Page 76 of Daughters of Chaos

His eyes flit to Raven. "They set the bar on fire. Jesse, Miguel, and Bones were inside."

My stomach drops as Lace lets out an anguished cry. I look at Raven, who, for the first time in a long time, looks shaken. Her face is pale as she shakes her head. She looks devastated.

Reaper looks at her as her throat works, unable to get the words out. The ones we're all thinking. "Are they okay?" I ask, dreading the answer.

When Mason's eyes meet mine, I can't read his face. The question hangs between us as everyone waits with bated breath for his response. "Dunno," he says. "Miguel called Bear from inside. Said they were trapped before the line went dead."

My mind starts spinning. They can't be. It's not true. They didn't . . .

"Bear and Viper are headed there now. They wanted one of us to go for backup in case the Bastards are still hanging around," Mason says to Reaper.

"I'll go," he answers with a grunt.

"I'm going with you," Raven says suddenly.

Six pairs of eyes snap to my sister. "The fuck you are," Reaper says with a growl.

Crossing her arms over her chest Raven glares at him. "You gonna stop me?"

An intense staring match ensues, yielding no winner as my sister and Reaper face off. With a loud huff, he finally relents. "Fine. But you stay where I can see you."

My sister gives him a little nod before grabbing her jacket. She and Reaper are heading for the door when I stop them. "Wait."

Their steps falter, and Raven looks back at me, one brow quirked. I look up at Mason as I steady my breath. "I want to go too."

His face pales at my words. "I don't think that's a good idea, baby." The space between us evaporates as he moves closer, shielding me in his arms.

I shake my head, adamant about my decision. "I want to go," I repeat, holding firm. "I need to see it. I have to see—" My voice catches as I force the words from my mouth. "I have to see what they're capable of."

A wave of understanding crashes over Mason as he looks down at me with weary eyes. I need to see what they've done, what they're willing to do to the people I care about. Keeping me in the dark won't do me any favors. It will only make me weak, and I'm sick of feeling weak. I'm sick of feeling helpless.

"I need to see it," I whisper, pleading with Mason through glossy eyes. "Please."

The war inside him rages as he watches me. He knows me, knows why I need this. I can tell from the way he's looking at me, but the protector in him wants to keep me from it as long as he can. My innocence, my naivety, is important to him, but that girl is weak. Right now, I need to be strong. I need to be brave.

For my family.

Mason swallows hard, kissing my forehead. "Okay," he says, grabbing my hand. "We'll go too."

45

Raven

The drive to the bar was somber, quiet. No one dared even breathe too loudly in the tight quarters of the van. It was eerie.

Raptor held Nix's hand up front as his eyes scanned the road. His free hand gripped the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles were nearly translucent. Stress. Fear. Anger. It was all visible in all our faces as we waited to see what fate Jesse and the others succumbed to.

Trapped, Viper said, inside a burning building.

My heart clenches. Jesse and I aren't messing around anymore, but he's my friend. It kills me to think I'll no longer have him in my life. To not be able to walk into the clubhouse orthe bar and see his smiling face. To no longer be able to laugh and joke with him on a daily basis. Just the thought of it hurts.

He'sgood.He and Miguel and Bones. They all are. Even with their affiliation with the Sons, they're stillgood.They aren't like Dom and his Bastards, who find entertainment in maiming, taunting, and torturing people. They're good men deep down. They're like family.My family.

No one hurts my family and gets away with it. I stew in the back of the van, dreaming up ways to exact my revenge on Dom and his cronies. They'll pay for this. The Sons will make sure of it.I'llmake sure of it. And our price is blood.

I can feel Reaper's eyes on me the entire ride, watching, searching. His gaze bores into me, searing my soul. He's as angry as the rest of us. I can tell by the tick in his jaw. His brothers were attacked, burned, and he'd give them retribution. After all, the Grim Reaper always comes to collect.

The intensity of his stare is too much. I have to look away. When I do, I see a parade of flashing lights up ahead. Cops, firemen, and paramedics are swarming the bar parking lot as we pull up. So many are standing outside the yellow police line, watching as the building that was once my sanctuary crumbles beneath fire and smoke.

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