Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Later in the week, as I walked back into the garage from the compound waiting for the guy who wanted his car serviced, my phone rang. I pulled it out of my back pocket and hit Answer.
“Yo, bro, what’s shaking?”
“You’re lucky I’m even talkin’ to you.”
Laughing, I asked, “Are you still butthurt I didn’t get my first tattoo from you?”
“Who’s your blood brother?” Texas demanded.
“You. But you weren’t in town and Dragon was. I promise, the next one I get I’ll come to you in Ballarat for it.”
“You fuckin’ better. The reason I rang was to see if you wanted to come stay next weekend.”
“Aww, is my bro missing me?” I teased. Texas and I had always been close, and I was over-the-freaking-moon happy that we’d stayed that way even when he moved an hour away to live with the love of his life, Maya.
“Like a hole in the head,” Texas deadpanned, but I knew he was messing with me.
“Can you do another tattoo that weekend? I’ve always wanted a phoenix. It’ll look so cool on my thigh. What do you think?”
“We could make it work. Dodge and Low are comin’ too.” Texas never chose to call Dodge and Low Mum and Dad like I did. He was just that bit older than me when they took us in.
“Yay, family time with everyone. Maya will be home, right? I want to know all the gossip.” I gasped. “We should invite Julian over too. He knows everything about everyone.”
Texas sighed. “I’ll see, okay?”
“Wait, is Maya pregnant? Did you hear Channa is? I can’t wait until Channa has her baby.
How do you think Coyote will handle the birth?
” I laughed at the thought. These bikers were tough, but when it came to their partners being in pain, they didn’t do well.
“Hang on, back to Maya. Is she pregnant? Oh my God, imagine if she is and it’s at the same time as Channa.
That would be so cool. So, is she?” When he didn’t reply right away, I pressed, “Texas?”
“Jesus, Rom. Just come to Ballarat, yeah?” When he hung up, I gasped and stared down at my phone.
She’s pregnant, for sure.
That he didn’t say anything told me everything.
Maya was going to have a little baby.
Holy shit, I’m going to be an aunty.
I did a little happy dance.
“What are you doin’, kiddo?”
I squealed and spun to see Dad grinning like an idiot for scaring me.
Shit. I couldn’t say anything. I was sure I was right, but in case I wasn’t, I had to keep my lips sealed. Also, I was sure Texas and Maya wanted to tell Mum and Dad instead of hearing the news from me.
“Nothing,” I yelled.
His grin disappeared and his brows pinched. “Romania.”
Goddamn it. He full named me.
I was in trouble.
I had to lie.
“I was just, ah, sexting.” That should stop him from questioning anything.
He opened his mouth, closed it, and turned to march the other way.
Grinning, I pumped the air with my fist. All I ever had to do was talk about my period or sex and the guys would stop annoying or questioning me.
Giggling, I thought of the other day when I did give the brothers a speech at lunch about women bleeding from our vaginas.
There were a large number who paled, and I was sure Knife even heaved a little.
Good times. Good times.
“Rommy, there’s a customer here, and Low’s not at the desk,” a prospect called.
“I got it,” I told him, making my way to the office. It was probably for me anyway. As soon as I entered, my belly twisted with the heebie-jeebies from the guy looking my way. Maybe it was the greasy hair or the unkempt look or the way his gaze slowly ran up and down my body.
I stopped just inside the door. “Hi. How can I help you?”
“Romania Monroe, it’s a pleasure. I have my car booked in with you for a service.” His smile even put me off.
“Sure, no problem. Just leave the keys—”
“No.”
I jerked my head back. “What? Look, man, if you’re going to be a problem, you can get out of here or I’ll call in all the other employees to help you leave.” I wouldn’t mind kicking his ass too, but I didn’t want to touch him.
He smirked. “Sorry, I mean I’d prefer to give you the keys.” He reached into his pocket and pulled the set out, holding them my way in his gloved hand.
My skin itched at the thought of getting close.
I wanted to punch myself in the tit for accepting this job.
Never again would I think of money first.
Clenching my teeth, I moved closer and stretched my arm out. He dropped the keys into my palm and nodded towards the exit.
“Are you able to come out so I can ask about something on the car? I’m worried it’s not safe for my daughter, but she tells me I’m just being silly.”
Damn. This guy had a daughter he just wanted safe. I felt like a turd for judging him on the way he looked. There was a chance he didn’t have time for a shower that morning. It was early.
