Somewhere Between the Depths

Chapter Nine

Silas

It's been five days. Five whole fucking days since I've seen Nora. She called out of two shifts, refuses to answer my texts and calls and when I showed up to her grandmother's house, Annie told me Nora was sick. I didn't buy it then and I don't buy it now, especially since she's at the damn hardware store getting the back of an old pickup loaded down with lumber. She has that same blank expression in place as she goes over a list in her hands, nodding to the clerk before pocketing the piece of paper and helping load the wood. Lydia asked me to give her time, but how much time? And why the fuck was it bothering me so badly? I've never panted after a woman before, not even Carrie and I married that bitch. 

I shift in Cash's pickup, here to pick up my own lumber for the Vet's office we're restoring on the other side of town. I was surprised to even get the call; the guy is extremely straightlaced, but his brother was an outlaw before he died. He gave us a chance, and I proved how stupid his stereotypes were. The rebuild came out immaculate, now all that's left is adding on the extra patient rooms he requested last minute.  

I train my eyes back on Nora, I want to approach her, but I keep my distance for now. I know she'll be back at work tonight, and I'll definitely be making an appearance. She was going to fucking talk to me if I had to lock us in the back room of Axle Grease until she did. She climbs in the old pickup and drives away just as my cell dings with a text from Knox.

"Si, we got em."  

It's followed by a location, and my tires squeal as I haul ass out of the parking lot. I slam down on the gas, pushing the truck further than it should probably go at its age. This is my chance, I'm going to hit the Royals so goddamn hard, they'll realize how big of a mistake it was to fuck with the Horsemen. 

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I pull behind an abandoned building about fifteen minutes outside of Variety, having cut the engine when I pulled in and coasted to a silent stop. I can't see Knox or his bike, but he must've parked out of sight. I step out of the truck, leaving the door slightly ajar as I check my blade in my holster and double check the clip in my gun. Both are good to go. I round the corner, gun in hand and catch a flash of Sloane Delancy, the fucking prince.  He slips into a warehouse, and I follow with quiet footsteps. Screams filter from inside, and I lean up slowly to peer into the dust covered windows. Fuck! They have Knox tied to a chair, his cut ripped in pieces on the floor by his feet and multiple lacerations seeping blood on his torso. 

There are only four guys plus Sloane, they must've snuck up on him, but they won't get the best of me. I stroll in, firing off shot after shot until three of the men go down. The fourth runs at me from the side and I pivot, lodging a bullet in between his eyes when a blade is slammed into my side. I growl, almost dropping the gun when the knife is removed and shoved back in two more times. 

"Say hi to your daddy fucker." Sloane laughs in my ear, raising his arm to stab me again but I rear back, clocking him in the face with my elbow. 

Blood is pouring down my side, soaking into my shirt and jeans. Knox's head is hanging down and from here I can't tell if he's breathing. I go to raise the gun, but Sloane is a fast little bastard. He swipes out with the knife, slicing my wrist causing me to drop the gun. I punch him in the face, and he staggers back a few steps, the knife falling from his hands. I launch at him, sending us tumbling onto the floor. I swipe his knife away and it goes skittering across the concrete. Sloane lets out a feral roar and he jumps me. We go rolling across the floor again, teeth bared as we pummel each other. I wrestle for the blade at my hip, but he digs his fingers into the stab wounds on my side. I thrash, slamming my fist into his side repeatedly until I hear bone snap, but his hand digs in further until I'm gasping for air. He grabs a handful of my hair and slams my head back against the concrete floor.