Chapter 15
Gunner
Locke and I laugh as we walk back into the clubhouse with the things I just bought for Nat and the baby. She doesn’t know I’m doing this, but I want things to be ready for her. I don’t want her worrying over any of this.
“What’s all that?” Kiki asks as we walk in and set the bags on the table.
“Baby stuff.”
“You don’t know what you’re having yet,” she says as she pulls things out of the bag.
“I got you two right,” I remind her.
“Boy stuff? What if it’s a girl?”
“Then I’ll go get girl stuff, but I’m tellin’ you, it’s a boy.”
“You have this all planned, don’t you?” Kiki asks me.
“Sure as fuck do. I’m happy, Kiki.”
“I see that, and I’m happy for you. I’m glad you finally found someone good, Dad. She’s exactly what you need,” she tells me.
“You don’t think the age thing is bad?”
“Not up to me to decide. If you’re happy, then you’re happy.”
“I agree, Prez. I’ve never seen you smile this much,” Remy adds as Locke nods along.
“I mean it. I’m really happy. Nat … she feels like she completes me in ways I never knew I needed.”
“Aww, that is so sweet,” Kiki teases.
“Shut up, Kiki. We aren’t talkin’ feelin’s here. I’m just sayin’.”
“I know. And I mean it. I’m really happy you have her.”
“We all are. She fits in well here, Prez,” Locke says.
“What about Rick? How’s he doin’? He’s pretty quiet.”
“He’s good. I offered him a spot at the garage and he seemed happy about it,” Remy tells me. I nod my head.
“Good. That’s good. Where is Nat anyway?” I glance around, not seeing her anywhere when Hodge speaks.
“They were goin’ for a walk.”
“Who?”
“Her and Rick. It’s been a while, though.” He looks at his phone.
“What do you mean a while?” My nerves can’t take not knowing where she is. I want her here. I want her safe. I want her where I know exactly where she is.
“About an hour, I would say. You would think they’d be back by now.” I shake my head. No. Somethings wrong.
“We go look for them.”
“Why? They’re probably just hanging out, Dad.”
“I don’t care. It’s been too long. She should have been back by now.”
“You’re overreacting,” Kiki declares as she crosses her arms over her chest.
“I don’t care. We’re goin’ to look. Get the guys ready,” I tell Locke. He nods and turns around to tell the guys while I pull my cell out and call the one I gave Nat. It goes straight to voicemail. I know she doesn’t use it to call anyone. Just plays games on it when she’s bored.
“Voicemail.”
“I’m sure she’s fine, Dad.”
“I don’t like this. I don’t like her goin’ out without one of the guys with her,” I say as I run my hand through my hair.
“She’s fine. I’m sure they probably just lost track of time.”
“I hope that’s all it is.” With that, I lean down and press a kiss on Kiki’s cheek before heading for the door. I’m on my bike and ready to roll when the others come filtering out. They all climb on their bikes, and we move out to search for her.
I have no idea where to look, but if they were on foot, they couldn’t have gotten far.
I stop at every place I can think of. Stores, restaurants, and everything in between. It’s not until Remy calls that a chill goes down my spine.
“Get your ass over to 12 th and Ganger.” That’s all he said before the line went dead. I take a deep breath and pray nothing happened to her. I take off in that direction, blowing through red lights and stop signs until I see the guys. I kill the engine and climb off my bike, taking slow steps at first. I’m not sure what I’m walking into. My heart beats erratically in my chest as I get closer. Then I see Rick on the ground in a puddle of blood, and my blood runs cold.
I blink rapidly and glance around as the guys all part for me, but I don’t see her. I don’t see Nat. Something inside of me trembles, and my body goes numb.
“Nat,” I say her name softly as I look at Rick.
“Ambulance is on the way, but Nat wasn’t here,” Hodge reports.
“Rick, you gotta tell me.”
“I don’t know who he was, Gunner. He stabbed me and grabbed her,” Rick mumbles as he winces in pain.
“What kind of car? What can you tell me?” I push, needing something. Anything. Someone took her. The world around me seems to spin as I try to wrap my head around that. Who the hell would take her? Why would they take her?
