“No one else it could be. Regardless, I’m not taking any chances.” He turned his attention back to me as he said, “We’re going to the Sinner’s clubhouse. I need you to go pack up your stuff, and I need you to do it fast.”
After I changed clothes, I packed everything up and helped Billy load it into the truck. Billy did a final walkthrough, making sure we hadn’t forgotten anything and then locked everything up. Seconds later, we were both in the truck, and he started the engine.
Neither of us spoke as he pulled out of the drive and started driving toward the Ruthless Sinners’ clubhouse. I peered out the window and tried to steady my breathing, hoping that I might gain some control over my racing heart, but sadly, it did little to help. I was scared out of my mind.
Even though I’d met Doc and Viper and knew they’d gone out of their way to help me, I couldn’t help but be a little terrified about going to their clubhouse. I’d heard the rumors about the Ruthless Sinners MC. I knew they were dangerous men. Everyone did.
It wasn’t like they’d tried to keep it a secret. Instead, they’d made a point to make sure that everyone, especially men like Antonio DeLuca, knew that Nashville was the Sinners’ territory, and anyone who crossed them would be putting their lives in danger. DeLuca had done his best to avoid them entirely, and until today, I’d always planned to do the same.
I knew Billy trusted them and believed that they would help us, but I feared that they would blame me for everything that happened, including Kiersten’s disappearance. And they would have every right to feel that way—especially if Antonio was the one behind her disappearance. After all, I was the one who’d brought him into all of our lives.
Billy remained silent all the way through the city, and he remained silent when we pulled up to a metal gate with two men in leather vests standing guard. Billy rolled down his window, and after he explained who we were, they quickly motioned us through. I was in complete awe as we pulled through the ten-foot gate and up to a large brick building.
By the time Billy parked, my nerves were at an all-time high, and my stomach had twisted into a crippling knot. Billy must’ve noticed my unease because he turned to me with a worried expression and asked, “You okay?”
“I’m fine, Billy. You don’t have to worry about me.” I opened my door as I told him, “Right now, you need to focus on getting Kiersten back.”
“I am, but that doesn’t mean I can’t look out for you, too.” He gave me a reassuring wink, then motioned his head toward the front door. “Let’s get in there and see what they have to say.”
He got out, and I followed him over to the entrance. As he opened the door, we’d barely managed to step inside when a large man with long hair and a thick beard came charging toward us. He looked like he was about to rip Billy limb from limb as he roared, “Where the fuck is she, Billy?”
“I don’t know, Country. If I did, I wouldn’t be here.”
“How did this happen?” Before Billy had a chance to respond, Country hit him with even more questions. “Who is this DeLuca guy Viper’s been talking about, and what the fuck does he want with my Kiersten?”
“We’re not even sure he’s the one who took her.”
Another man walked over to us, and I thought he would try and help calm down his friend. Unfortunately, he seemed just as angry as Country as he snarled, “You know it’s him. We all do.”
“You’re responsible for this, Billy.” Country looked like a rabid dog as he snarled, “If anything happens to her...”
“Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?” Billy roared. “You think I don’t already know that this shit is on me? Kiersten might be your ol’ lady, but she’s my daughter! She’s everything to me!”
Country threw his hands up in the air as he shouted, “Then why didn’t you do more to protect her? Why didn’t you warn us that she was in danger?”
“Because I didn’t know! I thought she’d be safe in Boston.”
“Safe?” Billy looked like he was about to lose it as Country bellowed, “If she was safe, then she would be here!”
“I didn’t think he’d...”
“That’s just it! You weren’t fucking thinking!” Country’s face grew even redder as he glanced over in my direction. “You were too busy shacking up with her!”
“Watch your step, Country,” Billy warned.
“I’m not watching a goddamn thing!” The anger that he’d been lashing out was now being directed at me. “Who the fuck is this chick anyway? Does she have some connection to this guy? Is this happening because of her?”
“It’s complicated,” Billy roared back, unwilling to back down.
“So, it does have something to do with her!” Billy’s face was growing redder by the second, and I could tell he was struggling to maintain his composure. That struggle became even harder when Country added, “What the hell are you thinking, Billy? You let this chick get your dick wet a couple of times and forget...”
“Watch your fucking mouth, Country!” Billy took a charging step forward as he snarled, “You don’t know anything about her!”
“How would I know anything about her? You’ve haven’t told us shit about her!” Country glared at Billy as he growled, “And why is that? Why’d ya feel the need to keep her a fucking secret? You worried she was up to something... that you couldn’t trust her? You think she’s in cahoots with this fucking DeLuca fella?”
Before Billy could answer, Viper stepped into the room and growled, “That’s enough Country!”
“The fuck it is! We don’t know anything about this chick.”