering body and tried to calm her enough for her to make some goddamn sense. “Who’s gone, Adelaide? What the hell are you talking about?” As far as I was aware, she hadn’t gone off the compound, so talk of a store was ludicrous.

“It’s all my fault,” she offered, a hint of hysterics washing over her while she continued to plead with me. “You have to go find her, Marek. You have to go now,” she urged, pulling from my grip and taking a step back. Stone was at her back. As soon as she sensed he was near, she turned around and wrapped her arms around his waist, finding comfort in his embrace. Trigger noticed and took a step forward, his fists clenched like he was ready for battle.

One look from me, however, and her uncle stopped all movement. He was smart enough to realize his temper wasn’t welcome right then. Reservation smothered him as he kept his fury in check, forcing himself to focus on the bigger threat.

Turning Adelaide around in Stone’s hold, I held her gaze while I asked for the last time, “Who are you talking about?” I knew, but I needed to hear her name fall from Adelaide’s mouth to unfortunately confirm it.

“Sully.” She tried to wipe away her tears but they kept falling. Finally, she gave up, her shoulders slumping forward in defeat. “I’d convinced her to run to the store with me and now . . . she’s . . . she’s gone. I couldn’t find her anywhere.” Her lips quivered. She was trying to be strong but she failed. Big time. “I’m so sorry, Marek,” she confessed.

“Why did you go off the compound, Adelaide?” I yelled, all of my reserve suddenly gone. I could no longer control my rage, taking a single step toward the woman telling me the horrible news about my wife. Both Stone and Trigger stiffened, prepared for anything now that my stance threatened their woman, their family. “I specifically told you she wasn’t allowed to go ANYWHERE without one of us. What the FUCK!” I’d never been so incensed and so frightened all at the same time.

“I’m sorry,” she repeated. “The store was only two blocks away, and I really didn’t think there would be any harm. We’d be back before anyone even knew we were gone.”

“And now they have her!” I roared, my entire body set to explode. Stone stepped forward, shoving Adelaide behind him toward her uncle. Jerking his head in the older man’s direction, Trigger ushered his niece out of Chambers, slamming the door behind him before I really lost it.

“Shit!” Stone rumbled, shoving his hand through his dark blond hair. His distress was enough to put me even more on edge, realizing the direness of the situation. I knew the Savage Reapers weren’t gonna let this go. And now that they had her back in their grips, not only would they torture her, but they were most likely gonna kill her, especially after finding out I made her marry me.

It took me all of one minute to devise a plan, albeit a haphazard, careless one. But it was a plan nonetheless. We would storm into wherever she was being held and kill every fucker we came across. It was gonna be a bloodbath.

As soon as I shared my plan with Stone, he froze.

“Marek, we can’t go in there guns blazin’. For one, we have no idea where they took her. Second of all, we can’t risk the lives of every brother here just to get her back.” The last word hadn’t left his lips before I slammed him against the wall.

“She’s my wife,” I seethed, pushing my forearm further into his throat. Stone was a big guy, and although I didn’t want to hurt my best friend, I needed for him to feel my rage.

“Yeah? So what?” he dared to retort. “She’s your wife because you forced her to marry you. You’re just pissed because those bastards bested you.” Pulling back, I straightened myself until I was no longer leaning into him, but instead standing tall in front of him. Toe to toe. His eyes widened at my reaction. A swift tick of the clock passed before my right fist connected with his face. His head turned, but of course the force of my punch didn’t hurt him. It was times like this when I hated that he couldn’t feel any pain.

His shock, however, was satisfaction enough.

It had to be.

Pinning me with his glare, he said, “What the hell was that for?” There was no rubbing of his jaw to soothe the pain, but there was a trickle of blood which covered the corner of his lip. He felt the moisture, wiping it away before it dripped onto his white T-shirt.

“She’s my wife,” I repeated. “Therefore, she belongs to me.” So many emotions battled together. Hurt, anger, confusion . . . but mostly fright. I was scared for Sully, and the longer we stood there arguing, the longer she was subjected to her club, mainly Vex and her father, Psych.

A pained expression washed over me. My eyes had become glassy, a reaction I had no control over. Fists clenched and nostrils flaring, I retreated until my back hit the wall. I hung my head so my VP couldn’t see the expression on my face. Hell, I wasn’t even sure what was happening to me. Clutching my chest, I tried to assuage the tightness, instinctually rubbing the area closest to my heart.

“Oh, no!” Stone called out, instantly garnering my attention. A knowing smirk appeared on his face. “You love her,” he proclaimed, brushing his hair off his forehead. “Fuck, Marek. Why didn’t you say something before?”

“Because I didn’t realize it until right now,” I affirmed, running my hands through my own hair in frustration.

“This changes everything,” he said.

I quickly nodded.

“I’ll gather the men. You start figuring out how we’re gonna find her.” He advanced toward the door, but before he disappeared from sight, I said something which stopped him right away.

“I had a tracker put in her wedding ring. If she still has it on, we’ll find her.”

I prayed whoever took her hadn’t noticed the band, because they would have taken it from her. It was the biggest reminder that she was no longer a part of their club, the biggest ‘fuck you’ their enemy could shove down their throats.

Sully

Twisting the ring around my finger over and over helped to soothe me. It was funny how things turned out. At first, the ring had been something that had shackled me to Cole, and his club. But now, I found solace in the gold metal band, as if in some way I was still connected to the man I’d ended up falling for.

I had to make sure Vex didn’t see it, though. Otherwise, his rage toward me would be off the charts, and he’d probably kill me before returning me to the Savage Reapers.

Slipping the band from my finger, I quickly placed it into the cup of my bra, tucked securely under my left breast. No sooner had I pulled my hand from my clothing than the car came to an abrupt halt, jerking me forward in the trunk. Bracing for what I knew was coming, I prayed Cole would be able to find me. I had no idea how, but I prayed nonetheless.