Avenging Angel by Naomi Porter

19

Storm

A dozen of my brothers were out scouring area farms by one in the morning. The council and I had stayed behind to study the video. I wouldn’t have been worth shit on my bike. Too much adrenaline rushed through my veins.

I’d deleted the part where Madeline was forced to strip. Each time I thought of it, remembering the agony and tears in her eyes, I raged like a savage. Readying to tear the Hunters’ prez to shreds. Then I’d think about my woman, tap down my unhinged emotions, and focus on finding her and the others.

What we knew for sure, they were in a metal building. The way Angel talked about allergies, Raul suggested we check out grain silos in the area. It was something, and we ran with it.

The part where she said I cheated four times and asked how I’d feel if she were with four men had to be a clue. We agreed there must’ve been four Hunters with her.

My girl was damn smart. Quick on her feet.

We needed to be.

Hour after torturous hour, my girl occupied my every thought as we put a plan together. Now in my office, I rocked in my chair, sometime after eight in the morning. My eyes were closed after my sixth cup of strong, black coffee. I’d had a monster migraine since the video call.

I sensed someone standing in the doorway. I’d left it open to hear the activity inside the building. Didn’t want to miss anything.

“What?” I grunted.

“Thought you were asleep.” Track’s voice was low.

“Asleep while rocking my chair? Asleep while my brothers work their asses off to find Madeline and the others? Asleep while God knows what’s happening to my woman? Fuck no, I’m not asleep.” I stopped my chair, opening my eyes, shooting a deadly glare at my best friend.

“Clearly not.” Track dropped into the chair in front of my desk. “A grouchy cuss like you needs some rest… at least a nap. Go up to your room. I’ll wake you in a couple of hours or if I hear something.”

“No.”

“She’d want you to rest.”

“No!” I slammed my hand on the desk. It was fortunate my mug was out of the way, or I would’ve knocked it over. “You saying you’d sleep if your woman was missing?”

“Point made. But a nap will help.”

“I’ll nap here… later.”

“Storm your bed—”

“I can’t,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’ll smell her in the bed, brother. I can’t…” I rubbed my hands over my cheeks, utterly drained, not having slept in twenty-four hours.

“Shit, man.” He scratched the back of his head. “I get it. This shit has got to be ripping you up inside.”

I grunted. Track had no idea how fucked up I was. I couldn’t show my true feelings, couldn’t look weak to my brothers. I was dying. Fuckin’ dying. Sick with worry for Madeline and the others. Grieving the loss of AJ. It was all too much.

A paralyzing fear seeped into my veins when I’d nodded off an hour ago. I’d had the worst nightmare of my life. Those goddamned Hunters, one by one, had their way with my Angel. Her blood-curdling screams had jolted me awake.

“Do you need anything?” Track leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs.

“Just my woman.”

“Right. Well, I’m gonna check in with my dad. He was calling in a marker.”

“I don’t want him using them up. We may need them for Brynne.” Brynne was Tina’s daughter who was attending college in Montana. We had two sets of eyes on her at all times. Just waiting for the day when we’d capture her and reunite her with Tina. Raul may need his markers for his old lady’s daughter.

“Don’t worry about Brynne. We gotta get Madeline and the others back. They’re the club’s immediate priority.” Just hearing him say Angel was a priority helped me breathe a little easier. My brothers wouldn’t rest until she was found. Hearing it comforted me.

“Thanks.”

Track nodded and left.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, clenching my back molars and fighting the sting of tears. She’s strong, a fighter. She’ll come back to me.

Grabbing my mug, I went to the kitchen. Sugar and Tina stopped in their tracks when I entered. The whole room fell silent, eyes on me. Likely waiting to see what I might do. All morning I’d gone off like the short fuse they knew me to be. I didn’t give two fucks about it. My woman was missing. I couldn’t be responsible for my actions in the mental state I was in.

“What can I get you, honey?” Sugar took the cup from my hand.

