Page 115 of Sunny Undone

Knox signals for Ridge, and I want to know what he knows. Because the only reason he’d signal for Ridge, specifically, is for his knowledge as road captain and to tell him where we’re headed.

“How hard do I pull it?” she asks.

I want to yell at her to just tug that motherfucking shit off the wall, but I don’t. “As hard as you can, sweetheart.”

There’s grunting, and an “Oof,” and muttered cursing, but then…

“I did it. What now?”

“Did you get the flashlight working? Can you tell me what you see behind it?”

Knox whistles loudly and calls everyone to order, but I wait for Della to reply.

“I did. There’s plastic. Wires. Something metal with something on the end, looks like a nut with bits that stick out.”

Relief floods me. “Yeah. It’s called a wing nut. You should be able to see—” I try to focus on my training. I remember learning about the old vehicles. “Three. Three of them. Designed to open without a wrench. Can you undo them?”

She grunts as she’s trying, and Knox taps the phone to mute it. “Vex got us a rough location from cell towers. She’s heading towards us.”

“So, what do I do, Prez? I can’t just sit here and wait to see if he parks on the side of the road and fucking drowns her.”

Knox grips my shoulder as I try to get a handle on my emotions.

“Are you still there? Why did it go quiet?” Della asks, but her voice is more frantic, now. “They’re too tight.”

I take the phone off mute. “Sorry for scaring you. Just planning how to get to you. But I won’t mute you again. Those wing nuts have probably not been removed in a while, Indy. But if you can open them, you can pull the taillight out and look outside. Even stick your hand out and let the car behind you know you’re stuck in there. It’s worth giving it everything you got, sweetheart.”

Havoc drops off my keys, my full helmet that connects to my phone, my leather jacket, and the weapon I keep in the top drawer of my desk. He went to my room and got exactly what I need. Like a brother would.

Knox moves back in front of me but addresses everyone. “We’re heading in her direction. North, stay on the phone with Wren. I’ll stay on the phone with Vex. You stay on the phone with Della. Need a new formation. Ridge, you lead. Havoc, ride next to Sunny. Vandal, ride next to me. Reaper ride next to North. Anyone on the phone gets new information, tell your partner.” He looks to Havoc, Vandal, and Reaper. “If that intel says we should be shifting direction, you call Ridge at the front and tell him. Mic’d up helmets all the way.”

“Della,” I say as I shrug on my leather jacket. The one that reminds me who I am. I’m an Outlaw, with a brotherhood who will never leave me to get Della back alone. “We got a trace on roughly where you are. We’re riding toward it while we try to lock in. I’m gonna go dead for a second while I connect my helmet to my phone.”

“Okay,” she says with a grunt of exertion. “Oh my God, Sunny. I got one to move.”

“Knew you could do it, Indy. Try the next one.”

“Sunny,” she says, and I have to jack the volume in my helmet to hear her. “I need him alive.”

The words hit like a fist to the chest because I’ve already visualized the twelve ways I’m gonna gut the little fuck. “He put you in a goddamn trunk.”

“I know what he did, but I need him so I can prove it. I don’t know if any camera at the university caught what he did. The moment Evan is reported missing, they’ll look and dig. And if he’s gone, there’s no proof he tampered with my findings, and I’m still suspended. Or worse, they think I did something to him if they find out what he did.” There’s a pause. “Please, Sunny. I know you’d kill him for me. But the greater gift would be keeping him alive. Please.”

She’s in the back of his fucking car. Bleeding. Begging me not to kill the man who did this to her, because she won’t come through it if her reputation doesn’t come through it with her.

“Okay,” I manage to get out, and I hate how much it costs me to keep my voice steady. “Okay, he lives. You have my word.”

A new group chat pops up on my screen, and I open it as I hurry to my bike. I secure my phone into its holder.

Wren: Ready when you are.

Vex: Brothers.

I’m overwhelmed that other club chapters are willing to help. And I don’t care what size favor I’ll owe both of them, afterward, as long as they lead me to her.

We ride, and I trust Ridge to take us where we need to go.

“You doing okay, Della?” I ask.