Page 81 of Lucifer's Hounds

I don’t know how I didn’t see it sooner. They’re tweaked out of their fucking minds and they’re using me as a pawn in some sick, drug game. I hear a door shut down the hall followed by footsteps growing louder. The man that enters the room looks nothing like these two tweakers. He’s clean cut, his shoulder length black hair is slicked back, and he wears a cut that labels him the President with a nametag reading Asher.

“What the fuck?” he asks, shock evident in his voice when he sees me tied up and beaten. He looks at Boulder.

“I told you to trash thebar, not kidnap a fucking girl!” he shouts angrily.

“Yeah, but Prez, she isn’t just a girl. She’sCass’sgirl,” Boulder emphasizes, his voice full of pride like he had done something amazing.

“She’swhat?Are you fucking stupid? I told you to go to the fucking bar after hours and trash the place! We don’t fucking kidnap another club’s ol’ lady!” He’s so upset that his whole body is shaking. He shakes his head in disbelief.

“But we can use her as a bargaining chip for him to give us the contacts. Boss, we’re having withdrawals. Look at Jordan. He can hardly function. We need those contacts because we need the meth. Besides, the money we’ll get from the heroin will do the whole club some good. That’s what you said, right?”

“Yeah, that’s what I said, but I didn’t fucking say to do it this way! Look at her! What the fuck were you thinking to beat the hell out of her like that? Do you two have any fucking idea what you’ve just caused?” Asher asks, pacing the room. His fingers grip into his hair and he growls in frustration. He’s on edge, worried even.

I ponder their conversation. Meth. Heroin. Contacts. This is what Scott was talking about when he said they got out of the business. This is why they didn’t like the Hounds because Cass wouldn’t turn over the names of the contacts he used to work with. Everything makes so much sense now.

At least Asher isn’t going to beat me. He sounds appalled at the fact that someone had in the first place.

“Keith said we should take the bartender hostage and go through her phone. He set us up, Asher, I’m telling you!” Jordan hollers.

“You weren’t supposed to say anything about that!” Boulder shoots Jordan a warning glare.

Asher calmly watches the exchange between the two men, his face void of emotion. When Asher doesn’t say anything, Boulder sighs.

“What do we do now?” he asks.

Suddenly, I remember I have a voice. “You could start by, oh, I don’t know, letting mefuckinggo.” I keep my composure this time, avoiding that shooting pain in my cheek and jaw.

Asher approaches me and stops directly in front of me. He looks at my face and when he lifts his hand I flinch instinctively.

“Stop. I’m not gonna hit you. Let me look at it,” he says softly.

His hand grazes my right temple and I cry out in agony. He jerks his hand back quickly. My face throbs where he touched it. It feels like he punched me, but I know better. I was watching him the whole time. Something crosses his face. Pity, maybe? I’m not sure.

He turns to face Boulder and Jordan. “Go outside and get Keith.”

Asher’s demand is met with obedience as both men exit the room. I hear a door shut down the hall and Asher closes the door behind him. Had he just sent them away to be alone with me? My heart hammers against my chest so hard I can hear it in my ears. Fear begins creeping in.

Adrenaline courses through my veins as Asher walks behind me and grabs the handcuffs. He unclasps one side, then the other. I sigh in relief at being free from my restraints. I instantly pull my hands to my chest and rub my wrists where bruises have already begun to form.

“My apologies for the actions of my men. This was not the plan. I do not condone fucking with someone’s ol’ lady intentionally, certainly not a Hound ol’ lady,” he says, walking back around me.

“I will see to it that they pay for their fuck up.” Asher’s words are sincere, he means what he’s saying. That gives me a sliver of peace, though it’s hard to be at ease still in captivity. Maybe he only shut the door to talk to me.

“Thanks.”

The door opens behind him. Boulder and Jordan emerge with Keith in tow. Keith gives me a sadistic smile that makes me cringe. Asher glowers at the three of them.

“This is what you’re going to do. You’re going to take her to Cass. All three of you, since it was under your instruction that they take her to begin with,” Asher says, glaring at Keith.

“I didn’t instruct them to do shit,” Keith retorts.

“I don’t care if you did or not. I’m just letting you know that the three of you will deliver her to Cass. And you’re going to deliver a message to him when you get there.” Asher’s demand is non-negotiable.

“What message?” Boulder asks.

“Take the girl to the truck, then I’ll tell you. We’ve said enough in front of her,” Asher commands. Jordan snatches me out of the chair by my arm.

“Hey!”Asher’s loud voice echoes through the room, making me jump.

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