Chapter 9
Chapter
Nine
Race was curious as hell about what was going on, and Nolan was being weirdly and suspiciously quiet.
They’d let us know if we were riding into a trap, right?
Of course they would. This is Rye and War, not some random information gatherer.
Okay. He could go with that. And Con looked amazing on his bike. So he got to see that, at least. It just seems weird that Nolan wouldn’t talk to me.
He’s probably still at the house where you left him, love. So he was just relaying the message.
Maybe. Race had that itch, though. Something was up.
Con turned a corner ahead of him, but glanced back. You’re worried.
I have a feeling.
As soon as we get close, I’ll call War and Rye this way.
All right. He’d say he was just being silly, but he wasn’t. At all.
I never think you’re silly.
He believed that. Con had his back.
Thanks, Bear. I just have an itch, hmm?
I respect the itch. Okay, I can feel the brothers. Let me loop you in, War? Are we coming into a trap?
No. No, we just need to talk somewhere private, and I don’t want this rabbit in our territory.
Okay. We’re almost at the Hogg.
Race hoped that was true, but he wasn’t sure what was wrong with Robbie that War didn’t want him around.
That’s more that we don’t want predators following anyone in accidentally.
Ah, I see. Well, he’d be happy to move on, I bet, Race put in.
I think he’s waiting for his family to get here and take him home.
Good. We’re coming in. Con parked his bike, and Race followed his lead, the neon sign with the pig shining on them from above.
They nodded at the bouncer, and Con got a huge hug. He got a nod, but that was okay.
He wasn’t much of a hugger.
They headed inside, where a very tense Quin sat at the bar waiting for them.
Nolan hurried in right behind them.
“Sorry I went radio silence, Race. I was on my way here.”
“Do you know what’s going on?”
Nolan shook his head. “Not at all.”
“Okay.” He let Nolan link arms with him, and they moved to sit at the bar. “Spill it, Quin.”
“Robbie was telling me about his capture. I thought you needed to hear it.” Quin’s eyes were serious as hell.
“Well, here we are,” Con said, glancing at him, looking a little worried.
“Go on to the back. He’s waiting with War and Rye.”
Okay yeah. Race and Nolan walked together with Con bringing up the rear, watching their backs for them. He didn’t think they were walking into anything, but he still had this terrible itch. Connal’s hand moved over his back, just making sure he understood someone was there.
War and Rye sat in a pair of lawn chairs in the back room, with Robbie ensconced in Quin’s desk chair. Quin didn’t encourage people to linger back there so that was why there was only the one chair.
The brothers climbed to their feet when Race and Nolan walked in. Race glanced back and forth between them and Robbie. “Okay so look I can’t stand the suspense. What the fuck is going on?”
“Right? Rye? Why wouldn’t you tell me what was happening? You just made me drive here by myself, worried the whole way.” Nolan marched over to Ryder and poked a finger at his chest.
“Sorry, babe, but you have to hear this. It’s important.”
Race frowned at Nolan, then stood. “Robbie, start talking. Now.”
Robbie nibbled his lower lip with his prominent front teeth, then sighed. “So I was telling Quin about my capture, right?”
“Yeah?”
“One of the guys — he was a sweet guy when no one was there — he helped me. He was being drugged, and he couldn’t shift. I felt so bad for him.”
Race was going to kill this bunny. “Uh-huh.”
“Would you get to the point?” Con snapped. “This isn’t a movie monologue.”
“Sorry. Sorry. He was a black bear shifter, and he said his name was Milo. Quin said I had to tell you.”
Race stopped, blinked, and Nolan sat, actually missing the chair and hitting the floor.
“Fuck me.”
“Are you sure?”
“That’s what he said. And he… now that I started thinking about it, he looks like you. A lot.”
Milo had disappeared years ago, and they’d been searching for him forever, but there hadn’t been a single hint. They’d hoped he was safe somewhere, just too proud and too free to come back to their dysfunctional old stomping ground.
But what if he’d been chained up all this time? The thought made Race nauseated.
Nolan sat there, pale and shaking. “I can’t believe this.”
“I—” He groped out to find his brother’s hand again. “We have to find him. I have to go back to the warehouse. You guys wait here.”
“No! We can’t go off half-cocked.” Nolan held on hard.
“He’s right.” Con stared at him. “We’re in this together.”
“I can’t just leave him there!” he snapped.
“No. Of course not.” That was Warrick. “But we need a plan.”
“Yes. Listen to Warrick, brother. We need a plan.”
“A plan got Connal shot.”
Con glared at him. “I have to believe they were gunning for you, love. That this was a set up.” Con flapped a hand at Robbie.
“Of course it was a set up! I’m an elementary school teacher! Who wants me? This is obviously someone else’s fault.”
“Yeah, kiddo, but I mean more specifically, it was meant to get Race. Whoever this is, they want him too.”
“And maybe Nolan,” Race bit out. “He would be too worried to let me disappear without looking.”
“Honey,” Con stared at him. “They tried to get Nolan, remember?”
“I know! But I mean again.” He bared his teeth at Con.
Con scooped him up in a hard hug. “We’re not giving these fucking assholes a shot at you.”
He stiffened, wanting to fight or run for a long moment. Then he collapsed against his mate, clinging. “I don’t want you hurt again. You or Nols.”
“And no one wants you hurt, but there are five of us, Race. And we’re fierce.”
“Yeah.” Okay, sure. He just wasn’t used to being part of a we.
He hadn’t been in a we for a long, long time.
And that had been family, not a lover and family. A mate. He was still reeling from that.
Connal’s arms were strong around him, refusing to let him go. “We’ll make a plan, and we’ll go get him.”
Race nodded. “All of us.”
That was what was important, he supposed. Being together.
Hell, no, what was important was getting his brother. Maybe if he could do that, then he could rest a minute, not take every job, not have this immense guilt all the time.
It would be worth it. To be a family again. To know Milo was safe.
So he took a deep breath. “Okay. Well, the clock is fucking ticking. I don’t want him there a moment longer than he has to be. So let’s make this plan.”
Warrick nodded, lips tight. “Robbie, I need to know everything you know. From the second you were taken to now. Every single thing you remember, every place you were…”