I gave him a firm handshake and a pat on the back. My legs were cemented to the ground as I watched him pull out of the roller doors. My stomach clenched. This was bad. Very bad.
I saw Tally standing in the doorway that led from the garage to the clubhouse. His face was pale and his eyes wide, his hand clenching his cell so tightly I thought it might snap in half.
“No,” I muttered, shaking my head as I forced myself to move, my stomping echoing in the large space. “Fucking no,” I said, pointing at him sharply. “Don’t fucking tell me, Tally.”
“She’s gone, Brother.”
The ride up north to Athens took a lot less time than usual. All but two club members and two prospects had joined me and we’d flown down the roads. My Harley pushed to its limit and my Brothers’ right beside me. I tried not to let anger and urgency cloud my vision as I rode, but it was inevitable. The thoughts of what that asshole was doing to Harmony playing over and over in my head like a fucking horror movie.
I knew Daniel was after Harmony because he had a buyer for her, and with the amount of money that was placed on the table, God only knew who this guy was. If we didn’t move fast enough, she could be shipped out of the country before I could even sneeze. If that was the case, my hopes of finding her were slim to none.
I’d just found Harmony. I knew it was ridiculous, but after a few weeks with her, I’d found something I didn’t know I’d wanted before. This wasn’t just about some asshole taking something that I claimed belonged to me, it was about them taking something that I knew I would never find again.
Fucking love!
Optimus was waiting out the front for us. Chelsea, Harmony’s best friend clutched to his side with tears streaming down her cheeks and looking completely devastated. Optimus bent so his mouth was at her ear. She nodded and he kissed her on the forehead. She detangled from him and walked back inside, wiping her eyes and holding her chin a little higher.
As I walked toward my Brother, I briefly heard her yell at whoever was inside to get off their lazy asses and get things sorted for the visitors. If Optimus ever decided to stop looking at the past and start thinking about his future, she would make a good Old Lady.
Optimus gripped my hand and pulled me in. We patted each other on the back before separating. I watched as my Brothers all parked their bikes, stretching as they climbed off.
“Church,” Optimus called. They all looked up and nodded.
I followed Optimus inside, club girls and prospects scattered, cleaning up as they went. Chelsea was still throwing orders around. She caught my eye and I stopped as she came around the bar to stand in front of me.
“I’m sorry, Kit,” she said sadly.
I hadn’t spent much time with Chelsea, but Harmony talked about her constantly so I knew she would be hurting just as much as I was. I hooked my arm around her neck and pulled her to my chest. “Not your fault,” I told her quietly. She gave me a squeeze and stepped back with a small nod and tears trickling down her cheeks.
Optimus’ crew already crowded Church, some of the Brothers stood to let my VP, Loose and my SAA, Tally take a seat next to me. Mix stood behind me. I needed him close. He knew the most out of all of us about what the hell was going on. His info could be significant.
“What have we got so far?” Optimus asked, eying his boy, Wrench.
“They were headed to the college to pick up some shit for Harm’s classes. One van cut them off, the other behind them. Our boy slammed on his breaks, said Harm’s belt broke and she hit the dash. They pulled them both out and beat the crap out of him and took off with her,” Wrench explained, his voice tight as he stared down the table.
I followed his gaze and found the little prick, Target, bashed and bruised sitting at the end of the table.
“Him?” I pointed but stared at Wrench. He nodded. “Why the fuck was he anywhere near my girl?”
“I was giving her a ride because no one else could,” the punk offered and I didn’t miss the cocky tone in his voice.
I slammed my palm on the table, finding Optimus with a glare. “Then she doesn’t fucking go.”
“We can’t change what’s done, Kit. We don’t need a lecture, we need a plan,” Loose offered, cooling the air in the room. “Is there anything else we know that might help?”
I gestured to Mix and he briefly went over what we knew about Daniel Ashley. Who he was, what he did, and what kind of people he dealt with.
I pulled the dirty piece of paper from my pocket and slid it across the table to Wrench. “That’s Daniel’s phone number. Our guy from the Lifers, Mansel, he dealt with the asshole a few days back. Sold him some Rohypnol.”
“Roofies?” Leo asked, his eyes wide.
I nodded. “Yeah, Mansel deals with top-end clients who want anonymity. Daniel told Mansel he had some business up here and needed it quick smart.”
“Fuck me,” Optimus groaned.
“I’ll get on this number. Hopefully, we can track him down,” Wrench said as he threw his chair back and stormed from the room.
“Guess, we just wait,” Tally stated.