Page 46 of Protected By the Bikers Next Door
“Fuck,” Bear mutters, pushing to his feet. “Then I’m going. She needs me. Out of all of us, I’m the one she’s closest to.”
I shake my head firmly. “No, Bear, you’re needed at the warehouse to treat the injured. Besides, we all know stealth missions are my specialty. I can sneak up on these guys without the rest knowing and take them out one by one before they can call in for backup or tip Viktor off.”
“He’s right. We need you with us, Bear,” Wolf confirms.
“Alright. Don’t let anything happen to our little girl. It would break Harper, break us all,” Bear says as he takes my hand and holds it firmly.
“I promise I’ll keep her safe,” I reply, shaking his hand and clapping him on the back. “Now, go rescue our woman.”
Never in my life have I been more grateful for my brothers in arms. I know that if I were alone, I’d be faced with an impossible decision right now. I know I can trust them; I know they’ll rescue Harper and keep her safe. Which means I have to go against my every instinct, and instead of following my brothers into battle to rescue her, I have to go the other way. I have to do what she’d want me to do and put Jenny first. Even if it means I lose Harper forever.
***
I swing my leg over the bike, the familiar weight of it grounding me. The engine roars to life beneath me, loud and raw, vibrating up through my bones. I shove my helmet on, twist the throttle, and tear out of the lot, gravel spitting behind me. The night air whips against my face. My gut twists with every mile I put between myself and Harper, but I can’t falter. Jenny needs me.
I ride hard, every muscle tight with focus. Years of military service drilled this into me—mission first, personal feelings second. Back then, it was the lives of my squad depending on me. Tonight, it’s Harper’s little girl. I lean into the turns, my eyes cutting through the dark, my mind running tactical assessments without conscious effort. Entry routes. Exits. Numbers. Timing. Always calculating. Always ready.
Pam’s street comes into view too soon, the houses lined up neat and unsuspecting, porch lights glowing warm, a picture of suburban safety. But I know better. Safety is an illusion. I kill the engine a block early, coasting silently to the curb, and set the kickstand down without a sound. The sudden quiet feels deafening. My pulse hammers in my ears as I dismount and crouch low, moving on foot.
I stick to the shadows, back to the fences, every step deliberate. My heart wants to sprint to that house, bust through the front door and grab Jenny up in my arms, but that would be suicide—for me and for her. Instead, I breathe slow and deep, forcing myself into that razor-sharp calm I learned in the desert. Panic gets you killed. Preparation keeps you alive.
From the cover of a hedgerow across the street, I scope the house. Pam’s porch light is off. That’s the first red flag. I sweep my gaze across the yard and see them—four men stationed outside. Two at the front, flanking the steps likethey own the place, rifles slung but ready. One pacing near the driveway, restless, checking his phone every few seconds. Another at the corner of the house, half-hidden in shadow, watching the street with the jittery alertness of someone who’s expecting trouble.
Four. Maybe more inside.
I catalog their weapons. I note their fields of vision. I map their patrol patterns. Every detail goes into the mental blueprint I’m building, step by step, brick by brick. My breathing slows, my heartbeat steadies. I become the mission.
Jenny’s inside that house. I can feel it in my bones. And no matter what it takes, I’ll get her out alive.
Chapter 26
Harper
The distant roaring of motorcycles pierces the air, and I feel an enormous swell of relief. They’re here. They came for me. And just in time. Who knows what Viktor was building up to with his strange and terrifying declaration? Whatever he has planned for me is a fate worse than death.
“Ah, the cavalry has arrived. Your knights in shining armor, here to save the day,” Viktor says sarcastically, seemingly unsurprised by the interruption.
The fact that he seems prepared for this can’t be good.
“I suppose it’s time to bring in the hostages.” Viktor snaps his fingers, and one of the guards retreats in the direction they took Katie and Paul.
When he returns with them, Katie seems dazed and frightened, but she’s alive, and I feel a surge of triumph. Paul is looking even worse than before. The guards, having clearly given him a beating, have split his lip. But that doesn’t stop him from smiling, and I know that’s because all he cares about is that Katie is alive and help is coming. He has so much faith that the Shadow Pack will save the day. I wish I could share his optimism, but something tells me Viktor has an ace up his sleeve.
I only wish I knew what it was.
Then the last person I expect to see is brought out, her hair matted and her skimpy clothes filthy, suggesting they have held her captive for a while. She has a glassy-eyed look of someone who’s been drugged, though perhaps she took them willingly.
“Susan.”
She’s too out of it to respond. I’m not even sure if she’s aware of what’s going on. I’ve no idea how or why Viktor has her here.
“Your little friend here was most helpful, telling me all about the Shadow Pack, and she helped me find someone very important. Someone to make sure you behave.”
His henchman walks over, carrying a tablet. On the screen, there’s grainy footage taken outside of what is unmistakably Pam’s house. A strangled cry escapes my lips as I realize that they might hurt my baby girl. My Jenny.
“Please, don’t hurt my little girl. I’ll do anything.”
“Call them off.”
