“What?” he growls out.
“Have you talked to Veronica?”
“Why would I tell you if I had?” his gruff voice answers in response.
I blow out a deep breath, trying to calm myself before I reach through my cell phone and strangle the dumbass. “Just answer the question. I’ve messaged her, and she hasn’t responded.”
“That sounds like your problem. Not mine.” With those final words he hangs up.
I call her best friends next. One, then the other. Ash and Arizona both say the same thing.
“You know I love you, Josh. You saved my life,” Ash says softly, “but my loyalty is to her. Always.”
Arizona pretty much echoes exactly what Ash said. “She comes first. You know that.”
I do. God, I do. But there’s something else there too—something off in their tones. Fear, maybe, that something has happened to her. Then I realize with a hollow drop in mystomach… they might not even know where she is. That she may be avoiding them the same way she is me.
Which leaves only one person I know for a fact she wouldn’t cut off completely.
Her brother.
I could call, but I choose to go right there. If he’s going to lie to me, he’s going to do it to my face. But I’m not leaving without knowing where Veronica is and that she’s safe. She needs to know I’m not going anywhere and she’s worth fighting for.
The clubhouse looms like a fortress when I pull up, much like the Hellions’ clubhouse. There is a gate that surrounds the compound, with a shack at the entrance. There are three prospects at the gates when I pull up. I’ve barely stopped the car and shifted into park, before I’m out the door, standing toe to toe with the largest of the prospects.
“I need to see Luca,” I bark at the guard.
He just sneers back at me, like I should know better than to speak to him the way I am. I’m not wearing my cut so he clearly doesn’t realize how dangerous I am.
“And who the fuck do you think you are?” he questions firmly.
“I’m the Hellion that’s going to fuck you up and patch you back together if you don’t get Luca for me.”
I’m pulling out my phone, dialing his number, before the guy can even respond.
“I’m at the fucking gate. Get your ass out here now or tell these assholes at the gate to let me in!” I all but yell at him through the phone before hanging up. Once I’m done, I cross my arms over my chest and glare back at the three pricks.
A few minutes later, I see the clubhouse door open and a large figure steps out.
Her brother. Luca.
Arms crossed. Jaw tight. Eyes cold. I stand firmly in position.
“Where is she?” I demand, as he gets closer to the gate.
He just stares at me as he steps outside the compound gesturing for the prospects to go back to the shack. But I notice he hasn’t questioned why I’m concerned about Veronica. It tells me everything I need to know.
“I know she’s in there,” I snap, stepping closer. “Just let me talk to her. Five minutes. That’s all I’m asking.”
“No.” His voice is calm, but there’s steel beneath it.
“Luca. I need to talk to her. She’s not answering my calls or my texts.”
“Isn’t that giving you a hint? Maybe she doesn’t want to talk to you. I don’t need a fancy doctor’s license like you to figure that out.” He doesn’t back down, and my temper is rising. But becoming aggressive right now isn’t going to do me any favors.
“Luca, I just need five minutes. That’s all.”
He just stands there, his legs spread wide, arms crossed, head tilted slightly to the right. He looks over his shoulder back at his clubhouse, before turning his eyes back on me.
