Images from the security footage at the club flash in my head as my pacing carves a path into the barn floor. I must've watched the short clip a dozen times before racing here.

Paxton was there. He showed up like a bad dream come to life and talked to Lex for barely a minute before leaving. But his backup wasn't far behind. Once he had confirmation that she was alone, a van sped through the club parking lot like a hellhound breaking out of the fiery pits and snatched her within seconds.

I know how the Vipers work, but seeing it happen to my girl is a whole new experience.

My girl.

They don't know it yet, but that decision will be their undoing once I get my hands on those fuckers.

"Why would they take Lexi?" Uncle Rob asks while I continue to pace like a caged animal.

I can feel everyone's eyes on me. Well...everyone who's crammed into Uncle Rob's office above the barn, that is. While Kade, Wilder, and Travis lean against the wall beside the door, Uncle Rob stands just a few feet from me in the center of the room. Colt and Omar rest against the front of Uncle Rob's desk like mirror versions of each other with their arms crossed.

"Let me rephrase that," Uncle Rob says patiently. "Why would they take her unprovoked?"

My gaze flicks to him out of the corner of my eyes while I finally come to a stand still.

Earlier, I didn't want to give him the answers he was looking for. But I don't have a choice now and I don't have the time to waste by beating around the bush.

"Fine!" I throw my hands in the air and huff. "I torched the Vipers' drugs on their territory after I stole them from Derek and Kellin. Happy now, cause we don't have time for this shit? Lexi needs our help!"

"Did you do it alone?" Omar asks, his voice more gruff than usual.

My glare snaps to him. "Why does it fucking matter?"

"I helped," Wilder answers Omar's question with a small raise of his hand and a glare of his own. "Now can we move on to what's important here?"

Uncle Rob lets out a deep breath and pinches the bridge of his nose. "We have to stay calm and be smart about this."

"Excuse me?"

He looks at me sternly. "I'm serious, Jace. You know how we do things. We don't drop bodies. We're not criminals. We protect our own and let the cops do the rest."

I know he's right, but everything inside of me is screaming that it's wrong. When the Vipers raided our grounds, we took too long to get them all knocked out and locked away for the cops to come collect. Maybe if we had been more ruthless like them, Motto wouldn't have lost his life.

"We have to be smart," Uncle Rob adds. "We can't run into their place, guns blazing."

"We don't have guns," Travis mumbles from his spot against the wall.

Uncle Rob stabs a finger in his direction. "Exactly, and this is why. Violent vengeance never leads anywhere good. You four should know that better than anyone. Look what happened after you guys went after them to avenge Jo!"

Omar looks over at Kade. "You were shot." He turns to Travis. "And you were in a cast for months."

"And you weren't much better," Colt says from beside Omar, his eyes fixed on me before flashing to Wild. "And your crazy ass got the worst of it. Chasing down one of them, running them off the road. You're lucky you only got a few months in juvie."

Kade looks at the ground, hiding what I know is a look of irritation and pain. "You guys know why we had to do that. They...they hurt Jo."

"And I had to chase that asshole down," Wild adds through gritted teeth. "I...I thought Kade was dead. I wasn't letting them get away with that."

"That's my fucking point!" Uncle Rob roars, stomping his foot with an earth-shattering quake. "Each of you could've gotten killed!"

The room grows silent with those final words echoing through the tiny room. But while everyone is either staring down the other or lost in memories of the past, all I can think of is my girl.

"This is different," I say so low I'm not sure any of them can hear me. "We aren't avenging Lexi. We're saving her."

Uncle Rob shakes his head, his eyes filled with more pain than what was there a second ago. "You can't save her if you're dead."

Once again, silence sweeps through the room, but this time, it's heavier, weighed down with too much anger and pain for it to hold. They won't budge, and neither will I, which leaves us nowhere while Lexi is locked up...or worse.

"So what's the plan?" Kade finally asks as if reading my mind.

Uncle Rob blows out a relieved breath. "I'll send out everyone available to patrol the East Side border and call some buddies from the station to meet us there. But you four stay back this time. I won't risk either of you getting too close to the situation and doing something that could get yourselves or Lexi hurt. Got it?"

My jaw feels like it's going to pop from how hard I'm gritting my teeth.

Stay back? Fucking stay back!

This is my girl. How can I stay away when I know it's me she's waiting on?

"I asked, do you got it?" Uncle Rob repeats with that steely, no-nonsense tone.

