“You find her?” Doc asked.
“Not yet.”
“Most of the houses in this area have basements,” Doom said. “Dad’s done a lot of work down here.”
We moved as quietly as we could through the house, clearing each room, and my heart was sinking with every step until I heard the distinct whistle by Doom. I made my way toward the sound and found the door at the back of the kitchen open. Doom nodded toward it and I took the lead, inching down the stairs, my gun at the ready, my brothers at my back.
“Posey?” I whispered.
I heard a squeak and mumbling and turned the corner to find Posey on an iron bed, blindfold, gagged, and ziptied to the rails. “Fuck!”
I holstered my gun and rushed to her, cutting her ties and helping her with the gag, which was so tightly wrapped, the corners of her mouth were cut.
She cried out, throwing her arms around me and I lifted her, carrying her up the stairs and out the door.
“Who did this, baby?” I demanded. “Do you know?”
“Freddie.”
“Jane’s ex?”
She nodded.
“I’m gonna fuckin’ kill him,” I growled. “Where is he?”
“I don’t know,” she said. “He was here when I hit the panic button. But then he tied me back to the bed and I haven’t heard him since.”
“You get Posey home,” Alamo said. “We’ll take it from here.”
“He’s mine,” I growled.
“If we can make that happen, we will, brother, but you take care of your woman, yeah?”
I nodded and settled Posey in the truck. She whimpered and my blood ran cold. “Hospital?”
“No. It’s okay. I just have some broken skin from the zip ties. A couple of bruises, but nothing that won’t heal in a few days.” She met my eyes. “I knew you’d come.”
“I’m sorry it took so long.” I grimaced. “I thought it was Carl.”
“Oh my god, did you kill Carl?”
“No, baby, but he lost a few teeth.”
“Freddie tied my hands behind my back. I couldn’t press the button until he let me go to the bathroom.”
“Okay, honey, I’m gonna get you home, then we’ll talk.”
She nodded, and I closed the door and jogged to the front of the truck. When I slid into the cab, Posey undid her seatbelt and scooted close to me. “Baby, you need to put your seatbelt on.”
“I need to be close to you.” She blinked up at me. “Okay?”
“No, baby, not okay. I need you safe, so you need to put your seatbelt on. As soon as we’re home, I won’t leave your side.”
She let out a deep sigh and nodded, sliding back to her seat, and pulling her seatbelt over her lap. I drove home as quickly as humanly possible, more than likely breaking several speed laws. Once in her driveway, I helped her out of the truck and carried her into the house where she immediately broke down.
I made my way directly to the sofa and sat down, keeping her in my lap. She buried her face in my neck and sobbed until I was afraid she’d pass out.
“Baby, breathe.”
“I can’t,” she rasped.
“Okay, honey, I’ve got you.”
“I love you,” she said on a sob. “I love you more than the world.”
“I love you, too, beautiful.”
“I’m so sorry I didn’t wait for Dylan.”
“Baby, it’s done.”
“I was so stupid.”
“No, you weren’t, Posey.”
“I promise I’ll never take your orders to keep me safe for granted again,” she said.
I smiled gently. “Okay, baby, I can live with that.”
She snuggled closer, sliding her hand around my waist. “Don’t leave, okay?”
“I’m right here, honey.”
I don’t think she heard me as she’d fallen asleep.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, so I slid it out to see Jane calling. “Hey,” I whispered.
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah, sweetheart, she’s good. We’re home. She’s currently asleep in my lap.”
“I’m coming over. I’ll call her mom.
Jane hung up and I grabbed the blanket draped over the back of the sofa and pulled it over Posey.
* * *
Posey
Quiet voices, definitely female, broke through my nightmare and I sat up with a gasp. Strong arms squeezed me, and I couldn’t stop a scream.
“Baby, it’s me,” Shadow said. “Open your eyes.”
I did and fell against him again.
“Posey?” Mom crooned, sitting beside us. Jane and Sharon moved to the other side.
“I’m okay, Mama,” I promised, sliding my face into Shadow’s neck. “Just forgot where I was.”
I felt Shadow shift and he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Hey, Doc.” He frowned. “What the fuck? I’ll call you back.” Keeping me in place, he leaned forward and grabbed the remote off the coffee table, turning on the television, then flipping to the news.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Your studio’s on fire,” Shadow said.
I tried to scramble off his lap, but he held firm, until his phone buzzed again.
“Yeah?” Shadow growled. “What? Jesus fuckin’ Christ, what more is this asshole gonna get away with? No. No fuckin’ cops.”
I slid off his lap and he stood and walked out the back slider, stalking next door, his phone still at his ear.
“What’s going on?” Mom asked.
“I don’t know.” I turned to Jane. “Any idea?”
“No. I just know they couldn’t find Frederick. Maybe that’s changed?”
“Honey, sit down,” Mom ordered. “Let me make you some tea.”
Before I could answer, Shadow walked back in, grabbing my hand and leading me to my bedroom. “Give us a minute.”
He closed my door, and I gripped his cut. “What’s wrong?”
“Frederick set your building on fire.”
“Oh my god? How do you know that?”
“Alamo stuck around at his place and took him down when he came back for you. His arms were singed, and he smelled like gasoline.”
“Holy shit,” I breathed out. “Did Alamo turn him over to the cops?”
“No fucking way,” Shadow said. “This fucker’s gonna get Dog justice.”
“You should let the police deal with it, honey. You don’t want to get in trouble.”
He cupped my face. “Well, this brings me to the question part of this conversation.”
“What?”
“Do you want me to stay here, or deal with Fred at the club?”
“I want you to let the authorities handle it,” I rasped.
“That’s not an option, Posey, so you need to choose what’s behind door number one or door number two.”
I blinked back tears. “What happens if you go to jail?”
“I won’t.”
“Promise?”
“Cross my heart, baby.”
I dropped my head to his chest. “I want you to stay here.”