Chapter 37

*RYKER*

It took me a minute to register the voice, I knew it was Ivy, but i couldnt comprehend why her voice would come through my phone with that name on the screen. I pulled the phone from my ear to make sure she hadnt changed the number somehow. She hadnt, Immediately I couldnt breath, I was filled with terror and rage. "Where is she?" I growled, even I could hear the pure darkness in my tone. "Temper temper Mr. Lorcane. She is fine, shiny and bright, staring at me with her starry innocent eyes. Makes me sick." She said disgusted. "You have made a mistake Ivy." I said calmly. "Oh have I? Really? What mistake is that?" She said amused with my reaction. I laughed along for a moment before getting immediately quiet, "You dont touch what is mine." She laughed louder. "Yours? I thought she wised up and left your crazy ass, like I did?" I didnt give her the satisfaction of a reaction. "You bore me, just tell me what you want?" I said trying my best to control my breathing. I didnt want her to get joy from this. If I react too much, she will hurt her just for that reaction. I looked over towards the door, forgetting that Deacon was standing there. He was already on the phone, quietly giving information to the others. They would find her before we hung up the phone. I nodded at him. He looked at me for a few long moments before nodding back at me. I know he wants to play best friend and help me. I know he wants to be my support, sit here holding my hand til we get her back, but I dont trust anyone else to save her. He knows that. He knows me better than most. "Hello?" It was her voice, unshaken. "Iris, I am sorry. We will find you soon." I was stern, sounding almost bored. I hope she understands I have to sound like I have no emotion. My body was shaking, I was on fire, and completely terrified. The men Ivy associates with would kill her to spite me. Human life meant very little to them.

"Eh, it's okay Ryk, the accomadations are inspired." I assumed she would be crying. She isnt as innocent as I had orignally believed. "Ivy has good taste in venue." She continued and I could hear her sly smile in her voice. I smiled too, feeling proud of her strength, though I didnt have a right to. "I dont know, I dont remember much about her." I decided to get a jab in as well. I heard a slap and my stomach ached, "You two are just so sweet together Daddy, I am so happy for you." Ivy said overacting each word. "I appreciate that." I said coldly. "I bet you do. I know you Ryker Lorcane, you are a sucker for the damsel in distress. This girl isnt as tough as she lets on, believe me, she is not." I didnt respond, trying to take in slow breaths to calm myself. "Know how I know?" She asked, irritated. "How?" I said with the same tone I had kept since Iris spoke to me. "It's in the eyes, I can see the terror in her eyes. She thinks I am going to skin her alive or something." she paused. "Thats too messy for me, but I think Claud wouldnt mind a minute or two." I wrote down the name and walked it over to Deacon. "Ivy, darling, if anything happens to her I will skin you alive. Messy is my thing. What do you want?" I took in another deep breath, but it was no longer calming me. "What I want is to watch her last breath leave her little body," she paused, "but, unfortunately I was told not to kill her, yet." That last word lingered for a moment before I could speak. "Stop with the theatre Ivy, no one is impressed." She laughed dramatically. Ivy was all about the flair. "Listen, I am a messenger. I was more than willing to take on the assignment. I must say, I was curious to meet the tiny girl you have been parading around." She scoffed, "You didnt think someone would notice your sudden sightings around the city?" I didnt respond immediately, trying to stay even in tone. "Ivy, whats the message?" I could ask her where she had been. I could ask why she disappeared that day, why she never told me she was okay, but, at this moment I really didnt care. All I could think about was getting Iris back safely, and killing whoever had ordered her kidnapping. I am sure it was someone from the club. Payback for me shutting all of that mess down not so long ago. "The message is... We win." I heard a loud bang. A gun. DId they shoot her? Is she dead? I screamed into the phone, "IRIS!" I felt Deacon rush to my side, catching me as I hit the floor. It was silent for a moment before I heard loud cackling on the other end of the phone again. "Calm down." This time a man's voice came through.

"Did you fucking shoot her? I will find you, you know? I will skin you alive!" I screamed into the phone. I didnt recognize this voice. A deep tone. Calm. This voice was not forcing the calm, he just simply was unmoved by my spout of anger. "She is alive. Not for long. We want our men out of prison. You have three days." The line cut off. Whoever the man was hung up the phone. They were toying with me because they wanted this. They want me to free the members of their clan I had locked up. I did this for Ivy, to protect her. Why would she be working with them. What the fuck is happening? I looked up at Deacon who reached out his hand to help me stand. "We are on it boss. I wont sleep until Iris is back. I promise." He turned swiftly on his heel and walked towards the door. He was holding his small book of notes he had taken while listening in on the conversation. "Look up Faint." I said softly, suddenly feeling weak and defeated. "Faint?" He asked rightfully confused. Faint was a man that worked for the mob, the one that helped run The Punisher. He was a hitman. He worked mainly for the kings. They called him Faint because, as Ivy put it, "He was mostly invisible, leaving a faint feel of evil where he would go." He was a sociopath. Completely mental. I explained it to Deacon while the memories came to my mind. "I think I just talked to him. They could never find him. He is a ghost." Deacon smiled at me slyly before turning to the door. "I will find him Ryk. I have quite a nack for the paranormal." I believed him. I know Deacon would search endlessly for Iris. He cared about her as well, and you couldnt come between Deac and someone he cares about. I sat down at the table staring at the wall. Flashes of her face flowing through my mind. The first day I saw her, the beach, the look in her eyes the first time I slid inside of her. I couldnt lose her. I couldnt let them take her from me. I couldnt let her down. This was all my fault. This had nothing to do with her. I know she will probably want me to disappear when I find her. She will want me to never contact her again, and I wont. I wont put her in danger, I just want to feel her again. I just want her to be okay. Though I was impressed by her resilance and strength, I never wanted to put her in this kind of danger. I cared for her. It was different somehow than the girls before. She was different.

When my phone rang again, it took me a minute to acknowledge the sound. "Boss, I think we know who Claud is."