Biting back what I really want to say, I slowly nod, knowing I don't mean it for even a second.

He holds eye contact for a few extra seconds, searching for an answer he either gets or gives up on before looking away. "Good. Now get out of here."

I storm out of the room, aware that the others are right on my heels. We don't even reach the stairs before one of them grabs my arm and yanks me around. Similar eyes to Uncle Rob glare into my own.

"What the fuck is going on with you?" Kade asks with a snarl. "You disappear for days. When you are around, it's like you got the biggest fucking chip on your shoulder, and then you and Wild do something this fucking reckless. What the fuck, Jace?"

The anger in his eyes is real but it's the small glimmers of pain I see that really guts me.

"I've just...been dealing with some shit."

"And you didn't feel like you could go to me?" Kade snaps, that pain present in his voice. "We're blood! Hell, we're more than that! At the very least, if you're gonna do something stupid, I should be there too. Even if I can't stop you, I'd rather be by your side, knowing what's going on, and around for help if you need it. Haven't I earned that right?"

He has. He knows it. I know it.

Ever since Mom and I moved to this side of town, Kade's been by my side and me by his. Even for the stupid, reckless, and dangerous shit. If one of us went down that road, we both did. We all did.

But...I didn't know how to take him on this journey with me. Not with Jacob constantly in my ear. And I didn't want Jacob close to them. Whatever his influence was on me, I didn't want it on them. I didn't want him tainting them, too.

And now look what happened.

But I don't have the time to explain all of that now. Especially when my phone vibrates in my pocket.

Ripping my eyes from Kade's, I grab the phone and tap the screen to find a text waiting.

Sperm Donor: Heard about your girl. I got an address for you.

I chew on the inside of my cheek, debating if I should even reply. I need to do everything I can to get to Lexi but Jacob hasn't exactly been helpful. If anything, it feels more and more like he's slowly pushing me to the edge of a cliff I'm not sure I want to jump off of.

But before I can make up my mind, another message comes through.

Sperm Donor: Guessing you're Uncle doesn't have any weapons to help though. Ask your buddy Wilder where you can get that. I know he knows.

Looking up, I meet Wild's curious gaze.

"What's the plan?" he asks without hesitation.

It doesn't take but a split second for the decision to hit me.

Jace: Give me the address.

Sperm Donor: That's my boy. Just be careful. Call if you need me.

I scoff at his last message, hating how it sounds and knowing damn well he's the last person I'm calling for backup.

"We're getting Lex," I tell the others, shoving my phone back into my pocket.

Kade's eyes narrow on me. "Fine, but we're all going, and afterward, you're gonna explain what the hell's been going on."

"As long as we get out of there in one piece, I'll tell you everything," I agree before turning to Wild. "Know where we can get some firepower?"

Wilder's eyes shoot to the ceiling as he thinks it over. It doesn't take him long, though, before his gaze meets mine again. "Monte."

Travis nods from behind him. "That's true. He offered to supply the Guardians with guns if we helped him take out the Vipers."

The memory from the day after Lexi and mine's birthday party briefly passes through my mind. Monte showing up like some mob boss, talking to Uncle Rob in the backyard and making him that offer. I remember it clearly.

"Then let's go. We don't have time to waste."

The others nod, and the four of us head down the barn stairs, making a beeline for the doors. Once outside though, I'm a bit surprised to see Marcel. His boot is gone, and he's straddling a burnt orange Suzuki that looks fresh off the lot.

I don't even have a chance to ask him what he's doing before he spits out, "If you're going after Lex, I'm coming too. If not, I'll go alone."

I knew I liked this guy.

"Follow us," I tell him on the way to my bike.

The warehouse where Monte hosts all the local fights almost looks like a ghost town. Without an event going on, there's no reason for anyone outside of Monte and a few of his men to be here. The dim light shining through one window on the third floor is evidence enough that he's here as we pull our bikes around the side of the building.

The guards at the side entrance easily part for us to walk in. We're halfway through the warehouse and on the second floor when Monte appears, walking down the steps from his office with two of his men at his back.

"Boys, what a pleasant surprise."

His steps toward us are calm and languid, while ours are hurried, rushing toward him with equal looks of desperation and urgency.

"We need your help, Monte," I say, stopping just as we reach him. "And fast. We don't have a lot of time."

Monte nods, understanding washing over his round face. "Your girl, right?"

I swallow the lump in my throat with just the mention of her and nod. "The Vipers have her."

