“I was assaulted by the elders of the cult, even being a married woman to one of their most devout followers. I . . . I was pregnant as a result of it, and this was all before I found the club. I ended up adopting the child out to a good family, knowing I couldn’t keep it after . . . after how it was . . .”
I can’t listen to anymore of this. I break the distance between us and pull Venom into my arms, needin’ her to know she’s secure and she’s okay. Nothin’ bad will ever happen to her again, and now I’m startin’ to put the pieces together.
“Sorry.” Venom shakes her head and fights her tears through continuing her story, pulling herself away from me so she can look at our Prez. “Long story short, I thought I convinced my husband to leave one night, to grab our daughter and run for our lives, to run for our freedom. Only, when we finally got a good bit out into the field, I found out he set me up. My daughter was ripped from my arms and I was knocked out. I woke up in a room and watched as a homeless woman was killed in front of me, how her teeth were filed down, how they did everything they could to make her look like me. They burned her alive so she’d be hard to recognize. I . . . I have the address of their cult, because his present wife is trying to get out and she’s trying to take my daughter with her, but I can’t let that happen. I’ve been fighting for so long to get her back after she was taken from me . . .”
“We’re going to get her back,” I promise Venom, bringing her closer to me. I need to hold her right now, I need her to know she has my support and I’m not pissed at her. Not after hearing her story, not after knowin’ why I fuckin’ found her photos online and articles sayin’ she was dead. Everythin’ finally makes sense.
“Alright, this is what we’re gonna do. Every member of the club except Chuckles is gonna ride up with us to Boston, and we’re gonna go get your kid,” Boss declares, then looks over to me. “I need you to go in the armory and get everything we’ll need, now. There’s no time to waste.”
I give Boss a nod in understanding and kiss Venom lightly on the forehead. There aren’t words that can tell her what she means to me right now, but I hope she knows what type of impact she’s had on my life. I’ve known I’ve loved her for ages, but god damn, I know what it’s like to have the woman you’re supposed to be with.
Venom’s my fuckin’ ol’ lady and after all this is over, I’ll make sure everyone knows it.
Chapter Eighteen
Venom
I never thought they were going to rally in behind me without giving me some sort of shit, but instead they were fully supportive and didn’t even bat an eye when I said I had the cult’s address. At that point, Boss started laying down orders and we all got ready to make hell rain down upon these fascist bastards. Now my arms are wrapped around Ricochet’s waist and we’re only a couple miles away from the address Beretta gave me.
My palms are sweaty and my heart hasn’t beat this fast in years. The mere thought of being reconnected with Peyton again is making me so nervous, though I’m not sure why. I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t seen her in years and I don’t know if she even knows about me. I’m not sure if it’s because she’s about to have her entire life turned upside down and I’m worried about the resentment she could possibly throw my way. There are so many things to be worried about, but I’ll try my best to breathe through each moment, knowing I can make it through anything because I’ve lived through hell already.
As the road captain Muffler heads the charge, motioning with his hand that we’re making a left. Most of the guys rode their bikes out, but Devi and Reno rode together in a blacked-out SUV. The idea is I’ll be riding back to the club with Peyton, her stepmom, and her half-brother in that vehicle.
We go left and roll off the pavement to some sort of gravel. There’s a line of pine trees circling this place so we can’t see shit, but it doesn’t matter, we keep going forward. There’s too much at stake here to simply turn back and we all know it to be true. While I can’t attest to everyone’s feelings, I’m sure they all want the cult gone too, so if we’re lucky that’s what we’ll do today and in doing so, it’ll help keep our neck of the woods cleaner. Vex is still down in Virginia, but if Boston is gone, we can lend some help her way.
We make our way down their long lane and the second we come into view tons of people are coming out of their homes. It’s a mixture of RVs, fifth-wheel trailers, and a couple mobile homes. Mug leads us to the center of the place, where the large brick house is and we all hop off our bikes.
“Who in God’s name are you?!” a man questions, but from the red collar he’s wearing I can tell he’s an elder.
I practically jump off the back of Ricochet’s bike and go right up to him. “Don’t act like you haven’t heard about me. I’m Vanna. Vanna Markle,” I click my tongue as I say my last name, not wanting to look like I’m afraid at all, but the reality is I am afraid. I’m fucking petrified of what’s about to happen and pray it all goes smoothly.
His eyes widen as he realizes who I am and what I mean to these people. The fact that they use my name as a way to make others afraid makes me sick.
“Where is your leader?!” Boss hollers to the group of people who now surround us. They’re all dressed in this off-white, creamish color and they look around to each other. Of course they’re going to be quiet.
The white door to the brick house comes open and out comes Eric, dressed in white, with a red collar and sleeves . . . he’s the leader of this place? Fuck. Beretta failed to mention that tidbit.
I clench my jaw at the mere sight of him and want nothing but his blood. After what he’s done to me, after what I’m sure he’s done to countless others all in the name of God, no. They’re fucking insane. Everyone here is out of their damn mind. God would never support what they’re doing. He’d never cast judgement on women who choose to use their bodies before marriage. He’d probably count it as a sin, but he’d forgive them because that’s why his son died. I grew up in a household that respected religion, and when Eric told me about these people . . . I thought they respected it too, but they don’t, they shifted the interpretations of his word to fulfill what they wanted.
His evil eyes land on me and he scoffs, “Never did I think you’d have the guts to show back up here.”
“Jesus, I already want to kill this motherfucker,” Muffler groans, and the cult followers gasp in shock at his foul language.
“I don’t blame you,” Ricochet hisses, but the reasoning for his hatred is understandable.
“I’m here for Peyton, Tara, and Simon Markle. So, it’s best you hand them over and anyone else who’d like to leave your ranks or I’ll make this visit super fun for us all,” Boss tells him, staring daggers into his pathetic eyes.
He lets out a laugh, “What in the world makes you think my family would want to leave with you? Any member of my family at that?!” Eric raises his arms and looks out onto the crowd surrounding us. We’re heavily outnumbered, but unlike them we have the firepower to make sure we all stay safe.