Page 24 of Panther’s Magpie (Mountain River MC #1)

CHAPTER

TWENTY-TWO

MAGGIE

A spen. Aspen. Aspen.

Her name keeps repeating through my mind over and over. Almost as if it’s on a loop.

“Come on, Magpie,” Calloway murmurs.

Blinking, I look around and see that we are in the clubhouse. I have no recollection of leaving the job site, let alone riding on the back of his bike and coming here.

Calloway leads me to the room they conduct church in.

Church.

Such a stupid description.

When we step inside, one of the brothers shuts the door behind us. Calloway heads to the head of the table and sits down. When he pulls on my hand, I fall into his lap. As his arms wrap around me, I relax for the first time, taking comfort in his arms.

“What the hell happened?” Eagle asks.

“Are you okay?” Meek asks while looking at me.

I give him a weak smile and nod. I don’t have the energy to lie.

Am I physically fine? Yes. Mentally, though, is a different story.

Someone grabbed me, and my life was threatened. I’m so far from okay, it’s not even funny.

“Someone better start speaking because I don’t like the look on her face,” Talon says as he points at me.

“When I got to the jobsite, I went looking for Maggie. When I found her, she was pinned up against one of the porta-potties by Adlet. I ran him off.”

I tune Calloway out as he continues to give them the rundown on what he saw.

How is it possible that I can still feel his hand over my mouth? The stench of his breath has seeped into my skin. I can’t help but shiver when I think about the way he looked at me.

He looked at me like he wanted to own me before taking my life.

Adlet is the kind of man who doesn’t take no for an answer. He takes what he wants.

God, if Calloway hadn’t shown up when he did…

“Magpie,” Calloway murmurs as he squeezes my waist, pulling me into the present.

“Sorry, what did you say?” I ask, shaking my head.

“What did he say to you before Panther arrived?” Talon asks softly.

Taking a deep breath, I nod. “He told me that I was trouble and that he tried to exchange me for Aspen, but you wouldn’t let him.”

I look behind me at Calloway and frown. “Why wouldn’t you trade me? Aspen is more important.”

His hands flex on my sides. “That doesn’t matter right now. What else did he say?”

“He said I was supposed to be his prize that night, but I fucked up by running here. He said if I came willingly, that he wouldn’t take it out on Aspen.”

“Anything else?” Meek asks.

I replay the encounter in my mind and shake my head. “No, that’s it.”

“How the fuck was he able to get so close? That never should have happened,” Hawk says.

Ridge shakes his head. “This is all my fault. I’m so sorry, Maggie.”

“You had no way of knowing,” I tell him.

“We need to talk to all the brothers who were there and see if they saw anything or heard anything out of the ordinary,” Calloway tells them.

“We’re on it,” Eagle says.

“I think it’s time. We need to make a move. They are getting more and more brazen,” Calloway says.

“They think we’re weak.” Hawk nods.

I look around the room, wide-eyed. “You guys can’t be serious. That sounds like a horrible idea. Besides, I don’t want any of you to get in trouble. They have cops in their pockets. That’s what Asher insinuated.”

“We won’t,” Talon and Eagle say in unison.

“We won’t stoop to their level, Magpie, but we have to do something. It’s been two months with no sightings or anything on Aspen. Besides, we also have cops in our pocket. We will be safe,” Calloway says.

Deep down, I know he’s right, but I still don’t like it. What if something were to happen to him or one of the others? I don’t know if I could take it.

Turning in his lap, I wrap my arms around his neck and hug him. At first he goes tense before he relaxes into my hold. Burying my head into his neck, I try to calm down.

This is all so fucking crazy. It’s too much.

“We need to talk to Asher,” Eagle mutters.

Some of the guys hum in agreement.

“I agree. In fact, I think Maggie and I are going to head out and pay his sister a little visit,” Calloway tells them.

“Do you think it’s wise having Maggie leave the clubhouse so soon after a threat?” Meek asks.

“I’m not letting her out of my sight,” Calloway tells him.

Before I know it, the meeting ends.

“Time to go, Magpie,” Calloway says as he taps my thigh.

I stand and step to the side, out of his way. “I can stay behind.”

He shakes his head as he gets up. “You’re going with me. Come on. We’re running out of daylight, and we need to get on the road.”

“Are you sure?”

He looks down at me and raises a brow. “Would you rather stay here?”

“No,” I say with no hesitation.

“Okay then, go get ready and meet me out at my bike.”

We part ways in the main area, and I head to the bunk room and change. Once I’m done, I make my way outside. I spot his bike immediately, but he’s nowhere to be found.

Looking up, I scan the yard and see him down by the gate.

“What in the world?” I mutter as I watch him yell at a woman.

Ava.

Of course, because when it rains, it freaking pours.

As I watch him go off on her, I contemplate my next move. Do I go to him, or do I stay here and wait? Before I can make up my mind, Calloway comes stomping toward me with a scowl on his face. Whatever she said sure as hell pissed him off.

“Everything okay?”

Calloway ignores my question and cups my face. He leans down and kisses me softly. I can’t help but lean into his touch as I fist his T-shirt in my hands.

All too soon, he pulls back and rests his forehead on mine. “Everything is good. You ready?”

