Page 17

L ast night was amazing hanging out with the girls. It made me feel like my life isn’t crumbling around me.

It made me realize something, though.

I miss Laura.

I don’t know when I started doing it, but I have been avoiding her.

Okay, that’s a lie. I haven’t been hanging out with her as much since taking on her brother’s case. I feel so helpless when we haven’t even found a body yet or even know without a shadow of a doubt that he’s crossed over to the afterlife.

I’m a shit friend. Really the worst ever.

Sitting on a stool at the bar, I pick up my phone, dialing her number.

“You’ve reached the voicemail of Laura Carrington. Please leave a message at the tone.”

I hang up, not bothering. Instead, I open a text.

Bailey: Babe, please check in with me. I’ve been a shit friend, but I love you. I want to know if you are okay.

“What’s with the long face?” Loyal asks.

I sigh, looking up at him, “I’m worried about Laura. She didn’t answer my call. It’s Saturday, so I know she’s not at work. I’m concerned she is wallowing in her grief, and I’m not there to help her.”

“You think she’s at home?” he asks.

I nod. “Most likely. Unless she finally told her parents that Phillip is missing.”

“Let’s go check on her then.” He pulls a set of keys from his pocket. “We can take the club truck. Come on.”

Following him outside, I shoot a quick text to Hayes so he knows where I’m at.

Bailey: Loyal is taking me to check on Laura.

His response is instant, making me smile.

Hayes: Be careful. Call me if you need me.

I love that he isn’t trying to get me to wait for him or being overprotective. He only wants me to be safe. It’s endearing.

Loyal opens the door to the truck, waiting until I’m in to close it behind me.

“What a gentleman,” I joke when he gets in the truck.

“I wasn’t raised with the right morals. I saw what my parents did, and I wanted to be nothing like them. So yes, I try to be a gentleman when a woman deserves it.”

“And I deserve it?”

“You do. You have been a shining ray of sun for the club. You get all the respect you deserve.” He puts the truck in drive, not looking over at me.

“That’s tragic and sweet all in one,” I admit.

“That’s life. Sometimes you get dealt a shitty life, and sometimes you have a privileged one. Yet no matter what life you have, you always find something you don’t like about it and want more. It’s human nature. It’s why I try to remain grateful for the life I have. It has been tough, but I got to where I am because I endured.”

“How fucking old are you? You sound like you are eighty.”

He chuckles, breaking up the tension. “Would you believe me if I said twenty?”

The goofy smile he gives me has me rolling my eyes. “No way. I mean, I knew you were young, but I didn’t realize you were that young.”

“It’s true.”

“And you’re the VP. How in the hell did you manage that?”

He shrugs. “I’m not really sure myself. Colt needed some help, and I gave it to him. He vouched for me with Savage. Next thing I knew, I was VP. I still have no clue what I’m doing ninety percent of the time.”

“That’s okay because ten percent of the time, you do. I’m sure you are doing well. You are a good man. You deserve happiness.”

“I don’t know if that exists for me, but I’m content, and that’s enough for me right now.”

The rest of the ride, we bullshit about life. He grew up here in Texas, not far from me. I’m surprised we have never accidentally run into each other before, but we could have for all I know. I would have never noticed him if I’m being honest. Plus, San Antonio is such a large place.

When we pull up to Laura’s apartment, I pull out my spare key.

“She’s on the second floor. I can let us in if she’s not there.”

“I’ll follow you then.”

Loyal follows me up the stairs and waits for me to knock on the door.

“Laura.” I knock like I’m the police. “It’s Bailey. I’m coming in okay?”

I quickly unlock the door and step inside.

The place feels eerie, or maybe it’s just me. I walk through the whole place, Loyal refusing to leave my side, but there is no sign of her. There isn’t even anything out of place or to indicate when she was here last.

“I think I should call her mom,” I tell Loyal.

I dial the phone, waiting for her to answer.

“Bailey, dear. How are you?” Her mother’s warm voice comes over the line.

“I’m good. How are you doing?”

“Lovely, dear. It’s a beautiful Saturday, isn’t it?”

“It is, which is why I was looking for Laura. Is she with you by chance?” I ask.

“Oh no, dear. I talked to her, well, it was probably about a week ago. She sounded stressed. Is she okay?”

Not wanting to worry her, I lie. “I’m sure she is. She had mentioned maybe heading out to your place, which is why I called. I’m sure she’s at a movie or something with her phone on silent. I’ll check in with her later. You enjoy the sun today, Mrs. Carrington.”

“You too, Bailey, and come with Laura next time. It’s been far too long.”

“I will,” I promise, hanging up the phone.

“She’s not with her either.” I bite my bottom lip, worrying.

“I’ll look into it. Let’s get you back to the clubhouse, then I’ll ride out and see if I can figure out where she is.”

“What if the person who took her brother grabbed her too?” I look over to him as he locks the door behind us with my key.

“I doubt that. She might have left town to grieve in peace. We will find her, and everything will be okay.”

I hope he is right, but I can’t help but feel like something is seriously wrong.

Especially when I see the note and the tin of mints on the windshield of the truck.

