Chapter 7
Stealth
“Brother, didn’t think y’all would get here this soon,” I say as soon as Chaos hops down out of the driver’s side of the box truck.
“Yeah, well, when my mate heard what was going on because she was eavesdropping ,” he says, stressing his words while giving her a playful yet scathing look that has her mirthfully grinning from ear-to-ear, “we had no other choice. Where’s Nicole?”
“Hell, she should be back by now. She went into town for some pastries and coffee for everyone,” I reply.
“Oh, I bet she went to DeFilippos!” Tressa exclaims, while doing some crazy-ass dance with her arms up and fingers pointing to the sky. “God, I love her so much! Their muffins and donuts are freaking phenomenal.”
“How far away is it?” I question, still concerned about the fact she’s been gone for well over an hour now. This town isn’t big enough for the lines to be that long and the streets here are never congested.
“Uh, it’s just in town, so maybe a few minutes away… max, depending on traffic. How long ago did she leave?”
“Close to an hour and a half ago,” I answer, shuffling my feet.
“Something’s wrong, Chaos. It shouldn’t take her that long to go there, buy out the place, and come back,” Tressa insists, tears beginning to form in her eyes. “I mean, she won’t buy out the place exactly, but she’ll definitely get a decent variety of their awesome pastries. Please, can we go look for her, Chaos? Her being gone this long has me anxious.” When she admits that, my protective instincts roar inside of me. We can’t give her more time, we need to verify that she’s okay and no harm has come to her. And if it has, I’ll burn this motherfucking town to the ground until I locate her. Then the fucker who dared lay a finger on her, will wish for an easy death… which he won’t receive.
“I’ll take my bike, y’all take the truck. Wait, where are the rest of the brothers?” I ask.
“About an hour behind us at this point. Tressa just couldn’t wait, so Fox sent us on ahead of them because he said she was giving him a headache.”
“Hurry, please?” Tressa asks, moving toward the box truck. “Something’s not right, I can feel it.”
* * *
When Tressa hears the clerk say that Nicole left with Jeremy, she turns so pale that I worry she’s going to pass out. Since the clerk couldn’t say which direction they headed in, and Nicole’s vehicle isn’t in the parking lot, but it’s not at home either, we’re heading back to the house to come up with a game plan to find my mate. Personally, I’d be fine with driving around until I found her vehicle or scented her, but that’s not exactly logical, even if my wolf demands it is, because they could be in his vehicle for all I know. Neither is me shifting into my wolf so I can track her down using his senses, which was my other idea, as well as his. I try to soothe him so I can think clearly, him howling inside of my head isn’t helping matters. We’re both on edge and could snap in the blink of an eye if I’m not careful and give him my skin.
All I know is I feel my anxiety rising which is not normal for me. I may be a moody bastard most of the time, but I’m typically calm and laid back. When we pull into the parking lot, my wolf goes wild, instantaneously on high alert which has me wobbling and nearly has me laying my bike down instead of putting the stand down to stabilize it, shutting it off, then getting off like a normal person in control would.
“She’s been back,” I whisper, stalking toward her car which is now parked in her assigned spot. Looking inside to scan the contents, and to see if there’s been a struggle, I notice there are big bags full of various pastries, but the cup holder carrying the coffees has been knocked over and has spilled all over the interior. My heightened senses pick up her fear, as well as Jeremy’s rage-filled stench that’s always adhered to his person. “And she’s scared, but why?” I vocalize aloud.
When we get inside, I see two boxes have been reopened and realize that Jeremy was looking for something specific when he came into their house. Unfortunately, she’s not still here, although I’m picking up a metallic, coppery scent mixed in her essence, which means she’s hurt. My fists curl, my claws break through my skin, and I don’t even try to stop the howl that erupts past my lips; that fucker will die by my hands.
“She’s not here!” Tressa calls out from the back of the house, having checked all the rooms while I followed Nini’s scent. “But she’s been back inside, you said?” she asks, looking at me.
“Yes. I need to find her, she’s hurt,” I reply, heading toward the front door once again. I will find her, and I will eliminate the threat to her.
* * *
I’m riding through town, my head moving from side to side as I sniff and look for a vehicle that’s holding my mate. The downside is I have no fucking clue what the prick is driving, but I’m hoping our bond, while tenuous, will help guide me.
I will not fail.
I cannot fail.
Because if my screaming instincts are correct, Nicole is in imminent danger beyond the trifling that Jeremy started out with, and that can’t happen. Not before I’ve tasted her lips against mine. Not before I’ve felt her warm, wet heat wrapped around my cock. Not before I’ve spent the rest of my long lifetime showing her she’s the best treasure I could have ever hoped to find.
My phone rings through my helmet and I silently thank the makers of Bluetooth as I hit the button to connect the call. “Hello?”
“Brother, you wanna tell me why we just passed a vehicle that had a woman in the passenger seat who looked remarkably like Nicole, but none of our men are the drivers of said car?” Fox asks, sounding calm and collected, though I have an inkling he’s anything but if his sharp words are any indication.
“Where?” I bark out.
“Did you forget who the fuck you’re talking to, Stealth?”
“Sorry, Pres, Nicole’s missing, figured Chaos had informed you of that fact by now. Where did you see this car and what kind was it?”
“I knew there was something suspicious about that bullshit. Headed in the direction of Zephyr Hills. We’re turning around and going after her? We’re probably closer than you are, we can round ‘em up like cattle and ensure they go to the clubhouse,” he replies. “As far as the car, it’s one of those four-door hybrid pieces of shit?”
I chuckle, because unless it’s a Harley, Fox rarely pays attention to cage makes and models. If you were to ask him, we have four trucks at the clubhouse for those times when the prospects have to pick shit up in bulk. In reality, we’ve got two Tahoes, a Ford F-350 dually, and an old, rusted Chevy. But to him, they’re all trucks.
“Yeah, Pres, we’ll be right behind you because I’m unsure how far behind them I am at this point. I left Chaos and Tressa at Nicole’s place, though. I couldn’t wait because I have a bad feeling about the whole thing.”
“We’re on it, Brother. Keep it shiny side up,” he demands before disconnecting.
With a direction in mind, I hit the Bluetooth button and give the order, “Call Chaos.”
As soon as the call connects, I say, “Brother, Fox just called and for some strange reason, they’re headed in the direction of the clubhouse. Think you should lock things up and head there as well in case you’re needed.”
“Got it, Brother. We’ve got your back. Don’t do anything until I get there, I don’t want to miss out on the fun.” He’s making a joke, but I know it’s because he doesn’t want me to do anything foolish and get caught by a bystander or caught on camera when I rip the fucker’s head from his spinal cord.
“Won’t make promises I might not be able to keep, Chaos. However, my focus is getting Nini to safety, so if that means that fucker is on hold for a little bit, so be it.”
“We’ll be on the road shortly after I make sure everything’s locked up nice and tight,” he replies before disconnecting.
Once again, I’m left with my treacherous thoughts, which are swirling and becoming more dangerous by the second. First and foremost, after I’ve ensured that Nicole is safe and unharmed, Jeremy will be visiting our guest accommodations for some good, old-fashioned interrogation and ass whooping. I want to know what it was he was looking for, and why whatever it is, was placed at Nicole’s house in the first damn place. What the fuck is that prick involved in and is it going to cause issues for my mate?
Shaking my head, I increase my speed and head toward the interstate which will lead me home.