Page 1 of Intertwined Souls

Chapter One

Cayden

There haven’t been many moments in my life where I was completely caught off guard. I guess it comes with the territory when your father is a piece of shit who taught you from a young age to always keep your guard up.

But being with my brothers, with my girl, those worries slipped away, and I felt nothing but… pure joy. My mistake.

My eyes snap open as my nostrils flare from the rancid stench of what must be smelling salts seeping in. “Wakey, wakey,” a man’s voice snarls.

Trying to get my bearings as quickly as possible, I wiggle around only to realize my hands are tied behind my back while I lay on my stomach. As the fog clears from my mind, thoughts of Ryker, Grayson, and Harley come flooding in. Where are they? Are they safe?

I remember being the first one to come back up the hill from the beach where we had spent the whole evening fucking around, but then everything went dark. If I’m lucky, they’re still safe down there.

Someone suddenly grasps my shoulders and yanks me up until I’m resting on my knees. The ground seems to spin around me, and I have to blink rapidly to clear my vision so I can take in my surroundings. We are still on the same road, by the trail head that leads down to the beach, but we are on the other side of the street behind a few trees. I can see the shadow of someone leaning against my bike across the road right where I parked it.

The fucker who yanked me up steps in front of me, and it takes all my meticulous training to keep my face neutral. Connor. The fucking prospect from our club. It’s not hard to connect the dots now and realize he is the other fucking mole. Daniel first, and now Connor.

He smirks at me. “Nothing to say?” he taunts.

As I level him with a blank, uninterested stare, he raises a brow, realizing I don’t plan to respond. Shrugging, he moves to stand on my right, a gun hanging loosely in his hand.

There were plenty of times growing up that I wanted to kill my father. Fuck, I would daydream about how I would do it and what his screams would sound like when it was his ass sitting on the torture chair in our basement and not someone else. But ever since he was put in jail and I’ve been living at the club with my brother, I haven’t had any thoughts like that. Until now.

My heart races faster than it normally does, and it takes everything in me to keep my breathing even. I focus on the rope around my wrists; my hands feel clammy, but I ignore it and pull at my bindings.

There is some wiggle room but not enough to slip my hands through. I start messing with the knot I find, attempting to loosen it as my thoughts stray to Connor.

I would like to put him in my chair in the basement and take my time making him scream over and over again. I don’t even know what the fuck his plan is or why he is doing this, but there is no way I am asking or begging for answers. It’s what he wants.

Instead, I focus on getting out of these restraints, my eyes darting left and right to take in what’s happening around me. I couldn’t have been out long because I faintly hear Harley’s laughter like they are working their way back up the hill to where the bikes are.

My heart beats rapidly against my chest thinking about them walking up here and facing this unknown danger, but I have to trust their instincts. Their strength.

What is the plan? Who the fuck is the person leaning against my bike seeming relaxed as fuck as he waits for them to come up the hill? Why would Connor be a part of whatever this is?

I fucking swear to Satan himself if they hurt the guys or Harley, I will not stop until they are all broken into a million pieces or they kill me.

Grayson comes into sight first from the trail with Harley directly behind him. He has a smile on his face until he glances up and notices the person leaning against my bike. He stops mid-step, causing Harley to run into his back. She says something that I can’t quite hear from across the street.

Sweat beads down the back of my neck and I frown, unsure as to why I am feeling so—so anxious. It’s an almost foreign feeling to me, as I am so used to being able to flip a switch and turn off everything.

Ryker pushes his way forward, blocking Harley’s view. “Who the fuck are you?” he growls.

“No one you need to be concerned with. I just came to collect what is mine.” I don’t recognize his voice, but I think Harley does when she pushes in between Grayson and Ryker, her face pale and her beautiful hazel eyes wide with terror.

Is that who he is here to collect? I will die before he takes Harley anywhere.

She stares at him, unseeing for a moment, and then lets out a gasp, her hands clenching into tight fists at her sides. Even from across the road I can see her tiny frame trembling with fury.

“My, my, you have grown into a fine young woman,” the man remarks slowly, casually, like this is a friendly visit. I can only imagine the way he must be scanning my girl from head to toe.

I’ll rip his fucking eyes out and shove them down his throat if he tries anything.

Harley’s body stiffens while Ryker and Grayson are brimming with anger on either side of her.

“What exactly is it that you think belongs to you?” she snaps, her eyes narrowing. She keeps her back straight and her head held high, showing no signs of fear to whoever this fucker is. Good girl.

“Feisty,” he groans, tilting his head back. “You’re making my dick hard already.”