Acid (Black Hearts MC #7)

Chapter 26

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

RHEA

I’m not sure where we are. A black bag is over my head, my wrists are tied together, and we are in the back of the truck. I’m still completely naked, shivering from the cold. The tears won’t stop falling, and the pain in my chest is not easing. They have to go back and save him, they have to get him out of there, no matter what deal they’ve made. I saw it in his eyes, the acceptance. The acceptance of death. He wasn’t going to fight. There was no plan to get him out.

The truck comes to a sudden stop and as I hear the door open, I’m then suddenly pushed out. I land on the gravelled ground with a thud, still with the bag on my head. I hear the door slam shut behind me and the van speeds off. I don’t move for a moment, fearing they are still nearby. I slowly sit up, hissing in pain at my cut and grazed body. I lift the black hood off my head and look around, seeing nothing. Just fields and fields with trees and a gravelled track running thorough it.

I get to my feet and start to walk, not quite sure which direction they’ve gone in. I just walk, looking all around me, seeing for a sign of a house or anywhere that I could go to seek help. I hear a distant rumbling behind me and for a moment I freeze. Fear creeps up my spine that they’ve come back. It’s then that I really listen and realise that I recognise the sound. I turn around and see them, a cloud of dust in their wake. I sob, collapsing to my knees as they come to a stop.

“Jesus Christ,” I hear Ghost spit.

I look up to see Scar rushing towards me, his eyes searching my face and body. He removes his cut and T-shirt and puts it on over my head. Grabbing his blade, he cuts my hands free before helping me put my arms through the sleeves. He shrugs his cut on over his now bare torso before he cups my face.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” he asks. I shake my head as he helps me to my feet.

Ghost stops in front of me. “Jesus, I’m so sorry, darlin’,” he rasps.

“What deal did he make?” I ask, my voice hoarse from all my screaming.

Ghost’s jaw sets tight. “His life for yours,” he answers.

I shake my head no. “You’re not going to let him, right? I mean, you can’t just leave him there. He will torture him first. You can’t let him die. You can’t leave him!” I scream.

Scar grabs me and pulls me into his chest, holding me. His hand begins to rub up and down my back. I look over and see Spider sat there on his bike, a solemn look on his face.

I push away from Scar. “You go! You go and trade yourself in! This is your fault! This is because of you!” I yell. Spider doesn’t say a word. Scar’s hands wrap around my waist, pulling me back. “Because of you the man I love is going to die!” I rasp. My body becomes wracked with sobs, and if I was paying better attention, I would have felt Scar’s body stiffen at my words, but being too consumed with pain and heartbreak, I just sob.

“Here’s some tea,” Queenie says softly before placing a mug of tea on the table next to me. I don’t look up or acknowledge her. I don’t acknowledge any of them. Keeping my eyes straight ahead, I just sit there. The only thing I asked for when we arrived at the club was for Oliver. Ghost had assured me that he was safe at Beast’s house with Belle and Josie. Apparently, he tried getting all the women to stay there when he found out what had happened, but Star, Dixie, Nova, and Maggie had outright refused. Josie only said she would stay to make sure Belle didn’t overdo it looking after the kids and go into early labour. Apparently, Beasts house is secure. He had recently put in a new alarm system that means no one is getting in.

“Rhea, try and drink something,” Star tries to encourage.

I stare blankly at her. “If that was Ghost instead of Acid, would you want to sit around and drink tea?” I ask her coldly.

Her mouth pulls into a thin line before she shakes her head. “No, I would probably be back there with an AK47 ready to kill,” she answers honestly.

Nova sits there, tears streaming down her face. I have some level of sympathy for her. That’s her brother, but it’s also her man that got them into this mess.

“I need some air,” I state before getting to my feet. As I walk out, I feel everyone’s eyes on me. I sit down on the bench and let the tears flow, feeling helpless, lost at not being able to do anything. Not being able to help him while he’s being tortured, or he could be already dead by now, and I’m just sat here. They are all just sat here.

“So, you love him,” Scar’s deep voice states, startling me out of my thoughts. I look to my left and see him stood there.

I nod and wipe my cheeks. “I do, I’m sorry. I—” I pause. “I didn’t know I did. Not really. He was a friend, so I just assumed that was what I was feeling. Or rather kidding myself that was what it was.” I sniff.

Scar sits beside me, and I look at him. He gives me a small smile as his finger traces my hairline, tucking some hair back behind my ear. “You know he loves you, right?” he prompts.

