One glance over my shoulder makes me aware everyone who was standing outside is on their bike behind me. I’m not alone this time and it rips me apart inside due to the feeling of failing my woman once again. No matter the why or how, it’s all about personal failure.
The bike tears away the road at rapid speed while time seems to pass very slowly. When I finally see the SUV, my heart stutters since it’s strangely parked on the side of the road. Coming to a stop behind it, I jump off and go around the SUV but it’s completely empty. The door on the driver’s side is open and I lean in, noticing Val’s bag is still in the front but there’s no sign of either Morgan or Val.
Remembering Morgan’s last words, I bellow, “Val? You in here?” Please, for fuck’s sake let her be in here, I mentally add on a plea.
The backseat falls forward, showing the hidden compartment we installed. It functions as a safe room, and I might have laughed at Tyren when he added this to the SUV, but I’m not laughing right now. I’m man enough to admit I’m crying fucking happy tears as Val crawls out of the hiding space.
“Shaw,” she croaks and rushes into my arms.
A few moments pass and she pulls back. “You have to get him back! They took Morgan, they—”
She goes limp in my embrace and my whole world stops. I frantically whip my head around. “Help me,” I bellow to my brothers.
Wyatt rushes forward. “I saw some tranquilizer darts in the car and on the outside. I’m guessing she was nicked with one since she didn’t pass out right away. I think it’s safe to say they took Morgan without much of a fight. Didn’t Morgan mention something about her throwing out a sleeping bag when they were driving? To make it seem she jumped out? It might have nicked her then, taking time for it to work through her body.”
Bile rises in my throat. “Also, safe to say they still use the same techniques. Because this is the exact same way they took us all those years ago. We have to do something. What houses does Donald own? Any hidden away from the outside world? We have to start somewhere. Zerox, call the club doctor so he can make sure my old lady is okay. I need to know if it’s indeed a light dose of tranquilizer that is causing this.”
I lift her up in my arms and place her in the SUV.
“Keys are still in there. The front isn’t damaged too much from where they forced them to stop. I’m gonna drive her back to the clubhouse and have a prospect pick up my bike. Fuck. Morgan. How the hell do we get him back?”
“Already on it,” Archer says from behind me. “You mentioned the property and I texted one of my brothers to make a list.”
“Zerox, did your old lady put a tracker in her brothers? Morgan is one of her brothers, right? Remember when we met at the bar a few months ago and how my old lady talked about it with Maci? How we put a chip in our daughter, Esmee? Maci mentioned she would do it with your kids when they are older but she was gonna do it right away with her brothers.”
Zerox cringes. “Yeah, the whole tagging our kids did creep me out at first but, dammit, having a daughter is hard enough when it catches you by surprise. And yes, she did bargain with her brothers and they agreed.”
Zerox taps on his phone. It’s still hard to believe he’s a father but I guess it all caught us by surprise when Maci complained about her stomach and ended up with a surprise pregnancy that was way advanced. In the end everything worked out and all is healthy, happy, shit like that...quite the opposite of what’s happening now.
“Here, the dot is still moving,” Zerox says and holds up his phone for all to see.
“How many brothers do you have available?” Deeds asks and also has his phone in his hand.
“Most are setting things up for a new exhibition with our art in a gallery out of state,” I explain, getting itchy just standing around while I need to get a doctor to check out Val so I know she’s okay.
“I’ll make a few calls, get enough brothers for backup. Once that dot stops moving, we’re going in. We’re not going to risk this young man’s life, not with these snuff film fuckers. They are highly unpredictable.”
Deeds glances at me. “Do you want to stay with your old lady? I understand if you do, but I’d rather have another brother with us that’s driven by vengeance instead of a prospect, if you know what I’m saying.”
Glancing at Val, everything inside me screams to stay with her. Yet, I want to see with my own eyes—and if possible, by my own hand—finish this thing.
“I’m going to make sure she’s okay first. Then I’ll join you guys.”
Corban grabs my shoulder. “Doc’s at the clubhouse. Get in the SUV and have the old ladies stay with her once the doc’s checked her. Then take a prospect along with you and meet us here so you can get on your bike and have the prospect follow us in the SUV in case we need it.”
“Don’t say anything about Morgan,” Zerox orders me. “I don’t need my old lady to rush over here and panic. I need her at the clubhouse to keep a handle on shit there. And I want you to have two prospects stay with them, none of those should be Maci’s brothers. I need them with us, understood?”
I give him a tight nod and jump into the SUV to rush back to the clubhouse. As soon as I hit the brakes and jump out to get Val, Maci is in my face.
“What happened? Is she okay? The doc is inside, come on.” She closes the door and rushes out in front of me as we enter the clubhouse.
The doctor ushers me toward the couch and starts to examine Val while Maci assaults me with questions. Questions I can’t deal with right now since the both of us need to keep it together.
“Just fucking stop,” I snap. “You and I need to buckle up, okay? You take care of Val for me and I’ll head out to make sure Morgan is okay. Can we do this?”
Her face hardens under my gaze and she says with determination, “You got it. Anything I need to know?”
“Stay here, stay alert, and take care of my woman. Make sure she knows I didn’t fucking abandon her when she wakes up.”
Maci punches my shoulder and dammit, that woman knows how to punch. “You asshole. She knows you wouldn’t abandon her. Now get your ass out of here and take care of my brother!”
Michael strolls into the main room with Maci’s daughter in his arms.
“Michael, get Maximus and Marcus and meet me out front,” I order and without another word he jumps into action, putting his niece down in the playpen and heading out back to find his brothers.
I rush through the clubhouse to gather all my brothers who are still here and update the three prospects who are staying behind. I grab my gun and strap another knife to my leg, just in case.
Within a few minutes the SUV is filled with Morgan’s brothers and the brothers who were at the clubhouse are following me on their bikes. We’re meeting up with Broken Deeds MC and my other brothers. To my surprise there are over forty guys leaning on their bikes, ready for action.
How alone we felt the last time Val and I were taken; Morgan has a whole brotherhood at his back. And it doesn’t matter it’s a combined force of two MCs, what matters is the outcome. And we’re going to do everything possible to bring him back safe and unharmed.
I jump out of the SUV and Zerox heads straight for me and Morgan’s brothers. “The dot hasn’t moved within the last few minutes.”