Page 6 of Living Without

Something had happened to our girl.

Christ.

Blood will spill.

Shaking off my fear, I pulled a bag from under the bed to pack some shit. I also reminded myself to grab the bag filled with weapons from the garage before we left.

In no matter of time, I was out the front door and heading to the car with my woman and our eighteen-year-old son. All of us remained silent, in our own concerned thoughts. All I knew was I was about to break a few speeding laws to get to the Hawks compound in Caroline Springs.

A door behind us banged. Just before we all climbed into the car, we looked over and saw Mrs Cliff heading our way.

“Mrs Cliff?” Mally called.

Only, the old bat’s eyes were on me and she ordered, “Get the fuck in and drive, but I’m coming with you lot and no one will stop me.”

Not in the mood to argue, I did what she said, sending her a chin lift and getting into the car.

Once we were on the road, Josh asked, “How’d you know something was happening?”

Looking through the rear-view mirror, I saw her shrug. Then a smirk came onto her face and she said, “I have your phones tapped.”

Josh paled and whispered, “What?”

She barked a laugh and shoved him. “Just kidding, son. I don’t want to hear all your phone-sex calls with your girlies.”

I smirked and looked to my woman to see she was smiling also. Mrs Cliff always knew how to ease the tension. Though, we all knew it wouldn’t leave.

And yet, it only worsened when a roar of Harleys pulled onto the road behind us as we hit the highway.

My brothers had my back.

Dodge had called them in. That meant whatever we were about to find out was gonna break us all.

Fuck.

Forcing one hand from gripping the steering wheel to take my woman’s hand, I rested them on her thigh. The car filled with silence once again. We all knew. We all prepared ourselves in our own way. But I’d make fuckin’ sure we’d be there for one another.

Even if my heart was in my throat, I was ready to hurt any motherfucker, if they’d hurt my girl.

* * * *

SAXON

One hour later

Fucked if I knew how long I’d been in the room. What I did know was that my mind wouldn’t stop. As I sat on the small cot in the corner of the room, I gripped my hair and tugged. Still, the pain wouldn’t take away my panic for Nary. Nothing could. Lowering my hands, I looked to my scraped knuckles. No matter how much I punched the walls over and over, my mind kept running through the scenarios of what they’d be doing to her.

Fuck.

Jesus.

Stop, stop, stop.

She’ll be safe. We’ll make her safe.

My body stilled. I raced to the door. Had it been? Yes, another scream hit the building, followed by, “No, not my daughter. No!”

Closing my eyes, I rested my forehead against the door. I envisioned Stoke’s woman, Nary’s mum, clinging to her man after finding out her daughter was taken, her heart fracturing in fear like mine had.

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