But they’d unarmed me too easily…as if they’d known exactly how to rip apart any defense system I might have in place. They’d drugged me, taken my own fucking weapon, and had used it against me.

Yet here was Jax, acting like he fucking gave a shit about what happened to us.

I reached for the handle, my hand shaking, and turned the knob. The door creaked open, and the breath I’d been holding exhaled in a resigned sigh. Cleft stood on the other side, mouth curved in a wide smirk, body blocking the exit. Before I could make a move, he sprang forward and jabbed a needle into my neck.

The ground rushed up to meet me, but my blurry gaze never left his face. He bent over my useless heap of bones, his features pinched in rage.

“She didn’t…didn’t…” I licked my lips, blinked, and tried to force the words out. “My fault. Don’t…” Fuck, my tongue was little more than a dead slug in my mouth. I couldn’t even plead on her behalf.

Cleft narrowed his dark eyes, and the intent in them made me want to scream. “Everything you do goes back to her.” His words hollowed through my ears, then a black void sucked me in and swallowed me whole.

11. Without Consent - Rafe

11. WITHOUT CONSENT - RAFE

“This is a bad idea.”

“If Cleft says get the guy, we get the guy.”

“Yeah, but Jax will be pissed if—”

“Will you chill out, bro?”

“He’s the boss’s kid. I’m just sayin’.”

A bright light seared my eyelids, but I didn’t know where I was, couldn’t immediately recall what had happened—I only knew that I felt like roadkill, and at least two men were standing over me.

Rough hands yanked me upright from the thin mattress. “Time to wake up and play.” They held me up by the arms, and I forced my eyes open as they herded me out the room. It was the same rancid shithole they’d held us prisoner in. Like a pipe bursting, memories flooded me—using the chain to take down the guy Alex had lured inside, and the subsequent confrontation with Jax. Then the fuckers had drugged me again.

“Fuckin’ cowards,” I slurred. “Need to drug me ‘cause you’re all pussies.”

A weak blow glanced off my jaw. “I’ll lick your girl’s pussy. Bitch would probably like it.”

“Calm your ass down, Vinnie. Don’t let him get to ya.”

I squinted, but the lights in the tunnel made my vision spotty. “Where is she?” I swallowed hard, and my head lolled on my shoulders, jostled by the jaunt down the hall. Nausea rose and burned in my throat.