Page 34 of Denial

When I don’t find the keys directly around the car, I make my way around the building to see if she happened to have dropped them somewhere. A sense of foreboding fills me because if we find the keys and aren’t able to find Hope, it means something has happened to my girl. When I get closer to the line of bikes, I see something glint in what’s left of the sunlight. Making my way over to Fox’ bike at the very end of the line, I bend down and grab a set of keys. Hope’s keys. I know they’re hers because she has a keychain that Faith got her on them. It’s something cute and funny that Killer didn’t appreciate when he saw it. The keychain has a bike on it with the words ‘Ass, Cash, or Grass. No one rides for free.’ Faith saw it and laughed her ass off. She immediately bought it for her sister because that’s the kind of humor they have. We all appreciated the keychain while Killer wanted to rip it from Hope’s hands.

“Got the keys,” I call out as Killer walks up to my side.

Neither one of us take any steps toward the car once I stand with the keys in my hand. Instead, we look around the compound to find Hope. My gaze travels over to the tree line as I search for my girl. Hope isn’t one to play pranks like this. If she were going to hide from anyone, she’d let her sister or mom know. Sometimes she needs to disappear for a few minutes to collect herself or she just wants some alone time and will make sure someone knows that’s what she’s doing. Hope doesn’t ever just disappear without a thought for anyone around her.

“Where the fuck is my Baby Girl?” Killer questions no one in particular as King rushes from the clubhouse.

“Get the fuck inside the clubhouse,” King says, his voice full of panic as I hold the keys tight in my hand and rush with Killer back inside.

King and Fox have their laptops set up at a table in the common room and the only ones allowed in the room are the ol’ ladies and kids. For now, the Phantom girls have been told to remain in their rooms. Bronx is standing at one end of the hall while Ezra, another Prospect, is stationed at the other end so none of them can sneak around the clubhouse to listen in on things that don’t concern them.

“We finally got the footage pulled up. Neither one of you are gonna like what you see. I need you to remain calm and don’t fly off in a rage,” Fox states as King takes his seat and Killer and I stand directly behind the two men with everyone else coming to stand behind us.

Killer takes his wife in his arms as Gwen watches with us. Fox presses a button on his laptop and we see the footage start to play. It shows Hope walking around the clubhouse and heading for the main door to come inside. Before she can get there, a man shows up behind her from out of nowhere. Hope turns to face him and they exchange some words. We can’t hear what’s being said, but before I can open my mouth to find out why, King starts talking.

“We managed to get the footage back, but we’re unable to get the audio pulled up just yet. We’ll keep workin’ on it, but you all need to see this shit and we weren’t gonna make you wait for the audio,” he says, not looking at anyone as his eyes lock on the screen of his dad’s computer.

I watch on as the fucker with Hope raises his hand and punches her. Hope immediately drops down to the ground and he doesn’t bother to fucking catch her. My girl lands in a heap on the ground and doesn’t move again. Red fills my vision and Killer growls out in rage as Gwen starts crying and Faith rushes up to her parents’ side to find out what’s going on.

“No!” she screams out as we all watch the fucker pick Hope up and takes her toward the gatehouse that’s sitting empty.

I barely make out a dark car sitting just outside the gate as the dead man walking makes his way there and ungracefully tosses Hope in the trunk after opening it one handed. My entire body is shaking with the rage and fear racing through my veins. In seconds I’m surrounded on each side. My dad stands to my left while Devil steps up on my right.

“I know you’re ready to fuckin’ lose your shit, Carson. Right now, you need to pull that shit in and compose yourself so we can figure out where Hope is. You harness that fuckin’ rage and fear you’re feelin’ right now and force it to make you focus even more than you would. We’re gonna get Hope back, but you won’t be any good to her if you don’t control yourself,” my dad says, keeping his hand on my shoulder so I can’t just pull away from him. “What did you find outside?”

“Hope overheard us talkin’,” Vault starts to speak as Killer and I remain silent, rage rolling off of us and filling the common room as King and Fox try to keep their own emotions under control. “Some things never change from when she was a little girl. Well, when I ordered the rest of you to leave Ice alone until we figured out a way to get her here that wouldn’t put feed into the delusions that skank already believes, Hope must have heard me. She took it upon herself to go get that bitch and keep her locked in her car. Hope even pulled the car around back by the doors we bring stupid fucks in the clubhouse through.”

“That’s my girl,” Fox says, a smile on his face as Kim walks up and sits at the table with her husband and son. “She wasn’t gonna let that bitch get away with this bullshit. Never thought she’d risk herself like that when she’s still usin’ a cane, but I can say that none of us should be surprised she solved the problem for us.”

“You’re right. My daughter is stubborn and doesn’t always think things through. In this situation, I’m glad she was able to get the skank here, but now what are we supposed to do with her?” Killer asks the room because Vault and Slim won’t allow any of us to touch her.

“That’s easy,” Gwen speaks up, stepping away from her husband and wiping the tears from her face. “The ol’ ladies are gonna get that fucking skank in here and we’ll deal with finding out what she knows. You’re more than welcome to watch, but if this bitch has something to do with my daughter being hit and taken, I’ll be the one to end her.”

