It could be… or?
Or nothing. It's going to be her and I'm going to spank her ass raw for putting this fear into me. She's going to be on a tight leash after tonight.
“I’m leaving the Gallows now, sort what you need to with Victoria's body and talk with the fire chief in case he left something out. Tell them to open the gate, Hades, or I’ll kill whoever gets in my way.”
I squeeze my phone so tight the screen cracks underneath the pressure.Fuck. I can't damage it any further in case Brynn calls me. Throwing it on the passenger seat, speeding away from The Gallows, I check the rearview mirror when I spot two familiareyes, peering back at me, quickly ducking out of sight, pulling some sort of cloth until she's camouflaged.
I’m definitely going to have a heart attack tonight because why the fuck is Jovie in the back of the truck and not with my fucking brothers at the parade. Not slowing as I enter the clubhouse, the gates wide open as I squeal to a stop, narrowly missing several bikes parked up under the carport.
Less than a second later I'm out of the truck and ripping back the cloth. Jovie’s wide eyes staring back at me.
“Where’s my mom, Grizz?” Her voice trembles as she sits up. “You can't find her, right? I heard what you said.”
Fuck.
Deep breath in.
Count to four.
“She's fine, Jovie, I promise she's alright.” I try to soothe her, helping her out of the truck, rubbing her arms to warm her.
“I’ve had those promises before. With my Grandma, but she still broke them,” she whispers.
Patting my jeans, I retrieve the crumpled note from my pocket showing her. “See, she's fine. She's at the cabin waiting for us.”
Jovie looks up at me, then back at the note. I can practically see her brain ticking the new information over. A loud screech of the gate closing distracts me, metal grinding against metal and I half expect Brynn to be walking through it, apologizing for getting lost or her phone not being charged. But it's empty. The guard giving me a small nod of his head in acknowledgement.
“How about we?—”
Where the fuck. Her footsteps are light as she sprints from me, halfway to the small door off the garage which leads to the cabin.Please be locked. Our standing rule is it remains unlocked until the last member is safe inside but I desperately needsomeone to fuck up today. Without hesitation, she opens it with ease, yelling back over her shoulder as she runs out of sight.
“That’s not her writing!”
My boots slam against the gravel as I race in the same direction. Darting through the same doors until snow is crunching underfoot. One of my strides is almost three of hers, and I can see her silhouette sprinting through the trees as she nears the cabin.
“Jovie,” I whisper yell. Not wanting to get the attention of anyone who shouldn't be here. My breathing is ragged. Not because I'm winded, but because my little girl is fearlessly running toward the unknown. That a part of my heart is missing while the other fights to find it. “Jovie!” I try again, reaching out, my fingers barely snagging the back of her jacket. It's enough, though, for her steps to slow, and I wrap my arms around her, pulling her back to my front.
“You can't go running off like that, kid. It's dangerous,” I pant.
“But mom,” she sobs. “She said she was in the cabin. She said she was at home.” Her breathing stilted as she tries to catch her breath. “It’s just a mistake. The writing. She has to be at home.”
“I don’t know what's happening but I promise I'll keep her safe, Jon Bon. I'll find her and keep her safe.”
A figure moves past the window.
Brynn, it has to be.
We both stare as the person walks out of sight. Surely it's her and she heard us. It felt like we were a stampede running to get here.
“Promise me you won't run off if I let you come and check with me. You have to stay behind me at all times and if I tell you to run, you run. Go to the clubhouse and find someone.”
I turn her to face me, dropping to one knee so we’re similar heights. She wipes her tears, sniffling before her brow dips and determination spreads across her face.
“I promise.”
Pulling her into a hug, her arms wrap around my neck so tightly you would think she would never let go. And maybe somewhere deep down, she doesn't want to. I don't know much about what life was like before they arrived but to have a kid as independent as Jovie, she must have seen and experienced a few things that no kid should. Right now, she knows her mom's missing and she's still keeping it together. I really hope this is just some big misunderstanding. One that we can all laugh about in a few months time.
Remember that time we thought you'd been kidnapped but you just went home early? That was so funny. Ha. Ha. I can't believe we got so worked up over nothing.