“Just coffee.”

She filled the mug, a nervous twitch in the corner of her lip. “You need to eat.”

“Can’t.”

She frowned, handing me the cup.

As Tina approached, I recognized the determined glint in her eyes. “Hey, you’ll find her—all of them. Madeline would want you to eat. If you crash and burn, how can you take care of her? She’s going to need you, Storm. Gotta keep up your strength. Now sit so I can get you some breakfast.” Tina jerked her head to a stool.

I obeyed, bracing my elbows on the island, dragging my hand across my face.

“How do you do that? You’re like the stubborn-biker whisperer.” Sugar scrunched her nose and winked, placing her hand on my shoulder.

Tina shrugged with a wry smile. “I just have the magic touch, I guess.”

Sugar leaned in and whispered, “Call David.”

Ah, that was why she had a nervous twitch. “No.”

“Storm, he has more manpower.” Her voice was low, so no one else heard. She knew how to be discreet. She also knew asking me to call my dad was risky. The mere fact she mentioned him had me studying her face with narrowed eyes. Something felt off.

“Don’t need his help.”

David Knight, the president of the mother chapter in South Dakota, was the last person I wanted to call. After what happened with Tommy, he’d thought of me as a blundering dumbfuck. My failure at keeping my woman safe would only prove him right.

“It shouldn’t matter what you want. What matters is bringing Angel home in one piece.” She huffed, leaving me in the kitchen. Dammit. I didn’t need Sugar angry with me on top of everything else.

“She’s right, y’know.” Tina patted my arm, setting a plate in front of me. Great, she heard Sugar. “Eat.”

“I’ve got this.” I pushed the plate away from me, my stomach roiling. Did I really believe I had everything under control?

Tina cocked her head, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m going to tell Angel what a pain you were while she was gone. Then I’m going to sit back and enjoy the show when she hands you your ass.”

I snorted, actually snorted, wanting nothing more than my woman handing me my ass. Hell, I’d even let her do it in front of my brothers if it meant getting her back. My chest burned, imagining her fired up. My little brunette firecracker wasn’t always docile. Fire and brimstone flowed through her just like it did me. Only she controlled it better.

“She’s going to come back to you. Eat the toast, at least. She’ll need you to be alert to her needs.”

“My Angel can count on me,” I replied in a harsh tone. No one should ever question my abilities to take care of my woman. Maybe they weren’t sure I would because I didn’t keep her safe. My gut twisted, forcing me to grip it.

Tina placed her hand on my shoulder. The understanding in her eyes made me ill. “This isn’t your fault.”

I glared at her, standing from the stool. “The fuck it isn’t.”

“Storm—”

“No!” My eyes darted around the kitchen. A few brothers and kittens were watching me, but I didn’t care. “Don’t tell me this situation isn’t my fuckin’ fault! I should’ve gotten the Hunters out of the state months ago. If my woman and the others aren’t returned in one piece… if I have to bury my…” The agonizing thought bent me over at the waist. Excruciating pain wrapped its clutches around me to the point I couldn’t stand.

Tina put her hand on my back. “Slow breaths.”

Breathing was more painful than my knotted gut.

“Hey. Let’s go.” Track nudged me out. Boxer and Lynx were at the door.

“I’m sorry,” came Tina’s sad voice.

“It’s okay,” Track told her.

“Get him to eat,” Tina whisper-shouted from behind me.

Track didn’t respond.

We went out of the clubhouse. I paced like a trapped lion, gripping the hair on the top of my head. I felt out of control. Helpless. On my last nerve.

“Where is my woman?” I roared, pulling my hair. “Any fuckin’ thing could’ve happened to her. She could be out of the state. The fuckin’ country by now. Jesus…” I dropped to my knees, gasping for air. If she was out of the country, it could be impossible to find her. But I wouldn’t ever stop searching. Hoping. Loving her.