“Sure.” I nodded.
He dipped his head down. “Thank you.”
“After you,” I said and waited for him to move first. I followed slowly towards the white van.
A white van? Why would he give his daughter a white van?
I stilled.
Was there movement in the back?
Alarm bells went off in my mind.
As I took a step back, the man turned and smiled. “Please, it’s just the right-side wheel.” He stepped closer to me.
Run, run, run.
Before I could turn, his hand lifted, and he blew something in my face. I started choking and coughing, my eyes stinging. Doors opened, and hands grabbed me. I screamed and blindly kicked and punched.
I let out another scream and then heard, “Hey, leave her the fuck alone.” Dad was there.
A cloth slapped over my mouth and nose, a car started, and I was lifted, still struggling.
I heard Dad’s sharp “Hawks!” before I was shoved into the van. “Rommy!” Dad roared.
I wanted to yell, to call out, but I was losing the fight, slowly fading.
“Go—”
“What about you?”
“Just go.”
A door shut, and the last thought I had before passing out was how pissed Dad was going to be.
* * *
Dodge
“No!” I roared, my feet pounding gravel as I ran across the car park to get my girl out of that fucking van. Brothers surrounded me, all fighting to get there in time.
The door to the van slammed shut, and my gut dropped as it took off.
“Fuck,” I screamed. “Follow,” I ordered, panic clear in my sharp tone.
They’d left one behind. He was headed for another car.
“Dodge, you get to Low. Let us handle it,” Dive suggested, throwing a hand towards Low’s car coming in.
Fuck. Fuck!
I kept running for the cunt left behind. He’d have the answers I’d need. Other brothers sped out on their rides after the van.
Pick closed in on the guy at the car. The fucker turned, door open, Taser in hand. Before I could shout a warning, he fired at Pick, who shook and went down.
The guy slipped into the car just as Dive and I reached him. I punched through his window, grabbing at him. He started driving, and I ran to keep up, but each time I had a hold of him, he got loose.
“Dodge, let go,” Dive shouted.
I made one last effort, but the car was going too fucking fast. I fell to the ground.
“We’re on him,” Knife called from his bike. He and Beast sped out of the parking lot to follow him.
I dropped to my back, staring up at the sky, tears clouding my vision.
Failed.
I’d fucking failed at protecting my girl.
Darkness clouded my vision, and I roared up at the damned sky, my chest shattering open and leaving me hollow.
“Trey?” I hadn’t heard the fear in Low’s voice for so fucking long.
Locking my shit down, I stumbled to my feet as Low stopped in front of me. She gripped my tee and shook her head, tears welling, bottom lip trembling. “Tell me it ain’t true. Tell me, Trey. Tell me!”
“I couldn’t stop them, little bird.” An invisible fist punched me in the chest. “They got her.”
“No.” She shook her head before pushing her face against my chest and breaking. Her sob had my throat thickening. I held her to me.
We’ll get her back. I promise. And anyone who’s fucking touched her will pay in pain.
But I couldn’t get the words out.
Fuck.
Fucking hell.
I wrapped Low up in my arms. “We’ll get her back,” I managed, jaw clenching. Drawing in a deep breath, I once again locked my emotions down. Over her shoulder, I ordered. “Dive, ring Talon. I want everyone here.”
“You got it,” my brother said.
As I heard Dive on the phone, I pulled Low back and swiped at her cheeks. I clenched my jaw again at the anguish in her gaze.
My beautiful woman went to her toes and cupped my cheeks, kissing me lightly. “She’ll be fine.” She was trying to reassure me. I nodded. “We prepared her well for this type of shit.”
“We did.” Our girl could handle herself. She knew how to fight. She knew how to handle a weapon. But even knowing all that wouldn’t clear the fear slamming into me over and over. “She’ll be okay,” I said.
Low’s gaze welled again. “She will.”
A throat cleared, and I looked to Dive. “Talon and the brothers are comin’. They’re bringin’ Texas.”
I nodded and curled Low under my arm as she wound both of hers around my waist. “I need to be near the phones in case one of the brothers calls.”
She nodded. “Let’s get inside then.”
“The women will be here soon too.”
Low whimpered. Yeah, she’d need her friends’ support like I had my brothers’.
Together, we’d handle this. Together, we’d find those fucking motherfuckers and destroy them.