Page 20

Chapter Twenty

River

S ighing when my phone began to vibrate, I slid it across the coffee table so I could pick it up. I frowned down at the screen when I saw Adelaide’s name flash across the top. I only had her number and vice versa in cases of emergencies only. Tristan had made sure we had each other’s numbers since he put me in charge of protecting her more often than not.

A bad feeling settled in the pit of my stomach because I knew she wouldn’t contact me if it wasn’t bad. I’d been doing my damnest to protect her without drawing too much attention to how much I was doing without my president’s orders, but the woman had a knack for getting into some shitty situations. It honestly had to be some kind of fucking talent she had.

I had been attracted to Adelaide ever since she popped back up at the clubhouse after three damn years. The woman was full of fire, full of life, and she didn’t take a bit of shit from anyone. She had an air around her that instantly drew everyone’s attention to her when she stepped into a room.

She would make a hell of a good old lady one day. I was just biding my time until I could make my move. No matter how long it took. Because I could be a patient man for the right things.

And Adelaide? She was someone a man remained patient for, something Tristan didn’t understand, though I could tell that Joey kind of understood her. He was trying, but he couldn’t seem to get it right yet.

A man learned a lot by standing on the outside looking in.

“Adelaide?” I asked, swiping to answer her cal. “Darlin’, what’s wrong?”

“Help,” she whispered, her voice too weak and shaky for my liking. This woman was always strong and loud. “River,” she whimpered, “everything hurts.”

I stood up from my couch, moving toward my apartment door without a beat of hesitation. I wasn’t much of a partier. I never had been. So, when the club started getting rowdy earlier, I came home to drink a beer in the silence of my apartment.

“Darlin’, where are you?” I asked her. “Can you tell me where you are?”

Her breathing was shallow. Too fucking shallow. Fear for her safety pulsed through my veins, but I locked it away, focusing on finding her. “I don’t know,” she whimpered, sounding truly afraid. I heard something hitting her phone. “My location is on,” she told me, her voice fading in and out. “I sent you coordinates.” Another breath rattled from her lungs. “River, find me,” she begged.

The line went dead. Rage soared through my veins, and I vowed to get justice for her. I would slaughter whoever the fuck put their hands on her.

Darlin’, I’m coming. Just hold on for me.