Page 113 of Us Defiant Few

“But isn’t it true that you’ve been spying on us? Give me one good reason why we shouldn’t beat the shit out of you right now.” Serene demanded, fists clenching.

“Agreed.” Brock emerged from the darkness, eyes peeled on Penny, who took a wary step back.

“Just wait!” Khalani stepped in front of her, sensing the impending violence. “The Chief will explain everything. But…where’s Takeshi?”

She looked past them, surprised he wasn’t the one giving death threats.

“We woke up in the house together,” Derek spoke. “Patreus said no one was allowed to leave. But Takeshi…uh…he didn’t take that part too well.”

The others exchanged uneasy glances.

“Where is he? Is Takeshi okay?” The panic in her voice heightened, filling the room.

“He’s fine.” Adan squeezed her shoulder. “But when Patreus refused to let him see you…he got a little mad.”

“A little?” Serene scoffed. “He knocked one of the guards out cold and threw furniture against the windows to break free. Brock literally had to tackle him to the ground to prevent the guards from shooting. Even then, it took all three guys to subdue him. We had to chain him up so he wouldn’t get himself killed.”

She felt her heart sputter, realizing that she wasn’t the only one who would go to unbelievable lengths to save Takeshi from himself.

Like it or not, he was part of their family.

“You’re probably the only one who can calm him down,” Serene added, staring at Khalani. “He’s still threatening to string everyone upside down by their entrails. And honestly, a part of me wants to see it happen.” Serene’s serpentine glare shifted to the Chief.

“I’ll explain everything to you,” Penny began, “just like I did to them.”

But Khalani was already gone.

She brushed past everyone, bolting straight for the living room.

When she heard another shout, her feet skidded to a stop.

Takeshi was tied to a chair with thick ropes wrapped around his chest and legs. His darkened eyes immediately found her, his chest heaving in rapid breaths.

“Kanes.” His wild gaze raked over her body. “What did they do?”

Her stomach flipped, the previous night still fresh on her mind. But Takeshi stared at her like any sign of harm would descend him into true madness.

It did…strange things to her chest.

“I’m okay,” she said quietly, unsure what to do.

“Get these fucking ropes off me,” Takeshi snarled.

Brock appeared, knife in his hand as he sawed off the thick bindings. As soon as Takeshi was free, his gaze snapped to the Chief, who’d just entered the room.

Quick as lightning, he snatched the knife from Brock’s hand and hurled it straight at the Chief. The blade slammed into the wall, a centimeter from Penny’s head.

A splatter of blood dripped from the tip of her ear.

“Consider this your final warning. If you ever put Kanes or any one of them”—Takeshi pointed to Winnie and the others—“in harm’s way again, I’ll carve you into unrecognizable pieces and scatter your remains across the desert.”

Penny’s lips pressed into a thin white line as Brock smirked like the crazy man he was.

Khalani released a nervous chuckle.

“He’s not being serious,” she lied, trying to defuse the tension.

“I’m dead serious.”