Page 54 of Keeping What He Wants

“He’s not going to kill you. I’m almost there.”

She cringed. Glancing around, she spotted a rock the size of her palm and grabbed it. It’d been a long time since she’d played softball, but it was better than nothing.

“I can’t talk anymore, Dad. He’s too close. If anything happens, tell Mom and Ryker that I love them.” Ella hung up the phone and set it beside her.

The gunman’s back was to her, so that gave her the perfect opportunity to strike. Her stomach ached, and she cringed. She only had one shot. Stepping out of her hiding spot, she took aim and threw the rock at the back of his head. She hit her target and knocked him down, the gun flying to the left of him. She stood there for a moment to see if he’d get up, and nothing happened.

“Good shot.”

She turned and another man grabbed her arms, pushing them behind her back. A different man had a black bag, and he forced it over her head while someone shoved flexi-cuffs around her wrists. She screamed, and the new man backhanded her. Her cheek stung even through the bag.

“Get her in the van.”

“What about Alex?”

“He can stay there for the cops. He let a woman get away from him, and she knocked him out. He deserves whatever he gets.”

The two men tossed her in the back of a vehicle. Ella’s face slammed against the hard flooring inside the van, bringing tears to her eyes. She wanted to puke. With the bag on her head, she’d suffocate.

If they didn’t kill her, the stomach bug would.

****

The doors to the meeting room busted open and Pat came at him, grabbing Ryker’s cut and lifting him out of the seat. “Where is she?”

Ryker stared into the man’s frantic eyes. “Ella’s at the hospital.”

“No, she’s not.” He shoved Ryker back. “Alex and his crew took her. The same fucking thugs you sell those damn guns to. They have her and…”

Ryker clenched his fists in an effort to not swing at Pat. “What do you mean they have her?”

“Ella’s gone, you asshole.” Pat shoved him again. “I told you to get those damn guns off the streets and now they’ve got her. I warned you…”

Ryker’s heart sped up. “Wait a minute. How do you know this?”

“I was talking to her.” Pat’s face contorted with a mixture of grief and pain. “Alex went to the ER to find her. He forced her out, and she ran away from him. She hid in the parking lot, and they got her.”

Ryker grabbed his cell phone. “Did you call her? Did she pick up? Maybe she’s still hiding.”

He dialed her number and Pat’s pocket rang. “She left it behind.”

“Fuck!” He flung his phone across the room.

“We’ve been watching Alex for nearly a month, ever since the murders started happening. He’s involved. You know who is putting those damn guns on the streets. You know. You’ve got to get her back.” Pat shook his head. “If anything happens to her…”

Ryker blew out a breath. They’d struggled so much with who could have set them up from inside the club and came up with nothing. If anything happened to her, Ryker had no doubts that he’d clean house with the club members. Fuck them all.

“I’m not letting you out of my sight. I told you to stop selling those fucking guns. I told you that Ella would end up hurt.” Pat shoved him again.

Ryker stumbled back before standing upright again, narrowing his eyes at Pat. “Get out of my fucking club.”

Pat held out his arm, clearly pissed at him too. “She’s sick. Caught the damn stomach bug going around the ER. She needs to be found right now. So tell me who you sell the fucking guns to.”

“I don’t sell guns. I’m not part of the fucking gun business. You’re the one that has the info. You tell me who fucking has her.” Ryker’s voice grew louder as he continued to speak.

“I only had Alex. He showed up on our doorstep after he asked one of our undercovers to get him some bullets for the guns. I don’t have who he works for or is associated with.” Pat moved into Ryker’s personal space. “But you do, you sonofabitch.”

Ryker got into Pat’s face. “I didn’t sell the fucking guns. But I will promise you, Ella is coming home safely. Or there will be one hell of a fucking war this city doesn’t want to see.”

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