The Way I Like It (The Soldiers of Wrath MC, #5) (17 page)

Striker didn’t respond, just nodded. He grabbed his cell and called the Soldiers that were in the other SUV parked behind them. “You guys ready to roll?” He was talking to every man in the vehicle: Steel, Joker, Weasel, and Tryck. In their SUV, Striker was driving Demon, Nerd, Vengeance, and a couple prospects, Brash and Lucky, were in the back seat.

Striker started the engine and drove toward the compound. When he was close enough he could see the large stone wall surrounding the entire place, he pulled to a stop and cut the engine and lights. The SUV behind him did the same. There weren’t any guards posted outside the gates, but there were enough security lights on and cameras posted on top of the stone walls, Striker had no doubt they would be seen as soon as they got closer.

“How are we doing this again?” Nerd asked.

They’d talked about the plan yesterday, but then shit had gone down with Deanna, and coming out here now, after her having the baby, had been a quick decision on Demon’s part. Striker knew he needed to get his anger out, and it would be in the form of fucking people up and killing anyone that tried to stop him. Hell, Striker wanted a piece of this fucked up cult, too, but he did worry that Demon’s rage, and the pain he was holding in, would make the other man a fucking menace.

“Demon and I will take the front, have their attention on us. You and the rest of the Patches will go around the sides and check out any back entrances.” Striker turned and faced the back seat. “Anyone tries to stop you in getting in, fuck them up.”

All Striker knew was shit was about to get real, and there was probably going to be bodies at their feet when it was all said and done.

“Let’s get this fucking party started,” Demon said, and then he was out of the SUV and walking toward the front gates like this was something they did everyday.

“Let’s roll, boys,” Striker said.

“S
triker will have my balls if he knows I took you out of the club,” Skull, one of the prospects said; the big man looked nervous.

“Don’t worry, I can keep a secret if you can,” Elena said.

Skull grunted and leaned against the wall by the door Elena was about to enter. She swallowed, feeling her heart beating fast. It had taken a lot to get Skull to take her from the club and to the hospital to see Deanna. Maybe it was the fact she’d been crying, that her sadness over what had happened to the woman that made the big, scary biker, feel some empathy. Either way, he’d agreed, and here she was now, staring at the closed hospital room door and not knowing what she’d say once she saw the other woman

“Just make it quick, because if Striker finds out, he’ll wear my balls around his neck, and if Demon finds out, he’ll slit my throat.”

Elena nodded and pushed the room door open. The shades were drawn, but it was late outside. The small overhead light above the bed was on, and as she rounded the corner, she saw Deanna laying there, her eyes closed, her body looking so small curled under the blankets. Elena thought about leaving since she seemed asleep, but Deanna opened her eyes and looked right at Elena.

“I’m so sorry if I woke you,” Elena said softly, her hands in front of her.

“You didn’t.” Deanna pushed herself up on the bed and motioned Elena to come closer. “The drugs wore off, and I refused anymore.”

Elena moved in closer and took the seat across from Deanna’s bed.

How are you feeling?

Are you doing okay?

Is there anything I can do for you even though you don’t know me?

Those questions played through her head, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask them because they seemed almost insensitive.

“I don’t know what to say,” Elena said instead, being honest.

Deanna smiled, but it was said. “Yeah, me either.” Deanna looked at the wall in front of her.

“I’m sorry, but even that doesn’t seem like enough to say.”

Deanna looked at her then. “Thank you for saying it, and thank you for coming and visiting me.” The silence stretched on between them.

“I didn’t mean to bother you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, well, as okay as you can be.”

Deanna nodded, but didn’t say anything.

“Okay, I’ll let you rest.” Elena stood, but Deanna shifting on the bed stopped her.

“Can you just sit here with me for a little bit?” Deanna asked, looking at Elena. “We don’t have to talk, but having someone else in the room is nice.”

“Of course,” Elena said and sat back down.

“Demon is taking this harder than I am, I think,” Deanna said, wiping at a tear tracking down her cheek. “It’s hard for me, too, but I’ve never seen that look in his eyes when he found out that although the baby is alive, they don’t know if he’ll be strong enough to make it.”

“Hey, it’s okay; we don’t have to talk about it,” Elena said, putting her hand on Deanna’s. “I can’t even begin to know what you’re going through, and even though we don’t know each other at all, I want you to know how sorry I am.” Elena wiped one of her falling tears.

“I’m afraid for what he’ll do, how he’ll react to this.” Deanna looked at Elena. “Men like Demon, like Striker and all the brothers, don’t handle things that rock their world. They have a hard time showing their emotions if it isn’t in the form of dominating and violence.”

Yeah, Elena knew that all too well, now.

“Maybe he needs to get those emotions out the only way he can?”

Deanna smiled sadly. “Maybe.” She faced the wall again.