“What the fuck?” Loyal says.

I shake my head. “It’s for me.”

There’s no doubt in my head because the tin of mints? They are the same kind I keep in my purse.

Whoever this stalker is, they know me well.

A little too well, and I don’t fucking like it.

I’m approaching my office when I hear raised voices. The hair on the back of my neck stands up.

“I’m going, Fang. You can’t stop me!” I hear Bailey yell.

“Savage will fucking murder me. There’s no way. I’ll run it down and report back.”

“You won’t have to worry about him murdering you because I’m this fucking close to doing it myself, and before you say it, I am fully fucking capable.”

“Don’t worry, Hellcat, we are well aware that you have claws. I’m still not taking you with me.”

Stepping into my office, I almost laugh when everyone freezes.

Dex is sitting at the desk with his laptop open to some file, watching as Bailey and Fang argue back and forth, standing in front of him.

“What in the hell is going on now? Can’t we have a minute of fucking peace before someone destroys it?” I ask.

“We found a lead on Phillip. I’m going to run it down and see if we need to do anything about it,” Fang tells me.

“Not without me.” Bailey folds her arms over her chest, daring me to argue.

I knew she would be moody, and I was right. Loyal told me they didn’t find Laura earlier, and for some fucked-up reason, she feels like this is all her fault.

Add in the third creepy note, and I’m starting to wonder if this is all related somehow. The notes showed up after she started coming to the clubhouse. Phillip took business from us.

Could one of my men be going rogue and taunting her while taking out the competition?

“Everyone out,” I bark out.

Everyone but Bailey moves, which is good because I’m about to ream her ass.

“I’m not staying behind. I will sneak out and go myself if I have to,” she tells me as soon as the door is shut.

“Don’t fucking sass me, Bails. Fang is right. I would have fucking killed him for taking you somewhere dangerous. I know he would have done everything he could to keep you safe, but still, that’s not his decision. What about being mine did you not get?”

“I won’t be put in a cage, Hayes. I don’t care if you are Savage, leader of the Lotus MC. That means nothing to me. I will keep my autonomy, or this will never work.”

I stalk toward her, gripping her neck in my hand.

“You will not disrespect me in front of my men. You will do what I say because we are now partners in this. You made that clear when you asked me to buy into half of the business. I promised your father you could help in whatever capacity you want, but I also promised to protect you, so you will do as I say for your own safety.”

I don’t let her respond. I press my lips to hers, kissing them. She bites my bottom lip, likely to deter me, but it doesn’t work.

I groan, pressing my hard cock into her stomach so she can feel it.

“Yeah, baby. Hurt me. Draw blood. I fucking love it,” I murmur to her.

She growls, digging her nails into my arm, but that only has me squeezing tighter.

“You want to get mean, Hellcat, ” I spit out, using the name Fang has given her. “Then you are going to get rough in return.”

Spinning her, I push her down over my desk. With one hand, I hold her down, the other unbuttoning her shorts, pulling them and her panties down in one go.

I don’t even bother with a condom. I’m too worked up for it. As she wiggles trying to get free, I slam into her, moving the desk with my force.

“Fuck, does fighting with me make you wet?”

She moans. “Hayes. Please.”

“It’s okay, Bails. I got you. I’m going to fuck all that attitude out of you.”

Sliding my hand back around her throat, I start to fuck her hard. I don’t give a fuck who hears. My girl needs to expel some energy, and I’m going to be the one to do it.

Her breaths come quicker and quicker as I thrust into her harder and harder. By the time she comes, the desk is against the wall, leaving marks in the newly painted walls.

Pulling out of her, I pull her up to face me. Her face is red, tears falling down it. Sometimes a good fuck can do that to you. Leave you emotionally drained.

“You feel better?” I ask.

She shakes her head. Then she drops to her knees.

Without another word, she sucks me into her mouth slowly. It takes a few strokes for her to take me into her throat, and when she does? Fuck, it feels like heaven.

My eyes fall closed, but when she pulls on my hand, I look down. She places my hand on her head.

“You don’t want to be in control?” I ask.

She shakes her head no.

She needs to get out of her head. She wants me to lead this thing. I would do anything for her.

So I push my fingers into her hair, controlling her pace. I choke and gag her before pulling her off of me, loving the way her saliva drips from her lips, stringing from my cock.

“God, you are a sight to see. I love the way you choke on my cock. Are you going to swallow my cum like a good girl?”

She sucks in a breath. “Spitters are for quitters.”

I swear to God, my dick gets even harder at her words.

“You ain’t no quitter,” I hum, pushing back into her mouth.

This time, I lose all control, fucking her face relentlessly. When I finally come, I nearly collapse at the feeling of her throat swallowing around my cock. It’s the best feeling I have ever had, second only to the feel of her pussy wrapped around me so tight and wet.

Pulling out, I drop to my knees and kiss her deeply. Tasting myself on her tongue has my eyes rolling back.

Holy shit, do I love the way we taste together.

Reluctantly, I break the kiss. We are both panting, trying to catch our breaths before she speaks again.

“I’m still going.”

I laugh, my forehead pressed to hers. “I never doubted that for a single second.”