Nothing was more important than family.
Two days ago, we’d followed a lead all night but the hut we’d found had only been an abandoned storage for guns and ammo. There wasn’t a trace of the current Tartarus clubhouse. If we could only get our hands on one of the bikers. They would reveal the location, but the last guy we’d followed and cornered had put a bullet in his head before we could grab him.
A knock sounded and Valerio poked his head inside my office.
“Mom just got a package. There’s a hellhound print on it.”
Amo jumped up from the sofa but I was already out the door, rushing after Valerio who led the way to Aria. We found her in the living room. She stared down at the package, a letter knife in her hand, but it was still closed.
“Don’t open it!” I shouted. Aria jumped, her gaze darting to me. I reached her and gently pulled her away, shielding her with my body.
Amo took the knife from her hand. I shook my head. “I’ll open it.”
He handed me the knife and I cut through the package wrap. I doubted there was something dangerous inside, but even if there were it should be me who got hurt.
I ripped open the package and found a jar with a bloody piece of flesh inside. My pulse sped up as I read the label. “The first piece of your daughter that you get back. More will follow until you show some respect.”
Matteo’s eyes widened. “What is that?” he murmured. Amo still kept Aria and Valerio back.
I brought the glass closer to my face. “An earlobe.”
Matteo gritted his teeth and looked away, muttering something under his breath. I wasn’t sure I could speak. My fury burned too brightly.
“Luca?” Aria called, her voice ringing with panic. “What is that?”
“Take your mother and brother upstairs,” I ordered Amo. Aria wouldn’t have it. She shook Amo’s grip off and he obviously didn’t dare grab her again. I shoved the package at Matteo before I went over to Aria, stopping her from looking at the jar.
“Luca.” Aria’s voice trembled, her eyes filling with tears and terror as she peered up at me.
“Trust me, love. Marcella will come back to us soon.”
“I’m not weak. I want to know what’s happening.”
I motioned at Amo to remove Valerio from the room who followed his brother under protest.
Aria clutched my arms. I couldn’t find the words, couldn’t tell her what was happening to Marcella and what I couldn’t prevent. Even I, who had seen and done so many horrible things, couldn’t bear the thought of what Marcella had gone through. The pain, the fear…
The words wouldn’t pass my lips. I closed my eyes briefly. “They want to punish me, love. I won’t let them hurt Marcella more.”
Aria looked at Matteo who was still holding the package. She moved past me. “Show me,” she ordered. Matteo glanced at me. I nodded.
Aria took the jar then dropped it back in the package. I wrapped my arms around her from behind, holding her as she cried.
Tartarus had hit me in the worst way possible, and Earl White knew it. He relished in it, and knowing men like him, he would loathe to lose this source of power. He wouldn’t release Marcella. If we didn’t find her soon…
Helplessness was a feeling I wasn’t accustomed to, and I didn’t allow it to take root. As long as I took breath, I’d search for my girl, and I’d kill every biker on my way to her.
I had been avoiding Earl as much as possible since our argument two days ago, but if I wanted to make sure everything finally moved in the right direction, I had to talk to him and find out what went on in his head. We had a meeting scheduled for the evening, and almost all patch-owners had agreed to come.
Marcella had been awfully quiet all day, and I wondered if she regretted our night together. She had mentioned that she’d regret me, but now I wanted her to have changed her mind.
Marcella sat on the bed and brushed her hair with a brush I’d grabbed from one of the club girls, the motion almost hypnotic. I couldn’t look away. She turned her head, fixing me with those penetrating eyes. “What will you discuss at your meeting?”
“When we’re going to exchange you for your father.”
Marcella gave me a strange smile as if I couldn’t really believe that.
“I’ll convince them. They’re going to listen to reason,” I said, hardly believing it myself.
“What is it you want, Maddox?”
You. Ever since I met you, only you. I was half tempted to run off with her, to leave everything I’d ever known, ever wanted, behind. But I couldn’t. MC life was all I knew, all I wanted. I didn’t have friends or family outside of this club. I only had Tartarus.