“Not yet. Jack, Jay, and one of Slone Security’s guys are out searching now.” I rub the back of my neck. ‘Watch over Nina and Lauren tonight. I trust Westbrook, but he’s drunk. He might be a handful for them. I’d rather it not be a prospect.”
“Gray’s a good man. He’s passed out in Jay’s guest room. The ladies are upstairs. I’m on the couch. Trust me, Worleybird. I have things handled,” he assures me.
Jay’s guest room is on the first floor. With Hendrix on the couch, his eyes on that door. The ladies are safe tonight.
“Thanks, man. Keep me posted.” I sigh deeply. I hate being so far from home, trusting my job to another brother. Hendrix is doing great, though. “I’ll keep you posted on things from here.”
I end the call and slip my phone into my pocket. For a moment, I stare out the front window into the darkness. Nothing out there but the wind and cold.
“Oh, Harley. Where are you?” I whisper.
Chapter 9
Nina
Aloud crash bolts me upright in bed. What was that? Where am I? Lightning flashes and thunder booms moments later. I jerk my head toward the window. A thunderstorm. I’m safe. My eyes dart around the room. I’m in the room I used at my nephew’s house when I first returned to Willow Creek. I’m safe.
When Nanny and Mack offered me the position as The Haven House Mother, I happily accepted. The job came with my own room in Jack’s old house. Hiding here made me feel like a burden to my sister and her son. Darin was right, though. I wasn’t. Lauren and Jay missed me as much as I’ve missed them. Twelve years away from my family with very little contact was way too long. The only messages I was able to send to Lauren were when I sent an angel to Willow Creek. They were always in a sealed envelope with the angel’s medical records, and I never used either of our names. Mack knew the smaller envelope with a heart in the right corner was for my sister.
The Viking Warriors MC saved my life. They rescued me from an abusive relationship and hid me for twelve years. Saving me gave them a sense of purpose and a mission in honor oftheir daughter and granddaughter. I owe this club and family everything.
Ariel McLeod was two years younger than me. Fourteen years ago last month, her boyfriend took her life and that of their unborn daughter. Thankfully, he’s not the father of Ariel’s other children, Logan and Everly. Those two were five and six when I left Willow Creek. They’ve grown into amazing teenagers.
If Ariel were still here, she’d be thirty-six in June of this year. I’ll be thirty-eight next month. My sister is so excited about celebrating my birthday this year. She’s already planning our day out. I’m not sure how I feel about a day outside the gates. I haven’t been in Willow Creek in over a decade. I don’t know how to tell her I’m scared to go. Sean is still out there somewhere. He disappeared the night he left me broken and unconscious.
My story was so similar to Ariel’s. Sometimes, I believe it’s what prompted the McLeods into forming Ariel’s Angels. They tried helping the authorities with domestic violence victims. There was so much red tape and laws that they didn’t feel like they were making a difference. Lauren pleaded with them for days to save me.
I spent a week in the hospital here in Willow Creek. The entire club was present at my discharge. I was taken to the clubhouse, where I said goodbye to my sister and nephew. Around midnight that night, I was the first angel to be escorted from chapter to chapter across the country and given a new life.
Another lightning flash and crack of thunder bring be back to the present. The clock by the bed flashes 2:23. That can’t be right. I checked my phone a few minutes after two to see if there was an update on Harley. I had no texts or missed calls. The numbers on the clock are flashing, which means we lost power at some point.
I grab my phone and press the side button to wake up the screen. Surprisingly, there are a couple of texts from Darin. Hegave me his number. I didn’t give him mine. He probably has everyone’s number.
Darin: We’re searching. Haven’t found her.
It came around 4:00 AM my time. In Colorado, it was three. The next one is thirty minutes later.
Darin: Hendrix is on the couch. Don’t be alarmed.
That’s it. These messages are all business, lacking any emotion. Well, he is the club’s VP. Maybe it’s how he texts the members. This man needs to learn how to talk to a woman, though. Wait. No, he doesn’t need to change how he talks to me. I appreciate the update on Harley and the heads up about Hendrix being here. Of course, Lauren and I already knew the big biker was staying here last night. He sent the prospect home the moment he walked through the door. After checking on Grayson and telling us goodnight, Hendrix made himself comfortable on the couch.
Well, I’m too awake to go back to sleep now. It’s 6:30. I’m usually up by this time anyway. Might as well go start breakfast. I push the cover aside and get dressed. Halfway down the stairs, I hear my sister and Hendrix talking in the kitchen. Lauren looks up when I walk into the room.
“Good morning. Did the storm wake you?” She turns to put a pan of bacon in the oven. So much for my starting breakfast.
“Yeah.” I haven’t told her that my nightmares have gotten worse since I’ve been back. There’s no point in worrying her. I cover a yawn and head to the coffee maker.
“Power went out a couple of hours ago. It was only off for about twenty minutes.” Hendrix takes a sip of coffee.
“That’s good.” I take the stool next to him at the island counter. “Any word on Harley yet?”
He shakes his head. “They’re taking turns searching. Mack and Jack finally convinced Nanny to go to a bed and breakfast that the security company guys knew about in the area.”
I’m sure that wasn’t easy. It’s doubtful Nanny got any sleep, though. She won’t rest until she has her daughter back.
I look over my shoulder. It’s just the three of us. “Where’s Grayson?”
“Passed out. Probably will be until noon. He got sick in the night. I cleaned him up and put him back to bed.”
