Filed to story: The LORDS Series Free PDF by Shantel Tessier
“Where the fuck is my wife?” I growl, my hand tightening on the steering wheel and shifting in my seat.
“I sent you a text that she was here.”
“I didn’t have any service,” I snap, and take in a deep breath. “What the fuck is she doing?”
“She’s on the floor working. Starla went home because she was puking in the locker room, so Lake took over her tables.”
“Keep an eye on her. Don’t let her out of your sight.”
The only sound is the bass filling my car as he’s silent for a second and then I hear him slamming a door shut, the music fading. “What’s going on? I’m watching Lake right now on the cameras in your office. She’s at the bar getting drinks from Beau.”
“Bethany is there,” I inform him. “Called me crying. She’s up to something. Said she was sitting at the bar-“
“She’s not there,” He interrupts me.
“Fucking find her. Now.” I shout.
The sound of a knock can be heard over his phone. “Once sec.” I hear the music filter into the room once more. “What’s up, man…” The phone goes dead.
“FUCK!”
LAIKYN
I walk over to the bar and place an order for a table of eight when I see Bethany walking over to the cage. Beau comes over to me and I yell over the music. “Did she speak to Tyson?”
He nods. Good, I feel a little better now. But looking back over at her, I watch her remove her shirt so all she has on is her bra.
“Give me a water, please.” He hands me one. “I’ll be right back,” I tell him, and leave my tray behind.
Going over to the cage, I reach through the metal bars and tug on her jeans. “Bethany?” I shout.
She bends down and smiles at me. Whatever she said to Tyson must have helped because she looks much happier now. “Here’s a water.” I hold it up with my free hand.
Opening up the cage, she reaches for it but grabs my hand and begins to pull me in. “Oh, no. I can’t…”
“Come on, Lake.” She pulls on me as hands push my ass, lifting me into the cage. I catch sight of the guy shutting it behind me, closing us inside.
I try to look for Beau to get his attention to let him know I’m up here, but the bar is swamped.
Spinning me around, Bethany reaches up, gripping the bars my back is pressed into, and leans her face into mine with her lips by my ear. “Live a little before you die.”
“Bethany…”
I feel wetness on my leotard and look down to see something on my uniform but the flashing lights make it hard to see. “What the …” Did she shoot me? Stab me? My hands frantically grab at the material and then I see it’s blood on me as my heart pounds in my chest. My breath catches as I run them all over my chest, neck, and arms, trying to find out what’s going on, but all it does is smear the blood around.
My stomach sinks when I see her smiling at me.
All I can think is that I wish I would have told Tyson that I loved him at least once. Because the look on her face tells me all I need to know. I’ll never be seeing him again.
FIFTY
TYSON
My cell rings through my Bluetooth as I fly down the highway. I’m hoping it’s Alex because he hasn’t answered my last twenty frantic calls back since his phone went dead.
Ryat lights up my screen, and I hit answer. “Hello?”
“Thank God.” He sighs. “You’re okay, you guys got out?”
Panic grips my chest. “What do you mean got out? Got out of what?” I ask in a rush as I speed up, going well over a hundred and fifty.
This Bentley GT will top out at two hundred and eight miles an hour. I’m pushing it to get there. The only thing going for me is that it’s after two o’clock in the morning, so I’m not having to mow people over on this highway.
He’s silent for a long moment. “Ryat?” I bark. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Where are you?” he rushes out, and I hear his car door open and close before the roar of his engine fills my speakers.
“Headed to Blackout. Lake went in tonight and then Bethany called me…” I trail off, not getting into what’s going on at the second. I want to know what the fuck he’s talking about.
“Fuck,” he hisses.
“What the fuck is going on, Ryat?” I demand. I can’t get ahold of Jenks either. He and Alex stayed behind, and no one is answering the club phones.
“There was an accident. It’s on the news. Prickett called me-“
“What kind of accident?” I interrupt him, my stomach dropping. What did you do, Bethany?
“There’s a fire at Blackout. People are trapped inside.”
* * *
Before I even reach the club, I see flashing lights where I know Blackout is located. Veering off the highway, I don’t even slow down as I come up to a red light. I blow right through it, not giving two shits if I get hit or hit someone. I’m taking my chances because there’s hardly anyone out on this side of town anyway, at least, until the clubs close and the drunks are going home.
My heart races as I come up on cop cars, ambulances, and fire trucks. Bringing my car to an abrupt stop, my body jerks forward, and the tires squeal. I smell my brakes burning, or that could be the club on fire in front of me.
I jump out and run through the packed parking lot that looks like a triage center. Littered with people and first responders.
“Lake?” I yell out, running through the parking lot. “LAIKYN?” I spin around, looking for her, but she’s nowhere to be found.
“Tyson?” I hear my name and turn around to see Beau. He’s sitting in the back of an ambulance. His left arm is wrapped with a white bandage, and he’s soaking wet.
“What the fuck happened?” I demand. “Where the fuck is Lake?”
“She…” He takes in a ragged breath. “She was in the cage…” He begins to cough, and a paramedic places an oxygen mask over his face.
I turn to look at the building that is still on fire and run toward it.
“Whoa. You can’t go in there,” an officer yells as I run past him. “Stop him.”
The flames light up the night as firefighters try to get it under control. The roof is ablaze, the smoke trailing off into the dark sky. My adrenaline is pumping. All I can think is to get inside and find her. I can feel the heat from here, and the water they’re spraying to try and put it out hits my face.
I’m almost to the back entrance when I’m hit from behind and knocked to the ground. A guy is yelling in my ear while he’s on top of my back, pinning me face down. But I can’t understand what he’s saying. All I know is that I have to get to her. If she’s not out here, then she’s inside. I slam my head back, making contact with his, and then the weight is off me. Getting to my feet, I begin to run again just as I’m hit from the side.
We roll a few times before I’m on my back and an officer straddles me. I punch him in the face with a scream, feeling my knuckles crack. He’s wasting my time. “Get the fuck off me.”
I hit him again. And then again. His blood splatters across my face before his unconscious body falls down on top of mine, and I roll him off onto the wet parking lot.