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“What about her?”

“Where the fuck did she go?” I scream, slamming my fist on the counter as my breath punches out of me and my hand shakes.

“I don’t know, dude.”

My eyes narrow and I jump over the counter without thinking, grabbing the little punk by his shirt and shoving him back against a wall. He trembles under my grip and holds his hands up.

“She was taken from your parking lot, so I know you saw something. Tell me what happened,” I whisper, a bead of sweat trickling down the side of my face.

The cashier shakes his head, whimpering, and the sweet smell of weed hits my nose. “I swear, I didn’t see anything. I was in the back, smoking a joint.”

“Chance!” Smith yells from behind me and I glare at him over my shoulder before releasing the cashier and jumping over the counter. I storm out of the gas station and stop. My truck and bike are already gone and I scream, balling my fists as I kick the trash can next to the door.

“Get your shit together, brother,” Smith growls as he steps up next to me. “Your woman needs you.”

His words stop me in my tracks and I blink before walking over to Smith’s truck, feeling numb. She needs me. Carly needs me and I’m over here losing my goddamn mind. The panic is all consuming, eating up every available space in my brain until it’s all I can focus on, except for one single thought that manages to break free.

I have to find her.

It plays on repeat, again and again, as I try to get a grip on my fear. Smith is right. Carly needs me right now and I’m fucking useless like this. As he pulls out of the lot and turns back toward the clubhouse, I rest my elbows on my knees and cover my face with my hands. Replaying the day in my head, my throat constricts. Why did I leave her this morning? Someone else could have gone with Smith if I had asked so why didn’t I?

“Chance!” Blaze yells and my head jerks up as I realize that the truck has stopped. He snaps his fingers in my face and I turn to him. “Rodriguez is on his way.”

I nod, releasing a breath as some of the fear abates. Okay, this is good. Between Rodriguez and the club, we will figure this out and get Carly home safe. Climbing out of the truck, I rub my hand over my face as I walk back into the clubhouse and stop. Smith, Kodiak, and Moose are all huddled in a circle, whispering and my heart hammers. Kodiak turns to look at me, revealing Ivy with tears running down her face.

“What is it?” I ask, my voice scratchy and barely audible.

“Chance,” Kodiak starts, his gaze cutting to Moose and my jaw clenches.

“What is it?!” I yell again and Smith steps forward, handing me an envelope with my name on it. “Where did you get this?”

“It was taped to the front door when we got back,” Smith whispers and my brow furrows as I tear into it. As I scan the words on the page, my fucking heart stops.

I have your girl.

You get her back when mine is home

where she belongs.

J.H.