Page 49 of Only The Strong

Eli turns to face me, bending down and gently cupping my cheek with his hand. “Isn't it obvious?” I stare at him, blinking, hoping maybe that will wake me up from this weird nightmare. “I love you, Reesey, and we can finally be together.” I shake my head, trying to pull my face away from his hand. “You were too good for my stupid best friend and way too good for a criminal.” He sneers, pushing away from me to stand back up.

Finn scoffs. “You really think Callum is going to let you kidnap Reese?”

“He will if he doesn't want your little operation to be turned over to ATF and for you to make it out of this alive.” Eli snaps, seeming to lose his cool a little.

Finn shakes his head laughing. “You chose the wrong club to fuck with and the wrong woman to stalk.”

Eli’s evil Cheshire cat smile creeps back onto his face. “We’ll see.” Eli walks toward me and I instinctively push back into the pole, trying to get as far away from him as I can. “Now if you’d be so kind as to pass my message along to your little club, Reesey and I will just be on our way.”

He steps behind me and frees my hands, but before I can make a run for it or turn and punch him, he's snapping the cuffs back onto one of my wrists. I look down, confused, and see that he’s handcuffed me to him. He yanks me up, using his hand that’s cuffed next to mine.

I swing my fist back, intending to take the slack he gave me and punch him in the face when he presses the barrel of his gun into my forehead. I freeze, staring into his eyes and seeing no hesitation in them.

“I wouldn't.” His voice is even. “In fact, just to make sure you comply.” He moves the gun from my forehead and fires it right next to my ear. My ears ring and I drop to the ground to get away from the gun, but then I remember what was behind me. Finn slumps forward again, growling with a small hole in his shoulder and blood pouring out.

“Finn!” I yell, scrambling to go to him, but forgetting that I’m handcuffed to Eli. He yanks me back and I land on my butt at his feet.

“Let’s go.” He barks and tugs me up again. “Or else the next one is more serious.”

“Don’t move those fucking feet, Reese.” Finn hisses between clenched teeth.

I shake my head while Eli drags me past him and out of what I think is the back entrance of the warehouse, hoping Finn can sense my apology.

49

CALLUM

“Why the fuckare they at my warehouse?” I snarl, still from the backseat, while Saint flies around the bends and down the dirt road leading to CM Roofing’s warehouse.

“No clue, but that’s where the tracker is leading us.” Saint deadpans.No shit.

Saint slams on the brakes in front of the warehouse and we all fly out of the pickup, dirt that was kicked up by the truck washing over us. Ronan holds up a hand to halt us as Mason, Leo, and Jack pull up behind us on their bikes.

The night is completely silent, the only sound is the wind blowing the leaves on the trees. “There aren't any vehicles here,” he says, puzzled.

“I’m not waiting to figure that out.” I snap, already making my way to the front door of the warehouse.

Saint grabs my arm and yanks me back. “Use your fucking head.” He slaps me in the back of the head. “We can't just storm in there, it could be a trap.”

“I don’t care!” I yank my arm out of his grasp.

Ronan grabs my chin in his strong hand and forces my face to his. I don’t know when the ancient fucker got over to me, but apparently, he got a new hip recently and can move faster. “Go in smart and with backup.” He growls, barely an inch from my face. “Jack, you’re going around back with me. The rest of you with Callum,” he says over his shoulder and then he lets go of my chin and quietly sneaks around the dark corner of the warehouse.

Without looking to see if anyone is following, I run as quietly as I can to the door and when we are all in position, Mason swings the door open and we storm in with our guns raised. Except the warehouse is quiet, dark, and empty. Save for my brother with his arms looped around a post behind him. Blood pours from his shoulder and pools on the ground next to him. We all rush over and Saint and I kneel to inspect him.

“Get me out of these fucking cuffs!” Finn growls, yanking said cuffs and banging them against the pole. Mason and Leo quickly wander off to find a bolt cutter.

“Where’s Reese?” I ask while Saint shines his phone flashlight over Finn’s injury which looks like a gunshot.Where the fuck is she?

“He went out the back with her. Some fucker named Eli,” Finn says and then growls low in his throat when Saint presses his discarded shirt into Finn’s shoulder.

I stand but before I can move, there's a shot and scream behind the warehouse.Please be okay.

50

REESE

Eliand I are running through the grass, him pulling me by my wrist that is still handcuffed to his. It’s so dark out here that I can't see where we are going.

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