Jake’s Angel (King’s Of Fury MC #2)

Chapter 34

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

JAKE

We’re all sitting at the bar, shooting the shit. I’m still seething at Drea and her new little red-headed friend. I left to take a piss and when I came back they launched their attack on me. Both trying to sit on my lap, pushing their tits in my face. I dropped Drea’s ass on the floor and issued a final warning. Bitch touches me again and she’s gone. I made sure to let her see me telling Declan and the other officers so she knows I’m not fucking around.

They’ve both been quiet since, dancing on the poles, entertaining the others.

It’s been a few hours since Avery and the girls left. Sadie said Avery was feeling sick and Sadie was feeling stabby. Whatever the fuck that means.

If Avery’s not feeling well, she’ll probably lay down for the night. Austin can handle a sleeping Avery. I’ll stay here a little longer, then check on her when I go to Liz’s for the night.

Declan jumps to his feet like his ass just caught fire, motioning for Hawk and me to follow as he heads toward the front door of the clubhouse. “Yeah, I got it. We’re on our way.” Declan hangs up his phone as we’re all hopping onto the back of our bikes. Gabe, Pop, and Caleb come barreling out the backdoor.

“Go! Go! Go!” Gabe shouts, waving us on as they get to their bikes, ready to follow.

“What’s the fuck’s going on?” Hawk asks lifting his chin toward Declan.

“That was Garrison.” He shouts to be heard over the rumble of the bikes. “They got a call. Shit’s going down at Bella Noche. It’s Sadie and the girls.”

“What do you mean, the girls ? After the shit with Drea, Sadie said they were going to Liz’s because Avery was feeling sick. Austin went with them.”

“Well, Austin’s not with them now.”

“What about Blake?” Hawk shoots back. I don’t have time to ask questions. I need to get to my girl. I twist the throttle, race through the gate, then pull onto the road.

A few minutes later, an incoming call from Declan rings into my Bluetooth. I answer and he says, “Austin was passed out cold by the back door. Mason found him when he did a perimeter check.”

I’m going to kill that motherfucker when I get back. He knows not to get shitfaced when he’s on guard.

“What about Blake?”

“Passed out behind the wheel of the SUV.”

What the fuck?

“What was he doing in the SUV?” A better question would be, where the hell was he going?

“No clue.”

It doesn’t take long before we’re pulling into the parking lot of Bella Noche. We park our bikes in a line and dismount, stalking toward the entrance.

When we arrive at the nightclub, Stephan and Luciano, a couple of Vincenzo Parisi’s bouncers, greet us.

“What the fuck happened?” Declan growls.

Luc points over to the hallway leading to the bathrooms and starts explaining as we follow.

“I don’t have all the information. Jayde told Santiago they were heading to the bathroom when a couple of handsy assholes grabbed them. She thinks the little blonde she was with knew them, but she’s not talking. Hell, she wasn’t even moving.”

“What do you mean? Why?” I have every intention of handling this asshole myself for upsetting my Angel, but first I need to deal with the women who left the club without their escorts who could have prevented this shit from happening in the first place.

“Santiago had to carry her upstairs.” Luc’s words stop me cold.

“Is she hurt?” I hold my breath, waiting for him to clarify.

“I think she might be in shock. It’s like she just … shut down.” Luc says. “The boss is seeing to her and the others in his office.”

“Did they catch the fuckers?” Declan asks. My pulse speeds up and hope wells in my chest. If they caught the bastards, I’ll have a place to unleash this carnal need inside, begging for retribution.

“They caught one. The one who manhandled your sister, Jake. The other managed to sneak out to the back lot and into a waiting car.”

A growl so loud it shakes my chest escapes me before I can stop it. “Make sure you tell Mack where to find the piece of shit. He shouldn’t be too far behind us.”

Luc rubs the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable to tell us something.

“Spit it out,” I snap, running out of patience for everybody.

“The boss says he wants to question him first. As soon as he’s got the answers he seeks, we’ll move him to the basement for you.” He raises his eyebrows, making sure I understand we aren’t getting our captive tonight.

“Pres isn’t going to go for that, man.”

Luc shrugs. “He can take it up with Vincenzo. I’m not about to tell the boss shit. I enjoy breathing.”

As much as I want to teach the asshole a lesson for touching my sister, I’ll let Pres sort out the exchange. Then I think I’ll let Pop have the first honors. I want the son of a bitch who hurt my Angel. The one who thought he could shove her to the ground and get away unscathed.

Run, motherfucker. Run.

As soon as I know my woman is all right … I’m going on a hunt.

