Page 114 of The Deals We Make

I can’t process a coherent answer as a raging fear unlike any I’ve ever felt consumes me like a wildfire. “She has a stalker. A private investigator, last name Orson, was following up on a bunch of leads...and…”

Shit, the other option is terrifying.

I look up at my president. “She said she wasn’t, but there is a slim chance she’s connected to the hacker Alessio has been having issues with. She met with Alessio’s father, and he didn’t like her because she’s a woman. It’s tenuous.”

“Fuck,” Clutch mutters.

I meet his eyes, but what I find there is empathy, not judgment.

“We can’t assume anything,” King says. He tips his chin at the monitor, which shows where the tracker is travelling. “Even that. For all we know, whoever has her found it and threw it into a passing garbage truck. There’s also the break in at the strip club. We still don’t know who did that. And Cillian remains pissed at us. He doesn’t have an issue using women to get shit done. Remember how he tried to get Iris to spy on us.”

The head of the Irish mob used to be an ally of the club, but who knows what he is now. I put my head in my hands. There are too many potential leads to follow, an overwhelming number of variants. And I want to be on my bike, looking for her, riding to her.

“Get Spark,” King says to Clutch.

Before Clutch has even left the room, King asks me, “You want to claim her as your old lady?”

“Yeah. Was gonna ask for a vote after patching in, then ask her tomorrow.”

Spark arrives with the rest of the club. Briar is staying over with Iris to help her with Archer, now that they’re home. He wasn’t gonna come for the patching in, but Iris insisted, so he arrived late and planned to leave once it’s done.

Niro is on the phone with Cat, quietly talking through scenarios.

Switch comes to stand by me at my chair, his hand on my shoulder.

“Quick show of hands,” King says. “Vex wants Calista officially as his old lady. All in favor?”

Hands shoot into the air in silence. All of the men standing here know what the vote means but have also been in my position. Where the women in their lives have been at risk.

“Motion carried unanimously,” Clutch says. “Congratulations, brother.” His words are solemn.

I nod.

“Right,” King says. “Spark. Get on the phone with your uncle-in-law. If he doesn’t answer, ride to his house and break down the fucking door. Find out if he has Calista in some fucked up tit-for-tat. Take Saint and Clutch with you.”

“On it,” Spark says. “Call me if plans change.” He looks to me and nods once.

Clutch and Saint follow him out.

King turns to my best friend. “Switch, same for Alessio. Find out if he has her. Tell him all cooperation will cease if he doesn’t release her. Take Niro and Cat with you—I don’t trust those Sicilian fuckers. Get Cat to meet you on the road. Rae and Gwen are together, so have Cat drop Sophia there first. Switch, do nottell Sophia that you’re going to challenge her brother. She’ll want to interfere. If anything has to be done to gain information, let Niro do it.”

“Did you just give me permission to beat up on those pompous-ass Sicilians?” Niro asks.

King’s grin is menacing. “Do whatever you have to, to get answers.”

Switch grabs me by the shoulders and forces me to stand before pulling me into a hug. “We’ll find her, brother. We always do. Just do what you do best and trust the rest of us, yeah?”

I still can’t find words, so I nod.

Then, there’s me, King, and Bates left in the room.

“Find the private investigator,” King instructs. “I know you want to be out looking for her. But Switch is right. This”—he gestures to all my equipment—“is what you do best. Find out where she is and lead us to her. Bates and I are headed out to follow that tracker.”

“You know what’s weird?” Bates says. “All roads are leading to New York. Alessio and Cillian. The tracker. We’re all headed upstate.”

“Which is why I should be coming with you,” I say, finally finding my voice. “I need to be close when we find her.”

King shakes his head. “You need to figure out what’s really going on. We got three paths. We aren’t sure any of them are the right ones. Do what you’ve always done. Find one of our old ladies.”