Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
The memories clawing their way up. I glanced behind me. Raelyn was in the house, warm and alive. She trusted me in a way she hadn’t trusted anyone in years. She had no idea about my past. She had no idea what I’d done.
My throat burned as I muttered, “I’m sorry.”
I didn’t know if I was talking to my son, my wife, or the woman in my bed. Maybe all three. Darkness engulfed me as I stared down at that little stuffed bear, and I stopped trying to fight the memories.
I let them come for me.
It started with a phone call. I was in my truck, heading to meet up with Emily and Jameson at a pizza place across town. It was raining, and I was running behind. I’d gotten held up at the clubhouse, and when I heard my cell phone ring, I figured it was her calling to see where I was.
I picked it up and said, “I’m sorry, babe. I’ll be there in like ten minutes…”
“Walker!” she cut me off with a blood-curdling scream.
“Emily? What’s wrong?”
“There are three men following me,” she gasped. “They’re trying to make me pull over.”
“What men? What are you talking about?”
“I don’t know who they are!” she yelped. “They’re on motorcycles, and they’re wearing cuts. And there’s a truck that’s with them, and he keeps bumping me.”
She was talking so fast it was hard to understand her, but it was clear that she was in real trouble. I was trying to make sense of it when I barked, “Where are you?”
“About to cross the bridge.” The terror in her voice gutted me when she said, “I have Jameson with me. If they run me off, they’ll get us both. You can’t let anything happen to him, Walker. I couldn’t…”
“Nothing’s gonna happen, Em. I’m ten minutes away. I’m coming.”
“Why are they doing this? What do they want?”
“I don’t know.”
That wasn’t true. I knew exactly who was after her and why. We had been having issues with the Red Ravens for months. We’d grown tired of the bullshit and brought a couple into my workrooms. I’d done a real number on them, but I got the intel we needed to bring their club down for good. Clearly, they weren’t going down without a fight.
But going after my woman and kid was crossing a line that they wouldn’t walk away from. “I’ll get ‘em, baby. I promise. I just need you to keep both hands on the wheel and stay on…”
“Walker!”
A deafening crash exploded through the phone. Metal curling, glass shattering, and the sound of Emily crying, “Oh, God!”
Her screams tore straight through me, raw and terrified, and they were cut short so suddenly it made my blood run cold. There was another impact, harder this time, and the phone muffled with the sound of chaos. I could hear Jameson crying, Emily gasping, and water rushing.
Water.
God, the sound of that water haunted me. I should’ve been there. I should’ve stopped them. But I was still miles away, so I shouted and cried, “Emily! Emily! God no! Emily!”
The phone went silent, and my entire body went numb. I slammed my foot against the accelerator, pushing the truck so hard it practically screamed beneath me. Trees and headlights blurred together, and fog began to inch across the windshield, making it even harder to see.
But I didn’t slow down.
I sped down that highway, one hand white-knuckled on the wheel while the other clutched the useless phone to my ear. I tried calling her again, and it rang and rang while I pleaded, “Come on, baby… Hold on. I’m coming!”
After what seemed like a lifetime, the bridge finally came into view, and seconds later, I spotted the busted guardrail. Twisted metal hung over the edge, but there were no motorcycles or trucks anywhere in sight. They’d just left them there, drowning in the river below.
My truck skidded sideways when I slammed to a stop. I barely remembered throwing it into park before I was out the door and running toward the railing. The river rushed below, but I could still see the faint glow of her taillights.
“No!”
I jumped without thinking, and the impact stole my breath. I gasped for air and tried to fight against the freezing water that swallowed me whole. The current worked against me, pulling me down as I tried to make it to the car, but my adrenaline pushed me forward. As soon as I got close enough, I grabbed the handle, using it to pry myself closer.
I tried to open the door, but it was locked. I yanked harder, but it was no use. I looked inside and spotted Emily floating pale beneath the water. Her body was lifeless. The only movement was her hair drifting across her beautiful face. Her eyes were open, lost and soulless.