“He was smaller than you. Da- dark hair,” he cries as he lies there in pain.
“Okay. Just take it easy,” I tell him. Who do we have issues with right now? Who could have done this? Why? There are too many questions in my head, and I can’t get them all straight. I close my eyes and take a deep breath when someone rests a hand on my shoulder. I open my eyes to see Locke standing next to me.
“We’ll figure this out, Gunner. Then we’ll go all in and get your girl back.”
“We don’t have beef right now, Locke. Nothin’ brewin’ either.”
“I know. It doesn’t make any sense, but we’re gonna figure it out, brother.”
“She’s pregnant, for fuck’s sake! Who the hell kidnaps a pregnant woman!” I yell this time.
Everything else happens in slow motion. The cops, the ambulance, going to the hospital. It’s all too much. The next thing I know, I’m sitting in the damn waiting room while they work on Rick. If anything happens to him, Nat will lose it.
“You need to calm down,” Hodge tells me. I sit with my fists balled on my knees, ready to pounce at a moment’s notice.
“Really, Hodge? That’s what you’re gonna say to me right now?”
“You’re not doin’ her any good if you lose your shit, Dad.”
“I’m not doin’ any good sittin’ here either,” I remind him.
“Let Remy see what he can pull up off the feeds. The cops didn’t wanna do it because they figured Rick was just some homeless guy,” Hodge sounds pissed off when he tells me.
“He isn’t just some homeless guy.”
“I know that. That’s why Remy is lookin’ at the cameras in the neighborhood. There aren’t many, though.”
“Someone saw somethin’.”
“I’m sure they did. We’ll find out what they saw.”
“You got someone over there checkin’ with people?” I ask.
“Whip is. He’s talkin’ to anyone he can find.” I nod my head. Good. That’s good. I scrub my hand over my face before balling my fist back up. I can’t take this. If anything happens to her, I will fucking lose it. I will kill everyone in my path.
“It’s gonna be okay, Prez.” I look up at Locke as he stands in front of me.
“You remember when Kiki was in danger? The fear you felt? The anger?” I ask him. He sighs and nods his head.
“I wanted to gut anyone who gets in my path.”
“That’s exactly what I’m feelin’ right now, Locke. I will fuckin’ murder anyone who gets in my way of findin’ her.”
“I know you will, and we’ll be right there behind you,” he assures me. I nod my head and close my eyes, trying to think. Think of anyone or anything that’s happened recently. Anything that might have triggered this. Did I fucking do something to someone? Is this payback? Who though? Why?
“You’re not gonna find the answer, Dad. None of us know why.” I look over at Hodge and nod my head once more. That doesn’t stop me from thinking. I know he’s right. We don’t have any reason to believe this is a rival MC doing this. We haven’t had any issues with anyone lately or anyone that would do this.
The Doc finally comes out to tell us that Rick’s okay, and I immediately follow him down to his room. When I step inside, I’m not sure what I’ll find, but Rick is sitting up and awake.
“You okay?”
“No. You need to find her, Gunner. You need to find Nat.”
“I’m gonna find her. You good, though?”
“She couldn’t move when she heard his voice. She froze. She had to have known him, Gunner. It all happened so fast. I turned around, and he stabbed me and grabbed her. Fuck, there wasn’t anything I could do,” he says as tears fall down his cheeks.
“It’s not your fault, Rick.”
“Feels like it is. I should have done something more.”
“You were stabbed, man. Not much you could have done.”
“How are we going to find her, Gunner?”
“We’ll find her. Don’t worry. I got guys pullin’ camera feeds as we speak. We’ll find her, Rick.” I don’t know who the hell I’m trying to reassure him or myself.
“She’s all I have, Gunner.”
“You have us too, you know? You’re family now, but I get what you’re sayin’. Do you think this has anything to do with her family?” Rick shrugs and sighs.
“I don’t know. She doesn’t like talking about that, about them. I know as much as you do.”
“I’m gonna look into them too. See what I can find out about them.”
“She’s going to be okay, right?” I see the fear in his eyes, and there’s nothing I can do to help it. I have the same fear inside me right now. I can’t lose her. I don’t want to.
“She’s gonna be fine. We’re gonna find her.”