Page 39 of Pushing Styxx
As much as I want to throttle Hope for leaving the clubhouse, for not calling me, I gotta have pride in the fact I know she would do anything for Promise.
When I get my hands on her, I’ll be sure to paddle her heart-shaped ass for going at this alone and telling me she loves me over a God damn message.
Fuck.
I need to get her back. The sooner she’s back where she belongs, the sooner I can tell her exactly what she means to me and not over a damn voice-recorded message.
The trip from Promise’s school to the entrance of Dogwood Park takes less time than it would take from the clubhouse. Typically, it would be roughly twenty minutes, but speeding, we cut the time down to thirteen. I didn’t care for speed limits. I didn’t have a care for the curves. All I thought of was getting to Hope before it’s too late.
What I don’t understand is what it is with people and Dogwood Park? The bullshit with Bristol? They brought her to this same damn park. Don’t people think about what they’re doing when they come here? There’s one main entrance in and out. That’s it. You have to have access to the others, and I doubt that Ronald has them.
Pulling into the park, I take the curves faster than posted, coming to the center of the park where the massive field I remember as a kid from when our folks would bring us there for playing soccer and tossing a ball around. I spot my truck on the opposite side. Two other cars were there as well.
My gaze instantly locks on Hope as Ronald sees us coming. He immediately grips Hope by the hair and pulls a knife to her throat.
I come to a stop, drawing my gun from its holster, aiming it at him.
“Not smart going after my woman, Ronald,” I tell him, getting off the back of my bike.
“Stupid bitch, told you not to call them.” Ronald jerks Hope around, tightening the knife pressed to her neck.
“I didn’t call them,” she wheezes.
“Bullshit.”
“She didn’t,” I confirm, nodding to my truck. “Followed my truck’s signal,” I lie, though I do have a tracker on it. There’s one on all of the cars belonging to those in the club and their spouses.
“I don’t believe you,” Ronald shouts, face red with rage.
“Look, Ronald,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady despite the rage boiling inside me. “This isn’t gonna end well for you. Let her go, and maybe we can talk.”
Behind me, I can hear my brothers positioning themselves, their boots crunching on the gravel. I don’t need to look to know they’ve spread out, creating a perimeter.
I could see Atkins behind him, looking ready to bolt at any given second. “I wouldn’t do that, Atkins,” I growl, not taking my attention from Ronald and the grip he has on the knife.
Ronald’s eyes dart around nervously, taking in the sight of six armed bikers. Sweat beads on his forehead. “Stay back,” he shouts, pressing the knife harder against Hope’s throat.
I don’t miss the thin line of red that appears on her skin or the drip of blood that creeps down from the wound. Something inside me snaps at the sight. My finger twitches on the trigger, and I fight to keep control. Hope doesn’t need me to fuck this up. I have to get her safe before taking her uncle out.
Hope’s eyes meet mine, and despite the fear in them, I see the fear mixed with something else.
Trust.
My woman trusts me to get her out of this mess. To make sure she gets safe.
“What’s your play here, Ronald?” I ask, keeping my gun trained on him. “You thought taking her was gonna work out for you? That we wouldn’t come for her?”
His grip on Hope tightens, making her wince. “She’s the reason I never get Promise! All she had to do was give me Promise and this would never have happened. That girl wasmine. She’d have solved everything. I’ve already sold her off. But this bitch,” he snarls, jerking Hope, the knife biting deeper into her skin, making her whimper. “Just couldn’t get with the program. I will have what I want. Promise. After this one is dead and gone, nothing will stand in my way. I didn’t want to, however, I’m done with her standing in the way of me getting what should have been mine all along. I’ll have the money. I’ll have Promise to her owner, and it will all be good.”
“You are one twisted fuck,” I say through gritted teeth. “You’re not getting your hands on Promise. Not fuckin’ ever. Now, let my woman go.” My finger on the trigger twitches more, the blood flowing through my veins boils as it courses through my veins.
Ronald’s eyes are wild now, darting between my brothers and me. “I will have her. You want this one alive, then bring me Promise!”
“Told you, asshole, you’re not getting Promise,” I snarl, my knuckles white around my gun.
I can see Hope’s pulse hammering in her throat, right where that blade is pressing. The sight of her blood makes something primal rise in me. Ronald doesn’t know it yet, but he’s already a dead man.
“Styxx,” Hope whispers, her eyes lock with mine.
