Baja (Fallen Ravens MC #3)

21. Alice

21

ALICE

The tires of Juniper’s jeep screech against the asphalt as she brings the vehicle to a stop. I push open the front passenger door and jump out. Caroline, Jenson, and Lucy, who hitched a ride with us, climb out of the back seat when Salem comes barreling down the gravel driveway. Behind him is Ophelia in her truck, followed by Mystic and Harlem.

I sigh in relief when I see Sukie with him, then rush to her side, pulling her in for a hug. “Do you know what’s going on?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “No. Things were fine earlier. I was hanging out with the girls at the event and having a good time when Salem got a call. I watched as his whole demeanor changed, and suddenly, he was barking orders and telling everyone to get to the clubhouse .”

“I want everyone inside now,” Salem bellows.

I watch as Sage rushes over to Ophelia’s truck. She opens the back passenger door to retrieve her and Salem’s little girl. Ophelia grabs Lorelei, and Juniper quickly approaches to help Sage. Meanwhile, Sukie and I follow Harlem into the clubhouse with Caroline and Jenson on our heels. Once inside, I scan the room expecting to see Lily and Nash, but then it hit me—his parents’ rental car was not outside.

I turn to his parents. “You heard from Nash? He and Lily should have been here by now.”

Caroline’s forehead furrows. “They’re not here? But they left the hospital before us.”

Beside her, Jenson pulls out his phone, taps the screen, and puts it to his ear. “Straight to voicemail.”

“Maybe he texted me.” I rummage through my purse for my cell. When I look at the screen, there are no texts or missed call indicators. “Nothing.”

“Maybe they stopped by the store or something,” Caroline suggests.

“Maybe,” I murmur. Like Jenson, I try to contact Nash, but my call goes straight to voicemail. Caroline eyes me, her expression hopeful, but she frowns the moment I shake my head.

An unsettling feeling washes over me.

Something isn’t right.

When Caroline grabs my hand, her face says she senses it too. If Nash were to stop somewhere on his way back to the clubhouse, he would have called or at least texted. With everything going on, he wouldn’t want me to worry especially when I voiced my concerns this morning.

I break away from Caroline and Jenson and seek out Salem, but he’s nowhere in sight. Neither are Harlem and Mystic. I spot Sage huddled in the corner of the room with Juniper, Sukie, and Ophelia and make a beeline toward them. Sage is the first to lock eyes with mine.

“What do you know?” I ask when reaching the group.

Sage’s demeanor shifts. “Alice,” she says, her tone filled with concern. Salem appears with Mystic at his back, and my attention shifts to them.

Salem grinds his jaw, his eyes narrowing as he glances at Caroline and Jenson, moving in behind me.

“Son.” Jenson slips one arm around his wife, his grip on my shoulder firm but strained.

Salem’s nostrils flare while a storm brews behind his calm facade. “Nash and Lily ran into trouble.”

That simple phrase sends bile surging up my throat, and the world around me tilts. Sukie rushes to my side. Her presence anchors me as my knees threaten to buckle. I look at Caroline and her face drains of color.

“Where is my son, S-Salem?” Her voice cracks with emotion.

“Laredo and Juneau are out lookin’ for some answers.” Salem’s tone is edged with urgency.

The tension in the air is palpable, tightening its grip on all of us as we stand around, waiting.

The heavy doors of the clubhouse slam open, rattling on their hinges as Juneau and Laredo storm inside.

“Got somethin’ for me?” Salem demands, his voice sharp and commanding as he fixes his gaze on the duo, anticipating their report.

“Tread marks and some bullet casings about half a mile from here,” Laredo says, his voice clipped with concern, eyes scanning the room.

Like a restless caged animal, Juneau paces back and forth while Mystic glances at his mother, silently conveying a message that sparks immediate understanding. Nodding, Ophelia swiftly gathers Lorelei and Lucy, and together, they slip away down the dimly lit hallway.

All eyes gravitate back to Salem. “Laredo,” he commands, his voice steady and authoritative. “Get on the phone. Reach out to our contact at Salem PD. We need to know if anyone reported any suspicious activity in our vicinity tonight or any incidents that could be linked to our current situation.” He pauses momentarily before continuing, “And while you’re at it, tap into the city surveillance cameras within a five-mile radius of the hospital. Focus on the timestamps from when Baja and Lily left. If they had a tail, I want to know.”