"And you're all planning to get her?" he asks, though it doesn't sound like much of a question. We wouldn't be here if we weren't planning exactly that.

"We need weapons, though," Wilder says, stepping up beside me. "I know you got it, Monte."

"You offered it before," Kade adds.

A smug smile spreads across Monte's face just before he turns away from us and slowly walks over to his makeshift thrown, where he normally watches the fights. Once seated, he grabs a cigar from his pocket, allowing one of his guys to light it for him before pulling in a lungful of smoke and slowly blowing it back out.

"I have what you need," Monte declares through a puff of smoke. "But my offer before was to lend my help in exchange for help. I don't see how I'm getting anything out of this?"

"The fuck, Monte!" Marcel barks from behind me. "She's practically my sister. Come on!"

Monte waves his cigar in the air. "And I care for you like family, but this is business, kid. What if I lend you all what I have and you don't bring them back? I'm out of a large chunk of money then."

"I'll pay for them," I say through gritted teeth.

Monte chuckles. "You got that kind of money?"

"I'll work for it then, in the cage. Every fight night, and you can take my winnings."

"Mine too," Wiler adds, blocking the hand I raise to push him back and shooting a look my way. "Don't even think about it."

"Same, take all my winnings," Kade steps up.

Travis is right behind him. "Mine too."

But when Marcel opens his mouth, I quickly raise a hand to silence him. "Don't. You've never even been in the cage."

Marcel scoffs, pushing my hand away. "Just 'cause I haven't been in the cage doesn't mean I can't hold my own. You know how many times I've had to go toe-to-toe with my cousins? I can handle myself." He looks over to Monte. "What do you say, Uncle Monte? Got room for another fighter and some extra money in your pocket?"

Monte's eyes widen with a glint of excitement as his smile nearly takes over his face. "More of you four and a new fighter? Not bad, guys." His eyes drift away as he puffs on his cigar, actually pretending to consider an offer even he knows is worth it. After a second, he rubs his chubby chin and nods. "Okay, deal." He waves over one of his men. "Get them whatever they need and make sure they make it safely to the East Side border."

I don't bother thanking Monte. Not when I know I've just signed a good chunk of my time over to him. But I doubt he's expecting any gratitude anyway. He's a businessman at the end of the day, and he's just been guaranteed a nice stack of cash each week. It's worth it, though. Lexi's worth everything. Without her, I've got nothing.

Loaded with everything we need and even an escort to the East Side, the five of us ride out. Monte's men stick behind us until we're safely on the other side, my phone guiding us to the address Jacob sent me. I'm not even surprised when a large dark warehouse comes into view in the distance. Though unlike Monte's, there are absolutely no signs of life. No lights, parked cars, or anything. If I had to guess, I'd say the entire block has been left abandoned.

Waving the guys down, we pull over several streets away, riding into the open garage doors of an equally abandoned auto shop. I already have my bike off by the time the others park behind me, each of us dismounting and double-checking each place we've stashed a weapon just to make sure we're good.

Travis walks over to me, his phone in his hand. "I've managed to tap into some security cameras a block away. They got a good view of the place, but there's not much to see."

He hands me the phone and I take a couple seconds to study it. The warehouse looks like it was made for mass distribution with large rolling doors in the back for where trucks used to load up their cargo.

"Here." Travis zooms in on a section of the screen. "There's an alley that connects to the loading bay in the back."

"There's also a lot of places to hide in those shadows," Kade says, looking at the phone from over our shoulders.

Marcel stops in front of us and leans over to take a look. "So what's the plan then?"

Before I can even answer, my phone buzzes in my pocket. Taking it out, I'm not surprised to find a new message from Jacob.

Sperm Donor: Back entrance, right hall, basement stairs. They'll have her there.

As a bonus, he sends a picture of the building's blueprints with directional arrows he's clearly added himsel.

Wilder's the only one to see as steps beside me. "Doesn't it feel a little fucking weird that he has all of this?"

It does. There's something about it that feels off but I have no idea what it is, and at this moment, it's the best we've got.

"Last chance," I say, stuffing my phone back in my pocket. "If you guys want out, now's the time. I won't hold it against you guys. This is dangerous as fuck and..."

"Shut up," Wilder cuts me off. "You already know we're all in."

I look at the others, and I see the truth of his words staring back at me in all their eyes.

