Page 24 of Her Avenging Angel

“My turn,” Raven said, walking up and taking her hand as if he did it every day. She didn’t respond, just followed him.

“You might want to rough her up a little. She’d a bit of a dead fish,” Vulture called out as Raven tugged her from the room.

Raven wanted to send her outside on her own and continue looking for the last woman but knew from what Taylynn had told him that he had to walk her out. She’d learned very early on that going outside without someone with her or specific permission would earn her a beating. Besides, his going with her would let his men know she was one of the women they were here to get, not just another club mama.

He didn’t say anything, just tugged her along behind him, as he made his way outside. He passed Jersey and Shotgun on the way, but didn’t acknowledge them, just continued on his path. He got her outside and delivered her to Grinder like the one before.

“Where’s the other one?” he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper. The last thing they needed was to get caught now.

“Gone. I didn’t want to risk her freaking out and trying to go back in or us getting spotted and her getting sucked back into that.” Grinder tilted his head toward the building.

Raven nodded, watching as Grinder nodded to Wrench who stepped close and spoke with the woman Raven had just dragged out of there. He kept his voice soft enough that Raven couldn’t hear what was being said but after a moment, with one last wide-eyed look at Raven she went with him.

Raven debated whether or not he should go back inside or let Jersey and Shotgun find the last one. After only a moment he decided to give them a few minutes, otherwise there would be more needing to get out before Smokey could do his thing. The minutes seemed to crawl past. Raven’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and found a message from Pike.

Pike:Everything’s set here. Clearing out now. Waiting for you to be clear.

Raven stared at the message, knowing they had to get a move on. It was only a matter of time until someone went downstairs, probably to fetch more alcohol and found the set up and Ace. Deciding he’d waited long enough, he headed back inside.

Just inside the door he met Jersey, his hand on a woman’s arm as he dragged her toward the door. She wasn’t fighting him but there were tears streaming down her face and it appeared all she had on was an oversized t-shirt. Right behind them was Shotgun, backing up towards them as he watched the room, all eyes on them. Obviously they’d been seen.

“Trouble?” Raven asked.

“Found her upstairs. There were three of these assholes and she was doing her best to fight but they’d tied her down and were taking turns at her. They weren’t happy when Jersey and I decided we were going to take their toy.”

“They still breathing?”

“One, I think.”

Raven shook his head. He could only hope there was so much devastation when this was all done that the police wouldn’t look too closely at each body before ruling the whole thing an improvement to the community and closing the case.

They made it outside, Raven turned to see that Jersey had swung the girl up into his arms and was carrying her away at a run. He looked back at where Shotgun still kept an eye on the door as they headed toward where the rest of their men waited.

As soon as he hit the imaginary line where Smokey said would be safe, he texted Pike and let him know they were clear. Everyone kept moving but Raven. He stood watching the Demons clubhouse. Both so he could see if anyone came out and started following them or was too far away from the blast to be taken out. He wanted to know if any of them survived so they’d know if they had anyone else to go after later.

“What are you doing?” Jersey’s voice drew his attention.

“Watching. I want to make sure none of them escape this.”

Jersey muttered something that sounded suspiciously like control freak idiot. “We’ve got to get out of here.”

“But I need to be sure.”

“You’ll get caught in the blow here and might not get out before the cops arrive. We’ve got to get out of here before Smokey blows it.”

Raven shook his head. “He said this was the safe zone.”

“No, he said this was the edge of the dead zone.”

Raven turned his head slowly, then stared at Jersey for a second, wondering how he’d been so wrong. How had he confused the two?

“Shit. Let’s go.” Raven hurried to his bike, or at least the one he was riding tonight, threw a leg over and started it. In seconds they were headed out of there. Half a mile down the road the SUV they’d brought to haul the women pulled out behind them. They were maybe another half mile down the road when the sound of an explosion could be heard over the roar of the motorcycles. Raven didn’t bother to look back. They needed to get the hell out of there. The last thing they needed was to be seen near the explosion.

None of the motorcycles were the ones any of them rode on a regular basis, and a couple were already scheduled to be repainted. They’d covered the plates on the bikes and the cage with mud so they’d be harder to identify, but it would be better if they weren’t spotted.

They reached the highway without problem and turned toward home. Shortly before they reached the next intersection, Pike, Smokey, and the others joined them. At the intersection, Pike and the SUV turned away from Craven’s Creek. He was escorting them to the place he’d lined up to help the women. It was his contact and it was better if only he and the men in the truck went. The rest of them turned for home. As they made their way back to Craven’s Creek and the clubhouse, Raven’s mind turned back to Taylynn. He wouldn’t be telling her what they’d done tonight or even that the Demons were gone. Not yet. But he turned his thoughts to how he would tell her and how they would celebrate once she was healed.

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