Page 78 of Ruthless Rebel

“I told you I knew all about monsters, Mr. Donovan, and now it’s time to teach one a lesson.”

The men from before flood the room, grabbing me roughly and dragging me away from Asher. This time it’s the crunch of metal against bone as they beat me, but it doesn’t matter. Not me being beaten, or Asher bleeding, none of it matters because Lincoln is coming.

He is coming and he will make them pay.

The last thing I hear before I pass out is Asher Donovan’s pained roar.

39

LINCOLN

Three days. Three fucking days of absolutely nothing. There have been no more notes, no more packages, and no sign of them anywhere. Zack and his men, along with all of the Rebels, have been scouring the entire town looking for them, and even with the help of the Hallowed Crows MC, and Blade and his crew, we can’t find them anywhere. It’s as if they have disappeared into thin air, which is impossible. The only way to make someone truly disappear is to kill them, and I refuse to believe they are dead.

I haven’t slept, I’ve barely eaten, and I talk to no one. My focus is solely on the bits of CCTV we managed to recover of them both being taken. They were ambushed, and every single time I replay the footage it makes me sick. My family hover around me like they think I might break, but the joke’s on them, because without Logan and Asher, I have nothing left to break for.

Elle is somehow holding all of us together for the sake of Cassie, but there is a heavy sorrow lingering in the air all around us. Lily has taken up permanent residence on the sofa, looking out the window over the pool, and Arthur and Helen pretty much pace around her the entire time. Zack is working well in ordering the security, keeping his cool, but I see the panic and despair in his eyes at both of his brothers being missing.

Missing, not dead.

That’s the thought, on repeat in my mind like a mantra, the only one keeping me upright as exhaustion clings to me, and my body screams at me in pain. I know I should eat, drink, sleep, do anything but fucking sit here and wait, but I can’t, because everywhere I look I see them. They should be here, Arthur and Helen should have their son, and Cassie should have her father. So no, they’re not dead, they’re just missing, we’ll find them, I’ll get them back.

Just as I have that thought, Jace walks into the kitchen, his eyes instantly trailing over me in a way I used to do to him. Without a word he heads to the coffee machine, making two large cups, before dropping into the seat beside me, and silently sliding one over to me.

I eye the black liquid before flicking my stare up to meet his. “Surprised Elle hasn’t sent you in here with orders to try and get me to sleep,” I croak, taking a sip of the hot coffee and letting it burn my throat.

“Oh, she did, but you know I love nothing more than pissing our Queenie off,” he muses, sipping his own, but still watching me closely. “Besides, I know my efforts would be useless, you won’t relax until we find them.” I nod slowly, yet look at him in question as he adds with a shrug, “I wouldn’t stop if it was Riley.” His words make me realize how much he understands me, that despite never letting him all the way in, he truly is my best friend.

I nod again in thanks and understanding, drinking the coffee, just as my phone vibrates on the table. Picking it up, I find a text message from an unknown number, and immediately sit up straighter in my stool.

Unknown : Are you having fun yet?

Jace notices my reaction, and I feel him lean over and read the message on my screen, and he flies off his stool and out of the room, as fast as my fingers fly across the screen and type out a response.

Lincoln : Who is this?

Unknown : You don’t remember me?

Unknown : Consider me offended

Remember me? Do I know who they are? I mean, clearly they know me.

I know I could be doing a hundred things right now to try and track and trace them, but I remain frozen, my focus on their replies as Jace bursts back into the room with Elle, Marcus, Zack, and Max close on his heels.

Lincoln : Tell me who you are and maybe I will remember you

Unknown : Who I am isn’t important, not right now.

Unknown : It’s who I have that is…

Unknown : IMAGE ATTACHED

Both Elle and Zack are at my side, as Max notes down the phone number and starts looking into it, which means they both see the image as it comes through.

Asher and Logan are both splayed on the floor like they are nothing but trash. Their clothes are torn and bloody, and their skin is a hideous shade of purple and black. It makes Elle instantly gasp and choke back a cry, but I feel nothing, no pain, no fear, nothing. The Lincoln who let himself feel disappeared the moment they did, now only my father’s son remains.

Lincoln : What do you want?

Unknown : Oh that’s simple

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