16. Tyke
16
TYKE
"Got a job for you." Hand to Minion's back, I guide him away from his conversation with Rigs and into a quieter corner of the room. "Take ten to recharge, and then I want you and Kane to work through this laundry list."
The fucker’s only just ridden in, a permanent scowl etched between his eyes as he downs a bottle of fresh water to rehydrate. Two and a half hours of riding around town, stopping by our known allies on the street, and he's no wiser to Maddie's movements than we were last night.
Nobody’s seen Fox, and nobody’s seen her. It’s as though they’ve vanished into thin air.
Minion glances down as I press the hastily scribbled piece of paper into his palm. "What is this?"
“Properties Connor thinks are most likely to be used for holding someone.” I glance across at the small group of members in house and bury the weight of their curious stares for later. “I want you to take him with you as well.”
"Connor?" Minion asks, face screwed into picture-perfect confusion. "What for?"
“Don’t trust he won’t head off somewhere else while you do this,” I confess. “Don’t trust this isn’t a diversion.”
His lip snarls, eyes hard as he growls, “It was Terry behind this, then?”
I shake my head, noting my brother as he exits the office. There’s an unwelcome weight in my chest, seeing the evidence of how I got the fucking list. A strange grief at taking a man so broken and hurting him further for no other reason than saving time.
Time that ticks by anyway.
Possibly toward my daughter’s death.
If I’d left Connor to his devices, he would have withheld the locations until he’d had his fill of Rae, and even then, I couldn't guarantee he wouldn't give out the information bit by bit to ensure he had reason to keep coming back here to see her. I couldn't do that to Rae, and I couldn't do that to Maddie.
I need both my girls safe, and I need it fucking done yesterday.
“Not Terry directly.” I lick my bottom lip and roll my teeth over the flesh. “He’s usin’ Fox.”
My enforcer doesn’t say a word—his eyes do it for him as he glances to where his daughter converses with Harvey near the newly lit fire. “And what are you goin’ to do?” He settles his attention back on me. “While Kane and I ride town looking for her?”
“Make sure we got support when Terry catches wind of what we’re doin’.” Can’t imagine the fucker’s going to take too kindly to us trespassing when the news gets back to him.
Which it will. Town this small, it’s only a matter of time.
He's undoubtedly heard we've been crawling the streets, which gives him more of an advantage than I'd like.
“I’m taking Rigs with me for backup. Hammer and Turnip are meeting as we speak and starting on their list. They’ve got the rural run. I gave you boys the shit around town—businesses, residences, and all that.”
The places Kane knows well.
With a single nod, his jaw tight, Minion strides toward my oldest son, collecting Kane for the job he was born to do.
I hate that my kids follow in my footsteps. Hate that I get the inkling the boy will do it better. But I know that Kane gets answers—especially from men more his age—and what I need now is a fucking explanation of where my goddamn daughter is.
And why.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Digger balls the wipe in his fist and folds his arms across his chest.
“That I’m losing my fuckin’ touch, brother.”
His upper lip curls in disdain—attention on Kane and Minion as they head for the office to collect our guest. "Think we all feel as useless as one another right about now."
"I should have her here," I growl, my finger pointing at the floor before me. "Maddie should be home by now, Dig."
"And she will be." He nods tightly. "I got a good feelin' about it this time."
“Why?” I scoff. “Because we brought Connor to fuckin’ tears? Kid’s in there right now ruing the day he was fuckin’ born.”
Digger shrugs, face passive and unaffected by the emotional beating he served the heartbroken fucking kid. “He needed reminding who’s in charge.”
"Yeah." I laugh, short and bitter. "It ain't us." I look him over from head to toe. He commands the room through mystery and cool, calm poise. My brother's the kind of motherfucker you just can't read, and it's that unpredictability that puts his adversaries at odds with him.
Me? I’m as easy to read as an open book.
“You think I’m goin’ soft, brother?”
Humor sneaks into the creases beside his eyes. “Come again?”
"Soft," I bark. "You think I'm too soft on these fuckers?" I sigh. "Wanted to run this club differently from the old man, but some days I wonder if he was a devil out of necessity rather than spite."
“He was a devil because he didn’t value human life,” Digger snaps. “You do.”
“Maybe too much,” I muse. “Maybe to the detriment of the lives I hold most precious.”
“You look like shit,” he says carefully after a moment of silence. “You get any sleep last night?”
“About as much as you.” I saw the low lamp light. Recognized the patterns of my brother when I made a late-night run to the kitchen for a fucking drink. Not that it helped settle me down.
Contemplated going to Rae’s room to get some relief. To tire myself out. But walked the other fucking way when it occurred to me I’m not the man she deserves right now.