A guttural scream tore from my lungs as I dug my nails into my head. Curling into myself, I rocked, unloading everything that had been building inside me. I let it all out: anger, fear, hate. The hate I felt for myself was almost as horrendous as the fear I had for my Angel.

My brothers surrounded me, placing their hands on my back and shoulders to keep me anchored. Protecting me in this weak moment. They didn’t feed me lies or give me false hope. This situation could end only two ways, depending on what we did about Winters Township. Their silence told me they understood the state I was in. And they were here for me.

We were family—a brotherhood like no other.

We weren’t like some clubs who chanted brothers before others. We didn’t subscribe to that way of thinking. My Uncle Matt showed me how his old lady, Sugar, and their children meant the world to him. He expected the rest of us to have the same mindset. Still, my brothers and I would go to the ends of the earth for each other. Take a bullet if it meant saving the other, like AJ. We would always have each other’s back and our old lady’s and children, like Justin’s daughter.

Minutes passed before I’d gotten my shit together. A hand gripped each of my biceps, lifting me off the ground. A flask was thrust into my hand. It didn’t matter if it was morning; I needed it to settle my nerves. I took a swig, embracing the burn.

“We got you,” Track muttered in a lethal tone. I was sure he hated seeing me this way, just as I would feel about him. Seeing a brother breakdown rarely happened. When it did, it crushed us all.

“Got two things to tell you. I need you stable.” Boxer squeezed my arm.

I lifted my gaze, meeting his deadly ice-blue orbs. “Tell me.”

He looked at Track, who nodded.

“First, my contact in Winter’s Sheriff’s Office said Miller has been on edge the last few days. Last weekend, he was seen talking to a couple of Hunters.”

I fisted one hand and took another swig from the flask. “What else?”

Boxer gripped my bicep as if he sensed my inner turmoil. After serving in the Marines together, he read me well. “Miller ducked out of work today saying he wasn’t feeling well. I’m expecting an update within the hour.”

I stared Boxer in the eyes. “He’s mine even if his involvement is small.” I cut my eyes to Track and Lynx. “You hear me? Miller is mine. That fucker who made my woman strip and assaulted her, mine too. They. Are. Mine.”

“The Hunter’s prez we can’t promise,” Track said.

I seethed at his words. “Why the fuck not?”

Track squared his shoulders. “Raul called in a marker after the video call.”

My chest squeezed tight, feeling anger and gratitude. Raul might’ve needed it to bring Tina’s daughter home. Instead, he burned it for me. I owed him big. This was a debit I didn’t know if I would ever be able to repay, but I would damn sure try.

“Why didn’t anyone tell me sooner?” Going behind my back was never acceptable. “And why isn’t he telling me himself?”

Track sighed. “He’s out riding with the others. You were messed up, man. He didn’t know if anything would pan out. Didn’t want to give you false hope.”

“I’ll deal with Raul later.” I rubbed my eyes with the tips of my fingers, feeling the grit caused by lack of sleep. It was also too damn bright out. “What did he find out?”

“He called just before I pulled you out of the kitchen. Turns out the Dirty Hunters are from California. Their prez’s name is Dawg. He was part of another MC, Westside Heretics.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “I’ve heard of the Heretics. Big into selling blow and prostitution. They occupy Northern California.”

“Well, Dawg tried to take out the Heretic’s president. The dude is in a coma.” Track shook his head.

My brows shot up. “No shit?” Trying to take out your president was the ultimate betrayal.

Lynx laughed, lighting up a smoke. “Stupid shit.”

“He’s a wanted man.” Track cut his eyes to mine. “The prez’s brother, Miguel Avila, is his VP. He’s been after Dawg for months. The second that Miguel heard he was in our territory from Raul’s contact, he got on a private jet. He and some of his brothers will be here soon. They plan to clean out the Dirty Hunters in the area.”

I stared at Track, feeling like we might have a chance. A bit of hope sparked, dead center in my chest. My Angel could be back before the end of the day. Within hours, hopefully.

