Damnable Grace (Hades Hangmen 5)

No, I thought, my heart spiraling into an uncontrolled beat. It could not be true. She was safe, abroad. I knew she had been taken from New Zion. Judah had promised me . . . Judah . . .

Judah, who had lied about so much . . .

“You okay?” AK asked and turned my face to his.

I forced a smile. “Just tired.”

I shrieked as AK put his hands under my legs and lifted me into his arms. In front of everyone, he took me toward his cabin. I looked around to see them all watching us intently. My face burned with embarrassment. “You that desperate for a fuck?” Viking shouted as we reached the cabin’s door. AK flipped his finger at Viking and walked into the cabin. He laid me down on the bed, stripped me of my clothes and then shed his own. He climbed under the covers and drew me into his arms.

I did not want him to see how panicked I was inside. AK was perceptive. He saw things within me that no one ever had. I needed to deflect his attention. “You like Viking very much, do you not?” I asked. He rolled his eyes in affectionate exasperation.

“Can’t shake the fucker,” he replied. “That night I saw Dev in the hospital, I went to a bar. I needed a drink so fucking bad. It was a biker bar Dev sometimes took me to when we were both on leave. I was sitting at the bar when that asshole giant came and sat next to me. He saw me in my Marine fatigues. Fucker just smiled at me and asked, ‘How many of the assholes have you killed?’ Just came right out and asked me.” AK laughed, and I loved hearing the rumbling sound from his mouth.

“I told him to fuck off, and the fucker just laughed in my face. Five minutes later, he got into a fight with some meatheads by running his mouth again. I was itching for a fight after seeing Dev in such a damn state, so I had his back. We knocked out four of the cunts in minutes. He shook my hand, bought me a drink and asked me if I’d like to ride bikes and knock more fuckers out on a daily basis. I said yes. He brought me here, introduced me to Styx’s old man, and by the next day I was the newest prospect of the Hades Hangmen. Fucker never left me alone after that day. Then you know how we got Flame out of the nuthouse, and the rest is history. The Psycho Trio was born. Those two just got me from the start. Did one last tour that I’d already signed up for, then left the Marines for good. Been at this club ever since.”

“You love them like family,” I said. “Viking, Flame and now Asher.”

AK inhaled and lost his humor. “Yeah. Love all my brothers here, but those two are my best friends. I’d have been fucking lost without them when all the shit went down. They kept me from spiraling down to a place I couldn’t get back from.” His eyes fell. “Like I wanted to do for you.”

My heart skipped a beat.

“You are a good man, Xavier Deyes.” I placed my hand on his cheek. AK looked at me in surprise, and knowing he was the most special man I would ever meet, I spoke from my heart. “I . . . I love you,” I whispered and saw his eyes widen. “I do not expect you to say it back. I just . . . I just wanted you to know that my heart is now in your hands. You have honor, and pride, and the kindest soul in existence.” I tried to keep my voice from breaking.

I tried to hide this . . . goodbye.

“Fuck, Red.” He rolled me onto my back, his eyes searching my face. “I love you too.” My heart swelled more than I thought possible. And AK kissed me. He kissed me, and with such grace and adoration, made love to me, slowly, passionately, lovingly.

Afterwards, still wrapped in AK’s arms, I fell asleep. And when I saw Sapphira in my head again, begging me for help, I took her cold, bruised hand and promised, “I am coming for you, sweetheart. I will be with you soon.”

*****

I stopped at the edge of Lilah’s home. Just one more time. I had to see her and Grace one more time. Grace was playing with dolls on the lawn. A smile came to my lips when I saw Ky sitting opposite her playing with dolls too. “Why the fuck am I doing this shit?” he said to Lilah, who was watching them happily.

“Because you are her papa and she wanted to play with you.”

“You wanna learn how to dismantle a bike, Grace? Get your hands dirty with oil and shit instead? It’ll be fun.”

