Prologue One
Five months earlier—
“What ya got planned today, baby?” I asked, drifting the back of my knuckles across Cindi’s smooth, silky skin. Her bare shoulder looked too appetizing not to lower my lips and press a kiss against, lingering as my tongue swiped across the flesh, and she shivered.
“Lucky.”
“Yeah?” I pushed her back against the mattress, entirely focused on the shaky breath she released, her eyes closing as I peppered kisses along the slim column of her throat.
“You know what that does to me,” she moaned, reaching upward to poke me in the chest. “I’ll never make it to my appointment.”
“Ah, so you do have plans today.” My lips twitched as I suppressed a grin.
“You know exactly where I’m going,” she laughed, smacking my arm. “You’re such a tease.”
It was true. I was the one who planned this outing. “Better get your sexy ass in the shower then,” I announced, “before I keep you in bed all day.”
“We have a daughter that won’t allow it.”
“Oh, I can be creative, babe,” I replied with a wicked chuckle.
“Lucky,” she gasped, smacking my arm.
“What? She doesn’t know what Daddy is doing to Mommy.”
Cindi blushed, and I laughed harder.
“Get in the shower, babe. I’ll join you.”
Cindi shoved my chest, pushing us apart before she scrambled from the bed with a giggle. “No. I’m showering alone, andyouare feeding our hungry daughter.”
Pouting, I flopped onto my back. “Damn, cock-clocked again.”
Her laughter echoed from the shower as I rose from the bed, pulling on clothes before I walked across the room, opening the door to check on my little munchkin.
“Hey, Zar-Bear. Let’s get some breakfast while mommy showers.”
An hour later, we waved goodbye as Cindi pulled from the lot, heading to her appointment.
“FUCK,” I COMPLAINED, hitting redial again.
Why the fuck wasn’t Cindi answering her phone? The call kept going to voicemail, and it was driving me fucking crazy. With all the shit the club had gone through in recent months, it made me anxious when she forgot to text. It was just a fucking spa appointment. Hair, nails, and a little pampering.
Ever since she gave birth to our daughter, she didn’t feel pretty anymore. I tried to tell my ol’ lady that shit didn’t matter six months after a kid popped out, but she didn’t listen—stubborn woman.
So what did I do?
I bought her a certificate for the salon. Full treatment. All of the shit she loved.
Yeah, okay. I loved to spoil her. She deserved it.
Picking up my keys, I decided to ride over and see if her appointment ran late. Didn’t take long since the business was only five minutes away. I pulled onto the crowded lot, my bike rumbling as I passed through the packed rows. The place was busy as fuck, with women entering and exiting the building frequently, but not Cindi. Scanning the vicinity, I didn’t find Cindi’s SUV.
Well, shit. She must have passed me on the way to the Crossroads. We missed one another.
Pulling out into the street, I made my way back home. Hit every single fucking red light too. When I arrived . . . no Cindi.
Panic seized my chest. Where was she?