Page 69 of Savage Loyalty

I didn’t care about his threats. My only thought was getting free, getting back to the house, to safety. "Help!" I screamed, hoping against hope that someone, anyone, would hear me.

But the neighborhood was quiet, the houses spaced too far apart for anyone to notice. The man dragged me closer to the van, and dread coiled in my gut. This wasn’t random. Whoever he was, he’d come for me specifically.

"Let me go!" I screamed again, twisting and clawing at his arm. My nails raked across his skin, and he swore, loosening his grip just enough for me to yank free.

I stumbled back, but before I could run, another figure emerged from the shadows. This one was shorter but just as menacing, blocking my path to the house.

"You’re coming with us, sweetheart," the shorter man said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Make it easy on yourself."

"Like hell I am," I spat, my voice trembling with fury and fear.

The taller man lunged for me again, and I swung my fist, landing a solid hit against his jaw. He staggered but didn’t go down, his expression twisting with anger.

"Enough of this," he growled, reaching for something at his waist. Panic surged through me as I turned, desperate to escape. But before I could make it two steps, his hand shot out, grabbing my arm and yanking me back with a force that knocked the air out of my lungs. I froze, every instinct screaming at me to protect the baby.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he hissed, his grip like iron as he dragged me closer to the van.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

RYDER

The early morning light cast a pale glow over the streets as I rode toward Delilah’s house. It had been two days since I’d last seen her, and the silence was eating at me. For someone who never hesitated to speak her mind, the lack of contact felt ominous. Something was wrong—I could feel it in my gut.

The engine’s rumble echoed down the quiet road as her house came into view. At first glance, everything seemed normal, but as I pulled into the driveway, my stomach twisted. The front door was ajar, swinging slightly in the breeze.

I killed the engine and dismounted, my boots crunching against the gravel as I approached. “Delilah?” I called out, my voice sharp in the stillness. No answer. My pulse quickened as I pushed the door open wider, stepping inside. The house was eerily quiet, the faint scent of her perfume lingering in the air. A half-empty glass of water sat on the counter, and the couch looked recently vacated, a blanket tossed haphazardly across the cushions.

“Delilah?” I called again, louder this time, but the silence pressed back against me. My eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of her. The house wasn’t in disarray—no signs of a struggle—but something felt off. My gaze landed on a small box on the floor; its contents spilled out as if it had been dropped in a hurry. Photographs were scattered across the floor, one of them face up. It was of her parents, standing in front of this very house.

I crouched down, picked up the photo, and stared at it for a moment. Then I set it back in the box, my jaw tightening. Something had happened. She wouldn’t just leave without a word, not now, not after everything.

I turned on my heel and strode back out to my bike. If she wasn’t here, there was only one place to go for answers: the Black Vipers’ clubhouse. Axel.

The Black Vipers’ clubhouse was a fortress tucked away behind a chain-link fence and a wall of hostility. As I pulled up, a couple of Vipers lounging near the gate straightened, their postures shifting from relaxed to defensive. One of them stepped forward, his hand resting on the butt of his pistol.

“What the hell are you doing here, Kane?” he sneered, his tone dripping with venom.

I ignored him, keeping my focus on the gate. “Where’s Cruz?” I demanded.

“Not your business,” the man shot back, his eyes narrowing. “Turn around before this gets ugly.”

I stepped off my bike, my movements deliberate. “I’m not leaving until I talk to him. So either you get him, or I go through you.”

The second man exchanged a glance with his buddy before pulling out a radio. A tense moment passed before the gate creaked open, and I walked inside, my steps steady and purposeful. The clubhouse was just as I remembered it—dimly lit, the stench of stale beer and cigarettes hanging heavy in the air. Vipers lounged around the main room, their conversations halting as I entered. The air crackled with tension.

Axel emerged from a back room, his expression darkening the moment he saw me. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he growled, crossing the room to meet me.

“Where’s Delilah?” I asked, cutting straight to the point.

His brows furrowed, genuine confusion flickering across his face. “What are you talking about?”

“She’s not at her house,” I said, my voice low and dangerous. “The door was open, and she’s gone. So don’t play dumb with me, Axel. Where is she?”

His jaw tightened, and he took a step closer, the space between us crackling with animosity. “You think I’d let something happen to my sister? You think I’d let her disappear without doing something about it?”

“I think you’re more concerned about your club than you are about her,” I shot back. “So tell me, Axel. Who do you have watching her? Who’s keeping tabs on her for you?”

Axel’s eyes flashed with anger, but there was something else there too—worry. “I don’t know where she is,” he said, his voice tight. “And if she’s gone, it’s not because of me.”

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