Page 9 of Brooks

“Alright,” Zane said, his voice steady and reassuring. “We’ll find them, Brooks. I swear it.”

“Damn right we will,” I agreed, the embers of determination beginning to burn within me. “No one gets away with hurting my family.”

Zane clenched his jaw. His eyes filled with a silent promise of retribution.

“Whoever these guys are,” I growled, my hands curling into fists, “they just made the biggest mistake of their lives.”

6

My heart pounded, a heavy drumbeat as I paced back and forth in the garage. The smell of oil and gasoline hung in the air like a dark cloud, suffocating me with every breath. It had been hours since Tina and Kennedy had disappeared, and all I wanted to do was tear down every door in the city to find them. But I couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling deep inside that involving the Red Devils MC could put them in even more danger.

“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath, clenching my fists until my knuckles turned white. I leaned on the workbench, feeling the cool metal press against my heated skin. The weight of my decision was crushing me, but I couldn’t afford to be reckless. My family’s lives were at stake here.

“Brooks.” A voice echoed through the garage, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see Zane, Tina’s brother, and one of my closest friends, standing in the doorway. His eyes were filled with concern as he approached me. “Any news?”

“Nothing yet,” I replied. I hated the feeling of helplessness that washed over me, but I knew involving the MC could bring hell upon us. If word got out that those bastards took my wife and daughter, there would be no stopping the bloodshed that would follow. The retaliation from the rival gang who kidnapped Tina and Kennedy could escalate the situation into something far more dangerous than anything we’d ever faced before.

Zane studied me for a moment before speaking again. “You know, the MC can help, Brooks. We’ve got connections all over the city, and they’ll do whatever it takes to get them back.”

“Or get them killed,” I snapped, glaring at him. I knew he meant well, but I couldn’t risk it. Not with the lives of my family at stake. “You know what they’re capable of, Zane. If we bring the MC into this...”

“Brooks, think about this logically,” Zane urged, his eyes pleading with me. “We don’t know how much time we have left before... before…” He trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

“Before what?” I demanded, my voice shaking with anger and fear. “Before they hurt them? Kill them? Is that what you were going to say?”

“Of course not!” Zane shot back, his voice strained. “But doing this alone… it’s just too risky. We need help, Brooks. We need our brothers.”

My chest tightened as I stared into Zane’s eyes, searching for any sign that he was wrong. But deep down, I knew he was right. As much as I hated the idea of putting my family in danger, the clock was ticking, and I couldn’t waste any more time.

“Brooks, listen to me,” Zane began, his voice steady and firm. He grasped my shoulder with a strength that forced me to look at him. “I understand your fears, but we don’t have the luxury of time. Tina and Kennedy need us to act now.”

I clenched my jaw, bitterness rising within me like bile. I knew he was right, but the idea of involving the MC made my stomach churn. The brotherhood would have my back without so much as a second thought, but I had seen first-hand what happened when you messed with one of our families.

“Think about it,” Zane continued, his gaze never leaving mine. “The Red Devils have connections all over the city. They can get us information that the police could never find on their own.” He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in before going on. “And you know as well as I do that they’re not afraid to get their hands dirty. If things go south, we’ll need backup.”

“Backup?” I scoffed, shaking my head. “You mean cannon fodder. I’m supposed to send our brothers into this mess just so they can take the bullets meant for my family?”

“Brooks,” Zane said, his voice softer now. “What if it were me? What if someone snatched me up, and you had no idea where I was? Would you hesitate to call in the MC then?”

The question hit me like a punch to the gut. My heart raced as I imagined Zane in danger, and I knew without a doubt that I’d do anything to protect him—just like I would for Tina and Kennedy.

“Dammit, Zane,” I muttered. “This isn’t fair.”

“Life’s not fair, brother,” he replied, his hand still gripping my shoulder. “But we have a chance to make things right. With the help of the MC, we can bring Tina and Kennedy home safely.”

As much as I hated to admit it, I couldn’t deny the truth in his words. The Red Devils had resources and manpower that we desperately needed, and time was running out. My hands trembled with a mix of fear and anger as I finally nodded.

“Alright,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. “We’ll get them involved.”

Zane’s eyes softened, and he gave me a small nod of understanding. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but it was the one that gave us the best chance at finding my family and bringing them home. With the Red Devils behind us, I felt a glimmer of hope pierce through my despair.

“Let’s go find our girls, brother,” Zane said, determination etched on his face.

“Damn right we will,” I agreed, pushing past my fears and focusing on the task at hand. Together with the help of the Red Devils, we would find Tina and Kennedy and bring them home—no matter the cost.

Sweat dripped down the sides of my face as I stood in front of my brothers. Zane stood beside me, an unwavering pillar of support. The roar of their engines echoed through the garage, a steady rumble that ignited a fire within me.

“Listen up!” I yelled over the noise, my voice cracking with emotion. “My wife and daughter have been taken. We’ve got reason to believe it might be the Pistons or others that we have pissed off. They won’t hesitate to harm them.” I paused, letting my words sink in before continuing. “I’ve always been one to handle my own problems, but I need your help this time. Time is running out, and we can’t waste any more of it.”

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