Page 66 of Bolt's Flame
He reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from my face, his touch gentle, but the malice behind it was clear. “I told you, Fiona,” he whispered. “I told you that you belonged to me. And now... now the real punishment begins. You’re going to see what happens when you try to leave me andfuckanother man.”
What was that in his hand?
He saw me looking and gave what could only be described as an evil smile. “This my sweet Fiona, is a whip,” he laughed and tossed it onto the floor. “But it’s for later, the ending scene of your punishment. First, my hands are itching to give you the pain you deserve. I need to feel it, the fear coursing through you.”
The first slap hit me before I even saw him raise his hand and I wanted to scream, wanted to fight, but I couldn’t. He had tied my hands together and it wouldn’t have mattered because I was no match for him. All I could do was close my eyes and pray for the darkness to swallow me whole.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
BARBIE’S WORDS STILLhung in the air likethe stench of something rotten. The abandoned hotel off Route 19.
Where Boots had taken Fiona... I was still trying to grasp that piece of information.
We had our location.
Now it was time to move.
Devil didn’t waste any time. He was already barking orders as we readied to ride out, laying out the plan like a general about to lead his army into battle.
“Bolt, Thunder, Horse, Chain—you’re with me. We’re hitting that building hard and fast. No one leaves until we get Fiona,” he said, his voice low and steady, like any of us would leave Fionabehind. “Gatsby and Mystic—you hold down the fort here. If this turns into a distraction, I want the clubhouse covered. Barbie could have well been giving information to Dragon Fire.” He pointed at Josie. “You drive the van. I get the feeling we’ll need it.”
Everyone nodded, no questions asked. The reason was James would die tonight, and we didn’t leave messes behind. Boots would get a club trial if he made it back alive, but my gut tells me he won’t.
As we got ready to head out to the lot, the sound of bikes rumbling to life sent fire through my veins. The roar of engines was like a battle cry, and as I swung my leg over my bike, I felt the cold, steely focus settle in. There was no room for fear now, no room for doubt. Just the road ahead and the mission.
Devil pulled up next to me, his expression grim. “We get in, we get out with no hesitation and no mistakes. Keep a clear head.”
I nodded, gripping the handlebars tighter. “I’m not leavin’ without her.”
He gave me a sharp look, something between warning and understanding in his eyes. “Don’t let your head get clouded, Bolt. We do this smart, or he may do something stupid and don’t let Fiona become a casualty because, trust me, you’ll never get over it.”
I could see this was personal for Devil and I knew he was right, and I had to act with my head, not my feelings.
But fuck, all I could think about was Fiona—where she was,howshe was, and the thought of what James might be doing to her made me sick. My chest tightened, anger burning hotter inside me.
The ride to the hotel felt like an eternity, the headlights cutting through the darkness as we sped down the highway. My mind raced with every possible scenario—James holding a gunto her head, Fiona too broken to even cry out for help, the bastard taunting us as we tried to get to her.
I shook the thoughts away, focusing on the road, on the plan. We had to hit him fast before he had time to react. There was no room for mistakes.
As the location came into view, a cold, dark silhouette against the night sky, I felt that familiar surge of adrenaline kick in. The old hotel was run down from being vacant for so long.
We parked the bikes a ways back, creeping in on foot. Devil held up a hand, signaling for us to fan out, to take up positions around the building. My heart pounded in my chest, every breath a struggle to stay calm, to stay focused.
Thunder moved silently beside me, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of trouble. We had one shot at this, and if we blew it, Fiona was done. I wasn’t going to let that happen.
We reached the entrance, Devil put his ear to the door, and he gave the signal. I held my breath, my hand on the grip of my gun, ready to go in, guns blazing if it came to that. Chain crouched by the door, picking the lock with precision, and within seconds, we were in.
I moved into the building, my eyes darting around, seeing and hearing nothing. “What the fuck?” I muttered in frustration.
And then I heard it.
A low, muffled cry. Faint. But unmistakable.
My heart stopped, every muscle in my body tightening.
Fiona.
I pushed forward, faster now, my mind racing. My brother’s right behind me, their guns drawn, as we moved through the maze of corridors and rooms. The sound grew louder, more frantic, and then I saw her.