What kind of fucker would I be if I gave myself over to temptation when my daughter is God knows where? I get that rest is what I need to keep my head clear, my mind sharp, and my decisions fair and just, but shit—laying in my warm bed like a fucking king doesn’t sit right when she could be fighting for her next breath.
Fucking her best friend senseless sat right even less.
I need my goddamn princess home. I needed it yesterday.
“You seen Rae since you walked out?” Digger’s gaze searches the room. “Wanna make sure she’s okay.”
"I haven't. No." I run my eye over the room, stomach clenching when I fail to find any sign of our woman. "Check upstairs and let me know how you get on." My keys bite into my hand as I jerk them from my pocket. "I got something to do."
“Share.” Digger’s eyes narrow.
I rub a hand over my neck, ending with it gripped tight on my nape. "Promised Deo that I'd update him on what we're doing to bring Maddie back."
“Fuck’s sake.” He jerks his head in tight disagreement. “You can do that with a phone, dickhead.”
“The kid cares about her, Dig. Besides,” I say, surveying his reaction as I do. “I want to talk to Marco again.”
“What about?”
I press my tongue to the back of my teeth and steel my jaw. “We remove Terry, we get stuck fixing the void we create, right?”
Digger nods.
“What if it ain’t us who gets rid of the problem?”
His eyes narrow. “You think Marco would step in and fuckin’ kill him? And for what? Control of Terry’s business?”
“Maybe.” I shrug. “Don’t know unless I ask.”
"They're fucking hours away," he points out. "You got that time to waste today when it could be put to better use? Out there, looking for Maddie?"
My chest tightens, rage coiled in the taut muscle of my jaw. I fucking know I could be feet on the ground, tires on the road, searching for my baby girl. But my loyalty is to this club as much as it is to family. What kind of leader would I be if I left us vulnerable while stirring up shit with our biggest adversary?
"Marco has the family in town," I correct. "Stayed here last night when the witch pitched a fit. Marco only agreed because Deo wanted to be close, too."
“I don’t like it.” He runs a hand over his head, stepping back a pace. “That fucker doesn’t do anything for free.”
“Cost I’m willing to pay.” I shrug. “It’s legit, Dig. At the very least, I need to know he can keep an eye on Terry while we’re out of town next week.”
“We’re still goin’ to the rally?” Digger’s eyes shoot wide. “With all that’s goin’ on?”
“Especially with all that’s goin’ on.” I lift a hand to stall his protest. “I know—fuckin’ timing couldn’t be worse, but this shit also reinforces why I gotta go. I need to talk to the others. I need more clubs on side if we’re to put an end to this shit with Terry. We all know it’ll start a war, brother. We don’t have the numbers for that.”
“And what if Maddie’s still missing by the time the rally comes around?” My baby brother asks carefully. “You think you could do that? Ride two days away when Maddie is fuck knows where?”
Shoulders jumping, I avoid his concern and stare at the exposed steel on the toe of my boot. Need to replace the fucking things. “ If she’s still gone, then I know I’ve got men I trust with my life lookin’ after hers.”
Maddie would understand. I got to believe that; otherwise, a father could go mad with the worry.
I also have to believe that we'll have her home by then.
Red River ain't the largest town by any means, but when you're hiding a slip of a girl amongst thousands of buildings and properties, some spanning hundreds of hectares in size, then that's a fucking colossal haystack and a tiny little needle.
I’m a goddamn realist as much as I’m a father.
If I get my hopes up and expect her to walk in with her brother and Minion, or Hammer and Turnip, in the next few hours, then it makes it hard to think straight when she doesn't.
I need a clear head, and keeping myself expecting the worst is how I fucking do that.
Let surprises be just that—surprises. Good ones.
Let Maddie’s return feel every bit as if I’d earned it.
Digger glances toward the stairs, fingers tapping a steady beat against his thigh. "You want me to come with to see Marco?" He meets my eye, his frown deep. "Rae will be okay for a while."
"Nah, brother." I set my hand on his shoulder. "I'd rather you were here with her." Doing what I can't. "Besides, I'm takin' Rigs."
Not sure I could even look Rae in the eye after what I did. She came to us for help, to get away from the fucker scraping himself off my office floor, and I sold her out for a glimpse of personal gain.
May as well wrap her up in a bow and deliver her to Terry’s door while I’m at it.
Minion emerges from the office, Connor tucked behind his left shoulder, my boy bringing up the rear. I steel my jaw, hold my fucking head high, and stare down that messed up kid as he walks out our door. He wanted to play games; he got them. More fool him if he thought bringing us information would put us in his debt. We don’t owe Connor a thing—the fucking kid’s lucky he’s alive after the stunts he pulled in the past.
His redemption comes later when my daughter is back where she belongs, and Rae can walk the streets without fear.
Even then, the man is a menace. A liability and a threat. As long as he loves what he can no longer have, he’ll never stop.
I know I wouldn’t.