Harlem’s brows furrow with concern. “You think this is connected to the Phantom Riders?” he inquires, the tension thick in his tone.

Salem nods, his expression hardening. “It reeks of them.” His eyes flash with rage. “Harlem, Mystic,” he commands, shifting his focus. “I need you both to gear up and be ready to roll out.”

As the room buzzes with urgency, Salem’s attention shifts to Juneau, who stands vigilant at the edge of the group. “I want you and Laredo at the clubhouse. Anything happens, call me first,” he specifies.

“You got it, brother,” Juneau replies.

Jenson approaches Salem, placing a hand on Salem’s shoulder. “Son, I apologize for Jax bringing chaos to the club. I realize I have no right to ask you to take on the burden of his mistakes, but I am compelled to ask you…” He takes a huge intake of breath. “Please find my son and Lily and bring them home.”

Salem grips Jenson’s shoulder tightly. “Jax is a grown fuckin’ man who has to face the consequences of his choices. Baja, however, is my brother, a bond forged through loyalty and brotherhood. I would lay down my life for any of my men without hesitation. My sole mission right now is to bring Baja and Lily home safely and to make damn sure those responsible pay.” His eyes flare with determination as he speaks about his commitment to protecting those he loves.

As I try to hold back tears, my eyes burn as Salem turns his attention to me. “I can’t lose him,” I whisper.

“You won’t,” Salem declares. “You have my word, Alice.”

The clubhouse doors swing wide with a thunderous crash. Instantly, the air intensifies as the men snap into action, their weapons drawn and ready.

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ.” Juneau rushes to Lily’s side. He scoops her into his arms and carries her over to the sofa. The dress she’s wearing rides up, revealing her bloody knees and her palms are torn and bleeding. Juneau kneels on the floor beside her and then turns to Laredo. “Grab my first aid kit, brother.”

“On it.” Laredo nods with determination and swiftly makes his way down the dimly lit hallway, his footsteps echoing against the floor. A few moments later, he reappears, a small bundle of supplies tucked under one arm. Juneau eagerly opens the plastic container with a practiced flick, revealing a neatly stacked roll of sterile gauze. Juneau gently places the gauze over her injured knee, applying firm but careful pressure. She bites her lip, fighting through the pain, as he works quickly yet methodically.

“Lily, where is Baja?” Salem asks.

Lily releases a shuttered breath. “I don’t know.” Tears trail down her face. “The SUV rammed into us from behind. After that, they got up right beside us and rammed us again.” Lily shakes as she recounts the events. “I was so scared.”

“Then what happened?” Juneau urges her to continue, knowing time is not on our side.

“The next thing I know, the driver of the other car is pointing a gun at us. Nash shouted. I got down. When I looked back up, he’d been shot.”

Caroline pales, and a tangible silence falls over the room.

“Oh, God no.” I bring my hand to my mouth. Sukie breaks away from Harlem and rushes to me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

“Did you see where the bullet hit?” Salem’s eyes flicker with barely controlled anger.

Lily shakes her head. “I can’t be sure, but he was bleeding along his left side. Nash took us down a dirt road. He slowed down and told me to jump.” Lily cries harder. “I didn’t want to leave him.” She takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “I hid in the woods as Nash sped off. Waited until I thought it was safe, then found my way back to the road, where a nice old man gave me a lift, dropping me off here.” Lily’s eyes dart toward me, sadness clouding her features. “Alice, I’m sorry.”

Not wanting Lily to think this is her fault, I let go of Sukie and lower myself to the sofa’s edge. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Nash was looking out for you and your baby.”

With no time to spare, Salem stays on course by cutting in, “I need you to tell me everythin’ you can about the vehicle chasin’ you and what the driver looked like.”

Lily’s lower lip quivers. “The car was a black SUV. I didn’t get a good look at the guy,” she states, and Harlem and Mystic share a look. “I’m sorry, that’s all I remember.”

Salem gives Lily a nod of approval. “You did good,” he acknowledges her effort. After a moment, his attention shifts to his men. “Church, now ,” he commands.

With the men gone, I find myself trapped in the room’s stillness, forced to wait for a miracle that seems out of reach. A deep sense of helplessness gnaws at my every thought. Thoughts of what Nash could be going through cause unease to wash over me, settling in the pit of my stomach. Visions of him lying somewhere, bleeding out, send my emotions into a tailspin.

How can the universe be so cruel as to introduce such an extraordinary man into my life only to snatch him away from me?