Page 51 of Cruel Savior

"I don't want anyone in here going near a door. We don't know if any of the others were rigged as well. I'm not losing anyone else tonight."

"Bear?" Axel nearly choked on that one word, and I didn't blame him. I could already feel the press of tears against the back of my eyes at the idea that we'd lost the big man who'd encouraged me just a short while ago at the race. My stomach twisted and I worried I might throw up.

"No," JD offered gruffly. "But Cash is struggling. I can see it. And the place is about to be swarming with Sultan FD and PD any second."

"Thank God the casino was closed tonight. Any other night..."

"Don't even go there. I'm already half blind with rage. If I start thinking about what could have happened, I'm going to fucking kill someone."

It was weird to hear JD talk like this. He'd always seemed so calm and in control. Even now he was barking orders and making sure everyone inside his compound was safe. Only with Axel did he let his guard down and some of his anger out.

"There has got to be a way to get out there." Axel seemed to survey the room as he weighed his options. He was smart and careful. Analytical even. I didn't remember him being like that before. He'd changed a lot.

"What about surveillance?" I asked, pulling myself to my feet on only slightly shaky legs. "Is there surveillance on the building that would give you a view of any of the doors and windows?"

Axel and JD thought about her questions, but it was Axel who turned to her, shaking his head. "Most of the surveillance is on the windows and doors, but the cameras face away from the building not towards it."

"What about the security shack or any of the closer cabins? Do they have cameras that could be used to view the building?"

"I like the way you think," JD said. "Tel, get your ass over here," he bellowed across the room.

Tel wasted no time in following orders. "Yeah?"

"You hurt? Can you operate?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. What do you need?" He didn't look exactly fine, but the injuries I could see did look minor.

"I need any security cameras you got on any of the outbuildings that can face this one and give me eyes on our doors or windows. Can you do that?"

He pulled his tablet from his vest pocket and tapped on it with his fingers practically flying. "Uhh... yeah I've got two. Izzy's old cabin, and believe it or not, the one on Axel's cabin has a great view of the kitchen window."

"Well, hell. Show me."

Tel turned his tablet around and we all huddled around it. Sure enough, he'd zoomed in one of the cameras so that it was pointed right at one of the windows. And the image was practically high def in quality. They weren't kidding about how seriously they took their security.

"I don't see anything, do you?” Axel asked JD.

“No. It looks clear. Although that’s no guarantee.”

“Fuck guarantees. We’ve got guys out there. I’m going through that window.”

“What? No.” I grabbed his arm. “We don’t know if he’s out there or what else he has planned.”

I looked at JD for help and he simply narrowed his eyes and ran his fingers along his beard. “She might be right, but we need eyes out there. We can’t wait for the FD.”

Axel grabbed my shoulders and met my gaze. “It’s unlikely he’ll make another move in person here. He might have caught us off guard once, but it’s not going to happen again. I’m more concerned on how he plans to get to you.”

“He could be after you as much as me,” I argued. “There’s still too much we don’t know. We don’t even really know what he looks like, which means he could be anyone anywhere.”

“Which is why you’re going to stay here where the whole club can take your back. Especially when the FD arrives. But this is a small town, remember? Strangers stand out here like a sore thumb.”

He was right. Axel had lived here his whole life. It was unlikely anyone lived here that he didn’t know at least by sight. The same with JD. “I still don’t like it. This could all be a ploy to separate us.”

“Don’t worry. No one’s going to go anywhere alone.” JD interjected before turning back to Axel. “Take at least two guys with you.” When Axel started to argue, JD stopped him by continuing. “That’s not a request. From here on out, no one goes anywhere alone or unarmed, is that clear?”

“Yeah, it is.” Axel leaned over, lifted his pant leg, and pulled a gun free from an ankle holster. He checked the safety and then tucked it into the back of his jeans. “I’m set. I’ll let you know what the hell is going on in a few minutes.”

JD nodded and walked away, going back to check on Bear. My stomach tightened again at the reminder of his severe injuries. I had a bad feeling, and that wasn’t good. I’d learned a long time ago to trust my instincts.

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