“Yeah.”

“All right. Let’s roll out.”

PANTHER

The longer we ride, the more relaxed my little Magpie becomes. I do too, if I’m being honest.

When I found her earlier, pinned and looking terrified, my heart dropped.

I didn’t think twice as I pulled my gun on Adlet.

I wanted to shoot him right then and there, but I knew I couldn’t.

His club is like a fucking cockroach. Take out one, and another will pop up.

No, we need to exterminate the entire club, and to do that, we need time. Time and planning.

We need help from someone on the inside, and I only hope that Asher is willing to do that.

I fucking hope he isn’t playing us.

I just need to get him on the phone again. To do that again, I need his sister’s help. Hopefully she will take one look at Maggie and have some compassion for what she’s been through.

I hate playing her like that, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Slowing down, I come to a stop in front of her house. Maggie pulls back and groans.

“You okay?” I ask as she gets off.

“Yeah, my ass is just a little numb,” she says, making me chuckle.

“The longer you ride, the more used to it you’ll become,” I tell her as I get off.

After placing our helmets on the bike, we head up the driveway to the front door.

“This place is cute,” she says quietly.

“Ready?” I ask as we come to a stop in front of the door.

Maggie reaches out and knocks.

“Go away!” Ashley calls from inside.

“Ashley, can you please answer the door? We really need to talk to you,” I call out, trying to sound friendly.

“If you don’t leave, I’m going to call the cops,” she yells.

“Ashley, you don’t know me, but my name is Maggie.

I could really use your help. Well, your brother’s help.

He knows where my best friend, Calloway’s sister, is.

All we know is she’s in danger and that he’s trying to keep her safe.

Please just help us find your brother. I need to know my friend is safe,” Maggie says through the door.

Maggie sucks in a breath when we hear the lock turn. Slowly the door opens, and Ashley pokes her head out through the crack.

“How do I know you aren’t lying?” she asks.

“Woman to woman, I wouldn’t show up on your doorstep without knowing you personally if it wasn’t important,” Maggie tells her.

She takes a deep breath and opens the door, stepping to the side.

“Did anyone follow you?” she asks as we walk inside.

“No. I made sure of it,” I tell her.

Ashley nods. “Have a seat.”

Maggie and I sit on the couch while Ashley sits in a chair.

“So you know my brother? How?” she asks as she wraps her arms around her waist.

“My best friend, Aspen, his sister, and I made the mistake of stopping at the wrong bar. Your brother Asher tried to get us to leave, only he didn’t know Aspen doesn’t like being told what to do.

Long story short, he got me out immediately to find help, but in doing so, I had to leave her,” Maggie tells her.

“And now your brother and my sister are stuck in the clutches of a dangerous MC. We just want to get her back safely,” I tell her.

“Asher won’t let anything happen to her. Not if he can help it,” Ashley promises.

“It’s been two months, though. He can only do so much,” Maggie says softly.

Ashley turns and looks out the window, deep in thought. As she tries to decide what she’s going to do, I reach over and grab Maggie’s hand.

“Okay, I’ll try to contact him, but it won’t be that easy,” Ashley says after a few minutes.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

Maggie squeezes my hand. “Honestly, we appreciate it. Do whatever you have to do. Please.”

“You don’t understand. It’s not as easy as a phone call. I’m not supposed to have any contact with Asher. Not right now. I have to page him and wait for him to call me back whenever he can. It could be immediately, or it could be a week from now,” she says, choosing her words carefully.

Something about the way she talks makes me wonder who Asher really is.

Who takes that kind of precaution?

Maggie leans forward. “Please page him. I know you don’t owe me anything, but I’m begging.”

Ashley nods as she stands. “I’ll be right back.”

She leaves the room, and Maggie leans into my side. Turning my head, I kiss the top of hers.

“Think she’s paging him, or do you think she’s calling the cops?” Maggie asks quietly.

“I guess we will find out,” I murmur against her hair.

A few minutes later, Ashley walks back into the living room, this time with her phone in her hand.

“I paged him. Now we wait. Like I said, this isn’t a guarantee,” she says as she sits down across from us once again.

“I appreciate it.” Maggie smiles.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

Twenty minutes.

Ashley shakes her head. “I hate to do this, but I actually need to head out. I have dinner plans with a friend.”

“Of course,” Maggie says as she stands.

I open my mouth to tell her to cancel her plans but stop when I catch Maggie glaring at me so I wisely keep my mouth shut.

“Can I leave you my number? It’s really important that I talk to him,” Maggie says.

“Sure.”

Maggie follows her into the kitchen and comes back a minute later.

“Thank you once again. You didn’t have to let us in or hear me out, but I appreciate it,” Maggie tells her.

“Of course. I’ll pass on your number when he calls. I hope you find your friend.” Ashley looks up at me. “And your sister.”

“Thank you,” I say gruffly.

Maggie and I head outside.

As we put on our helmets, I watch Ashley back out of her driveway. She waves as she passes by.

“Do you think he will call?” Maggie asks.

“I hope so. In the meantime, all we can do is wait.”

“I hate waiting,” she grumbles as she gets onto the bike behind me.

“You and me both.”