Roman
* * *
“I-I’m coming down there!” the hysterical man on the other end of the phone informs me.
“Good. You should. I’m sure Tessa will want to see you as soon as we find her. Charlotte is staying, but the rest of the women are going home. You can crash in the beach house here as long as you need, as long as it takes, which I hope won’t be long...”
“I can’t believe this is fucking happening!” Paul exclaims. “We’re supposed to be getting married in two weeks! I shouldn’t have let her go…”
“There was no way you could’ve known this would happen,” I assure him. “I’ve lived here my entire life; and if anyone had asked me yesterday the chances of something like this going down right in the middle of Ocean Boulevard, I would’ve told you it’s impossible, inconceivable, and I would’ve been wrong.”
“I just…I can’t believe it,” he repeats again.
“Look, man, I know it’s a lot to take in, and I know you want to get here as soon as you can, but do yourself a favor and let someone else drive you and stay with you to help you through this, okay? Don’t try and take on something this rough on your own.”
“Yeah, um, yeah,” he says. “I’ll get my brother to drive me.”
“Good. Have a safe trip and call Charlotte when you’re here so we can meet up and give you an update on our progress.”
“Thank you,” he says before he ends the call.
I really fucking hope I have good news for the poor man before he gets here in a few hours.
Heading out of the bedroom with her phone in my hand, I go look for Charlotte to see if she’s ready to go. By now, my boys have probably played a hundred rounds of pool while waiting for me to get back there and start the meeting.
If I thought it was painful to have Charlotte crying like a baby on me until my t-shirt was soaked and not being able to do anything for her yet, it’s nothing compared to seeing all four of the women sobbing simultaneously.
They don’t think they’ll see their friend again. And while a part of me thinks it’s possible that we could find her too late, the resolute leader in me says fuck that nonsense. The MC and I will literally do whatever it takes to get Tessa back today.
“We need to go, Charlotte,” I tell her. “Unless you’ve changed your mind and you’re going back home with them?”
“No,” she says insistently when she lets go of Bev and dries her face with her hands. “I’m ready. Let me just say goodbye.”
“Clock’s ticking, and every second counts. I could already have at least fifty sets of boots on the ground searching…”
“I’m coming!” Charlotte says in a rush, moving her ass into high gear as she quickly hugs each of the women and then grabs her purse, darting right past me and out the door.
“Take care of her!” Bev calls out.
“I will,” I assure her. “You ladies get home and stay safe.”
Outside, Charlotte is already sitting in the driver seat of her car with the engine cranked. I walk up and rap my knuckles against the glass.
“What? Let’s go!” she says to me through the cracked window.
“You’re in no shape to drive. Get out. You’re riding with me.”
“I can drive!” she insists.
“Tick tock,” I remind her that we’re in a hurry.
“Fine,” she huffs before rolling up the window and shutting off the car. As she climbs out of the car with her purse on her shoulder, she tells me, “You better drive fast.”
“Like there’s any other way,” I remark before slapping my helmet on her head and quickly fastening the chin strap. “Hop on and let’s get moving.”
Back at the clubhouse, Charlotte follows me inside. When all the guys see me, they immediately lay down their pool sticks, put away their beers, and head into the chapel.
“Wait here while we meet,” I tell Charlotte.
“Why can’t I come with you?” she asks.
“Because it’s members only allowed through that doorway. That’s the rule.”
“You can’t make an exception? This is serious shit, Roman! Forget rules. You’re the president, and you can make an exception!”
I swear it’s like this woman knows my weakness for her and plans to exploit it in every way possible, including one that is not going to go over well with my men. Although, it would save time since I won’t have to answer all of her questions about what we find out from IT and how we decide to start the search.
“Fine. But you sit down and keep your mouth shut unless you have a reasonable question you feel you have to ask, all right? You can’t be bossy in there, Charlotte. That’s my room. The men take orders from me alone. Got it?”
“Yes,” she answers quietly.
Grabbing up one of the bar stools, I lead the way into the chapel where everyone has already taken their seat and are silently waiting for me.
I can practically hear all of their “What the ever-loving fuck?” thoughts when I sit the stool down next to my chair at the head of the table and a red-faced, tearful Charlotte climbs up on it. She crosses her legs at the knee and then rests her hands in her lap, the picture of obedience even though I have no doubt that she’ll be inserting her two cents loudly before this meeting is through.
“Everyone, this is Charlotte Newsom,” I announce when I pull my chair out and take a seat. “She understands that she is here under incredible circumstances as a friend of the MC, and that she will be seen and not heard while we discuss an urgent crisis in our city.”
“What crisis?” Abel asks.
“Give me just a second,” I say before I upload the surveillance video to an email and forward it to every man at the table. “I just sent you a video of Tessa…” I look to Charlotte to fill me in.
“Oh, um, her name is Tessa Singleton.”
“Tessa is Charlotte’s best friend, a bride-to-be who spent the week here with her friends. She was last seen on Ocean Boulevard, as you’re about to witness for yourself.”
I give them all time to open the file and watch. It’s obvious when everyone gets to the important part as they each let out various curses.
While they’re digesting the events, I call up Danny and put him on speaker.
“Roman. I was just about to call you.”
“Good,” I reply. “You’re on speaker in a meeting with all the guys and Tessa’s friend, Charlotte.”
“All right, so here’s where we’re at,” Danny starts. “We’ve talked to our contacts at the police station, and they refuse to share the video with the public until they complete their investigation, which is complete and utter bullshit. That’s why we’re ready to send it out to social media right now if you give us the green light. I’ve got our number here on the post for anyone with information to call.”
“We’re ready,” I instruct him. “Any objections?” I ask the guys as a courtesy, not that I really give a shit if they object.
“Do it,” Verek says, looking a little green.