we’ve learned, she turned up at the sheriff’s department in Marcham town,” Damien said. “Unfortunately, the sheriff was being paid off by the Venom MC, and after she mentioned the Blackthorne crew, her fate was sealed.”
Damien steely gaze told me that I would be punished for Ella’s betrayal. But I didn’t give a shit about that now.
“So the sheriff turned her over to them?” Chad asked.
Victor gave a single nod of his head.
I gripped the counter. No. This couldn’t be happening .
“They’d better not touch her,” I spat out.
If they’d hurt her, I’d tear them limb from limb. I’d make it my life’s mission to kill every last one of them.
Tom put a big, meaty hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “Hey, calm down, buddy. Victor will sort it,” he said.
I looked up, ready to tell Tom that I was perfectly capable of sorting it myself. I wouldn’t trust Ella’s safety to anyone but myself, but as I looked up, I caught Jackson’s gaze, and it was then I knew.
In that instant, it all became crystal clear. How could I have missed it?
Jackson was the damn undercover cop.
4
Ella
After the guy with the yellow bandanna had pulled me from his bike, I was determined to make myself as difficult as possible. I fought him every step of the way, driving my elbows into him and kicking out, aiming for his groin.
But nothing seemed to slow him down.
He threw me over his shoulder, chuckling, squeezing my butt hard. He carried me into a tatty old shack behind the biker bar we’d arrived at. My voice was hoarse from screaming, but nobody had tried to help.
He slapped my butt hard and chuckled again as I wriggled against him, trying to get free.
“I bet you are a spitfire in the sack, baby. Maybe I’ll come and visit you later, and you can show me exactly how good you are.”
I struggled against him as he manhandled me down to the floor and pushed me into a room. Before I managed to struggle to my feet, he’d shut the door behind him, leaving me locked in.
I hammered on the door, kicking it and screaming again and again.
But all I could hear was his footsteps retreating.
Panting, I rested my forehead against the rough wood paneled door. I needed to get my breath back. I had to stay calm, so I could try to work out a way out of this mess. I should have been on my way home by now. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted Sheriff Morrison. As soon as I’d seen him, I’d known there was something not quite right.
I heard a movement behind me and jumped. I hadn’t realized there was anyone else in here.
The light was dim, and I leaned back against the door, terrified, as my eyes searched the room.
I was sure something had moved. Had it been a rat?
Then I heard a voice. “Ella, is that really you?”
My hands flew up to my face, and I smothered a sob. Holy crap . I recognized that voice.
“Claire!”
***
Nick
I stared at Jackson as all the pieces fell into place.
I tugged on his arm. “Can I have a word?”
Jackson nodded once and followed me as I walked outside the bar.
Outside, I took a couple of deep breaths and looked up at the darkening blue sky. It wouldn’t be long now until it was dark.
Jesus. Where the hell was Ella? What had they done to her?
Jackson stood beside me. “Steel, what do you want?”
I shook my head. It all made sense now. How could I have been so blind?
Jackson might be a traitor and a cop, but right now, I needed to get Ella back, and he was the only one I could trust.
“You’re the cop,” I said. I didn’t waste any time getting to the point.
Jackson flinched, but he didn’t deny it. “Listen, Nick the most important thing right now is getting Ella back.”
My temper flared, and I got up into his face.
“You think I don’t know that?” I shoved a hand into his chest, pushing him backwards.
It felt like my fucking heart had been ripped out.
“You need to help me.” I spat the words at him. “We have to find
Damien steely gaze told me that I would be punished for Ella’s betrayal. But I didn’t give a shit about that now.
“So the sheriff turned her over to them?” Chad asked.
Victor gave a single nod of his head.
I gripped the counter. No. This couldn’t be happening .
“They’d better not touch her,” I spat out.
If they’d hurt her, I’d tear them limb from limb. I’d make it my life’s mission to kill every last one of them.
Tom put a big, meaty hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “Hey, calm down, buddy. Victor will sort it,” he said.
I looked up, ready to tell Tom that I was perfectly capable of sorting it myself. I wouldn’t trust Ella’s safety to anyone but myself, but as I looked up, I caught Jackson’s gaze, and it was then I knew.
In that instant, it all became crystal clear. How could I have missed it?
Jackson was the damn undercover cop.
4
Ella
After the guy with the yellow bandanna had pulled me from his bike, I was determined to make myself as difficult as possible. I fought him every step of the way, driving my elbows into him and kicking out, aiming for his groin.
But nothing seemed to slow him down.
He threw me over his shoulder, chuckling, squeezing my butt hard. He carried me into a tatty old shack behind the biker bar we’d arrived at. My voice was hoarse from screaming, but nobody had tried to help.
He slapped my butt hard and chuckled again as I wriggled against him, trying to get free.
“I bet you are a spitfire in the sack, baby. Maybe I’ll come and visit you later, and you can show me exactly how good you are.”
I struggled against him as he manhandled me down to the floor and pushed me into a room. Before I managed to struggle to my feet, he’d shut the door behind him, leaving me locked in.
I hammered on the door, kicking it and screaming again and again.
But all I could hear was his footsteps retreating.
Panting, I rested my forehead against the rough wood paneled door. I needed to get my breath back. I had to stay calm, so I could try to work out a way out of this mess. I should have been on my way home by now. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted Sheriff Morrison. As soon as I’d seen him, I’d known there was something not quite right.
I heard a movement behind me and jumped. I hadn’t realized there was anyone else in here.
The light was dim, and I leaned back against the door, terrified, as my eyes searched the room.
I was sure something had moved. Had it been a rat?
Then I heard a voice. “Ella, is that really you?”
My hands flew up to my face, and I smothered a sob. Holy crap . I recognized that voice.
“Claire!”
***
Nick
I stared at Jackson as all the pieces fell into place.
I tugged on his arm. “Can I have a word?”
Jackson nodded once and followed me as I walked outside the bar.
Outside, I took a couple of deep breaths and looked up at the darkening blue sky. It wouldn’t be long now until it was dark.
Jesus. Where the hell was Ella? What had they done to her?
Jackson stood beside me. “Steel, what do you want?”
I shook my head. It all made sense now. How could I have been so blind?
Jackson might be a traitor and a cop, but right now, I needed to get Ella back, and he was the only one I could trust.
“You’re the cop,” I said. I didn’t waste any time getting to the point.
Jackson flinched, but he didn’t deny it. “Listen, Nick the most important thing right now is getting Ella back.”
My temper flared, and I got up into his face.
“You think I don’t know that?” I shoved a hand into his chest, pushing him backwards.
It felt like my fucking heart had been ripped out.
“You need to help me.” I spat the words at him. “We have to find
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