Chapter 17
Worley
Sleep was not my friend last night. Every time I dozed off, I was drowning in her brown eyes. I’m a grown man. Scratch that. I’m way past grown. I’m old enough that a woman’s eyes should affect me like this. How did it happen? Why did it happen? I’m losing my freaking mind.
Maci brought me pancakes and bacon for breakfast, along with a fresh-brewed cup of coffee.
I love my Goddaughter, but I was a little disappointed it wasn’t Nina.
She and her sister were still cooking. Apparently, Skylar woke up hungry this morning and asked for another pancake.
Lauren went overboard with excitement and made enough to send to the clubhouse.
Those guys and Kayla aren’t complaining.
Mack sits at his desk, going over Skylar’s file. I stand behind him, like always, watching over him. Only today, my eyes roam to the woman sitting across the desk. Nina glances at me from time to time. I don’t look away. A smile tugs at my lips every time her cheeks pinken a little.
A light knock comes on the door. Mack lays the file on the desk. Nina turns in her chair to face the door. Coty’s eyes meet mine. We all know who it is. I nod. He opens the door for our club's Queen.
“Love.” Mack stands and holds an arm out for her.
“Morning, everyone.” She slides under Mack’s arm and kisses his cheek.
“You…”
Nanny swats his chest. “Don’t say I should be resting. I’ve rested. I need to do something.”
“Okay.” Mack gives in. “But if it becomes too much.”
“I promise to leave.” She kisses his cheek again and sits in the chair beside Nina. “How’s our angel?”
“She connected with Maci and Ember, but still hasn’t opened up.” Nina sighs and adds, “Probably won’t for a while.”
“May I see her file?” Nanny holds her hand out. Mack slides the file to her.
“You wanted to talk to me before we talk next steps with her.” Mack folds his hands together on the desk.
“Yeah.” Nina glances at me and back at Mack. “I don’t think she’s mentally stable enough to be on her own. Wherever we send her, she’s going to need a really strong support system.”
“We’ll work that in somehow. Has she mentioned having family somewhere her abuser doesn’t know about?” Mack asks.
Nina shakes her head. “Not to me. Maci and Ember would have told me if she said anything to them.”
Maci and Ember know everything about Ariel’s Angels. A location is important. They would pass something like that along to one of us.
Mack turns to Shep. “She say anything to you?”
“Nope. Not a word. She told April, the helper I picked her up from, that she wanted another woman. We could get one in time. April said we needed to move fast. Skylar cried, but she got in my truck. She only nodded or shook her head when I guessed at food or drink to get for her when we stopped for gas. Not that she ate or drank much.” Shep drops his head.
He’s as lost on this one as the rest of us.
“She misses her mom,” Nina says. “She told the girls last night that she hasn’t seen her mother in over a year.”
He isolated her. It’s one of the first things an abuser does. They make the victims feel like they have no one who loves them.
“You see more.” I hate putting her on the spot like this. She wouldn’t have asked for this meeting if she didn’t.
Nina nods at me and turns back to Mack and Nanny.
“She needs to be under a doctor’s care and soon.
The broken arm needs monitoring. The bones broke at an angle.
They could slide and require surgery to reset them.
She may need medication for her mental and emotional state.
I’m not ruling out the possibility of a few weeks in a hospital either. ”
Nanny places her hand on Nina’s arm. “That’s still not everything you see.”
Nina closes her eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath. She places her left hand over Nanny’s on her arm. “Without testing, it’s just guesses.” Nanny nods that she understands. “She’s underweight. She’s twenty-two and looks more like Everly than Maci and Ember.”
The room goes still for a moment. Nanny’s eyes meet Mack’s. Twenty-two is an age that hits the McLeods hard. Maci is twenty-two and doesn’t know we’re watching her closely, even while she’s at college. We did the same for Harley. Ariel was twenty-two when we lost her.
Nanny breaks the silence. “He withheld food from her.”
It’s not a question. Everyone in the room knows it.
“I think so. She’s malnourished. I was afraid she was dehydrated, too.
Maci convinced her to drink mostly Gatorade last night.
Fluids with an IV would’ve been faster, but I didn’t suggest it.
She won’t let anyone touch her.” Nina points to the file in Nanny’s hand.
“The photos in there show old wounds. This has been going on for a while.”
Shep’s phone dings. He reads the text and snaps his head up. “It’s an SOS.” His phone rings seconds later. “Yeah?” His eyes lock with Mack’s. “She’s still here.” He listens for a moment. He growls and clenches his other hand into a fist. “I’ll tell Mack.”
“He hunting her?” I ask.
Shep nods. “He tried. Went to her mother’s house. Neighbors saw him lurking around and called 911. Cops got there after he kicked the door in.”
“He hurt her mother, too?” Mack slams his fist on the desk.
“Dylan didn’t say. But due to the circumstances, they’re bringing her mother here, too. They’ll be here in two days. I’ll call Drake in Utah and get all the info on this case,” Shep offers.
Yeah, we need everything we can get on this one. We’ve never had an angel and her mother. Kids? Lots of times. This is definitely a first.
“Is he back in jail?” If he’s not, I’m going to Utah and hunt Austin Miller down myself.
“Sadly, no,” Shep replies. “He was gone when the cops arrived.”
“Shep, call Drake. We need details and facts. We can’t guess on this one.” Shep slips into the hall to make the call. Mack looks over his shoulder at me. “Put the club on high alert. I don’t trust this guy. None of the ladies leaves club property without an escort.”
Nanny and Nina glance at each other. Neither protests our President’s orders. This guy may not show up here, but both ladies know the danger we could face if he does.
“I’ll call Nick. He can get his brother to help me watch the cameras,” Coty suggests.
Mack nods. Coty follows Shep out the door.
“Maci and Ember leave for college this afternoon. We’ll double their security for a few days.” I doubt they’re in danger from Miller, but the extra security will ease everyone’s mind.
Nanny silently mouths the words ‘thank you’ to me.
“Nina, see if Lauren will stay with you and Skylar at The Haven House for a few days since she’s connected with both you.
Don’t mention her mother coming just yet.
Let the helpers get her closer to Tennessee first.” Mack looks up at me again.
“You wanna stay on guard duty or let the prospect switch it out?”
“I have The Haven House. Let the prospects help Jay and Coty watch the fence line.” I give my best friend a firm nod. There’s no way in the world I’m letting anyone else guard that house.
I feel her watching me and meet her gaze. Her expression is unreadable. Hopefully, mine shows her that I’m not letting anyone hurt her again.