I give him a small smile and shake my head. “I don’t think he does. Not yet anyway. Not that he will get a chance to, even if he did,” I sigh.

Scar gives me a sad smile and turns his body to me, cupping my jaw in his hands. “No man would lay down his life for you, for your happiness, if he didn’t love you.” I smile as more tears fall and lean into his touch.

He leans forward, pressing his lips tenderly to my temple. I close my eyes at his soothing touch. He leans back and looks down on me. “I’m sorry,” I whisper.

“Sorry for what?” he asks.

“For sleeping with you when I was confused. For leading you on,” I sigh.

He just gives me a lazy smile. “Don’t apologise for the sex. Fuck, I don’t regret any of that for a second. You gave me no false hope, darlin’. I knew what I was getting into,” he assures.

I nod, but I can see the sadness flicker through his eyes before he gets the chance to hide it. He doesn’t say anymore, and simply places another kiss on my temple before he gets up and walks inside.

I stay out there, refusing to go in. Queenie brings me a blanket and some more tea. I pull the blanket over me, but I refuse to drink the tea. I just sit out there in the dark night, just staring up at the stars. I don’t sleep, I couldn’t sleep even if I wanted to. I was cold, freezing in fact, but in a weird way it felt like the least I should do is punish myself with what Acid would be going through.

I stayed there all night and all through the next day. Star had tried to talk to me, Maggie and Dixie had offered me strong sleeping pills, but I just sat there, staring, unmoving, unable to think of anything other than what he might be going through, wondering if he’s still alive.

As darkness again descended, Star comes out with a bowl in her hand and sits next to me, just holding it. “Queenie told me to bring you out some soup,” she states, I don’t look at her. I just blink and keep looking forward. “I’m not going to force you to eat it. I wouldn’t, either.” She sighs. “When you were getting ready to go out and I said about feelings getting involved, it’s because I could see it. I could see how you felt about him long before you could, and I could see how he felt about you. You were more than friends, even before you decided to sleep together.” She pauses for a moment. “I know this because Ghost is my best friend. No one can make me laugh like him. No one knows me like him, and he knows all my secrets.” She pauses. “Well, apart from when I’m trying to arrange a girls’ night.” She laughs. “They’re trying, you know, in there right now, they are trying to find out where he is. They won’t stop, and they won’t leave him behind,” she says, trying to reassure me.

For the first time, I turn my head and acknowledge her. “What if they’re too late?” I rasp.

Star swallows back her emotions and clears her throat. “They’re not, and I refuse to believe that until there is proof.”

Suddenly there’s a loud commotion, the sound of arguing and shouting coming from within the club. Star and I turn to see Spider storming out, the guys yelling after him.

Star stands. “What’s going on?” she asks.

“We found out where they are and Spider is going to offer himself,” Rage grits through his teeth.

“Nova?” I ask.

“The rest of them are with Belle,” she answers.

I jump up from the bench. “Get the keys, we are following them,” I say as the brothers all start up the bikes to go after Spider. I run to the truck while Star chucks the bowl down and runs in to get the keys. She runs back out quickly, and I hold out my hand for them.

“No way, you’re too emotional. Get the fuck in,” she orders as she unlocks the truck. We jump in and before I can shut the door, Star is speeding after them.

My heart is beating wildly in my chest and my palms are sweating. I’m terrified to let myself hope, scared that if I believe there is a chance he’s alive that we will find him dead. Star speeds through red lights, blaring the horn at anyone that gets in our way.

We can see the lights of their bikes up ahead. “They’re turning left!” I yell.

“I fucking know!” she yells back, adrenaline coursing through us.

It feels like it takes a lifetime to get there, but eventually we see them slow as they make a right. Star slows the truck and pulls over, leaving it just out of sight. I don’t wait for her to park before I’m opening the door and jumping out.

Star runs after me. “Jesus, stop!” she hisses, grabbing my arm.

“I have to go to him!” I protest.

“And we will, but not by getting yourself fucking killed doing it,” she hisses.

We watch as the guys all storm into the huge old house, and we quickly follow. All of them have their guns raised as they take aim at Eugene and his men. They too have their guns aimed back at them and as I skid to a stop, my eyes go to Eugene. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, his forearms are covered in blood, and a small saw is in his hand. My stomach recoils as I look past him and see a camera set up and there, his head hanging down, his body covered in blood, is Acid. I don’t think about the situation, the guns, the threat, none of it. I run as fast as my legs will carry me and fall to my knees before him.