“No.” She thrust a doll at him. “We’re playing dolls. And Jamie-Rae needs to go to the salon to get her hair fixed.”

“Fuck my life!” Ky groaned and took the doll from her hand. Lilah laughed at her husband, and my heart ached at how perfect they looked. She had found it—true happiness.

“Orrrrr,” Grace sang. “We could play hide-and-seek again?”

“Again?” Lilah said in exasperation. “What is it with you and this game?”

“It’s my favorite!”

“Done.” Ky got to his feet. “Anything but this doll horseshit.”

I backed away from the edge of the backyard when I saw Grace head toward the woods to hide. I dashed through to the path, never looking back. I knew it would be nearly time, if Ky’s information had been correct. I kept running until I broke through the trees and onto the edge of the road. There were no cars or trucks yet. It was quiet, so I stood and waited.

I fought my nerves. I knew what would be waiting for me. But I had to do it. AK would be safe, and I knew she was there. The dreams were too real to be dreams. He had her. I knew it. Something in my gut told me I had to find her.

I had felt something click into place last night as AK slept, holding me close. A truth that I knew was real.

He had her.

I heard the sound of an engine coming from the bend in the road and took a deep breath. A white van—the one Ky had told AK about last night—approached. I steeled my nerves. This would be my only chance to get to Sapphira. Ky had said they came once a day. This was my only chance. AK read me too easily. If I left it any longer, he would know something was wrong. If I told him what I had remembered, he would never let me do this. But I would not risk his life, or the lives of his brothers. I fisted my hands in an effort to stifle the trembling. The van came to an abrupt stop.

A man I did not recognize came out of the van, smiled and shook his head. I did not know him, but it was obvious he knew me. He quickly looked around the woods suspiciously. “It can’t be this fucking easy.” I tried to take a step back. A gun was suddenly aimed at me, two more men coming out of the van with their guns out too.

“Get in,” the first man ordered, and another man opened the back door of the van. Terror held my legs in place and I stayed rooted to the spot. The man nearest me lurched forward, wrapping his arms around my waist. I held back my instinct to scream for help. My captor dragged me toward the van. We were only a step from the back doors when I heard a sound that made my body jerk in h

orror and the blood drain from my face.

“Found you, Aunt Phebe!”

I turned my head, only to see Grace burst through the trees and stumble to a stop at the edge of the road. Her blue eyes widened when she saw me in the man’s arms. “Run!” I screamed, sheer terror seizing control of my body. “Run, Grace! RUN!” A hand slapped over my mouth, stopping my frantic order. Grace turned, face pale, and moved to run back into the woods. She had barely made it five yards before the second man had grabbed her by her hair and slammed his hand over mouth.

She fought.

Little Grace fought, kicked and thrashed against her capture, but the man was too big and too strong. I tried to break free. I scratched and clawed at my captor’s arms. Then the end of a gun plowed into my face, making my vision blur and my head spin. I was thrown into the back of the van, my cheek smashing against the hard floor with a thud.

“Aunt Phebe!” I lifted my head, ignoring the lights dancing across my vision to see Grace being thrown in beside me. I scrambled to where she was and took her in my arms.

“Grace,” I said, tears beginning to pour down my cheeks.

“Wh-Who are these men? I thought we were playing hide-and-seek.”

“We’ll be okay,” I said, not knowing what else I could say.

“Call Meister. Tell him we got her,” one of the men said as they slammed the doors shut and plunged us into darkness, all except a small light above us. I heard the front doors open and close and the engine turn on.

“Aunt Phebe?” Grace’s small, scared voice asked from in my arms.

“Come here, sweetheart.” I pulled her into my arms.

“You’re bleeding,” she said and I heard her voice tremble.

I smiled. “I am fine.”

“Where . . . where are we going?”

I held Grace tighter, fighting back my tears. “It will all be fine,” I said softly, knowing that every word was a lie. “I will not let anything happen to you, I swear.”