“Plates? Description?” Hawk asks Luc, ready to start his search.

“You’ll have to ask the boss. I was given a short briefing and sent to wait for you and Gabe to arrive,” Luc answers. “I will tell you, Sadie’s not letting anyone near the girl. She was screaming at Santiago to get you here, specifically, Jake.”

I’m so pissed off. I can’t decide who to yell at first. I’m so filled with rage, it’s vibrating through every cell in my body. When we get to the office door, Anthony nods, moving aside for us to enter.

I’m about to start shouting at the girls when I lock my eyes on Avery. She looks completely defeated, trembling, cuddled against Sadie’s side. Her legs are curled into her chest. She looks so small and frail it scares me.

She’s not looking at anyone. Her eyes are fixed on her hands as she fidgets with them. Her chest is heaving, and her face is pale. Those green eyes, normally flickering with her fiery spirit, are haunted, full of nothing but fear. She looks even more scared than she did the night of Sadie’s party. I need to know who exactly this motherfucker is and what he’s done to her.

Then I need five minutes alone with him.

When Avery’s hollow looking eyes catch mine, I make an immediate change of plans. I can’t yell at them now. She’s terrified. Luc’s words echo in my mind, “ Sadie was screaming at Santiago to get you here, specifically .”

My Angel needs me.

I kneel in front of Avery, grab her chin in my hand, and force her to look at me.

“Angel.” Her eyes lock on mine, and I see the flicker of relief in her eyes. I move to sit beside her and scoop her up, placing her in my lap, rubbing my hand up and down her back soothingly.

She lets out a soft sob, closing her eyes. I keep my touch tender, but firm. It takes a minute for her to collect herself enough to take a deep breath.

That’s it. Breathe, baby.

She doesn’t move to hold me. Her hands are trapped between us, but she’s not pulling away either.

“Avery,” I say her name softly, but she doesn’t move. I gently squeeze her neck, pulling her head close to my chest, completely blocking her view of anyone else. “Can you hear me, baby? Focus on my voice and take a few more deep breaths for me.” She complies and I praise her. “Good girl.”

Leaning down, I whisper into Avery’s ear where only she can hear me, “It’s ok, Angel. I’ve got you.” I hear her take in another deep breath, feeling the shake of her shoulders and the wetness of her tears as they spill onto my shirt. We stay like this for a few minutes, letting her get it out of her system.

Anthony opens the door, whispering something to Santiago, who nods, and says, “Boss. They’re here.”

It’s at that moment Avery raises her eyes to meet mine. “Jake,” she breathes out my name in a shaky whisper. Using my finger to tip her chin, I hold her eyes for a moment, letting her see that it’s really me. That she’s safe.

I can feel her body trembling against mine, tears are slowly trickling down her face. She looks down at her hand. I follow her line of sight and watch as she twists two fingers back and forth around her pinky. Squinting my eyes in question, trying to figure out her meaning.

I pick her chin up. “It was him? You’re sure?” Avery nods her confirmation.

Son of a bitch!

Grabbing her face in both of my hands, I wipe away her tears with my thumbs and kiss her forehead.

“Miss West,” Vincenzo says from behind his desk. Fuck. I was so worried about getting to Avery, I forgot we were in Vincenzo’s office. The head of the fucking Parisi family has been sitting on his throne, silently watching everything unfold before him.

He clears his throat. Avery turns her head slightly, enough to see him.

“Can you tell me what happened downstairs with those men?” He keeps his voice calm, but his face shows he’s leaning more toward murderous.

Avery doesn’t respond.

“Miss West. Avery. Do you know those men?” He tries again.

She nods.

“They went to school with us in Baron’s Edge. Trust fund assholes,” Sadie provides, putting her hand protectively on Avery’s shoulder.

“And can you tell me what they wanted with you girls? Did they say anything to you?”

Avery shivers in my arms. “I-I’d rather not say,” she whispers.

“Jayde?” Pop comes barging into the office. “Jayde, baby.” She runs from beside me and slams into Pop. She hadn’t cried one tear until she saw him. Now she’s crying in his arms. He wraps her up tight, and it’s then I realize what a prick I am. My sister was groped by some asshole, and all I could think to do was get to my girl.

Shit.

Hawk’s hand comes down on my shoulder. I turn to where he’s standing next to me beside the couch. He must’ve been hugging Jayde. I was so focused on getting Avery less lethargic, I completely ignored my own sister.

