Only it was a young woman who stepped through. “Hello?”
A tatted-up biker followed her in, all kinds of protective and wearing a cut with a patch that saidDemon’s Day.
Trent fucking hissed, and both he and Jud stepped forward, a sharp edge riding their demeanors as they stared down a man that rode for what had been our club’s mortal enemy.
Trent and Jud spread out, filling the space with their distrust and animosity.
In a stupor, I tried to make sense of the woman standing there.
“Taylor? Is that you?”
I didn’t know if it was relief or panic that struck me at the sight of her.
I hadn’t seen Aster’s sister since she was twelve. A child. She was now a woman. Her hair and eyes were close to the same color as Aster’s, although she was a couple inches taller and curvier.
Her expression dampened when she looked around.
As awareness gave way to the air of desperation, of horror, of malicious intent.
“I’m too late,” she whimpered. She looked like she might collapse when she slowly drifted into the vacant space.
I moved for her. The biker came forward, too, stepping in front of her.
Trent and Jud flanked me.
“Watch it, Demon,” Trent warned low.
“I’m just here to protect the girl. Your boy needs to calm the fuck down before he gets any closer to her. Looks like he’s about to snap,” the Demon spat.
Taylor shoved around him, putting out her hand. “This is no time for a pissing contest. What happened to my sister?” She begged that.
“He has her.” Strained terror heaved out with the words.
He had her, and I had no fucking clue where he intended to take her or how I was going to get her back.
A sob ripped from Taylor’s throat. “No. He can’t. I…”
She spun around like it would stop this fucking endless cycle of torment.
I’d promised Aster I’d protect her. Promised her that bastard would never touch her again.
And hehadher.
Lightheadedness pummeled me, suffocating, everything so tight that I thought my lungs would implode.
This crushing, devastating weight.
“I got it.” Taylor hugged a satchel to her chest. “I got it for her and she’s not here and he has her. Oh god, he has her.”
Her knees went weak, and she nearly toppled over, but the Demon caught her around the waist. “We’ll get your sister.”
“What’s in the bag?” I demanded.
“She needed proof.” It was a wisp of pain.
“What is in the bag?” I stumbled forward, about to lose it.
To snap, just not on Taylor like the Demon had implied.