A phone lands in my hand and I dial the Tennessee State Police branch since I don’t have his number memorized. “I need to speak to Sergeant Whitlock.” I wait while the operator connects me.
“Whitlock,” he answers.
“Colton was a part of the attacks on Sydney. Find Lydia and the kids, make sure they are safe. He and his boss are after Sydney, and they could be going after Lydia next,” I tell him.
“Fuck,” he yells into the phone and the line goes dead.
“What did we miss?” Wes asks.
“Did you meet Lydia and her two kids at the party?” I ask him and the others. “Colton Rorke is Lydia’s soon-to-be ex-husband. He was with the men who attacked Sydney, which means he’s known she was alive this whole time. He’s got to be the one who vandalized her car and sent the bloody rhino to her.”
“What does that have to do with your girl?” Wes asks, and it all clicks into place.
“She must have witnessed them kill a rhino.” And she killed Bahati to save herself and Mari. The look in her eyes makes sense now. She was protecting me. They must have threatened me. “Wes, get the guys ready. I’m going after my girl. She thinks she can run to protect me, but she’s sorely mistaken.”
I move out of the jobsite as Wes hangs up with Carter.
“Where are you going?” someone asks from behind me.
“To find my girl.”
Wes runs up and I climb into the passenger side of his Escalade. My father is in my truck and follows us. I know that Cobi will get to Sharon. I also know that Whitlock will get to Lydia and her kids. I need to find my girl. I’m not sure she knows about Colton, but she is in more danger than she can imagine. Wes’s phone rings before we get to the clubhouse.
“My guy Timothy ran his facial rec gear. He found her checking into a motel in Nashville under an alias. She paid with cash. I’m on my way there. See you soon.” Carter hangs up before I can get a word in.
We get to the clubhouse, where I leave everyone behind to go to her by myself on my bike. If we all rolled out, that would give away where she’s hiding. But when I get to my girl, I’m going to spank her ass red for pulling this shit.
CHAPTER13
SYDNEY
The motel is dingy, and I won’t put Mari down on the floor. She’s fussing from her playpen, mad at me, but the thought of what she could be crawling or toddling on makes my stomach roll. I’m only staying here for the night until I can get to a bank tomorrow to withdraw more cash to get us away. I hated leaving my car behind, but I knew with Tucker having me followed the bus was the best way to get away from them. I don’t know who he has following me, but I saw him when the bus pulled away. He was sitting on a bike watching my car as he talked on the phone. I could make out his bright blue eyes when he lifted his glasses. His dark hair was a bit longer than Tucker’s and he had a beard and mustache. He was handsome and not one of the guys from the Broken Eagles that I’ve seen before. I don’t know how I knew he was the one following me except for the fact he was watching my car, but he looked like someone Tucker would know. His body was ripped with muscles under his Henley. He had an air of military to him, like most of the Broken Eagles.
I pull the burner phone from my bag to call my mom so she knows I’m safe at least. I’ll have her pack up my house and put it on the market. I left a letter for her to give to Tucker. My heart hurts thinking about how much I’m going to miss him. A knock sounds on the door before I can dial her number. I walk over to look out the peephole, and my head hits the door. How the hell did he find me?
“Open the door, spitfire.”
I step back and release the chain before I twist the knob to open it. He pushes inside and slams the door.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” He demands.
“Dada, Dada.” Mari coos from her playpen. He strolls over to her and picks her up.
He holds her to his chest and takes a deep breath.
“Come here,” he growls, and I move toward him. He wraps me close and holds both of us tight. “Thought I fucking lost you both. I can’t do that ever again.”
“What do you mean?” I pull back.
“Someone torched your house.”
“What?” His words don’t make sense.
“Some idiots torched your house. I had Cobi come to the jobsite and tell me. I thought you both were dead. I can’t do that again. Baby, will you finally tell me what you’ve been hiding from me this whole time?” I look up and see Mari is asleep in his arms.
“I killed her father,” I say so soft I’m not sure he can hear me. “I’m a murderer.”
“No, you’re not. You did it to protect yourself, didn’t you?”