And as I slid that full accordion binder my way, I thanked my fucking stars that I wasn’t a complete idiot.
Because it took me no time at all to find all of the insurance paperwork for each of our businesses.
“Bingo,” I whispered.
It felt pretty pointless, though. While getting all of the insurance stuff in place would help secure the future of our club, it did nothing to help us get out of the mess we had found ourselves in. With each number I dialed—with each customer service rep that placed me on hold—I grew more and more agitated. I needed to be down there helping my men. I needed to be finding ways to solve this without more bloodshed or death.
Then again, if bloodshed and death didn’t work, then we would’ve already won this war.
“Mr. McAllister! I hear you’re in need of some insurance claims on your businesses.”
I winced at the sound of my last name. That was why many of my men didn’t go by their parent-given names. When one pledged a crew like mine, they agreed to fully and completely abandoning their prior lives. And to help with the separation, a new name was usually chosen to help with compartmentalization.
And hearing my last name made me feel weaker than usual.
“Ah, yes. To most of our businesses, actually. I’ve got some… disgruntled wannabe business owners who are upset that they can’t buy me out of my businesses.”
Someone typed in the background. “Okay, I see you already have a claim going with Heist. Is that true?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“You have four other businesses here as well. Which ones do you need claims for?”
I closed my eyes. “All of them, except the bar.”
He paused for a moment. “Got it. Okay. First thing’s first, we need pictures. Do you have those?”
The monotony of the phone call was as arduous as it was late, but by the time we were done—three fucking hours later—I had pending claims out on all of our businesses. The man on the phone was kind enough to tell me that he was about 80% certain that the claim with Heist would be approved, and after that approval it would take about three weeks to cut us a check and get it sent out. It was better than nothing, though. As I hung up the phone call, I prepared myself to report back to the guys.
I owed it to them to get their lives back on track.
I owed it to their families to protect them.
And I owed it to the history of my crew to make sure this was all done right for the last motherfucking time.
“Hey, Fangs?”
I turned at the sound of Goose’s voice. “What’s up?”
He thumbed over his shoulder. “There’s dirty dishes in the sink, but I don’t see the girls. Do you happen to know where they are?”
My heart stopped in my chest. “Have you checked Theresa’s room where you had her?”
He nodded. “Yep.”
“And you’ve checked outside on the benches by the trees?”
“Uh huh.”
Panic gripped my throat. “You start on this end of the clubhouse. Check every single room. I’m going to head to the media room and work backwards.”
“You don’t think—”
I charged out of my bedroom. “Until I know something, I’m assuming everything. Help me look for them.”
I tore down the hallway toward the kitchen and, sure enough, there were dirty dishes stacked in the sink with leftovers stored away in containers but still sitting on the counter. The front door wasn’t hung open, and the living room was vacant except for Viper lumbering around for something, and that took me straight to the media room.
And their giggling voices stopped me just around the corner from it.