Gwen isn’t usually a blood thirsty woman. If anything, she stays as far away from confrontation and all the bullshit as she can. However, if Ice knows something about who took Hope and where she’s being held now, she’ll let her mama bear out to get whatever we need so we can bring her girl home.

“You’re not goin’ down there alone, ladies. A small group of us will go with you and make sure this bitch doesn’t escape. Gwen and Shy will lead the questionin’. Kim, are you able to go down?” Vault states as we all face him.

“No. I’ve been doing too much while searching for my niece. Gwen, you give this bitch fucking hell for me and make sure she knows if we catch one lie, I will make my way down there and deal with her myself,” Kim says, the pain she’s feeling at not going down with the other ol’ ladies filling her eyes.

I can’t keep watching the footage on Fox’ laptop because my girl is hurt and there’s nothing I can do about it right this second. King is typing away on his and I know he’s doing whatever he can to continue searching for his cousin. Killer and I remain standing next to one another as Slim steps up next to Vault and they talk for a few seconds before Slim addresses us and Vault makes his way over to Annabell when she enters the common room.

“Killer, Playboy, Jinx, Devil, King, Fox, Vault, Ghost, Raptor, and myself will be the ones to go down with the ol’ ladies. Fox, take over whatever King is doin’ on the laptop and keep us updated on anythin’ you find. The ol’ ladies goin’ down will be Gwen, Shy, Sam, Annabell, and Savannah. Everyone else stay up here and make sure you’re ready to go based on what we find out from the skank we’ll have Shy and Sam bring her into the cells,” Slim orders, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear as we all remain still and quiet while he speaks. “Let’s fuckin’ go.”

As one we all move toward the basement door where Vault and Annabell are waiting for the rest of us. They go downstairs first as we all file down and head for the door that will open to reveal Hope’s car. I keep her keys in my hand and move to the front so I can be the one to unlock the doors. Gwen is standing at one door while Shy takes the other one. As soon as I get the doors unlocked, both women open the doors and all we can hear are Ice’s shrieks and screams about being kidnapped and beating the fuck out of anyone who touches her.

“Shut the fuck up, skank!” Shy yells out, her voice commanding as Ice turns wild eyes from Gwen to her and shuts her mouth. “Get the fuck outta the car and we won’t make you suffer more than you’re about to.”

“You can’t touch me. Jinx won’t let you. Baby, tell them that I’m yours and you’re not gonna let anything happen to me,” Ice whines, her voice grating on my last fucking nerve.

“You’re not fuckin’ mine. I have a girl and I’ve loved her for as long as I can remember. You will never be even a quarter of the woman she is and I wouldn’t touch you if you were the last female in this world. Ice, you’re a manipulative bitch and I hope you get everythin’ you have comin’ to you after the lies, betrayal, and laziness you’ve shown this club. You should’ve realized when you were fuckin’ kicked out that we don’t tolerate bullshit and you can’t seem to help yourself. You’re obsessed with becomin’ an ol’ lady and you don’t have the first clue what it takes to be one. So, I’m not gonna stop a single thing from happenin’ to you,” I inform her, my voice hard and cold as I glare at the bitch still in Hope’s car.

“Don’t lie to them, Jinx. I was made for you and it’s just a matter of time before you realize that slut won’t ever love you the way I do,” she tries again which only makes Gwen lose her fucking mind.

“Listen here, you pathetic piece of shit. My daughter is the furthest thing from a fucking slut. You are the only one here that’s a slut. Hope is one of the best women and Jinx is lucky she’s his woman. It’s just a matter of time before they make everything official. You’re a crazy bitch and it didn’t take much for my daughter to get you here, did it? She’s using a fucking cane and still managed to overpower you and get you stuffed in the backseat of her car to bring you here. You’re weak, pathetic, delusional, a slut, and an addict. No one in this club will touch you and they sure as fuck won’t save you,” Gwen states, her voice dark and hard as she reaches in and pulls Ice from the car by her hair.

Ice tries to fight Gwen off, but she doesn’t land a single hit she throws. Dropping Ice to the ground at her feet, Gwen bends down and grabs Ice’s arm. I watch on with Killer and my dad as she yanks it behind Ice’s back and makes her get to her feet. Ice is screaming in pain and anger as Gwen yanks her arm up higher and I know if she doesn’t stop, she’ll end up dislocating the skank’s shoulder. I hope it comes to that point. I don’t typically condone violence against a woman for any reason. This situation is happening because of the choices Ice made and now she’s going to see just what the ol’ ladies of the Phantom Bastards can do. Especially when one of their own is on the line. Gwen will always fight for her daughters and will let herself go to that dark place we all seem to have buried deep inside us.

Surrounding Gwen and Ice, we make our way into the basement and Slim leads us all to the cells as Ice continues to scream and cry out for help. No one is going to save her. The ol’ ladies get Ice into a chair and strapped down as she continues to fight against Gwen and Shy. When she’s finally contained and they know she’s not gonna get free, both women step forward and Faith steps up in front of her. Her glare is enough to make me want to cower a little bit. I’ve never seen Faith so damn angry as she is right now.

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