Jackson (MC Sinners #7)

1 – Jackson

S taring across at her, my heart tightens in my chest.

She’s holding a brave face, but I can see beyond the front she’s trying to put on for me. She’s struggling. There is so much fear in her eyes, it’s fucking killing me to see. She doesn’t deserve this. It was my job to protect her, and I didn’t even notice that she was gone. She went after a monster and did nothing to stop her.

Now she’s in here, where I can’t protect her.

“Is Ava okay?”

It’s the first question she asks, every single time.

“She’s doin’ good. I promise you she’s okay.”

Serenity’s eyes well up, but she shoves it down.

“What if I’m stuck in here for a long time? I don’t want that to be her life, Jackson. She doesn’t deserve that.”

I go to reach across the table, to take her hand, to just comfort her for a fucking second, but I’m quickly stopped by the guard shouting, “No touching!”

I can’t even comfort my woman.

I can’t help her.

I give the guard an expression that tells him that if I could, I’d walk over there and rip his fucking head clean off.

“I promise you we’re goin’ to get you out of this,” I say, my voice low. “We’ll find that fucker, and we’ll get you out.”

She nods, but I can see she doesn’t have full faith in me, and that fucking kills me. I don’t blame her, when you’re behind bars, everything gets that much harder. It isn’t so easy to seek justice when you’re confined to a fucking prison. It’s also not as easy to get away with things.

But I’ll find a way.

No matter what it takes.

“Somethin’ has changed,” I say, my eyes scanning her face.

She stares down at her hands, and I can see them trembling.

“Serenity,” I push, my voice hoarse.

“I’m fine,” she tells me quickly, forcing a smile.

“Baby,” I growl, “I know when you’re lyin’ to me, and right now, you’re lyin’.”

She doesn’t answer.

“What is happening?”

She glances at the guard, and then leans a little closer. “There is someone in here, someone from Hogan’s club.”

I feel like I’ve been slammed in the chest with a fist. Clenching my own, I struggle for calm. We were meant to have taken out that entire club. Never thought for a second about the ones who could have been locked up at the time we took them out. Fuck.

“How bad is he?” I rasp, fighting to keep my voice steady.

“He was the Sergeant in arms, and he isn’t my biggest fan. He was always cruel, but ... he had a woman make it known that he plans to get to me in here, and is going to make my life a living hell.”

It’s taking everything inside me not to slam my fist into the table.

I feel fucking helpless, because there isn’t a single thing I can do to protect her. If I had someone on the inside, I could, but I don’t.

“I’ll get someone put in here,” I say. “I’ll find someone to protect you.”

“You can’t do that. It’s okay, I’ll be okay ...”

I can fucking do it.

I will.

“I’m not leavin’ you in here unprotected.”

“Two minutes,” the guard barks.

It takes everything inside me not to slam my fist into his face just so I can end up in here with her, but if I know the system, which I do, those fuckers would purposely put me somewhere else.

There has to be an option.

Glancing at Serenity, I can see her bottom lip shake.

Not being able to touch her feels like a torture all on its own. I need to pull her into my arms, to wrap myself around her and make sure she’s safe. It kills me to see her breaking.

“I’m goin’ to figure this out,” I say low, clenching my fists to stop myself from reaching over to her.

“I know,” she whispers.

“I love you, do you hear me?”

She nods, and I can see her visibly swallow, forcing herself not to cry.

Fuck.

I need to get her out of here.

It’s the only option.

“IT’S NOT A FUCKIN’ option,” Spike growls, crossing his arms. “We try somethin’ like that, and all we’ll do is end up with a police force that hunts us down and puts us all away.”

“Not if we’re smart about it,” I say, glancing at the guys who are standing with me, coming up with a plan to get Serenity out. “If we’re smart and give them nothin’ to throw back on us, then they won’t be able to pin nothin’ on the club.”

“We’re talkin’ about a fuckin’ prison break,” Spike snaps, shaking his head. “It ain’t somethin’ that is easily done.”

“No,” Cade agrees. “But it has been done.”

Spike shoots him a look, unimpressed with the fact that Cade is agreeing.

“I hear you, brother,” I tell Spike. “But I’m not leavin’ her in there. Not with that fucker breathin’ down her neck. He’ll kill her.”

Spike growls, but I know he doesn’t want to see anything happen to her either.

“Fuck me,” he grunts. “What’s the plan here? Because it needs to be fuckin’ solid to pull this off.”

“Got to agree with Spike.” Muff nods. “Needs to be a fuckin’ solid plan or we’re goin’ to make things a million times worse for everyone.”

Spike lights a cigarette. “We’ve already got a ravin’ fuckin’ lunatic to find and bring down, now we’re lookin’ at a prison break. Big call, Pres.”

I meet his gaze, my own firm. “If it was Ciara in there, are you tellin’ me you wouldn’t be doin’ the same thing?”

His eyes flash. “I’d burn the fuckin’ world down to get her out.”

I nod.

He nods in return.

We’re on the same page.

“We need Serenity in on the plan,” Cade points out. “She needs to work from the inside to make sure this runs without a hitch.”

“Already on that,” I tell him. “I’m goin’ to get her to find a guard who has a past, we’ll use it to our advantage. Havin’ a guard on our side is the best option.”

“Then we need a list of guards so we can find out about their pasts, get her one to work with,” Muff mutters. “I’ll get onto that.”

“Then we need a fuckin’ good plan to get her out,” Cade exhales, running his hands through his hair. “Fuck. This won’t be easy.”

No.

It won’t.

But I’ll make it happen.

One way or another, I’ll get her out.