Page 58 of I'm Sorry

In my time with the Hellions, I’ve learned C.C.C., or Capital City Chaos, is a bonded gang of misfits that have been trying to make a name for themselves. They’re a mixture of an M.C. and some punks who happen to like cars. Huge in the drift scene and street racing. Amongst other things that haven’t been pinned on them. They’re good at evading accusations, never quite in the right place at the right time to bring them down. Needless to say, Knox wasn’t with the group of girls the brothers saved that night. I’ve tried to broach the subject of shutting down the Chaos trafficking operation in hopes of finding Knox but Ilya won’t have any of it.

Since Spencer has been watching over Benny he’s been trying to do what he can to find Knox, but it’s been a shit show. We’ve found nothing. She’s never left my mind, but after seeing the shit I’ve seen, I have no doubt she is gone. We will never get her back or know what happened to her.

Spencer doesn’t know the extent of my feelings and I’d like to keep it that way. He isn’t necessarily friends with Benny, more of a love-hate kind of thing, but I don’t need him telling Benny how I feel. Our relationship hasn’t been salvaged, so I don’t need that animosity between us. Since Knox has been gone, he’s gone down hill—understandably. I can’t blame him. The only thing that has saved me is the Hellions.

C.C.C. has also been moving in on Hellion territory and from what I understand, they’re doing a bang-up job. These assholes, made up of a senior chapter and a junior chapter, are ruthless. They take their initiation tasks very seriously, and apparently, the junior chapter leader has a problem with authority, both in and out of the club. He’s uncontrollable and giving the police and Hellions a run for their money.

When two members of Chaos are laughing and carrying on about Marquez’s new brunettewhore,my hackles raise and my body stiffens. It takes everything in me not to pounce on these motherfuckers and demand to know who the hell they are talking about. Could it be Knox? Has the scum had her this entire fucking time? Right under our noses?

Every bit of hope I had that we’d find her swells inside of me.

I inhale deeply and force back the bile that wants to spew from my stomach. It can’t be her. Knox is probably dead. Everyone has confirmed it. It’s been four months.

Maybe Marquez did take her at one point, but his women never last long. Fuck, that feels so wrong to say, but Knox has been gone for a long damn time. I don’t want to even think about the things she’s been through, let alone if she’s still alive. I tried my best to give up thoughts of her, to mourn her in my own way, accepting that we will never know. But if she is alive and we can get her back?

I focus back on their conversation because I just can’t help it. I have to listen. If I can bring Knox home, I’ll do it. No questions asked.

“She can ride a dick, man.” The idea of a woman, bought and sold, doing unspeakable things for the disgusting likes of dickwads like them, makes my body tremble with infinite rage. I want to tear them apart limb for limb, starting with their dicks so they can’t touch another woman who doesn’t want it. Jesus Christ, if they’ve seen Knox like that. I clench my teeth to keep my resounding grief from pouring out.

“Are you surprised? She’s been on bikes her entire life. Pretty much the same damn thing.” My stomach plummets to the goddamn ground. That can’t be a coincidence. Leonardo Marquez is the unspoken leader of the Capital City Chaos. Unspoken because it’s never been confirmed. Word is he’s wheelchair bound and is rarely seen in public. That doesn’t stop him from buying sex slaves and making his guys do unspeakable things to them while he watches. Just ask Ilya. His wife was Marquez’s victim over almost two decades ago. But the man has endless amounts of money and as ruthless as the Chaos fuckers are…

Without realizing it, I barrel forward, two steps from their backs when I’m stopped by a brick wall with long charcoal hair and brown eyes that are warning me not to go there.

“Whoa, friend. There will be none of that here.”

“They have her—Fuck. Theyknowwhere she is!” I shove his chest, but he doesn’t move. I’m bigger, but I’m not Spencer’s size. “You need to get the fuck out of my way.”

“Or what?” he taunts, bored out of his mind. He knows I’m no match for him, and we aren’t allowed to be armed while on the premises. Grounds for immediate dismissal if a weapon is found.

“Spencer, I’m not kidding. If sh—Fuck! If they know where she is at then I need to talk to them.”

“Who?”

“Lennox Ford! They know where she is!”

CHAPTERTHIRTY-FOUR

SPENCER

A certain setof tormented gray eyes pass through my mind at this moment.

“You mean Benny’s girl?” Trace’s face goes absolutely blank for a moment. Whether it’s grief, heartbreak, rage, absolute fury, or soul crushing agony that causes it, I’m not sure. But whatever it is, he did not like hearing that question.

“Yes. The one that disappeared four fucking months ago!” he nearly screams, then shoves my chest again. I’m fair and give him a bit of movement to let him think he actually did something. One thing my new friend is not is imposing.

“Trace, you have to be smart about this. We are at a drift event. You can’t go around throwing accusations likethatat people likethem.”

Although, we know for a fact they are involved in trafficking, so his accusation holds some merit. However, we have to come at this with a plan.

His eyes fill with incredulity and disdain. “Accusations? They were just talking about how she rides cock, man! They all but fucking named her. The brunette that has been on bi—” The deep timbre of his voice cracks straight down the middle, and he swallows the rest of his words. The look on his face is all pleading denial when he looks at me and fuck me. Is Trace Johnson showing emotion?

I’m not sure how to handle this because I’ve been spending time with Benny and consider him a friend. Of course I want him to find his girl but also a part of me wishes she’d never come back because I want him for myself. Fucked up, I know, but it’s the truth. What can I say?

“I’m only going to tell you this once. I’m not sure what you’ve got going on in that brain of yours”—I jab my finger into the side of his head, imploring him with my gaze—“or with Lennox Ford other than she’s your best friend’s girl and she’s missing. But Leo Marques is not someone the Hellions take lightly. He has been on our list for—”

“I know. For decades. I fucking get it.” I press into the middle of Trace’s chest when he tries to move around me, easily keeping him in place. He snarls at the touch. He and Benny are more alike than they think, yet somehow, I don’t want Trace the way I want his best friend. I don’t want to push Trace or hurt him, or antagonize him simply so I can find a reason to touch him. To have his hands on me.

“Then you understand that to start something here, on sacred land, will be the start of your demise, precious money-making drifter or not. Ilya will absolutely destroy you over Leo Marquez. So, you have a choice. Walk with me to the trailer and let’s have a conversation with Ilya about this, or die.”

---