“How the fuck is that possible?” I’m fucking pissed. I thought for sure bringing in some markers would have pulled something up. He’s either killed her, or she went deep into hiding.

“Your guess is as good as mine. We’ll keep looking but in the meantime, we need to sit down and talk about how we’re gonna integrate the shelter with the runs.” I nod because I know he’s right. We have a lot of work to do for this project to work.

“Let me know the place and time and I’ll be there.” He pulls me in for one of those slap-on-the-back man hugs. I return the sentiment.

“You sort this out, Beau, whatever is going on. She’s in your home. You make sure you keep her safe.”

“On it, old man.”

We don’t say anything else, both of us leaving at the same time. I make my way over to my bike and send a text to Hunter to check in.

Me: Everything all good?

I mount my ride and wait for a reply while thinking about Tiny’s warning. Having her in my space is opening us up for more drama, but if I didn’t offer her my house, I’d be a fucking mess.

After a few minutes, my phone beeps.

Hunter: All good. Quiet.

I pocket my phone, kick my stand up and reach for my helmet. Before I can put it on, the cool metal of a gun meets my temple.

“You better hope you’re brave enough to pull the trigger, motherfucker.” I keep my eyes straight ahead trying to assess my options.

“Brave bastard, aren’t ya? Don’t think I won’t use it.” The voice isn’t familiar to me, so I rule out Chad and try to go through the list of who I’ve pissed off the last few months. It’s a long list.

“What the fuck do you want?” I ask, kicking the stand of my bike down. If this asshole hurts my bike, I won’t be responsible for what I do.

“Where the fuck is she?” He presses the gun harder against my temple.

“Who?” My back straightens. Maybe this is about Kenzie.

“Sandra and my kid. I know you fucking took them, with this underground shit gig you have going on with Tiny.”

Fuck.

Sandra was the woman I took from one of the Warriors a few months back, her and her baby daughter. I didn’t plan on taking her and she definitely didn’t come to me looking for a way out. I found her crying at the front of the local store one morning. Took one look at her and knew I couldn’t walk away. At the time, I didn’t know she belonged to a Warrior, not that it would have changed anything. I offered her an out and she took it.

“I don’t know where your information is coming from, asshole. But I don’t know anyone named Sandra. Now either pull the fucking trigger or remove it from my head before I remove your arm from your body for you.” I don’t have a death wish, far from it. But this asshole is desperate to find his family. He’s not going to risk shooting me Unluckily for him though ‘cause I’m gonna make him fucking pay for even trying.

His laughter rings loud in the parking lot and I take my chance to overpower him. He doesn’t see it coming. My elbow connects to his jaw, knocking him back. Twisting my body, I reach for his gun. He steadies himself and hits back. The butt of his gun hits just above my eye. Warmth pours from my brow and I know he just split it open. Fucker.

His arm pulls back, ready to bring his fist back down on my face, but I’m faster this time. My fingers twist his wrist back, forcing him to drop the gun. He shouts in pain as I manage to slide off my bike. He comes at me again, his fist rearing back, but before he can connect I force my head forward, connecting with his nose. He falls down fast, blood flowing from his nose. The gun is out of sight, and I don’t worry about it now. I kick at his chest, forcing him back to the asphalt before my boot finds his throat and I push down. Hard.

“I just want to find my family.” His words are strangled by the pressure of my boot and normally I’d take it easy on a desperate man, doing desperate things, but the fucker just had his gun to my head and split my eyebrow open. I’m not feeling so forgiving today.

“The family you beat on?” I sneer down at him.

“So you do know where she is?”

“I fucking took her away from you, asshole. And I’m not fucking telling you where she is.” I dig a little deeper with my boot. His back arches in pain, but it doesn’t stop me. This piece of shit thought he was a man by putting his hands on his woman. He’s not a man. He’s pathetic.

“Please.” He gasps, his fingers scratching at my legs.

I step back, giving him a chance to fill his lungs. He spurts and coughs, rolling to his side.

“You wanna know where she is?” I ask, eyeing the gun. It’s fallen close to my bike out of view. I pick it up and point it at him.

“You know I do. You have no fucking clue who you’re messing with. The truce will be done with when my Prez finds out what you did.”

I laugh. “You think I give a fuck about the truce? I don’t. Means nothing to me, or our club,” I lie, knowing how far we’ve come with the Warriors. Blood has been shed, and the last thing we need is to have them coming into our territory.

“Tell me where she is and I won’t go to my Prez,” he tries to threaten me.

“You don’t know who you’re playing with. You think your Prez is gonna start a war for you.” I release the safety on his gun and watch panic flash across his face.

“Put the gun down, Beau.” I hear movement to my left, but I keep the gun trained on the fucker on the ground.