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“She and Kyan start seeing each other and this fuckboy pins a note to her door with a knife.” He puffed out a breath. “We took that as a threat and reported it, but there wasn’t anything for the police to go on. Anyway, Kyan’s been staying with her ever since and he’s never seen this neighbor, but…”
“Oh, I see.”
This neighbor is fuckboy?
“Linn only mentioned him once before.” He swallowed down the last dregs from his cup. “Look, all I know for sure is she left my club and never made it home.”
Taylor nodded and reached across the table. He squeezed Brendan’s hand. “We’ll find her, mate.”
“We all love her, Tay. She’s family now and so is Chloe.” He winked. “You get me?”
“I get you.”
“You love her, don’t you?”
“That obvious?”
Brendan nodded. “Make sure you talk to your girl before they go.” He pointed his chin at the cup of coffee Taylor had been stirring the entire time but had yet to take a sip of. “You’re not going to drink that, are you?” He laughed.
Taylor shook his head. “No.” And he laughed too.
It wasn’t a surprise that Kyan and his brother were the first to return, followed by Bo, and finally Jesse and Chloe arrived hand in hand. She’d changed into skinny jeans, a plain black T-shirt, and a pair of black Chucks. Her hair was up in a messy topknot. Even without makeup and with swollen, red-rimmed eyes, Taylor thought she was beautiful.
He opened his arms. “Come here, little bird.”
Chloe let go of Jesse’s hand. She ran to Taylor and jumped into his waiting arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. She held onto him so tight. He held her right back.
“I don’t know what I did, but whatever it was, I’m sorry.” Her face was buried in his neck, so he kissed her temple.
“No, I’m sorry.” She sniffled. “You didn’t do anything. Salena…”
He lowered her legs and gently took her face in his hands. “What did she say to you?”
Chloe shook her head. “It doesn’t matter now. I let her get to me and I shouldn’t have.” Her upper lip trembled like she was about to burst into tears.
“Shh.” Taylor lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. “Everything’s all right.”
“I’m scared, Tay.” Chloe tried to blink her tears back and failed. They dripped from the corners of her pretty hazel eyes and he wiped them away. “I have a really bad feeling.”
“We’re going to find her.” He kissed her forehead. “I promise.”
“Babe.” Jesse came up behind her and kissed the top of her head. “Ky wants us to go now.” He handed Taylor a small duffel bag with his clothes and a travel mug. “Chloe made you tea.”
“Earl Grey.” She gave him a small smile.
Taylor wrapped an arm around each of them. He kissed Chloe and then Jesse. “Be safe and keep me updated.”
Jesse nodded. “We will, Tay.”
Then he and Brendan walked them outside to Jesse’s Rover and saw them off.
The city sky was overcast. Taylor could smell the coming rain even before it began to fall. They’d been walking the streets and alleys between the club and Linnea’s row house on Oak Street for hours now. Nothing. And that’s all Brendan could relay to Kyan when he called to check in with them.
It began to drizzle. Brendan chucked his cell phone into his pocket. “Kyan said they’re meeting up with someone who went to school with Linn.” He pushed his dampening hair out of his eyes. “Let’s check the house and the park one more time and then we’ll head back to the club. I’ll call my guy at the department. We can grab a burger or something too, while we’re there.” As an afterthought he added, “And I need to check in with Marcus and make sure everything is okay at Charley’s.”
Taylor nodded.
By now he knew this was an exercise in futility, and he was certain Brendan knew it too. Linnea still wasn’t home and there was no sign that she had been there. There wasn’t a living soul to be seen in the small neighborhood park by her house thanks to the rain. The swings on the playground sat empty. No one ran on the trail.
