Page 81 of Tusk's Fury

“We just can’t. It’s a long story. Our club is working with the Savage Legion to get you out of here without anyone else getting hurt in the process.”

“You really expect me to believe that? The Sons of Rage and the Legion working together?”

“You probably won’t believe it until you see it for yourself.” He glances at his wristwatch, then back at me. “Here’s the deal—we’re getting you out at the meet-up tonight. The Legion’s got this whole complicated plan that don’t make much sense to me, but our job is to make sure you get out safe.”

“Will Tusk be there?”

“You bet your sweet ass he will. Your old man has been pacing the clubhouse like a caged lion, driving everyone crazy for the past two days. He’s obsessed with getting you back.”

That tugs at my heartstrings. I blink back tears because my emotions are so near the surface right now. “So let me get this straight. The Legion shows up, you guys hand me over, and I’m just supposed to play along?”

“We don’t just hand you over. There’s gonna be a scuffle—maybe a gunshot or two—just enough to sell the whole thing.”

I stare at this man, trying to decide if I can trust him. “You sound pretty damn confident.”

“We’ve got numbers. The only wild card is Harper’s nutjob followers. They’re unpredictable.”

He checks his watch again. “I’ve gotta go. Just wanted you to know what’s coming. My mom would lose her mind if something happened to you before she got to meet you.”

I reach out and grab his arm. “I have a friend here. Her name is Cassandra Kincade. She’s married and has children. Can your guys rescue her and her family when you pull out of this building?”

“That’s the woman who spends time with you, your helper, right?”

“Yes,” I say enthusiastically. “Cassandra is a good person. So is her husband. They’re both looking for a way out. Your club might be their only chance to make a clean getaway.”

“I’ve seen her and her family around. I’ll do everything I can to get her out. But for now, I need to go.”

He turns and stealthily slips out the door before I can respond. The door shuts silently behind him.

I sit on the edge of the bed, my mind racing. Being caught in the middle of a standoff between two biker clubs and Harper’s followers is no place I want to be. I’ve spent years running, and somehow, I’ve ended up right back where I started. I’m so nervous that I feel like I’m coming out of my skin. Taking some deep breaths, I roll everything around in my mind as I wait for them to come get me.

***

When the time comes to leave, we move quickly, slipping into waiting vehicles. The SUV is dark, with tinted windows and the air is stale. I stare quietly out the window as we make our way back to Las Salinas. Silas Harper tries to talk about how grateful I should be that he’s reuniting me with my daughter. I just nod and go along with what he’s saying because even I can recognize this is no time to become belligerent.

By the time we pull up to the mall, the parking lot is empty. Something about the quiet is unnerving, making the hairs on my neck stand up. Jasper opens my door, and I stay close because his earlier words are still circling around in my head.

Then I see her—Gina, Tusk’s ex-wife—standing alone. She has a baby carrier in her hands. If I’m being honest, I’d say she looks terrified. I glance at Jasper, but his flat expression gives nothing away.

I want to run to the carrier, to check if Victoria is inside, but I force myself to stay put. If I mess up their plan, I’ll lose my only chance to escape and nobody wants that.

One minute everything is quiet and then next, all hell breaks loose.

Bikers swarm the lot, a whirlwind of leather and roaring motors. It’s the Savage Legion, out in full force to rescue me. Tusk’s ex tosses the baby carrier aside and makes a run for it. It bounces on the parking lot and turns on its side. I scream, but then I see the carrier is empty. Even though I’m terrified, my anxiety clicks down a notch and I can breathe again. Just knowing my baby is somewhere safe is everything in this moment.

Harper must have realized something’s wrong, because he yells after Gina, “You better run, whore.”

Staying character as Harper’s hired guns, the Sons of Rage shift into defensive positions, forming a barrier around Harper. In the chaos, I see my chance to run.

I make it to the far side of the lot before I see Tusk. I feel goosebumps rising on my skin. He’s here, he came for me. I mean, I knew he would but deep down inside there were some doubts.

I take a step towards him—then Harper’s men grab me. I should have been paying attention to what was going on around me rather than looking at Tusk.

“Where do you think you’re going, Eve?” Harper asks in a stone-cold voice.

“I’m not your Eve!” I shout at him. “Let me go!” I pull against their grip, but they’re stronger. I decide the thing to do in this situation is to stop thrashing about and wait for my opportunity to get free. I’ll pounce when they least expect it.

Across the lot, Jasper breaks away from the fight and runs full speed straight for us. I’m guessing that when Harper ran after me, they got separated.

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