“Did you get my float, Prez?” Colt asks with excitement.
“I got you two, buddy. Everyone stay here, okay? Don’t make me round all of you up.” Boomer holds the phone out in front of him for a video chat and a grumpy redheaded man comes on the other line. “Hey, Crow. We have a problem.” Boomer turns his phone in our direction, and I wave with a smile on my face.
Boomer goes on to explain what happened. I expect anger from O’Crowely but he is laughing so hard he hangs up the phone, leaving Boomer stunned. A car pulls around next, and the delivery driver hands Boomer all the food and drinks.
“Oh my god, my floats!” Colt squeaks and grabs them from the driver. “Don’t try to keep them from me.”
“I’m not… I was just holding them.”
“You wanted them! They are mine.” Colt huffs as he walks away, drinking both floats at the same time.
“But I didn’t…” The driver seems confused.
“Don’t mind them. Also, for your troubles and your silence.” Boomer hands him a few hundred bucks.
“I was never here,” the guy smiles.
“Good, because I’ll kill you if anyone ever finds out you were. Have a good day,” Boomer threatens with a grin as he holds the driver’s side door open.
The driver gulps and bends down to get inside the car and Boomer slams the door closed. When the young man leaves, Boomer points at all of us. “Eat your food and hurry. I want to get back. I don’t like leaving Alicia alone.”
That has me freezing right as I’m about to take another bite of my sandwich and the high that I felt previously disappears in an instant. “What the hell are you talking about? She’s there alone?” I toss my sandwich to the side. “She can’t be alone. Vince is out there waiting to take her! What the hell were you thinking?”
Boomer stomps up to me and lowers his voice to a dangerous level, one that lets me know I’m toeing a line I’m not allowed to cross. “You want to know why? I had to come here and deal with everyone’s fucking bullshit because no one can act like goddamn adults. She’s a grown woman and she can take care of herself. Do not fucking patronize me, One-Eye. It will not end well for you.”
I grind my teeth to stop from snapping, but the only thing stopping me from decking him across the face is heading toward my bike.
“You are in no shape to drive,” he shouts at me.
No one is stopping me from going to Alicia to make sure she is safe.
“Goddamn it,” he curses when he sees me mount my bike. “Everyone load up,” he orders.
I don’t wait for everyone to follow, and I don’t put on my helmet. Now that the smoke has cleared—literally—my gut is telling me something is wrong. She should have never been left alone. Boomer shouldn’t have ordered me to come here. They would have been fine without me, and now Alicia and Kimmy could be in danger.
The roars of the other engines echo behind me, but I hit the throttle, speeding out onto the road and slithering in and out of traffic. I ignore the horns blaring at me as I barely miss their side mirrors. One guy even rolls down his window and flips me the bird.
Usually, I’d yell something horrible in return, but I’m not in the mood for petty bullshit. I take the side roads, trying my best to miss the heavy traffic.
The wind is pulling my eyepatch back, and since I’m not wearing my helmet, nothing is keeping it from flying off.
I don’t even care at this point.
Nothing matters besides getting to Alicia and Kimmy.
I round the last corner and finally see the Clubhouse coming into view, and the ocean behind it, looking gorgeous and dangerous at the same time. Any other day, I’d appreciate it, but right now, I do not.
I’m already lifting up in the seat, ready to hop off my bike as I pull into the parking lot. I don’t even turn the engine off as I nudge the kickstand down and jump off. Reaching for my gun, I pull it out of my pocket. I don’t bother being quiet or stealthy. I hurry into the main room and kick the door open, pointing my gun in front of me as I survey the room.
It’s quiet.
Too quiet.
I look down as my boots crunch against something. “What in the…” I whisper in confusion when I see broken glass and what smells like lemonade, but that isn’t what has me worried.
It’s the blood.
It’s deep red, staining the glass.
I swing around when I hear a moan and point my gun at the floor—and that’s when I see Kimmy curled up next to the couch, a huge egg-shaped knot on her forehead.
“Kimmy. Sweetheart. Oh my god.” I drop to my knees and tuck my gun safely under my cut where she can’t see it. I slide my arms under her tiny body and lift her before sitting down on the couch. I’m man enough to admit I have tears in my eyes as I run my fingers through her hair. Her eyes are closed, but her chest is rising and falling. “Kimmy, baby, wake up for me. It’s Daddy. I’m home. I need you to wake up and tell me what’s going on, okay? Where’s your Mama?” I rub my knuckles gently down her cheek. “Come on, baby. Wake up for me. You’re scaring the living hell out of me,” I choke out, barely able to stop the large sob from escaping.
Her eyes begin to flutter, and I smile, urging her to come back to me. “Hey, sweet girl. It’s okay. You’re safe. Quin is here. Can you open your eyes for me? Can you do that?”
She whimpers and her green eyes finally open. “Daddy?” Her voice is raspy and her hand presses against her head.
“I’m here, baby. Oh god, I’m right here.” I hold her to my chest and wrap my arms around her in a tight hug, clutching onto her as if she’s about to blow away. I might let out a sob or two when she begins to cry. “It’s okay. I’m here. I’m right here, baby.”
She leans back and her cheeks are red from crying. “He took her. He woke me up from all the yelling and then he hit me. I don’t remember anything else. Mommy is gone. He took her.” Her mouth frowns as she begins to cry again. “He tried to get me to go with him, but he got annoyed with me. He hit me too.”
I’m going to kill him.
I’m going to skin him and then I’m going to rip his bones from his body, one by one.
“Was it Vince? Was that who was here?”
She nods. “He said he was my Uncle Vince. Daddy’s brother. But I had to think for a minute because I know you don’t have brothers.”
I hate that I’m not her biological dad. I hate it. I push her hair back and smile, cupping her face. “You did good, Squirt. You did so good. You’re so brave.”
“What if he hurts Mommy?”
“He won’t. I promise you, I’m going to get Mommy back. Nothing will stop me from bringing her home.”
She nods and places her head on my shoulders.
“Don’t go to sleep, Squirt. I need Pulse to cheek on you.”
Just as I say his name, the front door kicks open and everyone storms in, the crunching of glass filling the room. “What the hell happened?” Boomer shouts.
“What do you think? Vince was here. He took her. Pulse! Pulse, I need you to check Kimmy. She has a bad knot on her head.” I stand and gently place her in Pulse’s arms. “She’s fine, talking, but I think she might have a concussion.”