Blade (RBMC: Dallas, TX #4)

Chapter Eighteen

“LoveAbuser(SaveMe)”—Royal&TheSerpent

I t ended up taking two weeks before the members of the Ankeny RBMC began to roll in. All of their bikes arrived first, loaded up in an enclosed commercial bike hauler out of Kentucky. The driver had us sign for them, and he was gone.

We had no idea how they ended up in Kentucky, but I recognized Voodoo, Chains, Angel, and Squirrel’s bikes right off the bat.

We also had no clue where anyone was because they had left their phones behind after Facet wiped them and incinerated them. Hawk had called from a burner phone to tell us they had all split up and left on different days. Then he disabled that phone and ditched it.

Angel, Korrie, Trace, and Angeline were the first to arrive. They were surprised to hear they made it before anyone else. We set them up and continued our wait.

Later that day, Facet and Willow, then Ghost and Laila arrived—all with little ones in tow. Two days later it was Hawk and Julia in the wee hours of the morning, then Chains, and Jasmine arrived with their kids Ehria, Draco, and Adira later in the day.

The last ones to arrive were Voodoo and his family, then Squirrel with the two prospects.

After they were all caught up on sleep, we had our first church with both chapters. The chapel was packed to the gills despite the prospects waiting out in the clubhouse. They still looked rocked to the core.

“There are no words to describe this loss,” Raptor began. The Ankeny boys wore a combination of anger and sorrow. Hell, we all did really. It seemed unreal that Rhino and Tigger would never walk through the doors again. I kind of felt like it hadn’t sunk in though because it had happened while they were out of the area.

“We need to come up with a plan going forward,” Raptor continued. “What all has happened?”

Hawk filled everyone in on what they knew so far. Facet added in details afterward.

“So, you have no idea who the rat could be?” Gator asked when they finished.

“None. We even had Chains look into everyone. He saw nothing. Facet checked the clubhouse top to bottom and didn’t find a trace of surveillance equipment. It doesn’t make sense though. Someone is finding out details that only members had.” Hawk fell back in his chair.

“Maybe whoever it is has an ability to block intrusions into their memories,” Torque murmured.

“That’s what we’re afraid of,” Voodoo chimed in. He was leaning against the back wall sporting a faint new scar that went through his left brow, down his cheek to his jaw. For it to still be visible after Angel healed him, his face had to have been fucking blown open.

We sifted through all the information again and again but still came up empty.

Raptor chewed on his lip as his fingertips tapped on the tabletop. Finally, he asked them, “What do you all think of staying here?”

“I mean, it’s the safest place we could think of since half your chapter are members that came from ours,” Hawk replied with a half grin.

“No. I mean permanently,” Raptor clarified. Several of the members looked at each other, then at Hawk.

Hawk cleared his throat. “Well, that’s the thing. We’ve decided we’re leaving the RBMC.”

You could’ve heard a pin drop.

“What?” I asked just as Phoenix blurted out “Why?”

Hawk looked defeated. “We’ve been thinking about it for a while. It feels like too many people are finding out about our abilities. Then when we didn’t get any backup from Nationals, we felt a little jaded. We’re doing a lot for the club, but the club isn’t doing as much for us anymore. We want to branch out—start our own club.”

“Jesus, Hawk. That could create some very powerful enemies if certain people don’t like your decision,” I warned. This was big. Bigger than them staying here.

“The hog farm is gone. Everything but half of one barn burned to the ground. We lost all but a handful of our hogs. What we had left, we sent to slaughter because we had no way to take care of them or house them. The clubhouse is destroyed,” Hawk explained bleakly.

“Maybe we should all leave,” One Short grumbled. “We’ve pretty much been on our own here too for a while. Things have changed….”

“And not for the better,” Gator added.

Shock rippled through the room.

Raptor sat back dumbstruck.

“What do you think?” Phoenix asked Raptor.

“I think we need to discuss this some more, because whatever we decide we need to stick together,” he replied. He filled the Ankeny boys in on the plan we were considering.

“We’d have to discuss that on our side too. But I own all the land in Ankeny, and you own the land here. So, we wouldn’t be beholden to the RBMC for our property,” Hawk mused as he scratched his jaw.

We wrapped everything up and left the chapel. When we reached the common room, I heard Hawk ask their prospect, “Where’s Chad?”

“He said he was going outside to walk around,” the young guy replied. “I figured that was okay?”

Something seemed off and my stomach started to churn. “Find him. I don’t like this,” I practically growled. There was no definitive basis for my instincts, I just knew.

We all went outside and spread out. It was hot, but not as hot as it had been over the past month. If someone didn’t know the area, it could end badly. The property was pretty big.

When there was no sign of him by the clubhouse, I decided to tell Eliska to stay inside and lock the door. I didn’t trust this prospect. When we’re in church, the prospects should be waiting in the clubhouse in case we need them.

The wooden steps echoed loudly as I climbed them. When I opened the door, the silence hit me immediately. She wasn’t there.

I told myself that she probably went to Sage’s. Voodoo and Angel said the women were talking about getting together. So, I went there next. With each crunch of the gravel on the path under my boots, my heart beat faster.

The second I stepped onto Raptor’s porch, I could hear the women talking inside and I let out a sigh of relief. I had my knuckles on the door as soon as I was within reach of the heavy wood.

Sage swung the door wide. She peeked over my shoulder and then tilted her head as she frowned. “Aww dang it, I thought maybe you were bringing Eliska.”

“Wait… she’s not here?” I asked, my anxiety cranking up to the max immediately.

“No.” Sage shook her head.

“She’s not in my cabin.”

“Okayyy,” she drawled. “Did you check her room?”

“It’s not her room anymore. I moved her into my cabin.”

“Oh.” She blinked in surprise. “When did that happen?”

“Last night. But Sage, that doesn’t matter, she’s not there and the prospect is missing too.” I was beginning to feel irrational. Like I was unraveling.

Raptor stormed up the stairs behind me and grabbed my arm. “Blade, let’s go. Now!”

“What? I’m trying to find Eliska! She’s missing!” I wasn’t going anywhere until I found her.

“That prospect has her. Facet has been upgrading our security system over the past couple of days. He installed a new camera pointing toward the cabins. Eliska got into Squirrel’s truck they drove down here, and they left,” he quickly explained.

“Holy shit. What was she thinking?” I raced after Raptor to find Voodoo, Angel, and Squirrel waiting with their bikes running.

“Squirrel is tracking the truck. He has it connected to an app Facet developed.”

Blood rushing in my ears, I snagged my helmet from where it sat up on my mirror and jerked it down over my head. As I snapped the strap, I made eye contact with Voodoo. He was fuming but holding his cool. I started my bike, and we all pulled out. At the end of the driveway, Squirrel signaled we were turning left and we took off two by two, with Angel riding slop.

I had no idea how much of a head start he had on us. I wished I would’ve gotten more info from Squirrel before we took off. What if he ditched the truck somewhere? She must be terrified. That was enough to burn my anxiety away and replace it with barely leashed rage. He had taken my woman. He was going to pay.