Page 35 of Jaxon

Rachel refused to give up hope. Jaxon would come for her. She knew it in her bones.

The van swerved around a corner, sending her tumbling across the floor. Her shoulder slammed into something hard, pain exploding through her arm. She bit back a cry, not wanting to give these bastards the satisfaction.

The van finally slowed and came to a stop. Doors opened, light flooding in, and rough hands hauled her out.

She squinted against the glare, taking in her surroundings. An abandoned warehouse, crumbling brick and broken windows. And Jaxon - oh thank God, Jaxon was here, fury etched into every line of his face.

Her heart nearly burst with relief even as confusion filled her. Why was Jaxon here? How had he found them so fast?

But as her eyes adjusted to the light, she realized with dawning horror that it wasn’t Jaxon at all. This man was a stranger, tall and broad, his cold eyes glinting with menace. Her stomach dropped, icy fear flooding her veins.

“Welcome,” the man said. “You’ll be staying here for a while.”

Rachel renewed her struggles, panic threatening to overtake her, but escape was impossible. They were well and truly trapped.

She exchanged a terrified glance with Daphne, who was pale and shaking, her eyes wide with fear.

The man stepped closer, reaching out to grasp Rachel’s chin. She jerked away, but strong hands held her in place.

“Feisty,” the man purred. “I like that in a woman.”

Revulsion rolled through her and she spat in his face.

He backhanded her so hard her head snapped to the side, pain exploding across her cheek. “You’ll learn respect, little girl.”

She surged forward, slamming her forehead into his nose. There was a satisfying crunch and a howl of pain. Blood gushed between his fingers as he clutched at his face.

The men holding Daphne let go, rushing to help their leader. Daphne stumbled back, grabbing Rachel’s arm. “Come on!”

They ran for the open doorway, heart pounding. If they could just make it outside, get help...

A gunshot rang out, the bullet whizzing past Rachel’s head.

“Stop right there,” the man snarled, pistol aimed at them. His nose was a mangled, bloody mess, eyes blazing with fury. “You’ll pay for that, bitch.”

Rachel and Daphne froze in their tracks, chests heaving. There was no escape, not now. They were well and truly at this psycho’s mercy.

24

Jaxon’s heart dropped to his stomach as his brother slammed the door of the clubhouse open. His eyes were wild, chest heaving.

“They took Rachel and Daphne.”

The words echoed in Jaxon’s mind. His hands curled into fists, knuckles cracking.

“Who?” he growled. Though he already knew.

“The Wolverines. Jasper from the tattoo shop just called me.”

Jaxon saw red. His blood roared in his ears as a maelstrom of emotions tore through him—rage, fear, desperation. Rachel. He had to get to her.

He stalked to his bike, fingers tight around the handlebars. She was out there, in the hands of those animals. Cold terror seized his heart at the thought of what they might do to her.

Rachel.

He kicked the bike to life, the engine snarling beneath him. Whatever it took, he would shred every last Wolverine to pieces to get her back.

The bike shot forward, a bullet racing toward its target. His brothers followed close behind, a thunder in his wake.

---