He finished off his glass of whiskey, letting out a sigh as the burn traveled down his throat. “What do you think, Bishop?” he asked.
“Me?”
“Yeah.”
“About what?”
Preacher laughed. “Finding Robin. Do you think it’s a dead end or do you think I should keep looking?” He really didn’t give a fuck what his son thought, or anyone else for that matter. The last person to talk shit about Robin as just being some pussy, he’d cut out their tongue and made them swallow it. Of course, he’d then killed the person but only after using the time to amuse himself hurting them.
He’d killed a lot of people in his search for Robin.
Too many.
Some, he just had to kill because they’d been so fucking stupid to let her go. In the first month, their leads hadn’t been pointless. From one of the many hotel stops Reaper made, there was security footage. The man behind the counter had claimed it looked more like a father-daughter argument than a kidnapping.
Preacher had seen the footage and killed the guy behind the desk. Robin had been screaming for help. Begging the guard to call a guy named Preacher. Telling him the Twisted Monsters MC would come for her.
They’d never gotten the call. Reaper had paid the guy and left. Useless dead ends. Wasted time. It was what he had to deal with, constantly, never giving up hope.
“What do you want to do?”
“Don’t you have a brain cell in your head? I know what I want to do, I’m curious about you.”
“You’ve got to keep looking,” Bishop said. “You know, in case you find her.”
“And if she’s dead, what should I do?”
“You can’t do anything. She’s dead.”
“You know, considering she’s your best friend, you’ve been able to handle this really fucking well,” Preacher said. “Don’t you miss her?”
“Of course, but I can’t allow myself to dwell. I know Robin wouldn’t have wanted that.”
“Preacher, she’s my little girl. You know I want to find her more than anything. I miss her so much and I can’t stand the thought of that bastard being out there with her, hurting her. We all know what Reaper is doing to her, but … we’ve got to learn to let shit go. It’s no longer been a few hours or a few months. We’re talking two years.”
The anniversary of when she was taken had passed a few days ago. No one else had said anything or maybe not even realized it, but he did. Another day of his failing.
Holding out his glass for another refill, Preacher didn’t argue with Bear.
Bear had given up long ago. There was no point in even asking his opinion. He truly believed Robin was dead. Why would he believe anything different? He didn’t know Reaper like Preacher did.
“I’ve got to get laid. Excuse me.” Bear took the bottle with him but Preacher didn’t move.
Bishop took Bear’s place but Preacher didn’t look at his son. At times, he found it was harder to stare at the man who allowed himself to be beaten and his girl to be taken. What the fuck kind of man did that?
Robin, where the fuck are you?
“What did you ever do to Reaper for him to do this to you?” Bishop asked.
Staring over the rim of his glass, he kept on watching him. He saw parts of his younger self in his boy, but only parts.
Bishop had graduated from high school, only just.
Robin, she would have graduated and probably even considered a college as well. He’d have helped her no matter what she wanted out of the future. She was smart. He had to hope that in some way, he could give her that.
“You don’t have to answer me. I know it’s hard for you to even look at me sometimes. I get it.”
“You get it? You don’t know anything, Bishop.”
“Then tell me. Talk to me. Make me understand why my best friend was taken by Reaper. Why he really wanted to hurt you. Did you know each other a long time ago? Did it start in high school or something?”
“There doesn’t have to be a reason, Bishop.” He laughed. “Is that what you think? Reaper and I had some high school crush or some shit?” He shook his head, needing another drink. “Reaper and I, we’re from different clubs. Our rivalry started because I’m better than him. He’s weak and he knows it. He can’t have what I do because no one will follow him. He’s nothing.”
“But if he’s so weak, why does he still have Robin?” Bishop asked.
Preacher stared at his son, but he didn’t have an answer, at least, not one he wanted to share with him or anyone else.
“I guess that’s the best question. He never stays in one place long enough and wherever he goes, he leaves a trail of death and destruction in his wake.”