Somewhere Between the Depths

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Nora

What I had expected to be an awkward visit, quickly turned into a warm welcome home celebration. The guys welcomed me back with open arms, each one giving me a kiss on the cheek until I was swept into Matteo's arms, followed quickly by Darko. I was both surprised and not surprise at all to see Lydia there. Her and Darko cozied up in a way that had me smirking and waggling my brows at her. She rolled her eyes, flipping me off lovingly before sipping her orange juice with a faint smile tugging up her perfectly painted lips. 

Cash beamed when it was his turn, quickly sweeping me into his arms as he hugged me gently. He placed a hand on Silas's shoulder, a wave of emotions flashing across their faces before he tugged him into an embrace as well. After an hour of catching up, tear-filled stories from both Silas and I about the misunderstanding that stole the last three years from both of us, everyone in the room was caught up with shocked, open-mouthed expressions. Except Enzo, he wasn't shocked, his face was filled with a white-hot rage. 

"It's my fault." He murmurs, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. 

"Lorenzo." Jo, Matty's fiancé, says softly while patting his shoulder. 

He shakes his head sadly, running a hand over his hair as he sighs. When he lifts his head, those deep brown eyes are filled with sorrow as he takes in Silas and then me. It's my gaze he holds while he speaks. 

"I knew we had a rat. I was supposed to find them, but I..." He runs a tattooed hand over his face and sighs again, "I got distracted, too caught up in other bullshit and I; I fucked up..."

Enzo's eyes trail between Silas and I, "I'm so sorry." 

I can barely breathe around the lump in my throat, can barely see through my misty eyes as I stand and cross the room. I throw my arms around Enzo's neck, feeling him stiffen in surprise and then melt into my embrace. He wraps both arms around my waist, hugging me tightly, apologizing silently with this hug. I release him, leaning down to place a soft kiss on his cheek as I turn and face the rest of the room. 

"It was no one's fault that this happened. No one but Knox. He betrayed you all and I got hurt in the crossfire. I'm just thankful..." My voice wavers as a fresh wave of tears threaten to fall as I stare at Silas, "I'm just thankful it was all a lie. That Silas is alive and will stay that way for a long fucking time." I add sternly, narrowing my tear-filled eyes at my scary biker boyfriend. 

He wipes at his own eyes with a chuckle as he closes the distance between us and drags me into his arms. 

                                                                                        #

None of us have left the clubhouse, too busy reminiscing and sharing what we've been up to all this time. Cash even closed the garage down for the day, preferring to stay here and share our company than force anyone to work. I feel at ease for the first time in so long. I'm drinking it in, savoring the way it feels to have a large family. The only thing missing right now is Gran, but Paul assures me her house will be finished on time. She'll come home soon, and by the looks of it, Lydia will be coming back to Variety to stay. 

One large family, all in the same place, will be a dream come true. One I didn't even know I wanted until I met Silas. Until I met Cash and the guys. I was such an angry girl, coming back here to escape my demons in California. I never dreamed this place could be my true home, but it's the only home I've ever truly had. 

My phone buzzes in my pocket, snatching me out of daydreams about porch swings and lazy Sunday afternoons. I peek at the screen, my blood icing at Sloane's name on the caller ID. I excuse myself quickly, sweat already beading on my brow. He never calls before 9pm, never. It's barely noon. 

"Hey." I answer in my best sultry voice. 

 "Baby, I miss you. Come see me." He groans.

I hadn't seen Sloane in person since the night Silas and Darko interrupted our fake double date. But I still kept up appearances through text until it was time for Ellis to pull the plug and bring the authorities in. I needed Sloane to trust me, comfortable being alone with me. While most of my anger had drifted over to Knox, Sloane was still responsible for shooting Silas in the first place. He deserved to be fucked with, heavily. 

"I'm a little tied up at the moment..." I offer, wincing as I peek at the clubhouse door. 

"I'd like to tie you up." He flirts. 

I stifle a gag. If I don't go, he'll know somethings up. I can't afford for this portion of my plan to fall through. Sloane still needs to go down for what he did, and I want to see his face when he realizes I was the one behind his club's downfall. 

"I'll see you in twenty minutes." I finally give in. 

"I'll text you the address." 

I can hear his flirty smile over the phone, and I quickly hang up before I change my mind. Fuck all this back and forth. I shoot off a text to Ellis, letting him know it's safe to put in the call to ATF. Once the call is made, I have no doubt they'll be here within the next twenty-four hours. I peer around the doorway where Silas is chuckling at something Lydia said. She punches his arm with a laugh of her own and my heart swells at their exchange. I'm ready to leave the blood and death behind, ready to focus on love and family and our future. 

Just a few last errands... 

                                                                             ***

I knew something was wrong when I passed the city limits sign. I knew something was really wrong when the address turned out to be an old warehouse. But it wasn't until someone smashed in my driver's side window and knocked me out cold that I realized how stupid and fucked I truly was. 

I'm seated in a hard chair, the unforgiving wood already making my ass go numb as I move my wrists against the rough rope tied around them. It doesn't budge. My eyes are covered with a dark, thick cloth, making it impossible to see anything around me. I strain my ears, listening intently for even the tiniest of sounds. There, to my left, a set of boots strolling toward me. Not in any particular hurry, as if they have all the time in the world. And since I didn't tell anyone where I was going, besides the note I left Silas telling him I was running a few errands, they really did have all the time. 

The steps stop right in front of me, and then out of nowhere, a blow lands on the side of my face. I rock back in the chair, gasping at the sucker-punch as blinding pain shoots through my skull. Stars dance in front of my eyes, and I taste blood in my mouth. Sloane. He must've figured it out. He's going to kill me now, probably pass me around to all his goons first. He better pray I don't get free. 

"You hit like a bitch." I spit my blood in the general direction of the punch, hoping it landed. 

I hear a dark chuckle, and then the pop of knees as someone crouches down. Suddenly the blindfold is snatched off my face and I have to blink rapidly against the blinding lights. Someone palms my face and I snap, biting into the flesh like a rabid animal until I feel the skin break and blood fills my mouth. Curses fly and then I'm backhanded across the face. I laugh out loud, sounding manic even to my own ears. 

"You were already going to die sweetheart, but now, it won't be quick." 

My eyes snap up, finally focusing on the face in front of me. Off to the side, about five feet away stands Sloane Delancey, arms crossed as he glares daggers in my direction, but directly in front of me, a sadistic grin on his stupid face, is Knox. 

The liar, the thief, the rat who's lost his brothers, his club, anything and everything that ever meant anything to him. The one who knows he's dead if the horsemen ever find him, the one with absolutely nothing left to lose. I stare into his eyes, seeing the unhinged madness seeping out of his gaze. 

And that's when I realized I was truly going to die.