Page 27 of Diesel
“Please.”She met his gaze, forcing all the desperation she felt into her expression.
Kane studied her for a long, tense moment.Then, with a bored sigh, he waved a hand.
“Fine.Two minutes.”
The man with the gun reluctantly stepped back a pace, though the weapon remained trained on Tom.
Sophie stumbled forward, heart racing, knees weak.She dropped to her knees in front of Tom, tears blurring her vision.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, ripping the gag from his mouth.
Tom gasped for air, voice hoarse.“Don’t you dare give it to them.”
“Tom—”
“I mean it, Soph.”His eyes burned.“You call Diesel.You call the club.You get the hell outta here.”
“I can’t leave you,” she said.
“Don’t be stupid.If you sell it, they’ll never stop.Never.”
A sob tore from her throat.
“Sophie!”Kane called, voice lilting with warning.“Time’s almost up.”
Her pulse thundered.She looked at Tom, at the gun, at the icy gleam in Kane’s eyes.She had seconds to decide, but help had to be coming.Diesel had to be coming.Please, Diesel, hurry.
****
Diesel had just finishedgrabbing a fresh cup of coffee when his phone buzzed hard against the worn wood of the clubhouse table.He snatched it up, irritation already curling low in his gut.He didn’t recognize the number, but it was one of Beast’s burner lines for the Sentinels.Something was wrong.
He answered immediately.“Diesel.”
A panicked voice came through.“It’s Jase.I was watchin’ her, swear to God, Diesel, but she’s gone.”
Ice hit Diesel’s veins.Gone?He tightened his grip on the phone so hard, he heard the plastic creak.“What the fuck do you mean gone?”he bit out.
“I stepped out to check a guy that was watching from the corner.I come back, the door’s open.She’s gone.There was a note left on the counter.I didn’t touch it, just saw it.Diesel, man, I think—”
“Shut up.Stay put.I’m coming,” Diesel practically growled out.
He ended the call and was on his feet in an instant, coffee forgotten, blood pounding loud in his ears.Fuck.The world blurred as he stalked toward his bike, rage building hot behind his ribs.If anything happened to his Sophie, he’d tear this whole damn town apart brick by brick.
By the time his Harley roared down the street toward her shop, he was barely holding it together.Every fiber of him screamed to lash out.Jase was pacing out front when he arrived, face pale.
Diesel cut the engine, boots hitting pavement hard as he stormed toward him.
“Where.Is.The.Note,” he growled out.
Jase backed up a step.“Inside.On the counter.Diesel, I swear...”
Diesel stalked past him, fists clenched, fighting the urge to put the kid through the damn window.He reeled in his temper.Not now.Focus.
Inside, the shop was empty.A single folded paper lay on the counter, stark against the polished wood.Diesel snatched it up, scanning it fast.No signature.Just ice-cold threat.He crumpled the paper in one massive fist, jaw clenched so hard it ached.Goddammit, Sophie.She’d gone alone.
He wanted to punch through the wall, but now wasn’t the time.He spun on his heel, shoving the note in his pocket.
“Jase!”he barked.
