Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40297 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40297 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
We hauled the bastards back to The Pit. The second we rolled in, I saw Gauge, Century, and Blitz already waiting for us by the entrance, their faces stony and unreadable in the harsh security lighting. They didn’t speak as we unloaded the men, who stumbled and swore as Racer and Nitro roughly shoved them toward the back entrance.
We moved quietly through the dim, concrete stairwell that led down into the hidden underbelly of The Pit. The air grew colder the deeper we went, each echoing footstep punctuating the heavy silence. Two levels down, where even the faintest sounds from the outside world vanished entirely, was our destination. The containment cells—rooms built from reinforced concrete and industrial-grade steel, each designed to keep secrets and screams buried beneath layers of impenetrable isolation.
These cells weren’t places to stash prisoners; they were carefully constructed cages where information was forcibly extracted. Where enemies sometimes went to vanish, and Redline justice was delivered without witnesses.
Once down there, Nitro shoved the captured men into separate cells, the reinforced steel doors slamming shut with a sound that echoed off cold concrete walls. They looked nervous, their eyes darting anxiously around as the realization of their new surroundings sank in. No signals or communication, and no fucking way out.
Kane stood nearby, his presence filling the room with absolute authority. Edge stood beside him with an expression of calm menace, twirling his knife slowly between his fingers as if deciding exactly which joint to remove first.
We took our time with them—not because we were sadists, but because information had to be extracted precisely, fully, and thoroughly. If it wasn’t done right, they would spew anything they thought we wanted to hear, whether it was truth or fiction.
Rev and Blitz stood ready nearby, carefully managing the containment, while Century watched quietly from the shadows, his expression unreadable. The interrogation moved with ruthless efficiency, pinpointing exactly which strings to pull and when, until the bastards finally cracked, spilling names, dates, locations, and operations with the desperation of men who knew no salvation was coming.
Once we had what we needed, I left Edge and the others to deal with their fate. Then I relayed all the information we’d gathered to Jax so he could handle the next phase—the systematic destruction of every digital record that gave our enemies even the barest illusion of stability. He was methodical and merciless, dismantling lives by carefully corrupting credit reports, deleting work histories, draining bank accounts, and strategically planting damning evidence that implicated them in criminal activity that he’d anonymously feed to the feds. He didn’t just destroy their lives—he fucking obliterated them.
When I returned to the clubhouse, Kane was already waiting for me outside in the parking lot. The night air was heavy but clean after the hours spent underground. Kane’s expression was steady, eyes reflecting quiet approval and a certain gravity that came with what we’d just dealt with.
He held out a neatly folded leather vest—a Redline Kings’ old lady cut. My chest tightened as he handed it to me, the smooth, sturdy leather cool and solid beneath my fingers.
I tucked the vest securely into my saddlebag, the weight of it heavier than I’d expected, but not at all unwelcome. It was filled with significance and permanence. Kane clapped a firm hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze before stepping back, nodding toward the road.
“Go home, Tyre.” There was a knowing glint in his eyes. “Your woman’s waiting.”
I didn’t bother responding, just swung a leg over my Harley and fired the engine, the familiar roar rolling through me as I pulled out onto the quiet road, racing toward home and Cecily.
18
CECILY
Icurled deeper into the corner of the couch, my knees tucked to my chest, staring at the television screen in the hope that the sitcom rerun would calm the nervous energy buzzing under my skin.
Ares had been gone for hours. I’d tried to sleep earlier, but every time I closed my eyes I pictured him out there somewhere doing something dangerous that he couldn’t tell me about, and sleep refused to come. So I was wide awake in the middle of the night, waiting for the man who had upended my entire future in the best possible way.
Picking up my phone to check the time again, I winced. In all the chaos of the day, I’d completely forgotten to tell my parents the biggest news of my life.
Me
Got the official call today. I’m going back to California. Coach says I’m in strong contention for the Olympics this time.
I assumed they wouldn’t see my message until they woke up in the morning, but my phone rang almost immediately.
“Honey!” Mom’s voice was excited. “That’s amazing!”
Dad added, “We’re so proud of you, Cecily. All that hard work paying off.”
I smiled even though they couldn’t see me. “Thank you. It still doesn’t feel real.”