"Okay." I nod, turning back to Travis' phone. "Loading bay is our best bet but I wouldn't be surprised if they have others in the front. So Kade and T will take the front while Me, Wild, and Marcel take the back. We work our way to the basement and meet there." I lift my head. "We have guns 'cause we might need them, but if there's any way to take them out without pulling the trigger, do it. Just don't get yourself hurt, either. Read the situation as best and fast as you can, and do what you have to. Got it?"

They each nod, sharing looks of understanding.

"And guys..." I chew on the inside of my cheek a second, trying to keep my emotions in check. My blood is pumping with adrenaline and fear. I can't lose Lex, but it'll fucking kill me if I lose any of my brothers, either. "I—"

"Don't say it," Wilder cuts me off yet again. "Saying shit like that is like saying goodbye. Ain't none of us going anywhere. We get in, we get Lex, and we get out, all of us. Plain and simple."

I nod, biting back the words that are too painful to say as we leave the auto shop.

The five of us slowly approach the warehouse, but when the roar of bikes fills the air, we duck down behind a dumpster. In a flash of lights and smoke, a large group of Vipers speed by heading in the opposite direction like theres a fire they're rushing too.

"What the fuck was that about?" Travis ask.

I shrug, stepping out from the dumpster once they've disappeared.

"Maybe they got called away for like...an emergency or something," Kade offers.

My phone goes off again and with the quick look at it, I find yet another message from Jacob.

Sperm Donor: You're welcome.

What the fuck are you up to, Jacob?

Shaking off that thought, I ignore the text like I did the last, waving the guys to keep going. Once we reach the back, we split up with me, Marcel and Wilder slipping into the back alley and Kade and Travis pushing forward toward the front. We use the shadows to our benefit and keep our backs to the crumbling brick walls as we move for the loading bay doors. But the closer we get, the more uneasy I feel.

We haven't seen a single person so far. If they had Lexi here, wouldn't there be someone?

"Are we sure this is the right place?" Marcel whispers as we reach the stone steps of the loading bay.

I shake my head. "I don't know. I thought it was, but..."

"But nothing," a voice calls from behind us.

Within the blink of an eye, all three of us whip around with barrels pointed at the lone person stepping out from the shadows.

With hands raised and that devious creepy grin slapped across his thin face, Victor Valentine steps into the one beam of light coming from the only lamp post still on. "Boys, boys, settle down. Look," he pulls back his suit jacket. "No weapons."

My eyes bounce around, waiting for his backup to appear. My pulse is pounding like a jackhammer, just waiting for the ball to drop and chaos to ensue.

Victor offers a fake frown before his evil smile takes hold again. "Come on, guys. Do we really need the guns? I'm unarmed and alone. Doesn't this feel like a bit unfair?"

"Unfair?" Marcel snarls from my left.

When no one else appears, my eyes narrow on Victor. "Where's Alexis?"

"Alexis?" Victor's grin widens. "Such a pretty name for such a pretty girl."

I step forward, my hand tightening around the gun. "Where is she?"

The asshole actually has the audacity to roll his eyes. "Settle down. If you're here, that tells me I have more pressing matters than keeping hold of your girlfriend."

"Then why take her in the first place?" I ask as Wilder slowly makes his way closer to Victor, his gun trained on the guy's head.

"Truth be told, I only wanted to lure you out, Jace. After all, you are the one who stole my drugs and set them ablaze, correct?" He raises an eyebrow in challenge.

I don't bother answering him, though. We both know it was me.

"That's what I thought." He nods, stepping closer only to stop as Wilder presses the gun directly against his temple. "I can see why they call you the Wild one," he says, looking at Wilder from the corner of his eyes before turning his attention back to me. "It's really simple, Jace. You in exchange for your girlfriend. My issues aren't with her. She can go freely...if you take her place."

"Not happening," Wilder growls.

Dropping my hand holding the gun, I cock my head to the side. "What's your angle here, Valentine? You're outnumbered, or else you'd have backup out here already. What makes you think I'd take that deal so easily?"

That sick smile of his takes hold again. "I might be alone out here but that doesn't mean your precious Alexis is alone in there. My men have already been instructed to do with her what they want if they don't hear from me within the hour."

My stomach drops with those words, and my head turns to stare at the building behind me.

"If you touch her, you're dead," Marcel threatens.

Victor releases a short chuckle. "What makes you think I haven't already touched her?"

I raise my gun again but Wilder takes his and hits Victor in the head, pistol-whipping him to the point that the sleazy bastard falls to his knees.

