Track nodded and left.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, clenching my back molars and fighting the sting of tears.She’s strong, a fighter. She’ll come back to me.
Grabbing my mug, I went to the kitchen. Sugar and Tina stopped in their tracks when I entered. The whole room fell silent, eyes on me. Likely waiting to see what I might do. All morning I’d gone off like the short fuse they knew me to be. I didn’t give two fucks about it. My woman was missing. I couldn’t be responsible for my actions in the mental state I was in.
“What can I get you, honey?” Sugar took the cup from my hand.
“Just coffee.”
She filled the mug, a nervous twitch in the corner of her lip. “You need to eat.”
“Can’t.”
She frowned, handing me the cup.
As Tina approached, I recognized the determined glint in her eyes. “Hey, you’ll find her—all of them. Madeline would want you to eat. If you crash and burn, how can you take care of her? She’s going to need you, Storm. Gotta keep up your strength. Now sit so I can get you some breakfast.” Tina jerked her head to a stool.
I obeyed, bracing my elbows on the island, dragging my hand across my face.
“How do you do that? You’re like the stubborn-biker whisperer.” Sugar scrunched her nose and winked, placing her hand on my shoulder.
Tina shrugged with a wry smile. “I just have the magic touch, I guess.”
Sugar leaned in and whispered, “Call David.”
Ah, that was why she had a nervous twitch. “No.”
“Storm, he has more manpower.” Her voice was low, so no one else heard. She knew how to be discreet. She also knew asking me to call my dad was risky. The mere fact she mentioned him had me studying her face with narrowed eyes. Something felt off.
“Don’t need his help.”
David Knight, the president of the mother chapter in South Dakota, was the last person I wanted to call. After what happened with Tommy, he’d thought of me as a blundering dumbfuck. My failure at keeping my woman safe would only prove him right.
“It shouldn’t matter what you want. What matters is bringing Angel home in one piece.” She huffed, leaving me in the kitchen. Dammit. I didn’t need Sugar angry with me on top of everything else.
“She’s right, y’know.” Tina patted my arm, setting a plate in front of me. Great, she heard Sugar. “Eat.”
“I’ve got this.” I pushed the plate away from me, my stomach roiling. Did I really believe I had everything under control?
Tina cocked her head, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m going to tell Angel what a pain you were while she was gone. Then I’m going to sit back and enjoy the show when she hands you your ass.”
I snorted, actually snorted, wanting nothing more than my woman handing me my ass. Hell, I’d even let her do it in front of my brothers if it meant getting her back. My chest burned, imagining her fired up. My little brunette firecracker wasn’t always docile. Fire and brimstone flowed through her just like it did me. Only she controlled it better.
“She’s going to come back to you. Eat the toast, at least. She’ll need you to be alert to her needs.”
“My Angel can count on me,” I replied in a harsh tone. No one should ever question my abilities to take care of my woman. Maybe they weren’t sure I would because I didn’t keep her safe. My gut twisted, forcing me to grip it.
Tina placed her hand on my shoulder. The understanding in her eyes made me ill. “This isn’t your fault.”
I glared at her, standing from the stool. “The fuck it isn’t.”
“Storm—”
“No!” My eyes darted around the kitchen. A few brothers and kittens were watching me, but I didn’t care. “Don’t tell me this situation isn’t my fuckin’ fault! I should’ve gotten the Hunters out of the state months ago. If my woman and the others aren’t returned in one piece… if I have to bury my…” The agonizing thought bent me over at the waist. Excruciating pain wrapped its clutches around me to the point I couldn’t stand.
Tina put her hand on my back. “Slow breaths.”
Breathing was more painful than my knotted gut.