Hunter (Riders of Apollo #2)

Chapter 20: Marielle Lennox

Just as it gets to the good part the fucking emergency alarms ring causing Hunter to rip himself away from me and back into his clothes faster than I can say ′fuck'. He helps me slip my clothes back on before basically throwing together a bag of mine and Gemma's stuff. He hasn't even been told what's happening yet and he's already planning ahead.

It's at times like these that you can tell he was in the military. The over preparedness and the speed of his movements show his training and his past, but I don't have the courage to ask him what's going on. We pull up at the same time as quite a few of the others, everyone is throwing themselves into the clubhouse to try and find out what's going on.

I can hear Peyton shouting from here and it scares me more than anything. She has never been a shouter, she's one to sit down and eloquently plan everything in a way that causes the least amount of death.

Everyone settles around the round table and I notice Runner and Reign have not yet made their presence known, Saviour looks terrified and pale like she's about to start crying or throw up. That's not a good sign. "Bear, please. I can't..." She chokes slightly and rubs her face viciously.

"Look guys, we've just been sent a video from the Fire Demons. They've taken Runner and Reign-" The room goes into an uproar, I get up out of Jules' lap and kneel next to Peyton, Lexie does the same. "Enough! We need to get them out as soon as possible."

"How did they take them?" Romeo speaks up first and he looks a little shaken up too, him and Runner are pretty close, so I'm not surprised.

"Both of them were trained by Saviour, did they get drugged or something?" Mac is basically Reign's father and the look on his face, pure rage mixed with fear, tears my heart apart. The brotherhood is so tight here and I love the fact that I've been invited into this family.

"Reign was shot twice and Runner was attacked." Bear says it straight forward and factually, he seems devoid of emotion, but I know it's because he has to lead his people into another battle. "Marie is here to help us decide on our course of action, we're gonna draw up a map of the compound and we're gonna figure out how to destroy them and bring our people back."

"I think I'm going to throw up." Peyton's voice is soft as she squeezes my hand tightly, pressing the other to her stomach to comfort herself and her little baby.

"You know we'll get them back." Lexie comforts, I know she's angry too, projecting the same protectiveness over her people as Bear does. The important part of being the Queen.

"I need Matías, Lorenzo and Iosif." Peyton's growl signifies her anger.

"Who's Lorenzo and Iosif?" Bear asks, gesturing for his wife to return to his side.

"If we're going to get my husband back, we're going to need them. Lorenzo is the head of the Italian mafia and Iosif is head of the Russian mob. I have favours to collect and people to kill."

"Make the calls, I'll allow them on my territory as long as they don't cause any issues. I'll see if I can use the Niners as well. This'll be a full-scale assault, none of them make it out alive unless they patch over. We will get our men back."

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Thankfully, Peyton's people are all in town and all promised to be there within an hour, so the tensions are high, but we all understand that these pacts are incredibly important. Even though the Fire Demons are relatively harmless, the fact that they have two of ours just elevates their threat level to critical.

Plus, what we'd normally do in this situation is send in Peyton and Reign. One is pregnant, the other is, you know, captured.

Peyton has thrown up three times, whilst grumbling over the fact she can't consume alcohol and is mighty pissed off that she can't storm in there and murder them herself. Us women have been stuck in the corner behind all of the men, protected they say, I don't know what from considering everyone coming in is actually only here for Peyton.

"I will not speak to you, Mr Bear. I will speak to moya devushka, only." (my girl) Peyton perks up at the gravelly Russian voice and shoves her way through the crowd, diving into his arms with tears in her eyes. "Oy, moy dorogoy, we will return your husband." (my darling). This man is tall, taller than Breaker, with a long beard and scarred skin. No tattoos but multiple rings and broad shoulders, his stomach round and his eyes are soft as he looks at her.

How does she make so many friends?

"Get your paws off of la mia principessa." The Italian isn't as tall, closer to Bear's height, but he is broader and clean shaven, coloured with dark tattoos depicting death. He has rings too, but they're bejewelled, and his hair is a lot shorter. He also regards Peyton with soft eyes, and I am seriously jealous of her abilities.

"Ital'yanskaya mraz'." (Italian scum). I don't know what the Russian said but the Italian did, and he's gone awfully red so I can assume that it wasn't a nice thing.

"No fighting! I swear to God! I can't handle that right now; I just need my husband back. Can you do that for me?"

"Are the reyes arguing again?" (Kings) Matías' statement alerts us to his presence as he steps through the main door into the clubhouse house. He seems relatively calm compared to the other two, but his temper is fiery, thankfully he didn't bring Lucia because there would've already been a fight.

"Enough, spagnolo. We have important things to discuss, no? Saving il marito." (Spaniard, the husband) The Italian gestures for Matías to step closer and Bear allows them to take their seats far away from each other. We've all settled on the couches in the lounge, with Jules pressed to my side and Gem asleep in his room.

Jules is taking this as well as he can, but I can tell that he just wants to pick up a weapon, charge in there and kill everyone. A sentiment everyone shares. "Explain to us, Mr Bear. What has happened?" The Italian prompts the conversation, twisting his ruby ring around his index finger as he relaxes back into his chair. He has at least three handguns tucked into his jacket so it's no wonder he's so chill about this.

"Two of my men, my enforcer and my armourer, have been taken by the Fire Demons. Slasher - Saviour's father - targeted those two because they are the closest to her."

"They are trying to harm moy podopechnyy?!" (my ward) The Russian seems outraged at the statement and Jules pulls me tighter to him in reaction. I know he's got his hand wrapped around the gun in his jacket, ready to fend off anyone coming for me. I gently kiss his cheek in appreciation, and he strokes the back of my neck in response.

"She is my sister, Iosif. Not just your ward!" Matías, thankfully, reminds me of the Russian's name because it seems a little rude that I forgot within the hour. I'm not surprised though; I hardly ever remember names apparently not even when they're the head of the Russian Mob.

"She is our princess; we will tear her enemies apart." The Italian - Lorenzo! That's his name. Damn, took me a bit but I'm proud I remembered.

"No, bring Slasher back here. Mama and I will tear him apart at our own leisure, kill or turn the rest. Just bring my goddamn husband and my idiot best friend home."

"Whatever you wish, moya lyubov'." (my love). Iosif bows his head towards Peyton who immediately nods back in thanks.

"I will arrange my men." Lorenzo promises, blowing a kiss in her direction.

"We will bring them home to you, mi hermana." (sister)