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VIRUS

was on cloud nine as he left Sunny standing there looking thoroughly ravished. She’d called him and Adam family, claimed them, and it did something to his very soul. She could’ve told him the winning lotto numbers of every state and he wouldn’t have heard. Everything after family was just noise.

Taking the long way back to his place at blinding speeds wasn’t the best idea, but it felt fucking fantastic. He had the woman, his son, his club, and the open road. What more could a man want in life?

His baby started handling wonky and at the pace he was going, he damn near ate the blacktop. He skid out pretty badly but managed to maintain control to get stopped.

Dismounting, he cursed when he saw the state of the tire. “Fuck.” He counted his blessings she didn’t fucking blow. He would’ve been toast for sure.

Pulling his cell from his pocket, he dialed Squatch.

“Talk to me.”

“Squatch, it’s . I need the flatbed out on Simmons, northbound around mile marker twelve.

“You got it. You need anything else?” It was his way of asking if he was hurt or needed backup.

“Nah. Just the assist.”

“On my way.” ended the call and texted Rae. She was dying for a bath, so he figured she was naked and soapy right about then.

VIRUS: Send nudes.

He laughed and thought he was clever. She’d been in the right mood to enjoy the playful text, or so he thought. But when she hadn’t responded by the time the tow truck came into view, he thought he’d overplayed his hand.

VIRUS: Just kidding, babe … unless you want to. Had an amazing night tonight. Already planning for our family day tomorrow. Love you and good night.

There, better.

“Whoa, didja get a flat?” Squatch asked with a whistle.

“No, that one was like that. The other one actually inflated while I was driving, so I thought I’d pull over and then call you so you could ask me that exact question.” was in a playfully snarky mood. Even though it had bothered him that Rae hadn’t answered his text.

“Give me a hand, smartass.”

hopped in the cab with Squatch after they got his bike loaded.

“Struck out, huh?”

“What?” had no idea what Squatch was on about.

“With your ol’ lady. I thought you were sleeping over.” He waggled his eyebrows.

Yeah, that had been the plan, but after the perfect night by the lake and the goodnight kiss at the door, Rae sent him packing. Not in a bad way. He was riding such a high that he didn’t really fight it. The thought of a long, fast ride sounded amazing, but apparently, his bike had different ideas.

“You let Santa know?” Now Squatch really had him confused.

“Why would it be any of his business where I fucking sleep?”

Squatch slowed the vehicle to a crawl coming up on a stop sign and just stared at him.

“Dude, pussy done addled your brain. You sent her cover home because you were on her.”

Squatch’s words chilled him to the marrow of his bones. “FUCK,” he shouted and dragged his hand through his hair. “Turn here—my place is less than two blocks. I can grab my truck and be back there before Santa can.”

He started a flurry of texts to Rae with no response.

“Nothing?” Squatch asked with concern.

“Not yet, but she’d probably just be asleep already.”

“Wore her out, did ya?” Squatch teased, but didn’t play along. He was too busy worrying about Rae and kicking his own ass for forgetting he’d waved Santa off earlier.

leaped from the cab of the truck before he came to a complete stop. He didn’t bother with goodbyes. No time.

“You want me to call Prez?” Squatch shouted through the open window.

“Not yet but stand by.”

The last thing he wanted to do was put the club on alert twice in the same day, but his gut was screaming at him.

“Pick up, damn it,” he cursed to himself as he hit redial yet again and got no answer.

Tossing the useless phone to the seat next to him, he accelerated. Hating himself more than anyone could possibly imagine. How could he have forgotten she’d been threatened just hours prior? He was supposed to get all the details on that too. Just another failure he’d have to live with.

“FUCK!” He slammed his fists against the steering wheel. “Why do I still continue to fuck up when it comes to Rae?”

He had his shit together, he really did. After they’d split, it was like a crash course in maturity for him. turned his life around. Got a great job that springboarded him to join the Bastards. Decent apartment, paid-off transportation, in relatively good health. Everything but a successful relationship.

But the minute Rae walked back into his life, it was like his brain walked out.

Silently vowing to do better, he throws the truck in park and sprinted up the porch.

“Rae, sweetheart, open up.” He knocked, but no answer. Maybe she was still in the tub. He jostled the handle, not expecting to find it unlocked, but the door opened.

Rushing in, he called her name. “Sunny, babe, answer me,” he begged desperately as he opened every door in the house.

No Rae. He grabbed his phone and called his prez. Waiting for him to answer, he looked around for any clue as to what happened. His gut told him the answer, but he fought the realization.

“You got her?” His prez’s greeting shocked him until he realized Squatch had put out the alert.

“No. Door was unlocked but nothing out of …” The last word didn’t come as he stepped back onto the porch and saw Dean and Sam looking up at him from the dirt of the dead plant by the door.

“What is it, ?”

“Rae’s phone is in the planter by the door.” He noted one corner of it dug into the dirt like it was casually dropped in.

There were ambient sounds of the clubhouse coming through the phone. He felt guilty that his Prez was there and not at home with his ol’ lady. Another failure on his part. Just one more thing he’d have to make up for when this was all over.

“Sorry, Prez—” He didn’t get the inadequate apology out.

“No more apologies, brother. You’ve been doing that since the day I met you. We’re family. When are you going to accept that family doesn’t need a million thank-yous and apologies?”

Zombie wasn’t wrong. was more than grateful to his club for everything, and he did feel the need to apologize constantly.

“What about Teach and Home? They still have eyes on Barker?”

“Teach is sitting on his place, no activity. His car is still there. Home is following a hunch. Saw a man in a hoodie get into another car and had a gut feeling.”

Home had good instincts, so thought there might be something to it, but they needed to check his place.

“I’ll meet Teach and we’ll get a look inside. I’ll check in after that. In the meantime, get Outlaw to pick Harmon’s brain on where Barker would go besides his place.”

“Will do. I’ll try Home again and see where he’s at.”

They ended the call and raced to the address they’d found earlier for Barker. He parked a block away and jogged up to where Teach sat on his bike. Teach saw him coming in his mirror and stood.

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

Making their way around back, Teach popped the lock with ease and they snuck inside.

“No sign of Barker.”

“No sign of basic human hygiene either,” Teach quipped as they practically waded through pizza boxes, fast food bags, beer bottles, and dirty laundry.

“Yeah, it smells like the fucker hasn’t taken the trash out in weeks.” Something was definitely up with Barker. Not only threatening Rae and Harmon, but this place looked like every psychopathic perp’s place in half the episodes of Law he jogged back to his truck. He had a gut feeling that was exactly where they were.

He heard Teach’s voice as it faded. “Ah Fuck, Prez, he’s …” There was more, but he couldn’t make out the words.

Peeling out, he drove like a bat out of hell. He noticed Teach tailing him. Pulling in at the studio, he didn’t bother with stealth, nor did he wait for Teach to dismount or for the brothers Zombie sent.

He sprinted around back, almost wiping out by the dumpster. Lifting a booted foot to the back door, Teach slipped between him and his target. “Fuck, brother. Calm down.”

“I can’t calm down. My woman is in there with that fucker, I just know she is.”

“I get it, but if you kick it in, he could hurt her out of surprise or intention. Let me handle the door.”

“Hurry then or I’m going in my way.”

Teach was taking forever to pick the three locks, but when Teach finally stood tall, he knew they were in.