They sat there in silence, but it was the comfortable kind, the kind that didn’t need words to express how they felt. Elena held Deanna’s hand, knowing she didn’t care if Striker or Demon got on her case about being out of the clubhouse; she wasn’t going to leave Deanna right now.

S
triker stared at the compound where Elena’s father and family were staying. Something didn’t feel right to him. Just looking at the metal gates that locked the mansion away from the world made him feel sick. This was where they wanted Elena to come back to live.

“It makes you sick, doesn’t it?” Nerd asked, speaking up.

“Elena’s not coming back here. No one is coming back here.”

“From my information, only men are allowed here during the weekend. The women have to stay at home, look after the kids, and do their duty to the cult.” Nerd shook his head.

“And they think we’re a problem?” Demon spat on the ground, staring up at the metal gates. “Can you get inside?”

They had all left the SUV, and were now looking up at the gate, the shadows covering them. They all had their weapons ready, and Striker had three more on his body. He never went anywhere without his gun.

Steel, Joker, Weasel, Tryck, Demon, Nerd, Vengeance, Brash, and Lucky were standing side by side. This was just a few of the club members, but they were united in what they needed to do.

“Piece of piss.” Nerd walked up to the computer on the side of the building. He pulled out his blade, cranked open the computer, and started doing some weird shit to it.

“You know your kid is going to live,” Striker said.

“I’m not here to talk about that, Striker. We’re here to sort out your problems with your woman and her fucked up family. I don’t want to think about anything else.” Demon was watching Nerd as he worked.

“Demon, you’re going to have to face it,” Joker said.

“You think I’m not fucking face it?” Demon snapped out and glared at his VP. The monster within Demon was struggling to get out. Striker didn’t want to be in his path when he exploded. Deanna and Demon had been looking forward to this baby, and they could lose him. The nurses in the NICU would take care of him. Striker had no doubt about it. “Do you think I’m not fucking hurting right now? My woman is in hospital and she needs me. I’ve got to handle this; I just can’t be
there
because I can’t tell her it’s going to be all right. Deanna needs me, and she needs to have faith in me.”

Demon stopped, and Striker saw that he was struggling with it all.

What would he be like if that was Elena? Would he be strong? Shit, he’d probably break down and sob along with her.

He fucking hated the fact he couldn’t do anything about it. There’s no way for him to help his Prez, and there’s no way for him to help Deanna.

“Ladies, we’re in,” Nerd said, spinning around and chuckling. “I’m hot shit.”

“Yeah, and you smell like it,” Joker said.

They all stepped forward and made their way into the main base.

“So are we rushing it or standing back?” Steel asked.

“Anyone else getting freaked out right now?” Vengeance asked.

“What do you mean?” Lucky spoke up.

“I don’t know. Mansion, a cult, the young women being offered up for marriage, this is horror movie shit. I’m kind of scared what we’re going to find when we walk in there.”

“Don’t worry, babe, I’ll take care of you,” Brash said.

“Fuck off!”

“Enough,” Demon yelled, and they all stopped talking. “I don’t have time for jokes or shitting around. We get this done now.” Demon pulled out his gun, and walked up to the front door.

“Okay, this is not good,” Joker said, following close behind him.

Demon didn’t knock on the door; he didn’t take his time. He simply kicked the door down and charged inside.

Striker wasn’t about to have someone do his job for him. Rushing forward, he first noticed how grand the house was, followed by the sound of crying. There was no time to stop what was happening as Demon charged forward and started shouting.

Rushing into the first room, Striker felt sick to his stomach. A woman was chained down on a white covered table, and she was struggling.  A man was standing beside her. Lifting his gun, Striker aimed it, ready to kill.

“Who are you?” Striker asked.

The woman on the table gasped, looking up at him. “Help me, please.”

He looked back up at the man who looked to be in his early thirties. “Shut the fuck up, whore. You’re tainting our home.”

Striker had heard enough. Aiming his gun, he fired at the man’s leg. He walked up to the table and snapped the lock holding the woman captive.

“Who are you?”

“Mindy Dolman,” she cried out. “I was walking home from work. He kidnapped me. I don’t want to be here, and I don’t want to be raped.”

Striker unbound her and she covered her face and started sobbing.

“There’s an SUV outside. My club is there, and they will take care of you.”

He watched her leave then followed his brothers who were advancing toward the back of the house. What was Elena’s father into?

N
erd made his way down to the basement. Striker and Demon had Elena’s father, and he’d told them the Uncle was down here. Brash and Lucky were behind him as they made their way down.

The sounds of feminine screams filled every one of his senses, putting him on edge. He’d not expected to find something like this. They were kidnapping women. Now, it made sense why they didn’t want the women of their cult here. He didn’t like it, and these men sickened him.

“Dirty fucking whore. You tempt me.”

He recognized the sound of a whip hitting flesh, followed by the howls of pain.

Rounding the stairs, he saw a blonde with no clothes on bound to a St. Andrew’s cross. Her back was torn to shreds, and the man continued to mark her. The woman was begging to be let go and released.