“Don’t,” Hawk says sternly. “I had her. Jayde’s good, brother. But I’m not so sure about your girl.” He nods toward Avery. She’s moved her legs to straddle me, placing her head in the crook of my neck, pushing her torso into my chest. Her body has gone limp, and she's shivering. She feels heavy against me, as if her body is too heavy for her to hold up on her own.

“Someone better tell me what the fuck is going on here,” Gabe shouts, shoving through the door and past Vincenzo’s men.

“Ah, Gabriel. Come in, please. Sit,” Vincenzo says, calm as you fucking please. “We were just getting to the heart of the matter. Perhaps you would care to take a seat? Join the discussion?”

Pres looks like his head may just explode. He grunts at Parisi but stays standing with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Who are these fuckers, and where are they? I want them moved to the basement yesterday .”

“They only caught one,” Hawk says. Gabe glares at him, then shifts his scowl back to Parisi.

Vincenzo leans back, his fingers tapping in sequence on the arms of his chair. He smiles politely and says, “I’m afraid you’ll have to wait your turn, Gabriel. My men would like to ask him a few questions first. When they’ve finished their conversation, I’ll have my men bring him to you.”

“What the fuck do you mean— wait my turn ?” Gabe growls. “Someone assaulted Jayde and my …” He doesn’t finish his sentence. Vincenzo raises a knowing brow.

“Yes. I understand. I can assure you, any man who laid a finger on my daughter would suffer endless amounts of pain for as long as possible until he eventually made his descent into the pits of hell. Unfortunately for him, we will inevitably meet again when the devil comes to claim my life and the process would start over.” Vincenzo’s words, though not a threat to any of us, leave an ominous air in the room.

Gabe narrows his eyes, his hands now tightly gripping the back of the chair across from Vincenzo’s desk. The vein on the side of his head is visibly pulsing.

“ How? ”

Vincenzo shrugs. “Remember the last time we met under unpleasant circumstances? I told you I knew about your businesses with Mr. West and the arrangements you had made that others are not privy to?”

“If memory serves, your exact words were, ‘You and Mr. West own businesses together, have arrangements made that others are not privy to,’” Gabe says, his eyes never leaving Vincenzo’s. “I also remember you saying you, too, have similar business arrangements. Some—others may know about—but they do not have all the details. Some details need to remain close to the vest.”

Vincenzo throws his head back and laughs. “Touché.”

Gabe straightens, folding his arms over his chest, waiting impatiently for Parisi to elaborate.

“I do love our talks, Gabriel.” He sighs. “I knew Avery was your daughter long before she arrived in our little town. Her grandfather, Russell, is a business partner of mine as well.”

Both Pop and Gabe look shocked to hear this bit of information.

“I once saw your daughter in the Petali di Rosa restaurant, my restaurant , in Baron’s Edge. When I asked, Russell told me she was his granddaughter.” He smirks and nonchalantly says, “I knew you were once married to Russell’s only daughter. I put two and two together.”

The two men stare at each other, neither backing down. The air in the room is stifling. After what feels like forever, Pres starts barking orders.

“Hawk, Declan, there’s a cage outside. You two and Jake take the girls to the clubhouse. Mack, go tell Dad I need him to come up to the office. Leave the prospect outside to watch the bikes. I want you to go with the girls.” Pop looks put off by his orders.

Gabe tilts his head, giving Pop a raised brow. In a low, gravelly voice, he says, “Get the basement ready. As soon as me and Pop are finished talking with Vincenzo and his guest, he’ll be delivered to you.”

Pop nods, still holding Jayde tight against his chest. Leaning down, he tenderly gives her instructions. Jayde doesn’t argue. She pulls off Pop’s chest and starts walking toward the door to leave. Santiago opens the door and leads the way.

Hawk and Declan go next. Sadie stands up, motioning for Avery to take her hand, but my Angel doesn’t move.

I pull her up off me, forcing her to see my face. “Can you walk, or do I need to carry you, baby?”

She moves off my lap to stand, but doesn’t back up too far. I push Sadie to go before me and grab Avery’s hand, tucking her under my arm, and walk her out to the cage.

When we get outside, I grab her chin in my fingers and tilt her face to meet my eyes. “Angel, I need you to go with Hawk and Declan, okay? I’ll be right behind you on my bike. You have my word. You’re too shaken up to ride.” She nods, releasing me, and heads out under the covering of Declan’s large arm. He kisses the top of her head and ushers her to the door where Hawk is talking to Sadie.

Once the girls are loaded up into Pop’s truck, Hawk pulls out onto the street. I fall in behind them with Jameson and Ethan, who’ve been outside the whole time.