Sugar ran out of the clubhouse. “Storm! Oh, God.”

The panic on my aunt’s face made my mood take a nosedive. I stalked toward her. “What’s wrong?”

“Um…”

The rumble of motorcycles stole my attention as they stopped at the gate to my compound.

“Who the fuck is that?” Boxer pulled his gun.

Track and Lynx followed, drawing theirs.

I tensed, taking a few steps forward. We weren’t expecting anyone. It sure as hell wouldn’t be the Hunters. Dodge approached the bikers, rifle in his hands, ready to defend. Narrowing my eyes because the damn sun was too bright, a weird sensation hit me. I knew the man in front.

Sugar stepped in front of me. “I didn’t think he would come so fast.”

He?

I knew exactly who she meant. “You called David?”

“I’m sorry.” Her eyes teared up. “I called him after the video call.”

“What the fuck do you know about the call?” I cut my eyes to Track. Raul must’ve told Tina and she filled Sugar in. “Sonofabitch.”

“You can deal with me later. I would do anything to bring Madeline home safely, even reach out to David… behind your back. I only wanted to put him on standby, hoping you’d call him yourself. It’s why I had nudged you to do it earlier. I guess he’d taken matters into his own hands.”

“Fuck, Sugar. You know I’d never ask him for help!” My phone buzzed in my pocket. “Yeah?”

“Prez, it’s—” Dodge hesitated.

“I know who it is. Let them in.”

“K, prez.”

Sugar got in front of me. “David said he knew you’d never ask for his help when I was on the phone with him. A few minutes ago.”

“A few minutes ago?” I was stunned.

“Yeah, he wanted to announce his arrival. I’m sorry.” A tear rolled down her face. “I’m just as shocked as you. I never expected him to come all this way without your permission. I’m so sorry.”

I bit the inside of my cheek until it bled. I was furious. Two people I trusted went behind my back. “Get in the clubhouse, Sugar. Get the kittens to help you and Tina cook. Looks like we’re going to be feeding a dozen more people.”

Between my dad and his brothers, and the Heretics, we’d have a full house. I didn’t need this shit on top of everything else. But I would swallow my pride. Today I’d do anything to bring my woman and the others home.

“Here, eat this damn piece of toast so Tina will get off my ass.” Track shoved it into my hand with a wry grin. “Angel will be home before the day is over. I feel it in my bones.”

“Fuck yeah, brother. Send those vibes my way.” I bit the toast in half.

My old man rode toward me. I didn’t hate him. But I sure as hell didn’t like him after the way he treated my mom and me. David Knight was a selfish bastard. He only cared about his club and himself. He believed in brothers before others. I was just an other to him.

Now, he was here at my club.

He strode toward me, not waiting for anyone. Some things never changed. He removed his shades and tucked them into his vest pocket.

“Prez,” I grunted, standing boot to boot with my father.

“Storm. Before we get started, I want a word in private.” His stormy gray eyes bore into mine. “Take me to your office.” It wasn’t a request. He turned on his heel and led the way into my clubhouse. Because he was the National President of Knight’s Legion MC, I didn’t have any other choice but to do as he said.

“Stay cool,” Track whispered as I passed.

Everyone watched us in awe. Seeing us together wasn’t a common sight. Even when attending the annual Knight’s Legion event, I avoided my dad at all costs.

From the back, he looked like Uncle Matt. My chest tightened, wishing he were here instead of my old man.

Dad had his phone to his ear. “Jane, we made it. I’ll call you tonight after we get Storm’s woman back.”

Christ, the confidence in his voice had my chest practically caving in on my heart. How was it that a grown man could feel reduced to a snotty-nosed kid in front of his father? This was why he was the national president. He was all swagger and arrogance, never believing he couldn’t do what he set his mind to do.

I was like him on a smaller scale. More hotheaded and stubborn too. But there was no doubt in my mind he had his own agenda.

What the fuck was he really doing here?