Chelsea

“Your brother is fucking nuts,” Blizzard snapped, his resolve finally breaking. “Do you know what he’s doing to that girl? I’ve seen her more than once with bruises and burns for God’s sake. She’s supposed to be your family, but what the fuck are you doing to protect her?”

I threw my hand to the side, my palm landing on Blizzard’s chest as I felt him walk forward. It wasn’t often people saw this side of him. He was a joker—relaxed, calm—a guy you enjoyed being around. But he was also fiercely protective of those he cared about.

“Gio, Rico…you will stay,” Anthony spoke quietly but surely. “Optimus, I believe we need to have a few words.”

I dipped my chin.

“Please, feel free to have a few of your men take Grant here. I would like a little privacy for this conversation.”

I didn’t wait a second more. “Ham, grab the asshole.” I needed this over. The longer I leave Chelsea, the longer I risk her life.

Ham, Wrench, and Slider stepped forward and grabbed the lying little snake, dragging him out the door into the lobby. Gio and Rico flanked their father, taking up residence on each side of him. Blizzard and Leo stayed with me, doing much the same.

“There seems to be some misunderstandings between us,” Anthony said clearly, once the room had emptied.

“Someone tried to frame us for your father’s death. It wasn’t us and I can prove that shit,” I told him.

He nodded and folded his hands back in his lap. “Yes, I’m sure you can.” He cleared his throat. “My brother was not happy that my father passed his legacy on to me.”

I heard Blizzard scoff behind me. Anthony shot him a glare, his eyes narrowed.

“I want my woman back,” I said simply. “If he’s hurt her, I’ll kill him.” I wasn’t about to beat around the bush. Marco DePalma was a dead man. Anthony could try and stop me right now, but one way or another I was going to take him out.

He raised his hand and scratched at his chin. “You say he’s hurt my niece?” The question was aimed past me to my VP.

Blizzard didn’t hesitate to answer. “On more than one occasion. Our man said when she pulled her gun and ordered Chelsea into the car that she was sporting some pretty nasty battle wounds.” He talked through gritted teeth, the thought obviously wearing on his mind.

“She was an illegitimate child. She came from an affair with one of his maids.” I looked up at each of his boys and I could see the pride in his eyes. “To him, she needed to earn the right to be a part of this family. Her mother left before she was born. We didn't know anything of her until she appeared around a year or so ago making claims. Marco was disgusted. But for us, as soon as she proved her DNA, she was family. She has my blood in her veins, it doesn’t matter what it was mixed with. I should have stopped it before it got to this point.”

This strong man sat in front of me, his head hung like he was ashamed of his actions. He could stare a man in the eyes before shooting him dead, but when it came to family, there was nothing more important.

Maybe we weren’t so different.

“Grant will give you the information to find Marco and get your…woman…back. I believe you’ll do what you see fit and I will consider what you’ve told me here today.”

With that, we were dismissed. There was no bloodshed and I had a way of reclaiming what was mine. I was done. I merely nodded and turned on my heel, my brothers following me out the door and into the hall.

Our buddy Grant was sporting a split lip and was crumpled against the wall. Wrench was gri

“Leo, call the boys, get them on their bikes,” I ordered. Wrench grabbed the piece of garbage by his arm and dragged him with us as we walked down the prim and proper hotel hall.

“Let’s get our girl back.”

“Hand me your cell phone,” Rose said, her voice shaking.

I glared but pulled my phone from where I’d tucked it in the side of my bra. She took it from my palm and turned it off before tucking it into the pocket of her jeans. I pushed myself against the door of the car, trying to stop myself from being thrown around as the driver maneuvered side streets, weaving in and out of traffic. He was good, I had to give him that.

I knew nobody would find us now. If they were giving chase, they would have lost sight of us a while ago. Rose watched me, the gun in her hand laying across her lap.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered quietly. The car was big, but we were still close to the driver and his sidekick. I wasn’t sure if they could hear us.

“Why?” I asked sadly.

“I had to. They made me.” Her good eye filled with tears, the other was so swollen I wondered if there would be permanent damage. But why should I care.

“I told you the club could help. We could have protected you.”

“Shut your mouth, whore.” I jumped as the front seat passenger turned to snap at me. I recognized him. He was one of the creepy men that Rose tried to get us to go home with. My eyes widened and a slow smirk grew on his face. It was disgusting and made me feel dirty.

“You…” I stuttered, looking back and forth between Rose and my captor. “It was a setup. That’s why you were so upset, so eager to go with them,” I shot at her accusingly. I felt the anger build up in my stomach, replacing the fear.

I’d been set up.

“Oh, so the bitch finally gets it.” He laughed, turning back around to face the windscreen.

I glared at Rose and she hung her head. It was clear she was ashamed of her actions.

“How could you?” I sneered. “I was your friend. I cared about you, I fucking cared about you!”

Her body flinched at every word.

Good. I hoped they were hitting her where it hurt.

“It’s not you!” She sobbed. “It’s the club. They hurt my family. They took my cousin and my grandfather and our business.”

“Bullshit!” I cried. I wanted to reach out and slap her.

This friend that I had come to love, she had betrayed me and now my fate was in the hands of mad men who were about to do who knows what to me.

We pulled into a rundown area. The houses were old, falling to pieces and in desperate need of a paint job. I knew we hadn’t been driving for long so we must be still in the Athens area, but I’d never been to this side of town. It sent a shiver up my spine. I had no idea what was about to go down, but I knew in my gut that it wasn’t good.

I was going to get hurt.

We pulled up to a large house. It wasn’t like the rest, it was newer and it didn’t fit in.

“Watch her,” creepy bar guy ordered, giving Rose an evil eye. She bobbed her head up and down, acknowledging the order but not looking at him.

Both men hopped out of the car and walked up to the front door. If I had any chance of getting out of this situation, it was now.

“Rose, please,” I pleaded, tears filling my eyes. “We’re friends. I love you. I care about you. Please don’t do this.”

She looked up from where she held the gun in her lap. “I tried to steer them away from you. Tried to make it so you wouldn’t get hurt. I set the timer on the bomb wrong so it would blow up after you were out. I tried to stop you from going into work that day they shot up the gym. They weren’t supposed to do that! They were just supposed to grab you!”

I watched the anxiety building inside of her. Her hands were shaking and she was throwing her head back and forth like she had some major internal struggle. I looked over the seat and realized that the idiot driver had left the keys in the ignition. I watched as they stood at the front door of the house, probably waiting for someone to come open it. No doubt holding me at gunpoint out in the open would possibly draw attention, even in this type of area.