With blood leaking from the cut on his forehead, Victor glares up at Wilder. "You're going to regret that."

"Are we?" I ask, thinking carefully over everything that's led us here tonight.

Lexi's snatch and grab looked like a small operation, just Paxton and the two assholes in the van. Then Jacob sent me the address and the blueprints and might have even helped clear some of the place out. I don't know how or why, but I get the feeling nothing about this has gone according to Victor's plan so far.

"You're bluffing," I say carefully. "You're out here alone because you lost a good portion of your men tonight. I'm willing to bet you've barely got many left inside, at least not enough to accompany you out here from the look of all those who drove off a minute ago."

Victor's smile fades.

"You're in charge of the Viper's but you're not really the man on top," I continue. "Everyone knows your dad has the ultimate say, and I'm willing to bet he had more important business tonight that required your guys."

"I'm in charge," Victor growls, attempting to stand only to get smacked back down with Wild's pistol.

"Does your dad even know about this? Kidnapping has never really been his thing. He's smarter than that. Smarter than you."

"You cocky son of a bitch," the snake seethes.

"Yeah, that's it." I nod, walking over and crouching in front of him so we're eye to eye. "Your dad ruined your plans, so you thought you would try coming out here and convincing me to just surrender. That dangling Lexi as bait would make it easy."

As if on cue, a shout of someone in pain echoes from inside the building, a voice I know isn't Kade or Travis. The shock on Victor's face brings a smile to my face.

"You brought the others?" It's not a question. Victor's only just now piecing things together. "But you hadn't included them this whole time. The last week or so, it's just been you and the Wild one." He nods to Marcel. "He makes sense; he's close to the girl. But..."

"But nothing," I finish for him. "You're not as smart as you think you are, Vic, and my brothers will always have my back. You can't say the same, can you? Your men left easily. All they needed was someone more powerful to call for them."

Victor's lip curls with anger, the last of his composure slipping away.

Standing up, I step back. "You might have a few others inside, but I'd bet on me and my brothers any day that we can take them."

My words feel right; they feel confident and true. But that doesn't stop the constant rush of fear to fuel my body. Just 'cause I think I've got all of this pinned down doesn't mean I'm right. Victor is a snake, after all. This entire thing could be for show, but I won't know till I go inside and get Lexi.

I look at Wilder, who stands sturdy next to Victor's kneeling figure, fun still planted firmly against the man's head. "I need to go inside."

Wilder nods, pressing the barrel harder against Victor's skull. "You two go for it; I'll stay here with this piece of shit and make sure he doesn't pull anything."

"You sure?" Marcel asks, already stepping back toward the loading bay doors.

"Positive," Wilder answers, not moving his eyes away from his hostage. "Just get Lexi and get out. I'll wait here with him."

I don't like it. One of Victor's guys could come out here at any time, and Wilder will be vulnerable. But I also can't leave Lexi inside either. So, despite the twisting in my gut, I nod and turn to walk inside with Marcel.

The hallway just inside is a straight shot to the basement. The one guy we find smoking at the intersection of another hallway is taken down quickly when Marcel wraps his arm around his throat and takes him to the ground. Before he can let go, Kade and Travis appear from a set of double doors to my left, a set of bodies at their feet.

"You good?" Kade asks, grabbing my shoulders and trying his best to look me over in the dark.

"Fine. You guys?"

"All good," Travis answers. "We've only run into a few of them up front."

From the complete absence of gunshots, I'm assuming Victor's men either aren't armed or were taken off guard too quickly to grab for anything. But I don't have time to think about it for long before a scream rings out in the building.

My head jerks in the direction of the basement stairs. "Lexi."

Hey, lovelies! I know it's been SO long, and I swear I've read all of your comments asking when or if I'll continue DME. As always, the answer is yes. I just don't have as much time to write as I used to and lately, the inspiration or energy to write as been lacking. I'm doing the best I can though and thank you all for any understanding. I will say that what's helped recently is that I've started working on a story with a friend of mine. It's a mafia romance with several other books planned. We've been working on it offline and have well over 10 chapters already done for when we start to post it. When that happens, you'll be able to find it on 2SpicyWriters, so I hope you check it out. Working on this new book has really helped give me the extra oomph to finish this chapter and even prepare to finish DME. Either way, I thank you all for loving KME and DME so much and hope to bring you another chapter as soon as I can! xoxo