Page 123 of Stella
“Hold on to me, we’ll get you outta here. Help is on the way.”
“The Bracken Ridge Rebels are here,” she says. “Cash called them.”
Of course they are.
The throng of bodies makes their way out any which way they can, and when we’re standing in the area between the clubhouse and the rose garden, I sit Luna down as Indi runs over, holding Cami’s hand. “Luna! Oh, thank God! Are you hurt?”
She shakes her head. “Sprained an ankle. Have you seen Tag or H?”
Indi shakes her head, tears streaming down her face.
“What the fuck happened?” I ask her, though it’s pretty obvious someone bombed the fucking clubhouse.
“Two bombs went off,” she says, crouching to shield Cami from the noise and chaos as best she can. “Everyone scattered. I can’t find Harlem. I can’t find him! Or Stella, or Kai, he was here, too.”
“Back up will be coming,” I say, knowing Willow will be here soon. “Just hang here until we can get you out safely.”
I leave them, Calli on my heels as we work in unison to stay low. Whoever was here isn’t here now.
Where the fuck is Stella?
Stella
I did what he asked. I got Deanna and Caprice to safety at their home where Gunner joined us, another guy called Bones shouting orders at everyone.
My brother Kai, thank god, is accounted for, too.
“Sure you’re okay?” I pat him down.
He nods. “I’m fine, Stell. Where’s Dad, though, and Indi and Cami?”
“I’m gonna go look for them.”
“No!” He looks frantic.
I shake him. “Yes, the boys are gonna be busy, and D is gonna want to find Cash, you keep her here and I’ll find Dad.”
He looks around. “I don’t know…”
“Stay with her,” I repeat. Here we all were set for this weekend’s announcement; Cash and Deanna’s baby news followed by a party. I guess the cat is out of the bag early, but there’s not gonna be any party for a long time to come.
That blast… holy shit, people will be hurt… or worse. I squeeze my eyes closed for a second and breathe.
“Sis, this is fucked.” Kai says.
“I know, bro. I know. But it’s your job to stay here and keep D and Caprice safe. I’ll find Dad and Indi. I’ll come back, okay. Keep your phone on you.”
He turns back to D; Caprice is in her arms crying. “Be careful, Stell,” he says.
“I will.”
I turn and head back through the small passage from the rose garden to the clubhouse when someone pulls me into the shadows. “Don’t scream,” he says, holding a gun to my head. “If you scream, I’ll kill you.”
“Okay,” I say, my hands in the air.Holy shit! Could this night get any fucking worse?
“Move and don’t make a sound.”
This can’t be someone from the club. I haven’t seen his face, but with all the commotion, nobody notices us slip out the side of the gaping hole where a brick wall used to be. It’s nothing but industrial space all around us, and the club backs onto a vacant lot that used to be a storage facility. The asshole handcuffs me, then shoves me into the back of the van, not before he spins me and ties a gag around my mouth.