“Fuck!” I hear Ghost yell.

I cup Acid’s bloody face in mine, hating the deep cuts on his face that are pouring with blood. “Acid, it’s me,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “Acid, look at me,” I sob, begging. He doesn’t move. I look to the side and see a tray of tools. I quickly grab a blade and reach around the back of him, freeing his arms, then his ankles. I chuck the blade across the room, and Acid’s body slumps forward. I try to catch him and ease him to the floor. I try to cover his wounds, but my hands and clothes are already covered in his blood. “Acid, please. Please wake up,” I sob, begging. I lean down and press kisses to his face. “Please.” I press my lips to his bloody mouth. “I love you, I love you,” I repeat between kisses. He lets out a soft groan and I gasp. As his eyes flutter open, I cry harder. “I love you,” I repeat through my sobs. His eyes are lifeless as he looks back at me before they flutter closed again. “No, no. Stay awake,” I beg. I try covering his wounds, trying anything to stop the bleeding. I look up, and everyone is still stood there, their eyes on each other. A game, a standoff.

Spider’s pained eyes come to mine before he steps forward. “It’s me you want,” he states.

“Spider, shut the fuck up,” Ghost growls.

Eugene watches on, not saying a word, not showing his next move. It’s then that Scar lowers his gun, dropping it to the floor. He steps forward, pushing Spider behind him. “I’m here in exchange for Acid,” he states.

Star’s wide gaze comes to mine.

“No!” I yell.

Scar looks at me and gives me a soft, sad smile. “It will be alright, darlin’.” He winks. A sob escapes me as he turns his attention back to Eugene. “You’ve hurt him,” he says, gesturing to Spider. “What I’m offering you is myself, a prisoner. Doing that means you have a hold over the club. They will not risk coming to get me, if it means my life is on the line. They come to get me, you kill me,” Scar says with a cold tone in his voice.

“Scar, no!” I wail.

“How do I know I have your club’s word on this?” Eugene asks sceptically. “Forgive me for not trusting you right now while you’re all stood here with guns aimed at me and my men’s heads,” he seethes.

Scar looks to Ghost, and a silent exchange passes between them. Ghosts grits his teeth. “You have my word,” he spits out, and it’s like each word is acid in his mouth.

Scar nods before he removes his cut and turns, handing it to Ghost. I shake my head as I cradle Acid in my lap. Tears endlessly fall down my cheeks. “Scar,” I croak, pleading with him not to do this. Eugene gives a nod to his men as they move for Scar. He gives me a small smile, but his eyes pour with love and affection. His words from earlier echo through my mind.

“ No man would lay down his life for you, for your happiness, if he didn’t love you.”

My heart shatters for him. I run to him, even though there is gun pointed at me, even with Eugene’s men holding him on either side of his arms. I wrap my arms around his neck, holding him tight.

“I’m so sorry, please don’t do this,” I whisper in his ear. “You don’t need to do this,” I plead. He yanks his arms free and wraps his arms around me, holding me tight.

He places a soft kiss on my cheek before he leans down, placing his lips at my ear. “In a different world we may have been together, but I knew from the first night he loved you. I knew you loved him, and until he confessed, I was going to take every opportunity I could to try and change your mind.” I sniff.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper.

“Don’t be, I had fun trying,” he says. The men yank him back and out of my arms, and I stumble back. “Be happy darlin’, and look after him,” he says with a wink as they drag him off.

“Star, Rhea, get the fuck out of here now,” Ghost orders through gritted teeth. I am about to protest, to say I’m not leaving Acid, but Star grabs my hand and yanks me away.

We stand outside, waiting by their bikes. Star holds me in her arms, rubbing her hand up and down my back. “It’s all my fault,” I state.

She grabs my shoulder and pushes me back. “In no way is this your fault. None of it. Scar will be okay. They aren’t going to kill him, and until they can figure out a way to free him, he will survive,” she says, trying to reassure me but it doesn’t ease the guilt swimming around my stomach. We hear footsteps and turn to see Hawk and Beast carrying out Acid.

“His pulse is weak we need to fucking move now,” Hawk barks. Star and I follow them to the truck. Star jumps in the driver’s seat, and I jump in the back with Acid, cradling his head in my lap. I pray that he makes it because if he doesn’t, I don’t think my heart will survive.